Mimsy Review: The Legend of the Nightriders
The old couple arose in excellent spirits the next morning and prepared to hitch their wagon and resume their travel westward. However, when Uncle Dan and the old man went to the barn, just after daylight, Dan bashed in the old man’s head with an axe and left him there to die. Meanwhile the affable Aunt Polly, inviting the old lady to her garden to admire her vegetables, slashed the woman’s throat with a knife as the woman bent over to examine a radish.
Around the net
Hundreds of people dead, and almost no records, in rural Louisiana following the Civil War. Truth? Legend? Or something in between? Jack Peebles• takes newly-discovered newspaper articles and shows us the possibility of truth in old stories about the Harrisonburg Road.
| Recommendation | Special Interests• |
|---|---|
| Author | Jack Peebles |
| Year | 2005 |
| Length | 296 pages |
| Book Rating | 6 |
“D.S. Kimbrel, born Feb. 19 1803; Died June 16, 1869.”
I was in Louisiana a few months ago and visited a ghost town named Rochelle. You can still find a few people reminiscing about it on lost web forums, and, with help from the local police department, I found two of the town’s cemeteries nearby. What I did not expect to find was a story of a mass murder I’d never heard of, a story of a group of people who murdered hundreds of travelers over a period of at least five years, between 1866 to 1870.
It began much earlier than 1866 with Dan and Polly Kimbrel, who lured travelers to their farm and then murdered them. As their children grew older, their sons and daughters assisted, catching blood in a pan when necessary, for example. During the Civil War their son Lawson fought for the Confederacy. When he returned, he began to recruit soldiers returning from the war to take what he learned from his parents and step it up into an organization. The nightriders started, perhaps, with the murder of Union paymaster Lieutenant Simeon G. Butts in the summer of 1866. Lt. Butts carried—alone—$2,700 from Natchitoches to Vernon, Louisiana. That’s a lot of money to be carrying alone today; it was a fortune in 1866.
After killing Butts, the group started searching out more travelers who had property worth stealing. The West-Kimbrel clan killed so many people that they ended up digging wells all over the area, all along the road (but off of the roads enough to avoid suspicion), to dump bodies into. They used Chickasaw Indian tree marks to communicate. They managed to avoid being caught despite the many people they killed by only killing people from far away:
Aunt Polly and Uncle Dan [Kimbrel] limited their assaults to travelers migrating to Texas from far-away states, usually from the Southeast along the Harrisonburg road.
It was Uncle Dan’s death—you can still see his gravestone in the Kimbrel cemetery—that set in motion their capture; Dan and Polly were very careful. It was only in his old age, according to the legend, that he began to be careless: according to the stories, Uncle Dan was killed by a victim who survived and who “came back to hunt down and kill the old man who had shot his father.”
After Uncle Dan’s death, the nightriders grew more reckless, and the rest of the community began first to suspect, then to know and fear the nightriders, and finally to fear inaction more than they feared the murderers. As people began to suspect, the night riders began threatening and even killing locals, which, as any student of revolution knows, only hastened the nightriders’ fall as they made more and more enemies. The Sheriff would do nothing, for reasons unexplained in the book. Several citizens banded together to stop the nightriders once a critical mass of people willing to act formed.
The three main outlaws were Uncle Dan Kimbrel, Laws Kimbrel, and John West. “Outlaw” doesn’t really describe them, though, because they tried to stay under cover of respectability during the day. West organized the Kimbrel clan into the nightriders, but also:
…sought political power and community respectability. He was elected Justice of the Peace of Ward Six in Winn Parish, and his close associate in crime, Lec Ingram, was selected constable.
The legends don’t say whether the stolen money helped, but it probably did. West also looked to the business community for assistance laundering their ill-gotten gains, building their own businesses where possible and drawing in a local merchant/banker to launder gains that couldn’t be run through the mill.
This is a confusing narrative. I can’t see when the authors think it began; this is partly because it’s really a story about the nightriders, but the murders started well before the nightriders formed—if I’m reading the book correctly. It’s also partly because the stories are literally that: stories told later by descendants of the victims, murderers, and other townsfolk. Few of the murder stories have dates.
The nightrider stories reiterate and reinterpret accounts from various sources. I do not claim these narratives as my original writing. They are, after all, the contents of a legend I did not create. My contribution has been to update the legend, correct errors based on the newly discovered material, and put the new information in narrative form…
The persistence of this legend—we are now in the fifth generation after the nightriders—suggests a common memory. If the legend does not rise to the level of history it is nonetheless a valid part of the oral and written tradition of the community.
The legends themselves are pretty scrambled. The Haunted History Tour in Natchitoches includes a visit by “The Front Street Ghost – U.S. General Napoleon McLaughlin returns to seek his revenge after his murder by Laws Kimbrel of the notorious West-Kimbrel Klan.” And the Southern Spirit Guide mentions a ghost who appears in Natchitoches: “The best candidate for the identity of this ghost may be Brevet Brigadier General Napoleon McLaughlin who was part of the Union occupation forces. He was gunned down by outlaws on Front Street in 1872”.
General McLaughlin had been involved in investigating Butts’s murder. In 1868 he killed Laws’s brother William while interviewing suspects. But McLaughlin survived that encounter1 and lived until 1887, where he died in New York. These references probably refer to the murder of Lieutenant (and Brevet Captain) Butts in 1866—one of the few murders for which records still exist.2 There is no record of federal authorities on hand for the 1870 uprising against the West-Kimbrel clan, either. That the federal authorities didn’t want to get involved was part of the problem.
The work is heavily footnoted, but few of the footnotes are original records: they’re interviews with descendants. The courthouse and all its records were destroyed “around 1868” according to the legends, burned by the West-Kimbrel clan. The courthouse burned again in 1885, fifteen years after the uprising. This means that any records of unsolved murders or disappearances are gone. It is likely that even in 1870 there were few records: the recently-discovered articles from the Ouachita Telegraph provide anecdotes but neither dates nor names for the victims.
Most of the period records all deal with one case: that of Lieutenant Butts. As a federal soldier, his records were in the National Archives and the story of his disappearance made small news items as far away as New York City.
This is also a buried treasure legend: besides burying bodies all over the Parish, they also supposedly had treasure caches, and people continued looking for the clan’s treasure for decades.3
Peebles borrows heavily (with full thanks and acknowledgement) from an earlier work by Richard Briley III, Nightriders: Inside story of the West and Kimbrell Clan•. Both books are difficult to find: I was loaned my copy of Jack Peebles’s• work by a Georgetown native, which I had to return. That said, if mass murderers who get away with it for years—and even operate partially under the cover of authority—fascinate you, I recommend finding this book or another book about the nightriders of Harrisonburg Road.
- January 28, 2014: Trevor Fry’s Natchez Trace photo
-
This comes from Trevor Fry.
My son, Adam, is doing research with the hopes of installing a historical marker regarding the Nightriders and the old wagon road they haunted, the El Camino Real/Harrisonburg Road.
Last summer we traveled with Dr. Frank Mobley from the ferry crossing at Little River all the way to the ferry crossing at Red River, and soaked up all of the Nightrider sights we could along the way. Last week we took a photo of the old wagon road after a snow fall which really shows the contours of the sunken trace.
Part of the above is from his email, and part from his comment in the original Nightriders book review.
I think a historical marker along the trace is a great idea.
McLaughlin was arrested and charged with murder in Winn Parish, but the Ninth Judicial District of the State of Louisiana took jurisdiction from Winn, and McLaughlin was found not guilty.
↑What 1872 has to do with it I have no idea. If General McLaughlin continued to pursue Laws Kimbrel over the Butts murder, it was mostly through correspondence. Laws—supposedly—was eventually hanged in Texas for an unrelated murder. Again, though, no records are cited and some legends say Laws, living under an alias, outlived his younger brother Tom.
↑Other parts of the legend say that the treasure was probably appropriated by their banker, who kept records for the nightriders and so would have known where the treasure was. And other legends say that Uncle Dan’s son Tom knew where it was and regularly dug it up when needed. Tom was born in 1854; he was the youngest of the boys and barely shows up in any of the narratives.
↑
If you enjoyed The Legend of the Nightriders…
For more about Louisiana, you might also be interested in The Thrifty Peanut in Shreveport and Lemon Tea Bread from O’Donnell Angel Food Cookbook.
books
- The Legend of the Nightriders•: Jack Peebles (paperback)
- “Limited availability”. I don’t have a copy either—mine was a loan, but if you are interested in mass murderers of the nineteenth century, find some way to acquire a copy.
- Nightriders: Inside story of the West and Kimbrell Clan•: Richard Briley, III (paperback)
- “This clan robbed and killed more people than any other outlaw group in America. Two prominent community and church leaders led the gang. They killed so many people they had to dig a well every mile for forty miles in order to dispose of the bodies. The book features sources, drawings and photos.”
history
- Dilson S. Kimbrel (1803-1869)
- Grave of Dilson S. Kimbrel in the Kimbrel Cenetery in Wheeling, Winn Parish, Louisiana.
- Gen. Napoleon B. McLaughlin died
- “Gen. Napoleon B. McLaughlin died in New York on Saturday. He was one of the best-known Grand Army men in the country. He was born in Vermont in 1823.”
- Mystery and Retribution in Winn Parish (May 28, 1870)
- “The recent lynching of a number of desperadoes, murderers and robbers—nine in all—in the southeastern portion of Winn parish has led to the disclosure of a number of bloody deeds which hitherto were enveloped in a mystery that defied the sharpest and closest scrutiny of the law. These men, headed by a man named West, have been operating as highwaymen with unvarying success ever since the close of the war, and perhaps before its close, and have sent unheralded and unprepared into eternity the soul of many an innocent victim, stimulated thereto solely by an ungodly greed for gain.”
tourism
- Haunted History Tour of Historic Natchitoches Louisiana
- “The Front Street Ghost – U.S. General Napoleon McLaughlin returns to seek his revenge after his murder by Laws Kimbrel of the notorious West-Kimbrel Klan.”
- Southern Spirit Guide: Haunted Louisiana
- “According to Roger Manley in Weird Louisiana, there is some question as to the identity of the spirit or even whether the uniform is Confederate or Union. The best candidate for the identity of this ghost may be Brevet Brigadier General Napoleon McLaughlin who was part of the Union occupation forces. He was gunned down by outlaws on Front Street in 1872.”
Hi, my name is Susan Hodnett. I am married to a direct descendant of the Kimbrels. There are three living adult children: David Wayne Hodnett, Tommie Ellen Hodnett Turgeon, & Daniel Wesley Hdnett. Their grandmother was Tommie Kimbrel. We all have copies of the books, pictures, newspaper articles, and other memorabilia. My husband's mother, Rebecca Tom Carnahan, passed away 5yrs ago. We discovered many handwritten items, most notably codes written to hide the whereabouts of the treasure. We still own a small parcel of land in Winn Parish as family stories say to NEVER let it leave the family. We enjoyed reading your website & hope that one day this story will make it to the big screen.
Susan Hodnett in Shreveport, la at 8:39 p.m. September 1st, 2012
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Hello, I recently found some stories written in the 1960s from my Grandmother who was a child in Winnfield during the time of the West Clan period. She believed her father was part of this gang. His name was Dee Thomas or Dee Cole, would you have the names of the other gang members? Interesting that two of the female decendants name is Tommie, my name is Tommie as a female.
Hark Thrice in Houston Texas at 3:14 a.m. October 5th, 2012
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I don’t have the names of the other gang members—I sent the book back to the person I borrowed it from. Those names don’t sound familiar, but my memory isn’t that good.
Jerry Stratton in San Diego at 3:27 p.m. October 5th, 2012
3eqBR
I have written memeories from the family of the guy that supposedly brough them down. there are differing views as to whther he was actually a member who became disgruntled. they killed anyone who tried to get out. His name was Daniel Columbus Deen and he was my great grandfathers brother.
bobby deen in texas at 5:24 p.m. March 31st, 2013
7xW73
My dad grew up right there in "ground zero" as it were in Montgomery. He was born in 1930, still lives in DeSoto parish.
We're not related to the Kimbrells or Wests, but it would be really neat to obtain a copy of Mr Briley's book.
Mrs Hodnett, I think I may know you, would love to make contact to explore further how to find a book copy.
Thanks for contacting me.
Brian Horn in Shreveport, LA at 1:59 p.m. April 13th, 2013
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My husband was raised in Winnfield and we raised our children there also. My son recently became aware of the Mr. Briley's book. I would love to purchase a copy for him but have not been able to locate one. Any ideas?
Karen White in United States at 2:36 p.m. June 4th, 2013
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Karen, these books appear to be very rare, or at least those who have them aren’t selling them! I’d probably haunt used bookstores, Amazon, eBay, and AbeBooks.com and be ready to pounce if one shows up.
Jerry Stratton in San Diego at 5:31 p.m. June 4th, 2013
3eqBR
My family homesteaded on the Old Harrisonburg Road in 1870. My family still lives there. I grew up on tales of the Nightriders and buried treasure. Three of the old wells are on the family property. Also of great interest is the Pad West cemetery, which is also on family property. Patrick (Pad) West was Old Man West's slave, who, of course, was freed following the War. It was Pad's job to dispose of the bodies. He was horrified of the violence of which he was forced to be a active participant. He was also motivated by fear of his and his family's lives, so he was obedient to Mr. West. As a reward for his loyal service, Mr. West gave Pad 40 acres, a mule, a plow, and enough supplies for him to start his own farm. This farm was adjacent to my grandfather's. "Uncle Pad" was a frequent worker for my grandfather. Thus they became good friends. Pad related to my grandfather the atrocities that he witnessed. Before Pad's death, my grandfather gave him an acre of land to be used as a burial place for Pad and his family. The Old Slave Cemetery, as I grew up knowing it, is overgrown with trees and brush, but there are still some tombstones there. Pad and his wife's stones have been broken, but all pieces still remain. There are many indentations of other graves, but no markers. Many researchers over the years have visited my grandfather and other members of my family. My grandfather knew the names of the nightriders, but that was a secret he took to his grave.
I have a copy of Richard Briley's book, which has been in my family for many years. Other family members have copies as well. Some copies have names blacked out.
I am sure that any interested researcher has found this information: "The re-published book is available for $10 plus $2 shipping and handling, from Dogwood Press, H.C. 53 Box 345, Hemphill TX 75948. Telephone 407-579-2184, and on the internet at http://dogwoodpress.myriad.net/". When I tried to access the site, it was not available, although it was just about five years ago. Another book one might find helpful is El Camino Real by Dr. Frank Mobley. I could only borrow a copy from the LSU Library in Baton Rouge, and it took about three months to get a copy. Dr. Mobley lives in Winnfield and is a retired history professor. He gives credit to my family for their help with his research. Additionally, Dr. Mobley visited with my father last week. Dad took him back to the old cemetery for another visit.
Judy Riggs Lopez in Lafayette, Louisiana at 4:01 p.m. June 18th, 2013
REZRJ
Mrs. Lopez, my name is E. West and Patrick Pad West was my GG Grandfather. Please send me your email address. I would love to chat and get the location of the graves. I was just asked to locate them this past weekend by family.
E. west at 9:30 p.m. July 10th, 2013
B67kW
How wonderful! Please contact me at [email redacted]. I have pictures of the gravestones I can send you.
Judy lopez in Lafayette, LA at 12:03 a.m. July 11th, 2013
REZRJ
Thanks Judy!!! My family would love the pictures. I responded to your email. I have looked on and off for years of more information regarding John West. From the stories I heard, Pad West came from Alabama as a slave to the Pennywells. The Clan killed the entire Pennywell family including the children and animals and burned their entire farm. Only the lives of Pad and family were sparred which was Pad Pennywells which later changed to Pad West. As a child I thought all this happened when Pad West was a teenager. This past weekend, I learned this happened when he was an adult and had several children. One was my great grandfather who was about 15. My mom said he told stories of the incident only as it related to the name change. He also shared how Pad West would be haunted by the spirits of the bodies he had put in the well. I heard that Pad West was very loyal to John West and when he could have changed his last name he refused and kept West. Pad West and wife, Ann Tyson West had about 23 children with multiple sets of twins that they know of.
My mom jokes and says their could be more by others because the clan traveled up and down the Natchez Trace all into Texas. Since I have not read the book, I am unsure of this rumor.
E. West in Dallas, TX at 1:54 a.m. July 11th, 2013
O/If4
I have responded to your email. I had always heard that Pad has 21 children. My family's stories support yours in that Pad was haunted by the horrible things he was forced to do. According to what I have always heard, Pad was an honest, God-fearing man. I hope that we can meet soon, and that we can arrange a visit to the old West cemetery.
Judy Riggs Lopez in Lafayette, Louisiana at 4:08 p.m. July 11th, 2013
REZRJ
I grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana hearing about the West-Kimbrel clan as my grandmother, my father, & his family were born and raised in Winn Parish. I have always been fascinated in the stories about this subject. I currently live in the Dallas area and I am doing some research for a future documentary on the Nightriders. If anyone has any stories or pictures that you would be willing to share that might be used in the documentary please email me. Also, if anyone knows how I could reach Dr. Frank Mobley or get a copy of his book "El Camino Real" please let me know. Richard Brilley III's book has also been in our family for many years & I am still trying to get a copy Jack Peebles book, "Legend of the Nightriders".
E. West-Since I also live in the Dallas area, would it be possible to contact you to interview you about some of the stories that were passed along in your family that might be used in the documentary.
Judy Lopez-I would love to get a copy of any pictures you have of graves & other info you might have to share.
Please email me at smyers817@gmail.com
S.Myers in Dallas, TX at 10:12 p.m. August 5th, 2013
AUMFv
To Susan Hodnett,
If you are related to Rebecca Louisiana Hodnett then you are also related to Dan Deen, the guy who got permission from the Governor to put together the group that eventually took down the gang.
Bobby Deen
Bobby Deen in Dallas at 9:50 a.m. August 23rd, 2013
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In all your researching, does anyone come up with David H.Boult being an associate of the West-Kimbrell Clan. I am trying to prove he wasn't. Just wondering. Jerry, you must check the whole "reconstruction" era with ex-confederates/feds, and the "white league" to the formula and then somethings may come to light as to the purpose of the WK-clan. Btw, this is a great site. Well done.
Old Bedford in New Orleans at 7:40 p.m. October 14th, 2013
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My son is working on an Eagle Scout project concerning the Harrisonburg Road/El Camino Real and the Nightriders. Last summer we traveled with Dr. Frank Mobley from the ferry crossing at Little River all the way to the ferry crossing at Red River, and soaked up all of the Nightrider sights we could along the way. Last week we took a photo of the old wagon road after a snow fall which really shows the contours of the sunken trace. If you would like to see the photo, contact me. Email is tfry@goldweems.com and number is 318-445-6471. Trevor Fry
Trevor Fry at 4:23 a.m. January 28th, 2014
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As I stated in my earlier post, I have relatives from Winn Parish and I grew up hearing the stories about the West-Kimbrel Clan. I have read the Richard Briley, Dr. Mobley, & Jack Peebles books about the Nightriders. My son who is a film maker in Dallas is currently working on a documentary about the "Nightriders". We went to Louisiana the second week of January to interview some relatives of the clan & local townsfolk and to shoot footage of locations that were relative to the clans activities. We are still looking for any descendants of clan members or people from the community that have any stories, articles, letters, or pictures that could be used in the documentary about this fascinating subject! You can call me at 817-929-7294 or email me at smyers817@gmail.com if you have any stories or information we could use. Thanks!
p.s. Contact me if you are interested in getting a copies of the Briley and/or Peebles books. They are hard to find but I have a couple sources that I can check to see if they still have any available.
Stephanie Myers in Dallas/Ft. Worth at 5:47 p.m. February 3rd, 2014
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Does anyone know where I can buy a few copies of the Nightriders: Inside Story? I am from Winnfield and my grandfather was an historian long fascinated by the West Kimbrell Clan. We have a book somewhere in my mom's house, but cannot locate it. I would love to buy a copy for my fiancé whose birthday is March 21. He is also from Winnfield and has always been interested in our local history. Thanks for anyone who can help me find a seller!
Caroline Bozeman in Winnfield, LA at 10:31 p.m. February 26th, 2014
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Caroline, your grandfather was Dr. Harlan Bozeman? Close friend to Huey Long? Dr. Bozeman interviewed my grandfather and wrote about him as being a valuable source of local history. My mom still has the original article cut from the newspaper.
Stephanie Myers is an excellent source of information. She recently sent me a copy of the Peebles book on the Nightriders. (See above for contact information.) Stephanie's son is working on a documentary, and spent some time in the area interviewing and filming a couple of months ago.
Judy Lopez in Lafayette, LA at 4:45 p.m. March 9th, 2014
REZRJ
I read the book wow how crazy.My name is Kim Kimbrell...I know that I was related to Laws kimbrell..Not so proud of that.
Kim Kimbrell in michigan at 2:10 a.m. May 27th, 2014
USiY3
I'm a Great'Great grand daughter of John West. I live here in Winnfield and i have some information. I'm working on a family tree as of now. The Richard Briley, copy is located at the local Pea Patch in Winnfield. I'm thinking the copy is $25.00.
Rita West in Winnfield La. at 5:34 p.m. May 27th, 2014
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Patrick(Pad)West, Actually had 23 children, i have the names of 15.
Rita West in Winnfield La. at 5:45 p.m. May 27th, 2014
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Does anyone know why there are 2 Brady's buried in the Kimbrel cemetery? I am kin to the Lawson's and Brady's. My grandmother was born in 1910 in Montgomery, La.
Sheila Jones in Mansfield, La. at 3:05 p.m. September 1st, 2014
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HELLO EVERY ONE MY NAME IS RITA DUNN I AM JOHN WEST'S GREAT GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER IM AM TRING TO FIND OUT MORE INFO ON HIM CAN ANYONE HELP ME EVEN IF I CAN FIND A GRAVE SITE OR GET THE MANES OF HIS PARENTS WOULD HELP ME A LITTLE MORE IN MY STUDIES , I CANT BELEAVE ALL THIS STUFF BUT IT IS VERY INSTERING BUT MY EMAIL IS rdunn7888@gmail.com and it would be nice to know more thank you all
RITA DUNN in cloutierville,la. at 10:13 p.m. January 5th, 2015
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In 2012 I was able to purchase a case of 30 of the books Nightriders by Briley that we sold at our local library for twenty dollars each. When I attempted to do the order again from Dogwood press, the email for sales would not go through. The Dogwood press that is now in service is a different publisher that has nothing to do with this book. The address I had at that time was in Oakdale, Louisiana. Perhaps there is someone in that town who may be able to find out if the publishing rights were transferred to someone else. As it was the books we received were paper bound and reprints of the original manuscript, done seemingly by a regular copier. Disappointing, but the purchasers snapped them up anyway. Now with a rumor of the movie that may be in the works, copies will be wanted more than ever. Any information would be appreciated.
P. C. DuBois in Montgomery, Louisiana at 12:09 p.m. March 24th, 2015
4IGcH
The Straughn family family had a farm across from the West family.There's a cemetery in Atlanta,La.that is from that era,almost destroyed by logging.I'm a descendant of the Straughn family,there's a lot more well sites from what I've been told between highway34&122 especially what they call the Spanish mounds.
K.Whitstine in Colfax,La at 7:10 p.m. April 14th, 2015
qODNE
You can find the latest, most complete edition of the book about the Nightriders under the title "Legend of the Nightriders," written by Jack Peebles, at Amazon.com. Mr. Peebles takes Briley's work, gives Briley credit, adds considerable news articles and updates from his research and others, and reorganizes it all into a well written, heavily cited narrative.
Scott at 3:59 a.m. April 21st, 2015
6h8hK
I have listened to this tale for most of my life from my grand father and uncle but have only now gotten interested. My uncle who recently passed spoke of camping as a boy in one of the West clans old camping spots located on relatives property near Verda, LA.
Michael E. Bell in Coushatta, LA. at 7:20 p.m. July 2nd, 2015
d15m2
## Patrick(Pad)West, Actually had 23 children, I have the names of 15.
Rita West in Winnfield La. at 5:45 p.m. May 27th, 2014
I would like to get the names of all their children.
marvetta rhone in Frisco, Texas at 3:18 p.m. July 9th, 2015
qMGTm
I found the Book (paperback) at Amazon for $665.96. a little to pricey for me.
Dixie Eubanks-Martin at 5:59 p.m. February 16th, 2016
0V6rD
Steve Shelton, pharmacist at Phamacy Sevices in Winnfield Louisiana, has secured the copyright to Richard Brileys book the KnightRiders! Original copies are sold in his pharmacy for $20 per copy.
Email me with any questions you may have!
Seriously considering starting a tour guide business if a movie comes out in the future! lol... Since i live on the old Kimbrell homestead its only natural that poeple will want to tour thier home. And yes, it still stands!
Hale in Wheeling La. (Directly across from the Kimbrell graveyard) at 6:51 p.m. June 15th, 2016
ny5Q7
Hi,
My dad, Joe P. Durham, Sr., was born in Atlanta in 1911 and died in West Monroe in 2011. His family settled in Atlanta in 1858 from Georgia. My historical novel Morning Light a story of the Nightriders of Louisiana, is available at Amazon. As far as I know, this is the first novel of the Nightriders story. I list my sources at the end of the book.
Joe Durham in West Monroe at 8:19 p.m. February 18th, 2017
JcorH
Hello I am Pad West’s Great- Great Grand-daughter, and I have heard stories that Pad was the slave of an outlaw, so through this information I am learning things that I did not know, I would love any articles or pictures related to Pad and the West-Kimbrell gang that you have, My name is Francesca Kelly my email is francescakelly2013@gmail.com
Francesca Kelly in Las Vegas,NV at 5:24 a.m. February 22nd, 2017
89zVt
I know of at least two people who claim to have seen "Uncle Pad" in the woods near the old cemetery in recent years. Ghost stories about those woods go back for generations as you might well imagine. I don't believe in ghosts but there has always been an uneasiness about those woods that seems to be more than just the product of stories and legends. The old cemetery is still there but on private property. I've never seen pictures of Pad West or any of the West-Kimbrell Clan for that matter, but Richard Briley's book had a number of hand drawn illustrations of the clan and of Pad West. Not sure if those illustrations were based on actual descriptions of the individuals or just the imagination of the illustrator.
The Dude in Packton Louisiana at 6:13 p.m. March 24th, 2017
FtgyJ
i have aa copy of the Briley edition of Nightriders that I purchased from the Museum in Winnfield several years ago for $ 20.00. It is a treasure for me as I am the great grand daughter of ( Uncle) Mac(k) Sneed referenced in the book and the great niece of Benny Cornelius Wyatt who was interviewed for the book. My aunt (by marriage) grandfather also worked for John West on his farm in St. Maurice and was tasked with burying a lot of the stolen treasure. The book claims that when West was away, that he would dig up some of the items and sell them to a local merchant in Montgomery. My late aunt was shown some of these items displayed in the store window years later. She also related the story of her great grandmother, Dilsey, slipping away in the night and disappearing forever to the family. However, as an avid researcher and genealogy hobbyist, I found her in another household years later. They feared that she had been found and killed because of her knowledge of the West -Kimbrell activities. I am now trying to get a copy of the Peebles book. Very interesting and informative site. Born and reared in Winn and Natchitoches Parishes most of my life and am always happy to learn more about the history of the area and it's people.
Genealogy Addict in Weston, MA. at 6:24 p.m. January 13th, 2018
bExVZ
My study of genealogy led me right to Winnfield, La. I have not been able to confirm that the mysterious "Mr. Mathis" of the alleged haunted house "Hargis House" or the gun fighter Daniel Dean of the West/Kimbrell gang belong on my family tree, however all evidence points in their direction. I would very much like to have some closure. I no longer have contact with my Louisiana correspondent and distant relative from Winnfield.
Bob Dean at 5:29 p.m. March 29th, 2019
axsob
I am the great, great, great granddaughter of John West. According to our family stories his daughter’s Caroline and Effie escaped to Hopkins County, Texas after the locals of the parish started hunting down and killing the clan members and their families. They changed their surname to Weston. My grandmother said that John West, went by John Weston in Texas, where he had a wife and son before the Civil War? I was unaware of any descendants that remained in Louisiana. I found that information very interesting. My Dad lost our copy of Nightriders. I would love to get another copy. Would you mind forwarding the information.
S. B at 1:25 a.m. May 14th, 2020
nUqky
Hello. My name is Danielle Allen Ferrier. I was raised in Winnfield La and Sikes La and Montgomery La I live in Montgomery La now Have been in same place for 20 yrs now. I love reading and listening to stories of History about our towns. I dont believe I am related to anyone in The Night Riders Clan or at least I hope I ain't. Im related to Allen's and Dubois's and so on. I married into the Ferrier family. I am related to the ones that was killed by Thomas Silmon back in the 90s. My great Uncle Kermit Allen was killed he owned and operated The old Western Auto store here in town. Danny and Caroline and her dad were my cousins. I have and read the Night Riders the West and Kimbrell Clan. I didnt know of any other versions. I bought my copy from a little book store on the brick road
in Natchitoches Louisiana years ago. In the back of the book was Names and contact info if any of the descendants of The Clan. But in this small town most everyone here is related somehow either by blood or marriage. If any of yall think yall could be related to me or my family Id like to know. My Dad is Arnold Allen. My mom is Cynthia Proveaux. My grandma was Ollie Dubois Allen. Feel free to contact me at danielleferrier5@gmail.com.
Danielle Allen Ferrier in Montgomery Louisiana at 8:25 p.m. June 27th, 2020
Ng2PS
Also yall can go to https://sites.rootsweb.com.And find out more history. And About some Ancestors.
Danielle Allen Ferrier in Montgomery Louisiana at 8:28 p.m. June 27th, 2020
Ng2PS
I'm a direct descendant of David H. Boullt and Florestine by way of one of their daughters, Josephine Cecilia. She married Alfred Agustus Mulliken in 1875 and they moved to NH. I'm also curious, among many other things, if DH Boullt was an associate of the West-Kimbrell Clan or just happened to be the owner of the Prothro Mansion that was located near the Harrisonburg Rd in St Maurice at that time. I found his obit in New Orleans but can't find much on his (?)wife/partner Florestine
C Patterson in Mid-Cities, Texas at 7:45 p.m. July 16th, 2020
Ck+bR
Hi, according to a partial copy of Mr. Bridley's book, most of the "Nightriders" gang were executed by firing squad. My Great-Great Grandfather was part of the firing squad that killed them. His name is Shelman Durham, called 'Shell Durham' in the book.
James Durham in Colorado Springs, CO, formally of Ferriday, LA at 1:11 a.m. January 18th, 2021
3MEOC
What was Aunt Polly's maiden name?
Darlene Day in Goldonns, La. at 5:31 p.m. August 13th, 2021
QuN9K
Hello to all! I started with this book at a young age..10! My adopted aunt worked at the Natchitoches Parish library for many years.
The book was for research due to my grandmother's maiden name Hart in Winn Parish and Claiborne Parish. Her mother..Angeline Matilda Ross Hart was married to Benjamin Franklin Hart. With knowledge from family and the accounts of where they lived...it is possible Benjamin worked for the clan. My great grandmother spoke of putting fire on both sides of the tent to keep animals out.
Just wondering if anyone has any stories like this. I have more stories as well
Carrie Simpson Adams in Louisiana at 3:40 p.m. August 20th, 2023
wX38n