Desperadoes of the Ozarks

Desperadoes of the Ozarks PDF Author: Larry Wood
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1455619787
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
The award-winning author of The Two Civil War Battles of Newtonia “mine[s] the rich vein of bad men—and succeeds because of solid research.” —Fred Pfitser, editor, Ozarks Mountaineer This collection of events carries readers through an era of bootlegging, highway robbery, and vigilante courts. From the cow town of Baxter Springs, Kansas, to the booming mining camp of Granby, Missouri, the Ozarks were a magnet for lawlessness. Though some stories contain gory details, the author’s intention in narrating these events is not to pay tribute to the likes of the Tri-State Terror, Bloody Britton, or the Missouri Kid. Instead Larry Wood aspires to come to terms with the region’s violent past, learn from it, and move forward. Among tales of desperate characters and brutal murders is a strengthening of law and order. As the area’s criminals wreak havoc, the Ozarks become the staging area for the last public hanging in the United States and the FBI’s first killing of a criminal. Each chapter is filled with the grisly excitement of flying bullets and mob lynchings as vengeance is dealt by the betrayed, but the book also captures the changes made to protect law-abiding citizens. “Full of damnable acts, but they make for some darn interesting reading.” —HistoryNet

Desperadoes of the Ozarks

Desperadoes of the Ozarks PDF Author: Larry Wood
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1455619787
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 246

Get Book Here

Book Description
The award-winning author of The Two Civil War Battles of Newtonia “mine[s] the rich vein of bad men—and succeeds because of solid research.” —Fred Pfitser, editor, Ozarks Mountaineer This collection of events carries readers through an era of bootlegging, highway robbery, and vigilante courts. From the cow town of Baxter Springs, Kansas, to the booming mining camp of Granby, Missouri, the Ozarks were a magnet for lawlessness. Though some stories contain gory details, the author’s intention in narrating these events is not to pay tribute to the likes of the Tri-State Terror, Bloody Britton, or the Missouri Kid. Instead Larry Wood aspires to come to terms with the region’s violent past, learn from it, and move forward. Among tales of desperate characters and brutal murders is a strengthening of law and order. As the area’s criminals wreak havoc, the Ozarks become the staging area for the last public hanging in the United States and the FBI’s first killing of a criminal. Each chapter is filled with the grisly excitement of flying bullets and mob lynchings as vengeance is dealt by the betrayed, but the book also captures the changes made to protect law-abiding citizens. “Full of damnable acts, but they make for some darn interesting reading.” —HistoryNet

Ghost of the Ozarks

Ghost of the Ozarks PDF Author: Brooks Blevins
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
ISBN: 0252094115
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 306

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Book Description
In 1929, in a remote county of the Arkansas Ozarks, the gruesome murder of harmonica-playing drifter Connie Franklin and the brutal rape of his teenaged fiancée captured the attention of a nation on the cusp of the Great Depression. National press from coast to coast ran stories of the sensational exploits of night-riding moonshiners, powerful "Barons of the Hills," and a world of feudal oppression in the isolation of the rugged Ozarks. The ensuing arrest of five local men for both crimes and the confusion and superstition surrounding the trial and conviction gave Stone County a dubious and short-lived notoriety. Closely examining how the story and its regional setting were interpreted by the media, Brooks Blevins recounts the gripping events of the murder investigation and trial, where a man claiming to be the murder victim--the "Ghost" of the Ozarks--appeared to testify. Local conditions in Stone County, which had no electricity and only one long-distance telephone line, frustrated the dozen or more reporters who found their way to the rural Ozarks, and the developments following the arrests often prompted reporters' caricatures of the region: accusations of imposture and insanity, revelations of hidden pasts and assumed names, and threats of widespread violence. Locating the past squarely within the major currents of American history, Ghost of the Ozarks: Murder and Memory in the Upland South paints a convincing backdrop to a story that, more than 80 years later, remains riddled with mystery.

The Big Book of Missouri Ghost Stories

The Big Book of Missouri Ghost Stories PDF Author: Troy Taylor
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1493043854
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
Hauntings lurk and spirits linger in the Show Me State Reader, beware! Turn these pages and enter the world of the paranormal, where ghosts and ghouls alike creep just out of sight. Author Troy Taylor shines a light in the dark corners of Missouri and scares those spirits out of hiding in this thrilling collection. From a headless ghost who stalks the aptly named “Murder Rocks”, to a large hairy monster that roams the banks of the Missouri River, there’s no shortage of bone-chilling tales to keep you up at night. It’s even rumored that the devil himself came to St. Louis in 1949, but nobody knows for sure if he ever left. Around the campfire or tucked away on a dark and stormy night, this big book of ghost stories is a hauntingly good read.

Buried Treasures of the Ozarks

Buried Treasures of the Ozarks PDF Author: W. C. Jameson
Publisher: august house
ISBN: 9780874831061
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
Relates local legends from Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma about abandoned mines, hidden stashes of plunder, and lost fortunes

Ozark Pioneers

Ozark Pioneers PDF Author:
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738518589
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
In the early 1800s, rugged and self-sufficient pioneers left their native homelands to tame the wild Ozark territory. These early settlers left their mark on history, as they settled Taney County, and became Missouri's first families.With family stories and photographs passed down from generation to generation, Ozark Pioneers shares the experiences of the first residents of the area. Family names such as Allen, Coggburn, Smith, Whorton, Layton, Bollinger, Brittain, and Rittenhouse appear throughout the history of Taney County, demonstrating the roots and growth of the wild Ozark territory. From the bloody days of battle in the Civil War, to the continuous fight against the outlaws in the Bald Knobber era, these pages detail the courage, hardships, and strength of theses founding families in an untamed land.

Ozarks Gunfights and Other Notorious Incidents

Ozarks Gunfights and Other Notorious Incidents PDF Author: Larry Wood
Publisher: Pelican Publishing
ISBN: 1455610070
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
"A vivid portrayal of the time when western Missouri was part of the Wild West. Larry Wood has enhanced his careful historical research with graphic details and meaningful commentary. His account of these little-known bad men and women gives a true picture of the wild and brutal side of the era." -Ellen Gray Massey, author, The Bittersweet Ozarks at a Glance The battle between the Blue and Gray had ended, but the Ozarks were still witnessing a war. Divided loyalties gave rise to rampant lawlessness and debauchery, plaguing this region with robberies, shootouts, and showdowns. In twenty-five compelling chapters, Larry Wood meticulously compiles his research from the shocking incidents that took place in the Ozarks during the late 1860s through the 1950s. The author includes haunting portraits of the corrupt criminals, snapshots of Western towns where the events took place, and excerpts from previously published magazine articles. Wood recalls the notorious Springfield, Missouri, showdown between Davis Tutt and Wild Bill Hickok, which ushered in the era of the Wild West. He remembers the biggest railroad-settler dispute in Kansas history and the Roscoe shootout that resulted in the murder of a Younger brother. The author also mentions the not-as-well-known, but equally as scandalous crimes, such as the bank holdup by female bandit Cora Hubbard and the bloody Benders' massacre. Bonnie and Clyde, Bill Cook, Henry Starr, and other infamous outlaws make an appearance in this revealing volume. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Larry Wood is an award-winning author who has published several books on the Civil War and the Ozarks. He is an instructor for the Long Ridge Writers Group of West Redding, Connecticut, as well as a member of the Joplin Writers' Guild, the Missouri Writers' Guild, the Ozarks Writers League, and the Joplin Genealogy Society. Wood earned his B.A. and M.A. in English from Missouri State University and served two years in the U.S. Army. He resides in Joplin, Missouri.

Faces Like Devils

Faces Like Devils PDF Author: Matthew J. Hernando
Publisher: University of Missouri Press
ISBN: 0826273343
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description
In the twenty-first century, the word vigilante usually conjures up images of cinematic heroes like Batman, Zorro, the Lone Ranger, or Clint Eastwood in just about any film he’s ever been in. But in the nineteenth century, vigilantes roamed the country long before they ever made their way onto the silver screen. In Faces Like Devils, Matthew J. Hernando closely examines one of the most famous of these vigilante groups—the Bald Knobbers. Hernando sifts through the folklore and myth surrounding the Bald Knobbers to produce an authentic history of the rise and fall of Missouri’s most famous vigilantes. He details the differences between the modernizing Bald Knobbers of Taney County and the anti-progressive Bald Knobbers of Christian County, while also stressing the importance of Civil War-era violence with respect to the foundation of these vigilante groups. Despite being one of America’s largest and most famous vigilante groups during the nineteenth century, the Bald Knobbers have not previously been examined in depth. Hernando’s exhaustive research, which includes a plethora of state and federal court records, newspaper articles, and firsthand accounts, remedies that lack. This account of the Bald Knobbers is vital to anyone not wanting to miss out on a major part of Missouri’s history.

Missouri Outlaws

Missouri Outlaws PDF Author: Paul Kirkman
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1439664110
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 144

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Book Description
Whether seen as a common criminal or Robin Hood with a six-shooter, the Missouri outlaw left an indelible mark on American culture. In the nineteenth century, Missouri was known as the "Outlaw State" and offered a list of lawbreakers like Jesse James, Bloody Bill Anderson, Belle Starr and Cole Younger. These notorious criminals became folk legends in countless books, movies and television shows. Author Paul Kirkman traces the succession of Missouri's first few generations and how each contributed to the making of some of the most notorious outlaws and lawmen in American history.

A History of the Ozarks, Volume 1

A History of the Ozarks, Volume 1 PDF Author: Brooks Blevins
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
ISBN: 0252050606
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 475

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Book Description
Winner of the Missouri History Book Award, from the State Historical Society of Missouri Winner of the Arkansiana Award, from the Arkansas Library Association Geologic forces raised the Ozarks. Myth enshrouds these hills. Human beings shaped them and were shaped by them. The Ozarks reflect the epic tableau of the American people—the native Osage and would-be colonial conquerors, the determined settlers and on-the-make speculators, the endless labors of hardscrabble farmers and capitalism of visionary entrepreneurs. The Old Ozarks is the first volume of a monumental three-part history of the region and its inhabitants. Brooks Blevins begins in deep prehistory, charting how these highlands of granite, dolomite, and limestone came to exist. From there he turns to the political and economic motivations behind the eagerness of many peoples to possess the Ozarks. Blevins places these early proto-Ozarkers within the context of larger American history and the economic, social, and political forces that drove it forward. But he also tells the varied and colorful human stories that fill the region's storied past—and contribute to the powerful myths and misunderstandings that even today distort our views of the Ozarks' places and people. A sweeping history in the grand tradition, A History of the Ozarks, Volume 1: The Old Ozarks is essential reading for anyone who cares about the highland heart of America.

A Living History of the Ozarks

A Living History of the Ozarks PDF Author: Rossiter, Phyllis
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.
ISBN: 9781455607594
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 492

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Book Description
The Ozarks region-spanning parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma-overflows with visible fragments of the past. A Living History of the Ozarks is a guide to the region through landmarks and sites which offer clues to its intriguing history. This splendorous land inspired Phyllis Rossiter, a native of the Ozarks, to write about the area to help people learn to appreciate its beauty and to recognize our dependence upon nature. "I feel that it's important to safeguard what we have left," says Rossiter. "In my writing, if I can help achieve that, then that's what I want to do-to help people acquire an appreciation for nature." Abounding with sparkling lakes and rivers (including the great Lake of the Ozarks), clear blue springs, rugged mountains, ancient caves, and windswept prairies, the Ozarks are a visitor's wonderland of natural beauty and legendary mystique. Author Phyllis Rossiter explores the major areas that make up the storied Ozarks. The Lake of the Ozarks region, the Springfield plateau, Ozark mountain country, the Buffalo National River, White River Hills, and the Big Spring region are all covered in depth. A detailed appendix lists places to view ongoing history such as caves and rock formations, Indian artifacts, bridges and ferries, gristmills, Civil War monuments, heritage crafts, mountain music, hiking trails, floatable rivers, national parks, and more. Offering keen insight on the area's history, as well as a complete guide to the sites and scenic spots of this popular American vacation destination, this book is a marvelous documentation of "living history" for tourists and interested area residents alike. Phyllis Rossiter resides in Gainesville, Missouri, where she is an active writer, photographer, conservationist, and lecturer. She is a member of the Missouri Writers Guild, the Ozarks Writers League, the Society of Children's Book Writers, and the Outdoor Writers of America.