Twin Oaks
Hamilton, Hamilton County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Between these trees Wm. Willis took refuge on Dec. 24, 1866, but was shot fatally by Indians. He was riding a mule to a dance when attacked. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
On Christmas Eve of 1866, William Willis was riding a mule to a dance when he was attacked and fatally shot by Indians, taking refuge between these two trees. The spot in Hamilton County was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1967. It recalls the dangers that shadowed everyday life on the exposed central Texas frontier just after the Civil War.
Why it matters
It captures the violent frontier struggle between settlers and Native peoples that defined this region in the mid-nineteenth century.
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Related people
- · William Willis
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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