Submitted by Clay Riley – In 1924, a local reporter for the Brownwood Bulletin wrote an article relating a tale, reportedly told to him by William C. “Uncle Bill” Anderson of Salt Creek. In this story, it is said Uncle Bill Anderson claimed to be the notorious Civil War guerrilla William “Bloody Bill” Anderson, a member of partisan rangers, headed by William Quantrill. He claimed he had escaped the ambush set up by Federal Militia in October 27th of 1864, in Ray County Missouri. The escapades of these guerrillas are well documented.
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The reporter, Henry C. Fuller, published the article in the Brownwood Bulletin and also sold the article to other publications. Because of the claims of this 84-year-old pioneer, it generated interest over a wide area within Texas as well as adjoining states. It was not unusual for reporters to sell stories to other publications other than the ones they worked for, to gain additional income. It was also sold to and published by Collier Magazine, a publication with national distribution.
After the article’s publication, it was instantly controversial. Many governmental documents and publications had documented the death of Bloody Bill Anderson near Orrick, Missouri in October of 1864, by a Federal Militia headed by a Major Samuel P. Cox. The body of the notorious Bill Anderson was identified by a cousin and others that had personal contact with him.
The Brownwood Bulletin’s Will Mayes, tried to resolve this mystery that had drawn so much scrutiny, by having the author; Henry C. Fuller, send a letter to a cousin of Mayes in Missouri. In the letter Fuller asked him to distribute a photo of Brown County’s William C. Anderson among the Confederate Veterans in the Confederate Home in Missouri. The letter was also published in newspapers in Missouri. There was never any record of anyone recognizing Uncle Bill Anderson as the former Quantrill lieutenant, William T. “Bloody Bill” Anderson.
Jewell Mayes, Secretary of the Missouri State Board of Agriculture was related to Will Mayes, then editor of the Brownwood Bulletin and employer of Henry C. Fuller.
In 1927 when the letter was written and published, research material was not as readily available then as it is today. Today we have access to documents and data that helps us unravel this story and winnow out the truth. There is a lot of data that defines the truth with clarity.
It is well documented;
• There were 244 residents of Brown County in 1860, including Moses G. Anderson, an uncle and future father-in-law of William Columbus Anderson and David Q., brother of William Columbus Anderson. Salt Creek was identified on the 1863 Government Land Office (GLO) map of Brown County.
• The 1863 GLO map shows the property of W. Anderson near the confluence of Salt Creek and Pecan Bayou, adjoining the property of several other landowners, including his brother and father-in-law, County Clerk Moses Anderson.
• 1863 Brown County, Texas Tax List from Henry Ford’s “Cotton Calculator”, are listed the three Anderson brothers; W. Anderson, J.N. Anderson and D.Q. Anderson
• On 5 February 1864, in Brown County; William C., and his brothers, James N., and David Q. all enlisted in the Texas State Troops (TST) and William served 20 days in February 1864
• William T. Anderson (aka. Bloody Bill) died on the 27 of October 1864 at the Battle of Albany, Orrick, Ray County, Missouri. He was shot and killed, age 24 by Major S.P. Cox and buried in Pioneer Cemetery, Richmond, Ray County, Missouri.
There were two William Andersons in two different states at the same time. Bloody Bill Anderson was in Missouri, as is well documented. Uncle Bill Anderson was here in Brown County, also well documented, during the same time period. It is obvious from the records and documents available; Uncle Bill Anderson was not the infamous Bloody Bill Anderson.
Why would this old Brown County pioneer spin such a yarn? We will never know what his motives were. By 1924 he was 84 years old and had out lived his generation’s family members. It would appear, that this lonely old fellow liked to spin yarns and with those that stopped by his place that was on the road to Clio and May, Texas. Henry Fuller may have asked Uncle Bill if ‘he was the Bill Anderson from Missouri that rode with Quantrill.
Possibly, from that innocent of a question, the yarn may have developed; to the extent that Henry Fuller had an amazing story to sell.
There is much too much material to present here, but you can find further information at the Brownwood Public Library’s Local History & Genealogy Branch at 213 S. Broadway.
William Columbus Anderson died on November 2, 1927, 87 years of age, and is buried next to his wife Martha Elizabeth Anderson, in Staley Cemetery, here in Brown County.
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This and many other stories are available at the Brownwood Public Library – Genealogy & Local History Branch at 213 S. Broadway. Volunteers from the Pecan Valley Genealogical Society are there to assist you in your family or local history research.
Clay Riley is a local historian and retired Aerospace Engineer that has been involved in the Historical and Genealogical Community of Brown County for over 20 years.
Should you have a comment, or a question that he may be able to answer in future columns, he can be reached at; [email protected].
Material from newspapers, military records in the State of Texas Adjacent General’s archives, census Records, 35th District Court files and the author’s own personal research records.