James H. Moore was a Texas Ranger who first joined Company "D" of the Frontier Battalion under Captain Dan Roberts. He transferred to Company "C" in 1880 and then to Company "F" in March of 1881. Records also indicate he was 23 years old in 1880.
While working for Captain William Scott, Company "F" was sent to the area around Hemphill Texas in March of 1887. Private James Moore, along with Rangers J.A. Brooks, John Rogers (future Ranger Captains) and the remainder of Company "F" were after the Conner Gang. This clan was led by Uncle Willis Conner and his sons including Frederick (Fed), William (Bill), Charley, Alfred (Alfie), and John. A shooting feud between with the Conner Clan left two neighbor's dead. Fed and Charley were convicted of murder and sent to prison. In 1886, Uncle Willis broke Fed out of jail, and this brought the Texas Rangers hunting for the group. But the bottom land and swamps along the Sabine River along the Texas/Louisiana State line proved hard on the Rangers and easy for the Conner's to get lost.
After dividing his group of Rangers and locals into small groups, Captain Scott was able to find the camp of the Connor's on the evening of March 30th, 1887. Creeping through the woods in the early morning hours of March 31 the lawmen found themselves trying to silently negotiate a steep decent near Lick Branch but the Conners were waiting for them. As gunfire erupted, James H Moore was shot through the heart by Willis Conner and Moore died on the spot. Captain Scott was seriously wounded and was not expected to live, but he did. Both future Captains Hughes and Brooks were badly wounded and their disfigurements from these wounds would help to define the men they would become. It is said that over 100 rounds was fired in the brief but deadly gunfight. It took two days to get the wounded Rangers back to Hemphill and to medical care. Moore was originally buried where he died, but a few days later, he was moved to the Hemphill Cemetery.
The Conners did not get away with their life of crime or this shooting. Bill Conner was killed during this same fight as James Moore. Fed was tracked down and killed in October of that year, and Uncle Willis was killed in November. All three are buried in the Conner Cemetery just a few miles south of Hemphill and only a couple of hundred yards from the location of what has become to be known as the Conner Fight.
Bio graciously provided by: Pink Higgins.
Sources used:
Texas Ranger Service Records- Texas State Library
"Captain J.A. Brooks, Texas Ranger"
"Captain John H. Rogers, Texas Ranger"
both by Paul N. Spellman
While working for Captain William Scott, Company "F" was sent to the area around Hemphill Texas in March of 1887. Private James Moore, along with Rangers J.A. Brooks, John Rogers (future Ranger Captains) and the remainder of Company "F" were after the Conner Gang. This clan was led by Uncle Willis Conner and his sons including Frederick (Fed), William (Bill), Charley, Alfred (Alfie), and John. A shooting feud between with the Conner Clan left two neighbor's dead. Fed and Charley were convicted of murder and sent to prison. In 1886, Uncle Willis broke Fed out of jail, and this brought the Texas Rangers hunting for the group. But the bottom land and swamps along the Sabine River along the Texas/Louisiana State line proved hard on the Rangers and easy for the Conner's to get lost.
After dividing his group of Rangers and locals into small groups, Captain Scott was able to find the camp of the Connor's on the evening of March 30th, 1887. Creeping through the woods in the early morning hours of March 31 the lawmen found themselves trying to silently negotiate a steep decent near Lick Branch but the Conners were waiting for them. As gunfire erupted, James H Moore was shot through the heart by Willis Conner and Moore died on the spot. Captain Scott was seriously wounded and was not expected to live, but he did. Both future Captains Hughes and Brooks were badly wounded and their disfigurements from these wounds would help to define the men they would become. It is said that over 100 rounds was fired in the brief but deadly gunfight. It took two days to get the wounded Rangers back to Hemphill and to medical care. Moore was originally buried where he died, but a few days later, he was moved to the Hemphill Cemetery.
The Conners did not get away with their life of crime or this shooting. Bill Conner was killed during this same fight as James Moore. Fed was tracked down and killed in October of that year, and Uncle Willis was killed in November. All three are buried in the Conner Cemetery just a few miles south of Hemphill and only a couple of hundred yards from the location of what has become to be known as the Conner Fight.
Bio graciously provided by: Pink Higgins.
Sources used:
Texas Ranger Service Records- Texas State Library
"Captain J.A. Brooks, Texas Ranger"
"Captain John H. Rogers, Texas Ranger"
both by Paul N. Spellman
James H. Moore was a Texas Ranger who first joined Company "D" of the Frontier Battalion under Captain Dan Roberts. He transferred to Company "C" in 1880 and then to Company "F" in March of 1881. Records also indicate he was 23 years old in 1880.
While working for Captain William Scott, Company "F" was sent to the area around Hemphill Texas in March of 1887. Private James Moore, along with Rangers J.A. Brooks, John Rogers (future Ranger Captains) and the remainder of Company "F" were after the Conner Gang. This clan was led by Uncle Willis Conner and his sons including Frederick (Fed), William (Bill), Charley, Alfred (Alfie), and John. A shooting feud between with the Conner Clan left two neighbor's dead. Fed and Charley were convicted of murder and sent to prison. In 1886, Uncle Willis broke Fed out of jail, and this brought the Texas Rangers hunting for the group. But the bottom land and swamps along the Sabine River along the Texas/Louisiana State line proved hard on the Rangers and easy for the Conner's to get lost.
After dividing his group of Rangers and locals into small groups, Captain Scott was able to find the camp of the Connor's on the evening of March 30th, 1887. Creeping through the woods in the early morning hours of March 31 the lawmen found themselves trying to silently negotiate a steep decent near Lick Branch but the Conners were waiting for them. As gunfire erupted, James H Moore was shot through the heart by Willis Conner and Moore died on the spot. Captain Scott was seriously wounded and was not expected to live, but he did. Both future Captains Hughes and Brooks were badly wounded and their disfigurements from these wounds would help to define the men they would become. It is said that over 100 rounds was fired in the brief but deadly gunfight. It took two days to get the wounded Rangers back to Hemphill and to medical care. Moore was originally buried where he died, but a few days later, he was moved to the Hemphill Cemetery.
The Conners did not get away with their life of crime or this shooting. Bill Conner was killed during this same fight as James Moore. Fed was tracked down and killed in October of that year, and Uncle Willis was killed in November. All three are buried in the Conner Cemetery just a few miles south of Hemphill and only a couple of hundred yards from the location of what has become to be known as the Conner Fight.
Bio graciously provided by: Pink Higgins.
Sources used:
Texas Ranger Service Records- Texas State Library
"Captain J.A. Brooks, Texas Ranger"
"Captain John H. Rogers, Texas Ranger"
both by Paul N. Spellman
While working for Captain William Scott, Company "F" was sent to the area around Hemphill Texas in March of 1887. Private James Moore, along with Rangers J.A. Brooks, John Rogers (future Ranger Captains) and the remainder of Company "F" were after the Conner Gang. This clan was led by Uncle Willis Conner and his sons including Frederick (Fed), William (Bill), Charley, Alfred (Alfie), and John. A shooting feud between with the Conner Clan left two neighbor's dead. Fed and Charley were convicted of murder and sent to prison. In 1886, Uncle Willis broke Fed out of jail, and this brought the Texas Rangers hunting for the group. But the bottom land and swamps along the Sabine River along the Texas/Louisiana State line proved hard on the Rangers and easy for the Conner's to get lost.
After dividing his group of Rangers and locals into small groups, Captain Scott was able to find the camp of the Connor's on the evening of March 30th, 1887. Creeping through the woods in the early morning hours of March 31 the lawmen found themselves trying to silently negotiate a steep decent near Lick Branch but the Conners were waiting for them. As gunfire erupted, James H Moore was shot through the heart by Willis Conner and Moore died on the spot. Captain Scott was seriously wounded and was not expected to live, but he did. Both future Captains Hughes and Brooks were badly wounded and their disfigurements from these wounds would help to define the men they would become. It is said that over 100 rounds was fired in the brief but deadly gunfight. It took two days to get the wounded Rangers back to Hemphill and to medical care. Moore was originally buried where he died, but a few days later, he was moved to the Hemphill Cemetery.
The Conners did not get away with their life of crime or this shooting. Bill Conner was killed during this same fight as James Moore. Fed was tracked down and killed in October of that year, and Uncle Willis was killed in November. All three are buried in the Conner Cemetery just a few miles south of Hemphill and only a couple of hundred yards from the location of what has become to be known as the Conner Fight.
Bio graciously provided by: Pink Higgins.
Sources used:
Texas Ranger Service Records- Texas State Library
"Captain J.A. Brooks, Texas Ranger"
"Captain John H. Rogers, Texas Ranger"
both by Paul N. Spellman
Inscription
James H. Moore, Texas Ranger, Killed By Outlaws, Mar 31, 1887.
