archieclement
Colonel
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2011
- Location
- mo
George Washington Middleton was born 28th Nov 1836 in TN. Living in Arkansas during the CW he served both sides, first the CS then the Union. But his real "fame" came after the war.
He moved to Missouri post war and is living in Taney County Mo. he becomes connected with Nat Kinney's baldknobbers. And becomes Kinney's friend and subordinate in the outlaw organization. The baldknobbers disband in apr 1886. But hatreds in area still simmered, and apparently Wash feared for Kinney's life and one of the people he suspected was Sam Snapp, as Kinney had gunned down a good friend of Snapp's, Andrew Coggburn.
On May 9th Snapp and Middleton were sitting among friends and neighbors in front of the General Store at Kirbyville MO. As recorded in the Springfield News Leader May 10th 1886, Snapp made a remark about Middleton, calling him a bushwhacker, and an argument ensued. The men rose to their feet and Wash pulled his revolver and shot Snapp three times killing him. Middleton was taken to the little jail In Forsyth MO and on Oct 10th 1887 was finally found guilty and sentenced 40yrs hard labor in the state penitentiary. which was commuted by judge to 15 yrs.
One story goes shortly after one of his sons came up from Arkansas and drew out the staple that held the lock on the door and set his father free, a more plausible story is the jailor released him, giving him a coat and baldknobbers rode up giving him a horse and a Winchester, so Wash was able to escape to Arkansas.
But his freedom was short-lived, less then a year later he's shot and killed at a 4th of July picnic in Parthenon Arkansas. Relatives of Snapp had offered a $500 to a bounty hunter, and its generally believed the bounty hunter got his man.
Since his trial was well publicized in the area its believed by some that he is prototype for Wash Gibbs in Harold Bell Wrights novel Shepard of the Hills
Baldknobbers were generally ex Union people opposed by anti Baldknobbers who were generally ex pro confederate...…… the war died hard here as its still going 20 some years later
He moved to Missouri post war and is living in Taney County Mo. he becomes connected with Nat Kinney's baldknobbers. And becomes Kinney's friend and subordinate in the outlaw organization. The baldknobbers disband in apr 1886. But hatreds in area still simmered, and apparently Wash feared for Kinney's life and one of the people he suspected was Sam Snapp, as Kinney had gunned down a good friend of Snapp's, Andrew Coggburn.
On May 9th Snapp and Middleton were sitting among friends and neighbors in front of the General Store at Kirbyville MO. As recorded in the Springfield News Leader May 10th 1886, Snapp made a remark about Middleton, calling him a bushwhacker, and an argument ensued. The men rose to their feet and Wash pulled his revolver and shot Snapp three times killing him. Middleton was taken to the little jail In Forsyth MO and on Oct 10th 1887 was finally found guilty and sentenced 40yrs hard labor in the state penitentiary. which was commuted by judge to 15 yrs.
One story goes shortly after one of his sons came up from Arkansas and drew out the staple that held the lock on the door and set his father free, a more plausible story is the jailor released him, giving him a coat and baldknobbers rode up giving him a horse and a Winchester, so Wash was able to escape to Arkansas.
But his freedom was short-lived, less then a year later he's shot and killed at a 4th of July picnic in Parthenon Arkansas. Relatives of Snapp had offered a $500 to a bounty hunter, and its generally believed the bounty hunter got his man.
Since his trial was well publicized in the area its believed by some that he is prototype for Wash Gibbs in Harold Bell Wrights novel Shepard of the Hills
Baldknobbers were generally ex Union people opposed by anti Baldknobbers who were generally ex pro confederate...…… the war died hard here as its still going 20 some years later
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