David L. Anderson, also known as Billy Wilson and "Buffalo Billy" was reportedly born in Ohio in 1861 (headstone shows 1860, while a 1900 census gives the year of birth as 1852). Author James A. Browning gives the birth date as: November 23, 1852, while www.angelfire.com shows the birth date as: November 23, 1861. He moved with his family to Texas while still a child. As a young man he began rustling livestock. He changed his name to Billy Wilson and went to Dodge City, Kansas where he hooked up with Dirty Dave Rudabaugh around 1878.
In late 1879 or early 1880 they went to Lincoln, New Mexico and joined up with an outlaw gang called the Rustlers which was led by Billy the Kid (William Bonney). On December 23, 1880 at a rock house in Stinking Springs, New Mexico Billy Wilson, Billy the Kid, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh and Tom Pickett were captured by a posse led by Pat Garrett.
Convicted of counterfeiting and robbing the U.S. mail Wilson was sentenced to serve 7 years. He escaped in 1884 and wound up in Sanderson where he married and started a family. He also opened a bar. In 1885 he ran into Pat Garrett who was living in Uvalde. Garrett recognized him and after talking for awhile he became convinced Billy Wilson had become a decent law-abiding citizen. He used his influence to get David Anderson AKA Billy Wilson a presidential pardon from Grover Cleveland in 1906. Before receiving the pardon Billy Wilson had been elected sheriff of Terrell County in 1905. He became one of Sanderson's most beloved citizens.
In June of 1918 Sheriff "Billy Wilson" went to the Sanderson train depot to quell a disturbance. A drunken ranch hand named Ed Valentine, whom Wilson knew, was brandishing his pistol and threatening to shoot anyone who tried to enter the depot. When he saw Wilson coming he fled to a shed. He shot Wilson in the chest as Wilson tried to talk him into surrendering. Billy Wilson died within an hour. The enraged town folk captured Valentine and he was hung an hour later.
In his later years, Anderson also served as a U.S. customs inspector.
Sources: Sanderson, Texas, chamber of commerce; author James A. Browning, and www.angelfire.com.∼David Lawrence Anderson was a 19th century American outlaw, better known under the alias Billy Wilson, who rode with Billy the Kid following the Lincoln County War. In his later years, he also served as a law enforcement officer and a U.S. customs inspector.
Born in Trumbull County, Ohio, he moved with his family to southern Texas in the early 1870s. Working as a cowboy during his late teens, he moved to White Oaks, New Mexico in 1880 where he became the owner of a local livery stable. Closing his business the following year, he apparently received counterfeit money from the sale and was eventually indicted for passing the money in Lincoln County.
Forced to go on the run, he joined Billy the Kid and his gang rustling cattle in the local area. From February to May 1880, Anderson stole horses from the Mescalero Apache reservation as well as cattle from ranchers on the Colorado River to whom they sold for $10 a head to White Oaks businessman Thomas Cooper. During the summer they also stole cattle from rancher John Newcomb and sold them along with an additional 20 beef cattle to butcher John Singer in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
On November 29, Anderson and Billy the Kid were traveling in he open country near White Oaks when they were suddenly pursued by a local 8-man posse. Both their horses were killed during the chase however they were both able to escape on foot. Later meeting up with Dave Rudabaugh, the three rode into White Oaks the following day and attempted to gun down deputy sheriff James Redman but were forced to flee after a crowd of 30 or 40 local residents took to the streets. He and the others were tracked to a ranch house 40 miles away by a 12-man posse but they managed to escape. During the shootout, deputy sheriff Jimmy Carlyle was killed and their pursuers burned the hideout in frustration following their escape.
Following the siege at Stinking Springs (near present-day Taiban, New Mexico), he was arrested with the rest of Billy the Kid's gang after surrendering to Pat Garrett and convicted in December 1880. Anderson later escaped from custody in Santa Fe and escaped to Texas where he lived under his birth name David L. Anderson. Starting a ranch Uvalde County, Texas, he eventually married and had two children. Thanks in part to the efforts of Pat Garrett and others, Anderson received a presidential pardon from President Grover Cleveland in 1896 and worked as a U.S. customs inspector for a time. Serving as sheriff of Terrell County, he was eventually ambushed and killed by cowboy Ed Valentine when he responded to a call at a local saloon in Sanderson. Warned that the suspect was armed, the sheriff knew the man and did not consider him a threat. When he entered the saloon the cowboy shot him, killing him instantly. Later the suspect was shot and killed by a deputy when he stepped outside the building. Sheriff Anderson was well liked by the public, and was buried in Brackettville, Texas, after a very emotional funeral at which many Sanderson citizens were in attendance.
In late 1879 or early 1880 they went to Lincoln, New Mexico and joined up with an outlaw gang called the Rustlers which was led by Billy the Kid (William Bonney). On December 23, 1880 at a rock house in Stinking Springs, New Mexico Billy Wilson, Billy the Kid, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh and Tom Pickett were captured by a posse led by Pat Garrett.
Convicted of counterfeiting and robbing the U.S. mail Wilson was sentenced to serve 7 years. He escaped in 1884 and wound up in Sanderson where he married and started a family. He also opened a bar. In 1885 he ran into Pat Garrett who was living in Uvalde. Garrett recognized him and after talking for awhile he became convinced Billy Wilson had become a decent law-abiding citizen. He used his influence to get David Anderson AKA Billy Wilson a presidential pardon from Grover Cleveland in 1906. Before receiving the pardon Billy Wilson had been elected sheriff of Terrell County in 1905. He became one of Sanderson's most beloved citizens.
In June of 1918 Sheriff "Billy Wilson" went to the Sanderson train depot to quell a disturbance. A drunken ranch hand named Ed Valentine, whom Wilson knew, was brandishing his pistol and threatening to shoot anyone who tried to enter the depot. When he saw Wilson coming he fled to a shed. He shot Wilson in the chest as Wilson tried to talk him into surrendering. Billy Wilson died within an hour. The enraged town folk captured Valentine and he was hung an hour later.
In his later years, Anderson also served as a U.S. customs inspector.
Sources: Sanderson, Texas, chamber of commerce; author James A. Browning, and www.angelfire.com.∼David Lawrence Anderson was a 19th century American outlaw, better known under the alias Billy Wilson, who rode with Billy the Kid following the Lincoln County War. In his later years, he also served as a law enforcement officer and a U.S. customs inspector.
Born in Trumbull County, Ohio, he moved with his family to southern Texas in the early 1870s. Working as a cowboy during his late teens, he moved to White Oaks, New Mexico in 1880 where he became the owner of a local livery stable. Closing his business the following year, he apparently received counterfeit money from the sale and was eventually indicted for passing the money in Lincoln County.
Forced to go on the run, he joined Billy the Kid and his gang rustling cattle in the local area. From February to May 1880, Anderson stole horses from the Mescalero Apache reservation as well as cattle from ranchers on the Colorado River to whom they sold for $10 a head to White Oaks businessman Thomas Cooper. During the summer they also stole cattle from rancher John Newcomb and sold them along with an additional 20 beef cattle to butcher John Singer in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
On November 29, Anderson and Billy the Kid were traveling in he open country near White Oaks when they were suddenly pursued by a local 8-man posse. Both their horses were killed during the chase however they were both able to escape on foot. Later meeting up with Dave Rudabaugh, the three rode into White Oaks the following day and attempted to gun down deputy sheriff James Redman but were forced to flee after a crowd of 30 or 40 local residents took to the streets. He and the others were tracked to a ranch house 40 miles away by a 12-man posse but they managed to escape. During the shootout, deputy sheriff Jimmy Carlyle was killed and their pursuers burned the hideout in frustration following their escape.
Following the siege at Stinking Springs (near present-day Taiban, New Mexico), he was arrested with the rest of Billy the Kid's gang after surrendering to Pat Garrett and convicted in December 1880. Anderson later escaped from custody in Santa Fe and escaped to Texas where he lived under his birth name David L. Anderson. Starting a ranch Uvalde County, Texas, he eventually married and had two children. Thanks in part to the efforts of Pat Garrett and others, Anderson received a presidential pardon from President Grover Cleveland in 1896 and worked as a U.S. customs inspector for a time. Serving as sheriff of Terrell County, he was eventually ambushed and killed by cowboy Ed Valentine when he responded to a call at a local saloon in Sanderson. Warned that the suspect was armed, the sheriff knew the man and did not consider him a threat. When he entered the saloon the cowboy shot him, killing him instantly. Later the suspect was shot and killed by a deputy when he stepped outside the building. Sheriff Anderson was well liked by the public, and was buried in Brackettville, Texas, after a very emotional funeral at which many Sanderson citizens were in attendance.
David L. Anderson, also known as Billy Wilson and "Buffalo Billy" was reportedly born in Ohio in 1861 (headstone shows 1860, while a 1900 census gives the year of birth as 1852). Author James A. Browning gives the birth date as: November 23, 1852, while www.angelfire.com shows the birth date as: November 23, 1861. He moved with his family to Texas while still a child. As a young man he began rustling livestock. He changed his name to Billy Wilson and went to Dodge City, Kansas where he hooked up with Dirty Dave Rudabaugh around 1878.
In late 1879 or early 1880 they went to Lincoln, New Mexico and joined up with an outlaw gang called the Rustlers which was led by Billy the Kid (William Bonney). On December 23, 1880 at a rock house in Stinking Springs, New Mexico Billy Wilson, Billy the Kid, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh and Tom Pickett were captured by a posse led by Pat Garrett.
Convicted of counterfeiting and robbing the U.S. mail Wilson was sentenced to serve 7 years. He escaped in 1884 and wound up in Sanderson where he married and started a family. He also opened a bar. In 1885 he ran into Pat Garrett who was living in Uvalde. Garrett recognized him and after talking for awhile he became convinced Billy Wilson had become a decent law-abiding citizen. He used his influence to get David Anderson AKA Billy Wilson a presidential pardon from Grover Cleveland in 1906. Before receiving the pardon Billy Wilson had been elected sheriff of Terrell County in 1905. He became one of Sanderson's most beloved citizens.
In June of 1918 Sheriff "Billy Wilson" went to the Sanderson train depot to quell a disturbance. A drunken ranch hand named Ed Valentine, whom Wilson knew, was brandishing his pistol and threatening to shoot anyone who tried to enter the depot. When he saw Wilson coming he fled to a shed. He shot Wilson in the chest as Wilson tried to talk him into surrendering. Billy Wilson died within an hour. The enraged town folk captured Valentine and he was hung an hour later.
In his later years, Anderson also served as a U.S. customs inspector.
Sources: Sanderson, Texas, chamber of commerce; author James A. Browning, and www.angelfire.com.∼David Lawrence Anderson was a 19th century American outlaw, better known under the alias Billy Wilson, who rode with Billy the Kid following the Lincoln County War. In his later years, he also served as a law enforcement officer and a U.S. customs inspector.
Born in Trumbull County, Ohio, he moved with his family to southern Texas in the early 1870s. Working as a cowboy during his late teens, he moved to White Oaks, New Mexico in 1880 where he became the owner of a local livery stable. Closing his business the following year, he apparently received counterfeit money from the sale and was eventually indicted for passing the money in Lincoln County.
Forced to go on the run, he joined Billy the Kid and his gang rustling cattle in the local area. From February to May 1880, Anderson stole horses from the Mescalero Apache reservation as well as cattle from ranchers on the Colorado River to whom they sold for $10 a head to White Oaks businessman Thomas Cooper. During the summer they also stole cattle from rancher John Newcomb and sold them along with an additional 20 beef cattle to butcher John Singer in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
On November 29, Anderson and Billy the Kid were traveling in he open country near White Oaks when they were suddenly pursued by a local 8-man posse. Both their horses were killed during the chase however they were both able to escape on foot. Later meeting up with Dave Rudabaugh, the three rode into White Oaks the following day and attempted to gun down deputy sheriff James Redman but were forced to flee after a crowd of 30 or 40 local residents took to the streets. He and the others were tracked to a ranch house 40 miles away by a 12-man posse but they managed to escape. During the shootout, deputy sheriff Jimmy Carlyle was killed and their pursuers burned the hideout in frustration following their escape.
Following the siege at Stinking Springs (near present-day Taiban, New Mexico), he was arrested with the rest of Billy the Kid's gang after surrendering to Pat Garrett and convicted in December 1880. Anderson later escaped from custody in Santa Fe and escaped to Texas where he lived under his birth name David L. Anderson. Starting a ranch Uvalde County, Texas, he eventually married and had two children. Thanks in part to the efforts of Pat Garrett and others, Anderson received a presidential pardon from President Grover Cleveland in 1896 and worked as a U.S. customs inspector for a time. Serving as sheriff of Terrell County, he was eventually ambushed and killed by cowboy Ed Valentine when he responded to a call at a local saloon in Sanderson. Warned that the suspect was armed, the sheriff knew the man and did not consider him a threat. When he entered the saloon the cowboy shot him, killing him instantly. Later the suspect was shot and killed by a deputy when he stepped outside the building. Sheriff Anderson was well liked by the public, and was buried in Brackettville, Texas, after a very emotional funeral at which many Sanderson citizens were in attendance.
In late 1879 or early 1880 they went to Lincoln, New Mexico and joined up with an outlaw gang called the Rustlers which was led by Billy the Kid (William Bonney). On December 23, 1880 at a rock house in Stinking Springs, New Mexico Billy Wilson, Billy the Kid, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh and Tom Pickett were captured by a posse led by Pat Garrett.
Convicted of counterfeiting and robbing the U.S. mail Wilson was sentenced to serve 7 years. He escaped in 1884 and wound up in Sanderson where he married and started a family. He also opened a bar. In 1885 he ran into Pat Garrett who was living in Uvalde. Garrett recognized him and after talking for awhile he became convinced Billy Wilson had become a decent law-abiding citizen. He used his influence to get David Anderson AKA Billy Wilson a presidential pardon from Grover Cleveland in 1906. Before receiving the pardon Billy Wilson had been elected sheriff of Terrell County in 1905. He became one of Sanderson's most beloved citizens.
In June of 1918 Sheriff "Billy Wilson" went to the Sanderson train depot to quell a disturbance. A drunken ranch hand named Ed Valentine, whom Wilson knew, was brandishing his pistol and threatening to shoot anyone who tried to enter the depot. When he saw Wilson coming he fled to a shed. He shot Wilson in the chest as Wilson tried to talk him into surrendering. Billy Wilson died within an hour. The enraged town folk captured Valentine and he was hung an hour later.
In his later years, Anderson also served as a U.S. customs inspector.
Sources: Sanderson, Texas, chamber of commerce; author James A. Browning, and www.angelfire.com.∼David Lawrence Anderson was a 19th century American outlaw, better known under the alias Billy Wilson, who rode with Billy the Kid following the Lincoln County War. In his later years, he also served as a law enforcement officer and a U.S. customs inspector.
Born in Trumbull County, Ohio, he moved with his family to southern Texas in the early 1870s. Working as a cowboy during his late teens, he moved to White Oaks, New Mexico in 1880 where he became the owner of a local livery stable. Closing his business the following year, he apparently received counterfeit money from the sale and was eventually indicted for passing the money in Lincoln County.
Forced to go on the run, he joined Billy the Kid and his gang rustling cattle in the local area. From February to May 1880, Anderson stole horses from the Mescalero Apache reservation as well as cattle from ranchers on the Colorado River to whom they sold for $10 a head to White Oaks businessman Thomas Cooper. During the summer they also stole cattle from rancher John Newcomb and sold them along with an additional 20 beef cattle to butcher John Singer in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
On November 29, Anderson and Billy the Kid were traveling in he open country near White Oaks when they were suddenly pursued by a local 8-man posse. Both their horses were killed during the chase however they were both able to escape on foot. Later meeting up with Dave Rudabaugh, the three rode into White Oaks the following day and attempted to gun down deputy sheriff James Redman but were forced to flee after a crowd of 30 or 40 local residents took to the streets. He and the others were tracked to a ranch house 40 miles away by a 12-man posse but they managed to escape. During the shootout, deputy sheriff Jimmy Carlyle was killed and their pursuers burned the hideout in frustration following their escape.
Following the siege at Stinking Springs (near present-day Taiban, New Mexico), he was arrested with the rest of Billy the Kid's gang after surrendering to Pat Garrett and convicted in December 1880. Anderson later escaped from custody in Santa Fe and escaped to Texas where he lived under his birth name David L. Anderson. Starting a ranch Uvalde County, Texas, he eventually married and had two children. Thanks in part to the efforts of Pat Garrett and others, Anderson received a presidential pardon from President Grover Cleveland in 1896 and worked as a U.S. customs inspector for a time. Serving as sheriff of Terrell County, he was eventually ambushed and killed by cowboy Ed Valentine when he responded to a call at a local saloon in Sanderson. Warned that the suspect was armed, the sheriff knew the man and did not consider him a threat. When he entered the saloon the cowboy shot him, killing him instantly. Later the suspect was shot and killed by a deputy when he stepped outside the building. Sheriff Anderson was well liked by the public, and was buried in Brackettville, Texas, after a very emotional funeral at which many Sanderson citizens were in attendance.
Gravesite Details
Headstone shows year of birth as 1860; the 1900 census for Terrell County, Texas, gives 1852.
