Willis Conner

Notes:

There was a Willis Conner in the "1840 Decatur County Georgia Census Index " (Frances T. Ingmire, Mountain Press). Decatur is very near the Florida border. Could this be him?

Came to Texas in 1857 from Tattonall County, Geogia.

Was shown on the muster roll of Captain J.M. Burroughs Company of the Sabine County Volunteer Infantry, CSA, and was enlisted at Hemphill, Texas by Drury Field for 3 months duty on January 15, 1863. His headstone is marked Texas Infantry, CSA.


On his "12 to Midnight" blog, Ed Wetterman (edwetterman@hotmail.com) writes:

In the 1880's several of Sabine County's families became embroiled in an unfortunate shooting feud that disrupted the whole community. Fathers, sons, daughters and cousins became engulfed in the fighting that would ravage the county from 1883 to 1887.

It began with the murders of Eli Low and Kit Smith in Holly Bottom off Housin Bayou in the southern part of Sabine County. The bodies were found about ten feet apart and the men had been shot in the back. The funerals were quickly held and many thought it suspicious that the Conner family had not attended.

It was known that the Conner and Low families had argued in the past about free-ranging and the building of schools and roads. Apparently many angry words had been exchanged, but the situation had never erupted into violence.

After a short investigation, Willis Conner, along with his sons, Fed, William, John and Charles were indicted for the murders and held without bond. Charles and Fed's trial was held first and they were found guilty. Charles was sent to prison for twenty-five years. Fed was given life in prison, but successfully appealed his case and was retried. He was again found guilty. He would never serve, however, as the jail was broken into and Willis, Fed, William and John escaped into the countryside- where they began a running war with the law enforcement of the day.

The Texas Rangers were called in to assist in arresting the Conners, but were ambushed and one Ranger, J.H. (Jim) Moore was killed. William Conner was also killed and many others were wounded. Willis, Fed and John escaped the battle. The Rangers, having suffered a grievous defeat, left Sabine County and did not return. John Conner then abandoned Willis and Fed and according to Ruth Sibley Davis in her book "Neighbor against Neighbor," moved to start a new life in Louisiana.

The people of the county, wanting to end the violence, began to pressure local officers to arrest the Conners. Eventually, a private investigator was hired and disguised as a cattle buyer went through the county looking for clues to the Conner's whereabouts. He learned that Willis and Fed's families left food and supplies for them on a trail somewhere deep in the woods. An ambush was set up and Fed Conner was killed. Willis escaped, but was killed a few weeks later, when his young grandson, a boy of twelve, was coming to give him food. The boy had been tracked and followed by a posse and in the ensuing gunfight, Willis and the boy were killed.

This sad situation finally ended the Low-Conner Feud which had divided the county for so long. For years, no one wanted to discuss what had occurred as it was simply too divisive and the families too intermingled to be considered a worthy subject of conversation.



(Research):

Census Listings:

1850 Census
Georgia, Tatnall County, No. 79 Subdivision
Enumerated 9 Dec 1850
(image on ancestry.com is very faint)
???-332
William and Nancy Conner
333-335
Willis Conner 28 Farmer birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)
Percy Conner 25 birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)
Fedrick Conner 3 birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)
Charles Conner 1 birthplace: ditto (Tatnall?)

1860 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Patroon Beat No. 5, PO Milam
Enumerated 7 July 1860
Page 31
231-232
Willis Conner 37 M Farmer $--- $1700 Ga
Piercey Conner 35 F Ga
Frederick M Conner 12 M Ga
Charles W Conner 10 M Ga
Leonard J Sonner 8 M Ga
Alfred H Conner 6 M Ga
William Conner 4 M Ga
Catherine P Conner 2 F Ga

1870 Census
Texas, Sabine County, Beat No 2, PO Sabine Town
Enumerated 2 August 1870
Page 24
503-504
Conner, Willis 47 M W Farmer $500 $500 Ga
Conner, Therisa (sic) 45 F W Keeping House Ga
Conner, Federick M 23 M Ga
and on a separate page (appears to have been inadvertantly seperated?)
Texas, Sabine County, Beat No. 3, PO Brookeland
Enumerated 4 Aug 1870
Stamped 19
502-502
Charles W 21 M W Ga
Leander J 17 M W Ga
Alfred H 16 M S Fl
William E 14 M W Fla
Percy D 13 F W Fla
John M 9 M W Tx
Nancy B 7 F W Tx

1880 Census
Texas, Sabine County, JP 2
Enumerated 2 July 1880
Page 19 SD 1 ED 84
168-179
Jackson and Susan Low family
169-180
Connor, Willis W M 58 Farmer Ga SC Ga
Connor, Pierce W F 55 Wf Ga Ga SC
Connor, Wm W M 25 Son Fla Ga Ga
Connor, John W M 19 Son Tx Ga Ga
Connor, Nancy W F 15 Dtr Tx Ga Ga
170-181
Connor, Alfred W M 27 Farmer Fla Ga Ga
Connor, Sarah W F 24 Wife La Miss La
Connor, Alfred W M 7 Son Tx Fla La
Connor, Stephen W M 5 Son Tx Fla La
Connor, Fanny W F 3 Dtr Tx Fla La
Connor, Riley W M 1 Son Tx Fla La

Willis married Piercy Douglas on 1 Aug 1844 in Tattnall County, Georgia. Piercy was born on 4 Apr 1824 in Tattnall County, Georgia; died on 22 Oct 1898 in Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana; was buried in Conner Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Frederick M. "Fed" Conner was born on 26 Jul 1846 in Tattnall County, Georgia; died on 25 Oct 1887 in Texas; was buried in Conner Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas.
2. Charles Wilson Conner was born on 30 Jan 1849 in Tattnall County, Georgia; died after 1890 in Texas; was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Nacogdoches County, Texas.
3. Leander Jackson Conner was born on 29 Jan 1850 in Georgia; died on 24 Nov 1923 in Texas; was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Yellowpine, Sabine County, Texas.
4. Alfred Horton "Bubba" Conner was born on 24 Feb 1852 in Florida; died on 3 Dec 1924 in Orange, Orange County, Texas.
5. William E. Conner was born on 15 Nov 1854 in Florida; died on 31 Mar 1887 in Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Conner Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas.
6. Catherine Piercey Conner was born about 1858 in Florida; and died.
7. John M. Conner was born about 1861 in Sabine County, Texas; and died.
8. Nancy B. Conner was born on 8 Oct 1870 in Sabine County, Texas; died on 8 Sep 1938 in Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas; was buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas.