Great Continental Divide "Collins Park" New Mexico Territory: Gila National Forest Tribute for Abe Graham, aka Outlaw "Shotgun" Collins.

Cowboy Abe Graham, aka, John Collins, John Graham, George Graham, "Guny Sack Johnny" was eventually known as "Shotgun Collins". Collins/Graham was an Old West Outlaw, Gunfighter and sometimes Lawman. He was born November 22, 1851 on Mitchell Swamp Horry County (present day Loris) on his paternal grandmother's plantation, Gallant Old Graham.
Martha's time was drawing near when her mother-in-law Conner/Graham sent Stephen Joe to fetch the old mid wife, only Hattie was on another mission of mercy far away. Stephen Joe walk or ran barefoot everywhere clearly swifter than most riding horseback. He knew the swamps like the back of his hands. Stephen Joe fetch the young mid wife instead. Outside squalling winds and torrent rainfalls furiously collide.
"Baby Doll" arrived just in the nick of time. The roaring hearth warmed the pallor as the duo dry off by the crackling fire. Martha's screams roar all the way through the two story mansion. The claivoint mid-wife hurriedly climb the stairs clamering, "Lawdy, lawdy Miss Jane! Dis-uns gonna breaks its mammy's heart!"
Young Abe instantly became the apple of Jane Conner Graham's eyes! The lad clearly favor Conner/Graham's departed husband reminding her constantly of William. She told and retold her grandson stories about his "gutsy" ancestors William Bellamy Graham and Captain Edward Conner.
In 1859 Abe's parents, Hosea, Martha, 5 little children and slaves (Conner/Graham gift her son) migrate to Texas in covered wagons. The Graham tribe stop-over in Louisiana visiting Hosea's older brother Daniel Graham, wife Claira and their children. The journeys end took a little over three months before Hosea Graham tribe reaches their destination in Texas where numerous Graham siblings and cousins already live. The reunion was one of joy.
Dark war clouds and pounding drums echo a bloody Civil War! Hosea Graham join the grey coats fighting on the Confederate side leaving his oldest son Abe to care for his mother and younger siblings while he was away. The Civil War spawn an outlaw era. Young Graham tangled-up with gangs rustling cattle and horses...then meet his first bona fide partner John Wesley Hardin. The boys became rebels!
Abraham Gerden (Jordan) Graham, aka, John Collins and John Wesley Hardin were teenage partners. Following the Civil War a "Second Civil War" was fought in Texas during reconstruction period. Young Abe Graham took part in that war altering his life and lives of his family forever. The pages were turned!
Hardin writes about Collins in his biography stating that John Collins saved his life and futhermore names John Collins and Johnny Ringo as notable men in Austin Jail with him. Hardin maintains a tragedy ended that partnership and that was a fact!
Collins/Graham spent time on both sides of the border U S and Old Mexico riding with posses and scadalling away from them in clouds of dust. His colorful personality with sparkling blue eyes showed both sand and merriment!
John Collins ushered the year 1875 out with a bang in Silver City New Mexico. Sheriff Whithill arrested John Collins, fearing the dogs might bite him locked him up in jail. The next morning illustrious of rough frontier justice Collins was fined $60 for carrying and mishandling a deadly weapon then sent on his way. A mild punishment declared a newsman working for the Grant County Herald.
Collins knew young William H. Bonney from Silver City. He ran a stage stand between Socorro and Lincoln in the Oscura Mountains and that's the time he got pretty familiar with Billy the Kid. John Collins was living in the area about five years before the ending of the Lincoln County War.
John Collins married Tabithea (Tabitha) Cox (half his age) after fighting in and all during the Lincoln County War New Mexico!
History and writers fused Abe Graham, aka, John Collins and Caleb Hall aka Sam Collins the prowler. They were two seperate men fighting in the Lincoln County War. John Collins was already living in the area when Caleb Hall rode in with the gang hired to fight in the Lincoln County War.
Collins/Graham knew them all on both sides of the war. He was a menber of Billy the Kid Gang. They rode the countryside together and were Pals. They remain Pals as long as Collins/Graham lived and that's a fact!
John Collins said he help dig the grave for the man Pat Garrett shot and killed on July 14, 1881 in Pete Maxwell's bedroom and that man was not his Pal Billy the Kid!
Abe Graham use handles John Collins, John Graham, George Graham, Gunny Sack Johnny, and "Shotgun Collins," although he was born Abraham (Jordan) Gerden Graham on Mitchell Swamp present day Loris South Carolina on his grandmother Jane Conner Graham's gallant Old Graham Plantation in the Green Sea area of Horry County.
Shotgun Collins was a member of the Dodge City Peace Commission in Dodge City. He rode with Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Bat Masterson, Bill Tilghman, famous and notorious gunfighters all across the west and Old Mexico.
John Collins was a dashing cowboy and gutsy. He fought in a number of bloody range wars, once a Wells Fargo messanger, a buffalo hunter, and hired by the United States Army as an Indian Scout. Collins was working for Lyons (L C Ranch) in 1895 on the Gila when Albert J. Fountain found him in Grant County New Mexico.
In 1903 he moved Tabitha and her children into Old Mexico. 1907 he was known to work for Greene Gold and Silver as a guard. In 1910 he escort his 4th wife Tibitha Cox, their son Abe, two young daughters Tabitha Belle and Jessie Jane out of Old Mexico during Pancha Villa Revolution. Collins/Graham tribe migrate to Tibitha's sister Martha Cox Emerick's homestead in Hermosa. Following that time he sent his two young daughters to live with his younger brother Hosea Graham, Jr. in Leon County Texas. Soon after securing his families safety the desperado rode back into Old Mexico for a rendezvous.
"Collins Park," Gila National Forest New Mexico Territory was name in tribute for outlaw "Shotgun Collins."
"Shotgun Collins" was my grandmothers, Ava Jane and Jackie Ann Graham Harrelson's first cousin. He was respected in his day as a gunman by his fellow gunfighter associates, as well as being well known to the public.
The old Ghost Horseman was written about in True West, Frontier Magazines and numerous books. He was with John Selman at the "Wigwam Saloon" when he was shot and later a witness in the murder trial of John Selman.
Collins/Graham wasn't one to seek notority rather one who took care of business and then rides away. Yelph!
"Shotgun Collins" was a man of mental prowess, strength of character, physical energy and was highly respected in his day as a gunman by his fellow gunfighter associates, as well as being well known to the public.
He was a man of very few words, his actions spoke louder than words! He had a wanderlust...A restless spirit always moving around the countryside in search of a country. Collins/Graham loyal family kept the home fires burning until he returns...be that months or several years.
In the twlite of his years the old man tells his sons there are always consequences for ones actions. The one regret Collins/Graham had in life was the abscence of his dear old Father and Mother.
Soon after the war former Confederate Soldier Hosea Graham sent his young son into Old Mexico in order to save his life after a death threat had been put on young Graham. From that time on and until shortly before his good old father past away Collins/Graham had not seen his parents once.
Ironically Abe Graham, aka, "Shotgun Collins" was buried December 5th in the same cemetery of El Paso Texas (Historical Concordia Cemetery, Catholic section) and same section as his old partners, outlaw John Wesley Hardin, John Selman and other famous and notorious desperados!
Collins/Graham "spirit" soars high in the sky like an eagle over the Great Continental Divide "Collins Park" New Mexico's Gila National Forest land he treasured.
Vaya con Dios!

Source:

The University of New Mexico, University Libraries Center for Southwest Research(Tape #151 Microfilm #2, Tape #152, microfilm #2, Tape #153, microfilm #2)

Probable Cause Statement: Phillip J. Rasch

Cow Dust and Saddle Leather By Ben W. Kemp

The Life of John Wesley Hardin By John Wesley Hardin himself and Robert G. McCubbin

Six-Guns and Single-Jacks, By Bob Alexandera

Tularosa, last of the Frontier West, By Charles Leland Sonnichsen

Albert J. Fountain letter to Office of Southeastern N. M. Stock Growers' Assn. Las Cruces, N. M., Oct. 3, 1895

The place names of New Mexico - Page 91
Robert Hixson Julyan - 1996 - 385 pages - Preview
As the story is told in the area, a man named Graham at the end of the Civil War turned outlaw and changed his name to Collins, eventually becoming known as
"Shotgun Collins." To avoid the law and to start a new life, he moved to NM and ...

Murder and Mayhem: The War of Reconstruction in Texas
by Smallwood James, Peacock Larry, Crouch Barry A.

Collins/Graham handwritten letters both sides of the Border, Old Mexico and United States

Census records in South Carolina

Census records in Texas

Census records in New Mexico

Graham Family History

Harrelson Family History

Elizabeth Graham Ritter, granddaughter of Collins/Graham


FootNotes:
Grandson and American Soldier:
Abraham M. Graham, Sr., buried in Ft. Bliss Cemetery,
El Paso Texas (Find a Grave # 713882) Son of Abraham J. Graham, Jr.

Son and American Cowboy, Douglas, Arizona Cattle Rancher:
Abe Graham buried in Calvary Memorial Park Cemetery Douglas Arizona.

Son: Hosea A. Graham, American Cowboy, U S A Scout, Texas Ranger and American Soldier World War I.