The following is an excerpt of an article by Dr. W. N. Rowell, a Denton dentist who knew relatives of the two men involved in the story, published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 21, 1954.
In Mount Hope Cemetery at the little city of Anson there is a grave in which lie the bodies of two brothers. This grave is marked by two slender marble headstones, symmetrical in design and alike every detail. The one on the left bears in bold relief these words: Jarrette Davis, Born Dec. 18, 1865. Murdered in New Mexico June 10, 1890. The stone on the right is inscribed as follows: John Davis, born Aug. 11, 1863, mortally wounded June 10, 1890. Died June 11, 1890. Martyr to fraternal love.
John and Jarrette were the youngest of the Davis brothers and, when barely grown, left their East Texas home and came out to Anson. John worked for a while on "The Texas Western" a local newspaper but soon joined in riding the range for ranchers in Jones and surrounding counties. In the late 80s they went further west, into the then territory of New Mexico, where they again started working as cowboys – Jarrette as range boss.
Working under Jarrette was a cook who was thought to be stealing food and other supplies that he was sending to relatives to help in their support. When Jarrett learned of this, he gave the man his time and ordered him off the ranch.
On June 10, 1890, at a general roundup at which both of the Davis brothers were present, the cook came to where the men were eating their noon meal and called Jarrette to one side, saying he wanted to talk to him. As Jarrette walked out to meet him, the cook, after a few words suddenly drew his pistol and begin shooting. Hearing the shots, John Davis ran over to the two men to find Jarrette dead and the cook standing over him with six shooter still in hand. As John started to stoop down for Jarrette's gun, he was told by the cook to let it lie or he would be killed. Disregarding this threat, John reached for the gun and, as he did so, was shot through by the cook. Though mortally wounded, John shot from the ground and killed the man who had just murdered his brother.
John Davis lived for about 18 hours, dying early on the morning of June 11, which accounts for the difference in dates of death on the two tombstones. He asked that his body and that of Jarrette's be brought back to Anson and placed in the same grave. In talking to the men gathered around him, he said he knew he would be killed but believed a death shot from the killer's gun would not knock him off his feet, and that, in any case, he would be able to kill him before losing consciousness.
I have searched for a single word that might aptly describe the quality of the act that made John Davis so unhesitatingly give his life to avenge the death of his brother, but have been unable to find it. Neither the word bravery nor courage satisfies me. Perhaps, after all, his epitaph best describes it: A martyr to fraternal love
In Mount Hope Cemetery at the little city of Anson there is a grave in which lie the bodies of two brothers. This grave is marked by two slender marble headstones, symmetrical in design and alike every detail. The one on the left bears in bold relief these words: Jarrette Davis, Born Dec. 18, 1865. Murdered in New Mexico June 10, 1890. The stone on the right is inscribed as follows: John Davis, born Aug. 11, 1863, mortally wounded June 10, 1890. Died June 11, 1890. Martyr to fraternal love.
John and Jarrette were the youngest of the Davis brothers and, when barely grown, left their East Texas home and came out to Anson. John worked for a while on "The Texas Western" a local newspaper but soon joined in riding the range for ranchers in Jones and surrounding counties. In the late 80s they went further west, into the then territory of New Mexico, where they again started working as cowboys – Jarrette as range boss.
Working under Jarrette was a cook who was thought to be stealing food and other supplies that he was sending to relatives to help in their support. When Jarrett learned of this, he gave the man his time and ordered him off the ranch.
On June 10, 1890, at a general roundup at which both of the Davis brothers were present, the cook came to where the men were eating their noon meal and called Jarrette to one side, saying he wanted to talk to him. As Jarrette walked out to meet him, the cook, after a few words suddenly drew his pistol and begin shooting. Hearing the shots, John Davis ran over to the two men to find Jarrette dead and the cook standing over him with six shooter still in hand. As John started to stoop down for Jarrette's gun, he was told by the cook to let it lie or he would be killed. Disregarding this threat, John reached for the gun and, as he did so, was shot through by the cook. Though mortally wounded, John shot from the ground and killed the man who had just murdered his brother.
John Davis lived for about 18 hours, dying early on the morning of June 11, which accounts for the difference in dates of death on the two tombstones. He asked that his body and that of Jarrette's be brought back to Anson and placed in the same grave. In talking to the men gathered around him, he said he knew he would be killed but believed a death shot from the killer's gun would not knock him off his feet, and that, in any case, he would be able to kill him before losing consciousness.
I have searched for a single word that might aptly describe the quality of the act that made John Davis so unhesitatingly give his life to avenge the death of his brother, but have been unable to find it. Neither the word bravery nor courage satisfies me. Perhaps, after all, his epitaph best describes it: A martyr to fraternal love
The following is an excerpt of an article by Dr. W. N. Rowell, a Denton dentist who knew relatives of the two men involved in the story, published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 21, 1954.
In Mount Hope Cemetery at the little city of Anson there is a grave in which lie the bodies of two brothers. This grave is marked by two slender marble headstones, symmetrical in design and alike every detail. The one on the left bears in bold relief these words: Jarrette Davis, Born Dec. 18, 1865. Murdered in New Mexico June 10, 1890. The stone on the right is inscribed as follows: John Davis, born Aug. 11, 1863, mortally wounded June 10, 1890. Died June 11, 1890. Martyr to fraternal love.
John and Jarrette were the youngest of the Davis brothers and, when barely grown, left their East Texas home and came out to Anson. John worked for a while on "The Texas Western" a local newspaper but soon joined in riding the range for ranchers in Jones and surrounding counties. In the late 80s they went further west, into the then territory of New Mexico, where they again started working as cowboys – Jarrette as range boss.
Working under Jarrette was a cook who was thought to be stealing food and other supplies that he was sending to relatives to help in their support. When Jarrett learned of this, he gave the man his time and ordered him off the ranch.
On June 10, 1890, at a general roundup at which both of the Davis brothers were present, the cook came to where the men were eating their noon meal and called Jarrette to one side, saying he wanted to talk to him. As Jarrette walked out to meet him, the cook, after a few words suddenly drew his pistol and begin shooting. Hearing the shots, John Davis ran over to the two men to find Jarrette dead and the cook standing over him with six shooter still in hand. As John started to stoop down for Jarrette's gun, he was told by the cook to let it lie or he would be killed. Disregarding this threat, John reached for the gun and, as he did so, was shot through by the cook. Though mortally wounded, John shot from the ground and killed the man who had just murdered his brother.
John Davis lived for about 18 hours, dying early on the morning of June 11, which accounts for the difference in dates of death on the two tombstones. He asked that his body and that of Jarrette's be brought back to Anson and placed in the same grave. In talking to the men gathered around him, he said he knew he would be killed but believed a death shot from the killer's gun would not knock him off his feet, and that, in any case, he would be able to kill him before losing consciousness.
I have searched for a single word that might aptly describe the quality of the act that made John Davis so unhesitatingly give his life to avenge the death of his brother, but have been unable to find it. Neither the word bravery nor courage satisfies me. Perhaps, after all, his epitaph best describes it: A martyr to fraternal love
In Mount Hope Cemetery at the little city of Anson there is a grave in which lie the bodies of two brothers. This grave is marked by two slender marble headstones, symmetrical in design and alike every detail. The one on the left bears in bold relief these words: Jarrette Davis, Born Dec. 18, 1865. Murdered in New Mexico June 10, 1890. The stone on the right is inscribed as follows: John Davis, born Aug. 11, 1863, mortally wounded June 10, 1890. Died June 11, 1890. Martyr to fraternal love.
John and Jarrette were the youngest of the Davis brothers and, when barely grown, left their East Texas home and came out to Anson. John worked for a while on "The Texas Western" a local newspaper but soon joined in riding the range for ranchers in Jones and surrounding counties. In the late 80s they went further west, into the then territory of New Mexico, where they again started working as cowboys – Jarrette as range boss.
Working under Jarrette was a cook who was thought to be stealing food and other supplies that he was sending to relatives to help in their support. When Jarrett learned of this, he gave the man his time and ordered him off the ranch.
On June 10, 1890, at a general roundup at which both of the Davis brothers were present, the cook came to where the men were eating their noon meal and called Jarrette to one side, saying he wanted to talk to him. As Jarrette walked out to meet him, the cook, after a few words suddenly drew his pistol and begin shooting. Hearing the shots, John Davis ran over to the two men to find Jarrette dead and the cook standing over him with six shooter still in hand. As John started to stoop down for Jarrette's gun, he was told by the cook to let it lie or he would be killed. Disregarding this threat, John reached for the gun and, as he did so, was shot through by the cook. Though mortally wounded, John shot from the ground and killed the man who had just murdered his brother.
John Davis lived for about 18 hours, dying early on the morning of June 11, which accounts for the difference in dates of death on the two tombstones. He asked that his body and that of Jarrette's be brought back to Anson and placed in the same grave. In talking to the men gathered around him, he said he knew he would be killed but believed a death shot from the killer's gun would not knock him off his feet, and that, in any case, he would be able to kill him before losing consciousness.
I have searched for a single word that might aptly describe the quality of the act that made John Davis so unhesitatingly give his life to avenge the death of his brother, but have been unable to find it. Neither the word bravery nor courage satisfies me. Perhaps, after all, his epitaph best describes it: A martyr to fraternal love
Gravesite Details
murdered in N.M.
