BALD KNOBBERS: Vigilantes on the Ozarks FrontierIn the 1880s, the Ozark hills around Taney County, Missouri, echoed with the sound of Winchester rifles. Men were lynched from tree limbs by masked night riders. Bundles of switches were tossed on the porches of "loose" men and women as a grim warning to reform or leave the area. In this action-filled saga of the notorious eight-year career of the vigilantes, journalist Mary Hartman and historian Elmo Ingenthron have produced the most comprehensive account of the Bald Knobber era. They trace the roots of the group in the region's border struggles during the Civil War, and examine the organization of anti-Bald Knobbers which sprang up to oppose them. Giant Nat Kinney founded the Bald Knobbers, and led them in their violent campaign for law and order. Andrew Coggburn wrote satirical songs to infuriate Kinney and the other vigilantes. Seventeen-year-old Billy Walker murdered an innocent family and was hanged by the beleaguered authorities. Five opponents of the Bald Knobbers vowed to kill Nat Kinney, and played cards to decide who would do the deed. Elmo Ingenthron was an Ozarks historian, and collected Bald Knobbers lore for more than thirty-five years. Mary Hartman is a veteran journalist and freelance writer. |
Contents
The Beginning | |
Swearing | |
TheOutburst 4 Dissent | |
Balefire | |
Bloodshed | |
Butchery | |
Before the Bench | |
Voices from Washington | |
Hot Pursuit | |
Topplinga Giant 15 The Final Price | |
Killingat the Spring | |
Freeat Last 18 Aftermath | |
Appendix Chronology | |
Other editions - View all
Bald Knobbers: Vigilantes on the Ozarks Frontier Mary Hartman,Elmo Ingenthron No preview available - 1988 |
BALD KNOBBERS: Vigilantes on the Ozarks Frontier Elmo Ingenthron,Mary Hartman No preview available - 1998 |
Common terms and phrases
Andrew Coggburn AntiBald Knobbers antivigilantes Arkansas arrested atthe BaldKnobbers Berry Bill Daily Billy and Jim Billy Miles Billy Walker Branson brothers bullet bushwhackers cabin Castleman Chadwick charges chieftain Christian County citizens County Bald Knobbers County Sheriff County’s court courthouse Creek Dave Walker defense DeLong Deputy Dickenson disband door Douglas County Edens–Green Everett farmer fired Forsyth Friend Funk Governor Greene County Groom guilty hang Herrell horses hundred indictment Ingenthron inthe jail James Edens Jamison Jefferson City Jim Everett Jim Miles John Haworth John Mathews John Moseley Judge Hubbard killed Kinney Kinney’s Kirbyville Kissee lawyers Layton lynch March Marmaduke meeting Middleton Missouri night o’clock officers ofthe organization Ozark pistol Prather prisoners revolver rode Sheriff Cook Sheriff Johnson Sheriff McHaffie shot Snapp Springfield state’s Taney County Taney County prosecutor theBald Knobbers There’s took tothe trial vigilantes White River Wiley Mathews William Edens witnesses