Musings of a History Buff

By Ellis Knox

Texas Lawman: Frank Augustus Hamer,Texas Ranger, Part 3

Captain Frank Hamer (pronounced Hay-mer) was born on Mar. 17, 1884 in Fairview, Wilson County, Texas. He grew up on the Welch Ranch in San Saba County. He was one of the last of old school Texas Rangers. Hamer was a cowboy, raised on a ranch and knew the business. He volunteered to help the local sheriff track down a local criminal and his abilities so impress the sheriff he recommended him to the Texas Rangers. During his career as a lawman he was involved in at least 50 gun fights. Tall and range tough his no-nonsense demeanor earned him a reputation among the bad men of the day as a lawman to avoid. He retired in 1932, but two years later his special abilities made him the only choice of the Texas Prison System to hunt down two notorious criminals, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, and their gang. During a breakout orchestrated by Barrow, one of the gang killed a prison guard and fatally wounded another.

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