Willis Conner

1822 - 1887  (65 years)

• Name	Willis Conner  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Birth	15 Mar 1822	Tattnall County, Georgia   [3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Death	13 Nov 1887	Sabine County, Texas   [4]
  Burial	Conner Cemetery, Sabine County, Texas   [4]
  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. <http://12tomidnighted.blogspot.com/2005/03/sabine-county-feudthe-real-west.html> (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
  Person ID	I7403	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Family	Piercy Douglas,   b. 4 Apr 1824, Tattnall County, Georgia d. 22 Oct 1898, Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana (Age 74 years)
  Marriage	1 Aug 1844	Tattnall County, Georgia   [2]
  Children	1. Frederick M. "Fed" Conner,   b. 26 Jul 1846, Tattnall County, Georgia d. 25 Oct 1887, Texas (Age 41 years)   2. Charles Wilson Conner,   b. 30 Jan 1849, Tattnall County, Georgia d. Aft 1890, Texas (Age 41 years)   3. Leander Jackson Conner,   b. 29 Jan 1850, Georgia d. 24 Nov 1923, Texas (Age 73 years)   4. Alfred Horton "Bubba" Conner,   b. 24 Feb 1852, Florida d. 3 Dec 1924, Orange, Orange County, Texas (Age 72 years)   5. William E. Conner,   b. 15 Nov 1854, Florida d. 31 Mar 1887, Sabine County, Texas (Age 32 years)   6. Catherine Piercey Conner,   b. Abt 1858, Florida d. Yes, date unknown   7. John M. Conner,   b. Abt 1861, Sabine County, Texas d. Yes, date unknown   8. Nancy B. Conner,   b. 8 Oct 1870, Sabine County, Texas d. 8 Sep 1938, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas (Age 67 years)
  Family ID	F3600	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Nov 2012

  
  

• Event Map		Death - 13 Nov 1887 - Sabine County, Texas  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S352] Schluter, Helen Gomer "1860 Census of Sabine County Texas with Civil War Records". [S1394] Ancestry.com - Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944. [S98] 1860 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004., (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1860. M653, 1,438 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1860 United States Federal Census, the Eighth Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, age as of the census day, sex, color; birthplace, occupation of males over age fifteen, and more. No relationships were shown between members of a household. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1860 Federal Census.), Texas, Sabine County, Patroon Beat No. 5, PO Milam Enumerated 7 July 1860 Page 31 231-232 (Reliability: 3). [S873] Find A Grave [database online]; http://www.findagrave.com/, (Thousands of contributors submit new listings, updates, corrections, photographs and virtual flowers every hour to the FIND A GRAVE website. When it comes to administrating, building and maintaining the site, Find A Grave is largely operated by its founder, Jim Tipton.), # 18823084 (Reliability: 3).