Outlaw's Graves = Palo Pinto County, TXGenWeb Project

Outlaw's Graves written by Allen Ramsey "These two outlaw's graves are located on the east shore of Palo Pinto Lake approximately north, northwest of Randall Miller Power Plant. From bits and pieces of the story that has been handed down, it seems these men had stolen some horses. When sheriff, Jim Owens, surprised them somewhere on Lake Creek, a running battle took place. One of the outlaws fell mortally wounded. Later in the chase the second outlaw fell and died. By that time Sheriff Owens had only one shot left in his gun. The second outlaw was buried at the spot where he fell. By that time the other outlaw was dead, and was brought and buried by the other one. A head marker was made for both graves by splitting a block of cedar. Years later Andrew Martin of Lone Camp passed by the graves one day and noticed that one of the markers was almost rotted away. He visited two sons of Sheriff Owens and got the dates of the killing. He carved two stones with the dates on them and replaced the wooden markers. One day A. L. Wilson of Lone Camp came to the graves and saw what had been done. He searched around and found one wooden marker that had not decayed and placed it in his private museum. At a later date A. L. Wilson and his son, J. M. Wilson, came to the sight and found the graves covered with surveyor's stakes for a new power line. They did not have anything else to write on so they pulled up some of the surveyor's stakes and wrote on each one, "This is a grave, do not disturb." They tied white rags on the stakes so they could not be overlooked. The next time they passed the place, they saw the workmen had not only honored the graves by not placing any lines or poles on the graves, but had outlined them with small stones and had added wooden crosses at the heads tied together in the traditional Western Movie fashion. The dates on the stones are 1879 - Mrs. Lela Thornton of Lone Camp has an excellent picture of her grandfather, Sheriff Owens."