John Hughes (lawman)
Encyclopedia
John Reynolds Hughes was a Texas Ranger
and cowboy
of the Old West, and later an author
.
, son to Thomas Hughes and Jennie Bond Hughes. In 1865 the family moved to Dixon, Illinois
, then later to Mound City, Kansas
. Hughes left home at the age of 14 to work on a ranch
as a cowboy. He later made his way west into Indian Territory
, where he became closely associated with the Choctaw
and Osage
Indians, and later with the Comanche
, learning much about their cultures and traditions. Following this, Hughes worked as a trail driver on the Chisholm Trail
, then purchased a farm
in Liberty Hill, Texas
.
, returning the horses to his neighbor. The pursuit lasted for several months, and brought him to the attention of local Texas Ranger Ira Aten
. In July, 1887, Hughes accompanied Ranger Aten in the pursuit of murder
er Judd Roberts, with Hughes and Aten killing Roberts in a gunfight. Recruited by the Rangers, prompted by Aten's recommendation, Hughes signed on in 1887 beginning a career that would last until his retirement on January 31, 1915.
He served mainly in what was referred to as the "Frontier Battalion", on the Mexico
-American border. During that time he gained a reputation as a relentless pursuer of outlaw
s, and in 1890, while in Shafter, Texas
, Hughes posed with fellow Rangers Bob Speaks, Alonzo "Lon" Oden, and Jim Putnam in one of the most widely circulated Texas Ranger photos in history. The photo has been since used in numerous magazine
s, and on post cards, in addition to being placed on t-shirts in the latter 20th century. At the time of the photo, the Rangers, part of "D Company", "Frontier Battalion", were assigned to protect a silver
mine
located in Shafter. Hughes was promoted to Captain
in 1900, then later to Senior Captain.
Following the 1893 murder
of Texas Ranger Captain Frank Jones, killed during an ambush by bandits, Hughes led a company of Rangers in a hunt for the killers, most of whom were members of the Olguin family. Since the Rangers led by Captain Jones had mistakenly entered into Mexico, and were across the border with Mexico when the shootout took place, no suspects would be prosecuted. The bandits were wanted for numerous crimes committed inside the U.S., which had led Captain Jones in pursuit of them. Based on a list of names supplied by early Ranger undercover agent Ernest St. Leon
, Hughes and his company tracked down 18 suspects in the murder, and either killed them all in shootouts or by way of hanging
, effectively ending the Olguin families crime spree.
Hughes had a reputation that proceeded him. Even notorious outlaws like Jim Miller preferred not to cross his path. The sheriff of Pecos, Texas (Bud Frazer)had reason to believe that Jim Miller and his gang were planning to kill him when he got back to Pecos from a business trip. In order to ensure his safety he asked for the help of John R. Hughes. What happened next is chronicled in Leon Claire Meltz book, The Shooters.
"Nobody in Pecos, of course, wanted to tangle with Hughes, and a few minutes after the ranger hit town Miller was in jail charged with plotting to commit murder."
authored The Lone Star Ranger, dedicated to Hughes and his company of Rangers. A close friend of Hughes named Jack Martin went on to author The Border Boss, in 1942 telling of his exploits while with the Rangers. Author W. W. Sterling made Hughes the subject of his book, Trails and Trials of a Texas Ranger, and in addition to those Hughes was included in the books Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters by Bill O'Neal, and The Law Comes to Texas by Frederick Wilkins. Hughes spent the next several years traveling, ranching and prospecting, before settling in Austin, Texas
, where he became the Chairman of the Board and largest stockholder for Citizens Industrial Bank.
In 1940 he was selected for the Certificate of Valor, a national award that recognized law enforcement officers. Hughes had never married, and by the 1940s Hughes was in poor health, and most of those closest to him had long since died. Depressed and alone, he moved in with a niece in Austin. On June 3rd, 1947, he committed suicide
at the age of 92. He is buried in the State Cemetery. Hughes is a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
.
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
and cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
of the Old West, and later an author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Early life
Hughes was born John Reynolds Hughes, in Cambridge, IllinoisCambridge, Illinois
Cambridge is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,160 at the 2010 census, down from 2,180 at the 2000 census...
, son to Thomas Hughes and Jennie Bond Hughes. In 1865 the family moved to Dixon, Illinois
Dixon, Illinois
Dixon is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,733 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,941 at the 2000 census. Named for its founder, John Dixon , it is the county seat of Lee County. Located on the Rock River, Dixon was the boyhood home of former U.S...
, then later to Mound City, Kansas
Mound City, Kansas
Mound City is a city in and the county seat of Linn County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 694.-Geography:Mound City is located at...
. Hughes left home at the age of 14 to work on a ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
as a cowboy. He later made his way west into Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
, where he became closely associated with the Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
and Osage
Osage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
Indians, and later with the Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
, learning much about their cultures and traditions. Following this, Hughes worked as a trail driver on the Chisholm Trail
Chisholm Trail
The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the late 19th century to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas...
, then purchased a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in Liberty Hill, Texas
Liberty Hill, Texas
Liberty Hill is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,409 at the 2000 census, and 1,491 in the 2005 census estimate.-Geography:Liberty Hill is located at , about 29 miles northwest of Austin....
.
Joining the Texas Rangers
In May 1886, his neighbor lost several horses to thieves, and Hughes pursued the band, killing two of the men in the process, and capturing the remaining thieves in New Mexico TerritoryNew Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
, returning the horses to his neighbor. The pursuit lasted for several months, and brought him to the attention of local Texas Ranger Ira Aten
Ira Aten
Ira Aten was a Texas Ranger who was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.Aten was born in Cairo, Illinois. His father Austin Aten was a Methodist circuit rider, and moved the family to Texas in 1876, settling near Round Rock, Texas. In 1878, while still a boy, Aten witnessed the death of...
. In July, 1887, Hughes accompanied Ranger Aten in the pursuit of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
er Judd Roberts, with Hughes and Aten killing Roberts in a gunfight. Recruited by the Rangers, prompted by Aten's recommendation, Hughes signed on in 1887 beginning a career that would last until his retirement on January 31, 1915.
He served mainly in what was referred to as the "Frontier Battalion", on the Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
-American border. During that time he gained a reputation as a relentless pursuer of outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s, and in 1890, while in Shafter, Texas
Shafter, Texas
Shafter is an unincorporated community in Presidio County, Texas, United States. The Texas Attorney General's Office gives a population of 11 as of the 2000 Census. It was named in honor of General William Shafter, who at one point commanded the nearby Fort Davis. In the early 1900s six silver...
, Hughes posed with fellow Rangers Bob Speaks, Alonzo "Lon" Oden, and Jim Putnam in one of the most widely circulated Texas Ranger photos in history. The photo has been since used in numerous magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
s, and on post cards, in addition to being placed on t-shirts in the latter 20th century. At the time of the photo, the Rangers, part of "D Company", "Frontier Battalion", were assigned to protect a silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
located in Shafter. Hughes was promoted to Captain
Police captain
- France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
in 1900, then later to Senior Captain.
Following the 1893 murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of Texas Ranger Captain Frank Jones, killed during an ambush by bandits, Hughes led a company of Rangers in a hunt for the killers, most of whom were members of the Olguin family. Since the Rangers led by Captain Jones had mistakenly entered into Mexico, and were across the border with Mexico when the shootout took place, no suspects would be prosecuted. The bandits were wanted for numerous crimes committed inside the U.S., which had led Captain Jones in pursuit of them. Based on a list of names supplied by early Ranger undercover agent Ernest St. Leon
Ernest St. Leon
Ernest "Diamond Dick" St. Leon was a French-American law enforcement officer and a member of the Texas Rangers, known prominently during the 1880s as one of its finest undercover officers. He received the nickname "Diamond Dick" from his fellow officers due to his habit of wearing diamonds on his...
, Hughes and his company tracked down 18 suspects in the murder, and either killed them all in shootouts or by way of hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
, effectively ending the Olguin families crime spree.
Hughes had a reputation that proceeded him. Even notorious outlaws like Jim Miller preferred not to cross his path. The sheriff of Pecos, Texas (Bud Frazer)had reason to believe that Jim Miller and his gang were planning to kill him when he got back to Pecos from a business trip. In order to ensure his safety he asked for the help of John R. Hughes. What happened next is chronicled in Leon Claire Meltz book, The Shooters.
"Nobody in Pecos, of course, wanted to tangle with Hughes, and a few minutes after the ranger hit town Miller was in jail charged with plotting to commit murder."
After retirement
Following his retirement, western novelist Zane GreyZane Grey
Zane Grey was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the Old West. Riders of the Purple Sage was his bestselling book. In addition to the success of his printed works, they later had second lives and continuing influence...
authored The Lone Star Ranger, dedicated to Hughes and his company of Rangers. A close friend of Hughes named Jack Martin went on to author The Border Boss, in 1942 telling of his exploits while with the Rangers. Author W. W. Sterling made Hughes the subject of his book, Trails and Trials of a Texas Ranger, and in addition to those Hughes was included in the books Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters by Bill O'Neal, and The Law Comes to Texas by Frederick Wilkins. Hughes spent the next several years traveling, ranching and prospecting, before settling in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, where he became the Chairman of the Board and largest stockholder for Citizens Industrial Bank.
In 1940 he was selected for the Certificate of Valor, a national award that recognized law enforcement officers. Hughes had never married, and by the 1940s Hughes was in poor health, and most of those closest to him had long since died. Depressed and alone, he moved in with a niece in Austin. On June 3rd, 1947, he committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
at the age of 92. He is buried in the State Cemetery. Hughes is a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas, is the state-designated official historical center of the famed Texas Rangers law enforcement agency. It consists of the Homer Garrison, Jr. museum gallery, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, the Texas Ranger Research Center and the Headquarters...
.