Site of the McClean Massacre
Palestine, Anderson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Daniel McLean and John Sheridan, expert Indian fighters employed by the settlers as guides and protectors, were killed here in 1837. By holding the savages in check until the settlers could escape, both sacrificed their lives.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1837, during the era of the Republic of Texas, frontier guides Daniel McLean and John Sheridan were killed here while shielding settlers from an attack. According to the marker, the two held off their attackers long enough for the settlers to escape, losing their own lives in the process. The site memorializes a violent episode of the early Anglo-Texan frontier.
Why it matters
The marker records the brutal frontier conflict between settlers and Native peoples that accompanied Anglo expansion into Republic-era Texas.
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Related people
- · Daniel McLean
- · John Sheridan
Themes & tags
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