Drop me a line about my website! Tell me what I'm doing right, wrong, or whatever! I really want
to know!

E-mail me at robin@redriverhistorian.com!

Re: The article on Bonnie and Clyde
Like many who had seen the movie, I had formed form myself the rather romantic image of two
star-crossed lovers on the run from the mean, evil lawmen, robbing banks strictly for the fun of it. Your
article about the real Bonnie and Clyde was a welcome dose of reality. The article is honest and well
researched, without bias either for or against Bonnie and Clyde or the law, and the reader is able to see
the case of Bonnie and Clyde for what it was: tow outlaws breaking the law. No romance at all.
Thank you.
Barbara B., Clarksville, TX
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Hi Robin:
Enjoyed Red River Historian. The Red River Historical Museum houses three oil on wood paintings (three
of the Muses) by Texas artist James Swann who personally oversaw their hanging in 1934 when the
museum was the Sherman Public Library. he was one of those subsidized artists who benefitted from the
"New Deal." Outside the Collin County Courthouse which has some WPA murals, ours are the only
examples of WPA art in North Texas.
Marcia Rolbiecki, Director
Red River Historical Museum
Sherman, Texas
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Hi Folks,
I am just writing to let you know that YOU HAVE RUINED MY FRIDAY!   I received your Red River
Historian today and then went to your web site.  Got into Bonnie and Clyde and wasted the entire day.  So
much good history here. Great stuff.  DON'T IMPROVE ON THIS!  I cannot spare the time to read it all.
Thanks so much,
Judith R., Houston, TX
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Hello Robin,
Your site is so much fun! I have family from Carter County, Oklahoma. They came west due to the Great
Depression. Now their descendants live in Los Angeles! I can't wait to learn more about the Red River
valley region. Keep up the good work!
Darlene Smith, Los Angeles, CA
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Dear Ma'am:
I am most impressed with your site. I like the photos! I would also like to view a complimentary copy.
Thanks so much!
Gregory H. Feeney, Oklahoma City OK
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Hi Robin,
I've been a subscriber for a while now and your newsletter keeps getting better and better. I loved the
latest edition on schools - as a former school teacher, I discovered quite a bit of information I did not know.
Thanks so much for the info!
Lucinda C., Shreveport LA
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Greetings Robin,
Your website is very informative. We are also looking forward to the books you'll have out soon. We live
close to the Chisholm Trail and would like to know more about it. We have some old photos of our area if
you're interested. Please e-mail us if you are interested.
Charles W. and Betty M., Waco TX
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Please include some more info on Texarkana. I sometimes feel it's a neglected city because it straddles
TX and AK.
Joseph C., Texarkana TX
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I am a descendent of Cornelius Ragsdale who lived in Palmer, Texas in 1900, and who began a trip by
covered wagon to Hollis, Oklahoma that year.  My mother was only five years old then and she said that
she and her brother, Buddy (Chester) walked much of the way behind the family wagon.  They took a
northwesterly route which probably follows the current highway from Dallas toward Wichita Falls now.  

My mother and her oldest sister, Maggie, her sister Lillie who was a toddler then, a baby girl named Nettie,
Buddy, and my mom, Maude all made that trip with their parents (Cornelius and Viola Boyd Ragsdale to
Hollis.  When they got to the Red River, they had to make a raft to float the wagon across the river.  It was
quite an adventure but they made it and settled in Hollis where my grandfather, Cornelius donated land to
the first school and church in that area.  My mother and her family grew up there and attended Bitter
Creek School. Later, during WWI, my uncle Buddy served in the army and died of disease (possibly the
flu) in 1918 in Germany.  His body was exhumed and returned to Hollis where he is buried at the old Bitter
Creek Cemetery near Hollis.

I was fascinated with the story and looked up as many facts about towns they might have encountered on
their trip in 1900 and combined that with stories that were told to me about the trip and the family.  So I
have a 25-page story that I imagined of that trip.  It was fun in writing and I have sent it to various family
members who were interested. Many of the descendents of that family still live in Texas, Oklahoma or New
Mexico and try to have an annual reunion either in New Mexico or a central location.

I was fascinated by your website and the Red River Historian newsletter that a neighbor gave me.  I would
like to join the organization and find out more history of the Red River and the area.  I am planning to
re-take that famous trip soon that my mom took so long ago.  I would love to hear from you as I have done
a lot of genealogy on my families and I am a history buff.  Sincerely, Dr. Martha Mead Giles, Professor
Emeritus
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Howdy;
Came across your web site at "Texas Hideout". Great site! Could you please give me some informations
about the book; "On the Run With Bonnie and Clyde? Who is the publisher? Author/Editor? Where can I
buy? When wil it be released?
Thanks in advance!

Kind regards
Dag Storsletten,
Norway

Robin Jett <robin@redriverhistorian.com> skrev:
Hello!

Thank you for your kind words. It's a wonderful feeling to know that my website is being viewed by many
people, even in far away places!

I'm in the process of writing and publishing a book about Bonnie & Clyde, which not only will give the
history but also a traveling route to see the sites that still exist.  I should have it for sale next year. If you
would like to read a great history of the pair, I recommend John Neal Philips "Running with Bonnie and
Clyde: The Ten Fast Years of Ralph Fults" which is the best researched book available. Also, John Neal
Philips edited the memoirs of Blanche Barrow (Clyde's sister-in-law who was married to Buck) and that
book, "My Life with Bonnie and Clyde" is available on www.amazon.com .

Please come back and visit www.redriverhistorian.com often! Thanks for taking the time to write.

Happy Trails,
Robin Jett

Hi again, Robin;

Thanks for all information! Pleasure on my side! Indeed, I´ve read the two books you mentioned! Over and
over again.

Additinal authors are James R. Knight/Jonathan Davis, Phillip Steele with Marie Barrow Scoma, E. R.
Milner and John Trehern. But I find Phillips and Knight the two most accurate authors, though. They are
so careful regarding sources. (John Neal Phillips is so kind; always answering questions about the Bonnie
and Clyde subject.)

Coming over to the US next year. Will follow the footsteps of B&C - all the way from north to south, and
back again. But I must probably read your book, "On the Run With Bonnie and Clyde", first!

Thanks again!

Dag Storsletten,
Norway
Messages from You!
(and a view of my door collection)

Hello ,Iam trying to find information about the Morgan and Goss Plantation located near Bonham Tx. I
think it was in RiverBy Texas. Would you have anything on this?
Edna

Hello Edna,

I'm sure you know about this site, but just in case you didn't:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~txfannin/riverby.html

I'm very intrigued by the plantation. I have not read much about it. For a New Year's resolution, I'm going
to compile a list of plantations along the Red River to put up on my site. It won't be comprehensive, but it'll
be a start!


Hello Robin,
Thank you for the site address.I would like to find out more about the place and the tenents.

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Your site is fantastic. I basically grew up in Texas and now live in Oklahoma so most of the stuff on your
site was something I could actually find and drive to. I do agree with the Modernizing of cities with
Walmarts, etc. is ruining the personalities of the towns. Every town looks the same. Home Depot is across
the street from Lowes, Walmart is next to a McDonalds, etc. It's all cookie cutter. Also the plight of the
indians is well written. I live in Lawton where the Kiowa's say Mt. Scott swallowed up the buffalo and to
Americanize things, they brought the buffalo back with the wildlife preserve and paved a road to Mt. Scott
where I'm pretty sure some indians hold the mountain sacret.

Anyway keep up the good work.

Joshua

Oh and I am from Paris too btw.

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Great web site. Just now ran across it. Was reading Dustin Ward's "Life  in Oklahoma Territory".I would
like to contact Dustin. If I am correct, I lived on the farm north of WD Ward's place from 1958 to 1963. I'll
have to check with my mom, but I am pretty sure Mr. Ward's name was WD. My brothers and I spent a lot
of time fishing, hiking and hunting on Oak Creek back in those days.

Best regards,
Randy

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hi robin- my name is vaughn w., i am currently a prof at a&m in commerce. i'm about to do a project
photographing the red river- though honestly i know little about it. guess that's why i'm interested. anyway,
i saw your site and thought you might be someone i should know and maybe talk to about it. are you
anywhere near dallas? i'm about 60 miles east... looking at your interests, we have much in common
including riding bikes hating war, etc. the only thing i see that we disagree on is favorite ice cream! and,
no, though this sounds a bit odd coming from a strange man's email... i really am interested in the red
river. you can read a bit about me at my site, though i think it's down right now, should be back up late
tonight... thanks anyway, nice info ans site, i'd love to talk!

vaughn w.

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My husband, Bill, and I enjoyed your course at Sail. Ghost towns not only are interesting, but inspiring to
learn MORE!! We have a cemetery behind our development, actually behind our home on Grayson drive in
Plano. It borders Custer and Legacy. Do you have any information about it? We have not ventured inside
it's fallen fence (gate is usually open on the Custer Side.), and see it daily as it borders our ally way into
our home. It looks old and is mowed by an elderly gentleman and his granddaughter. I plan to stop them
sometime and ask about who maintains it and who they are!! You never know!!

We would appreciate being contacted when you get your "History on the Road" van in place. It sounds
wonderful. Good luck with all you do and most important, raising your son! Linda

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I am looking for the date the bridge was built.  I am attaching a picture taken about 1906.  The date is a
guess from what information I have.  Based on birth dates and a guess of age of the subjects.

Feel free to use the picture if you like.  

Also, I have recent pictures from the Oklahoma side if you would like them.

***

I had forgotten about the Carpenters Bluff bridge. I'll have to get some pictures of it the next time down. I
found another picture of the KATY bridge. Thanks again.

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HI, Robin,
I am a member of teh Review Club you addressed last May. You were a wonderful speaker and I
thoroughly enjoyed your topic. I recall you were about to publish 2 new books...driving history guides on
Bonnie & Clyde and the other on the Cattle Trails. At the time, I don't think you had finalized who the
publisher would be. Do you know now when they will be available for sale? I am interested in making a
purchase.

I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks in advance!

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Hello Robin,

I came across your website while investigating Clarksville. There is a restaurant for sale there and we were
considering the investment. I was wondering if you could give me any info about that area, internet is not
so great and I can't seem to link up with the chamber there. I love your website, my husband and I are also
lovers of the forgotten and wonderful world of Texas history. I hope to hear from you, but if not, I have
thoroughly enjoyed finding your site and will visit often.

Thanks so much,
Tami

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Who wrote the article "Bonnie and Clyde: Romance, Crimes, and Lonely Roads"?  I am writing a thesis
paper, which talks about Bonnie and Clyde's crimes, and I wish to use information from this article.  But, I
need the author in order to cite it, and I would appreciate it if you could tell me the name of the author

Thank you in advance.

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I was googleing some information I learned from an old man aboutplaces in Oklahoma. He graduated high
school from a place called"Cowden" with a mailing address of Cloud Chief, OK.

My googles brought me to your site and it contained lots of useful information. Thank you for your
collection of history and knowledge of places.

I have photographed many parts of Oklahoma and I wanted to share this with you.
http://www.tapdig.com/gallery/scenic

Scott

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My mother was born in Retrop in 1918.

She attended the Baptist Church with her family. Father's name was Marshall "Henry" Belol. Mom and dad
migrated to Bakersfield, CA in 1937. Mom is 89 and still in Bakersfield. She has many photos taken in that
area of OK and has given my brothers and I a life time of oral history. Her paternal grandparents moved
into OK and raised a large family. I've heard so many stories of that area I feel like I was there.

While on the subject of OK, I mention that my wife was born in one of your little forgotten (or almost
forgotten places) Marlow, OK. One of these days we will have to visit the old places again.

Thanks for the memories,

Tommy of Texas/Okie blood

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Hi Robin. I am researching college football history and have come across a school which played UND over
a hundred years ago called Red River Valley College. Does this school still exist today under a different
name, or was it taken over by another institution? What I need to know is its football records, specifically
when it played its first season of varsity competition, and its season by season records.

Do you know of this school, its fate, and any sources which might help?

Thanks

Andrew

(Robin: I was unable to help him. Does anyone know about the Red River Valley college?)

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Hello,

My name is Rick.  I found your site today, which was a pleasant surprise.  Captain (John) Henry Stout is
my ggg-grandfather.  I have been researching his movement and ancestors for the past couple of years.  
Do you plan to write a story about Henry?  If so, I'd be pleased to offer any/all information I have gathered
on this great Texan.

Regards,
Rick

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Dear Robin,

I think we have spoken before concerning ferry crossings on the Red near Paris, Texas. Let me pass on a
couple of pieces of information concerning the two above mentioned towns. My grandfather, Thomas J. J.
Hauser, was a bookkeeper for Bartlet and Heald in Doaksville, I. T. It was his first job after graduating from
a business school/college in Paris, Texas. Perhaps you know its name, I don't.

Also, I knew a C. Roger Cripliver in Ft. Worth, Texas whose mother was a teacher/principal in Fleetwood,
Oklahoma probably in the 1920's.

Mike

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I enjoyed looking at your website and am a history buff in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with many of the
same interests. Over the past 5 years, I have had a special interest in some of the depression gangsters
that operated in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in the 1930s. Since you live in the area, maybe you can help
me with this one. I have been trying to locate the building that housed the Lewisville State Bank that
Raymond Hamilton robbed in the early 1930s. I have seen a photo of it in a book published by the
Lewisville Historical Society but have e-mailed them a couple of times with no response from them. I have
researched and located many of the sites associated with the Barrow/Parker/Hamilton gang and have
found many but this is one that has stumped me thus far. It would be located on the old Main Street
segment in Lewisville, just east of I-35. I don't know if the building is still there at this point.

I have also done a bit of research on the bank robbed by Hamilton in the La Grange area and one person
that I contacted indicated that the building was still there but they did not respond with a location. I have an
aunt in that area and may try to take some time to research that one. I also have an interest in
investigating what happened to Mary O'Dare and later Mary Pitt who was briefly a gang member but later
went back to Wichita Falls after leaving the gang. As you can see, I have great interest but not the time
needed to follow up - lol. If you get a chance, I would like to get your feedback.

Thanks,

Dan

***

Hello,

I've been researching this building and this is what I found:

Raymond Hamilton robbed the First National Bank in Lewisville, which was housed in a two story brick
building at the northwest corner of Main and Poydras Streets. Poydras is a very short steet that ends just a
block north of Main at Church. The new Lewisville City Hall has cut it off.

Raymond then escaped via US 77 north.

The First National Bank building was in the same building as the post office. The original Lewisville
Enterprise/Leader newspaper office was directly behind it on Poydras Street.

I will take photos of the building today and e-mail them to you. It still stands, and has been extensively
renovated. I think a restaurant is there now.

I hope this was of some help! I will send you photos tonight.

Robin Cole-Jett

****
Hey Robin - Thanks much!  I have wondered for quite some time about where that happened. I will go out
there also and take a look sometime this week.

Dan

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Hello Robin,

I'm so happy to have found your site! I love that Red River Region myself. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

Ed Garrett

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Hi Robin,  I just read your story about Bonnie and Clyde.  I see you have done you homework.  Your story
is very accurate, one of the few.  I would like to mention one or to things if you don't mind.  Clyde cut off  
toe's  not 3.  When Clyde was released from prison there was a standing order in Dallas to harass all
felons and excons.  Clyde was pulled from work and brought downtown.  The cops would tell his boss that
Clyde was a thief and would steel from him.  Clyde got 2 or 3 other jobs and the cops did the same thing.  
That's when Clyde had  enough.  Maybe you know this.  I am guessing you did not, other wise you would
have put it in the story    Dave

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Robin, A friend sent me a link to your web pages. As I have my own Denton County History Page AND am
one of the founders of the Save Fry St. movement, I wanted to make contact with you and say hello. I
appreciated your comments about Fry St and will enjoy poking around on your history site (when I get the
time)- it looks good.(see http://savefrystreet.com/)
Below is a link to my historypage. I started it back in 1995 in preparation for the 1996 Denton
Sesquicentennial. I housed it at its own domain (Dentonhistory.org) untill last year when some scoundrel
bought it out from under me when I was late updating the domain
registration.http://www.mikecochran.net/history.html

I will be updating my home page in the next few days and will have some additional links to other pages I
have created on Descansos- Roadside Memorial Markers and one on an obscure rural Italian church, etc.
I am currently living in Italy, but just for 6 months of the year and will be back in Texas in May, just in time
for the miserably hot weather. Take care and thanks for your history efforts,  Mike

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Robin, It just dawned on me that in your travels you may see many pcs of oldrailroad equipment, engines
and passenger cars along the way. I am a railroad historian, and just emailed you about the Pate
Museumpassenger car that is now missing........

Do you have photos and locations of old railroad cars (passenger) in Texas,Okla, La, NM etc. ?? IF you
do great, and I would like to buy photos youmay have or learn where these cars are.Some are even on
ranches around the state.......

Thanks so much. Doug
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I am trying to find when the Red River was set as a difinate boundary between Texas and Oklahoma.
My 2nd great grandfather, James D. Allen and his wife Emaline owned land on an Island in the Red River.
But it was recorded in Lamar County, texas Indian Territory.
After a big flood the land is in Oklahoma, Choctaw County.
Would appreciate any help.
Barbara

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I was born in  Mangum , OK. was raised (first grade) in Granite OK. and my grandmother was born and
raised in a dugout at the foot of bird mountain north of Altus, we spent many a summers day at Quartz
mountain state park and I remember the old Lodge which was recently rebuilt on lake Lugert (now Lake
Altus) . The new lodge is a summer retreat for art students across OK. Old greer county was Texas
(because texas claimed the red river-salt fork as it's boundary ) until the supreme court awarded it to OK
around the turn of the century. The old family story is how grand dad had to remove his six shooter when
he got of the train in Vernon from (the nations)OK. Funny how place names change so easily in the U.S.
according to economic activity.  Well theres some stuff to ponder, have a great holiday season !

Alan

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Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your Red River pages. GREAT!!!

It is odd to me that so many people don't like cemeteries or even history. The little cemetery east of  
Arlington, Washington were my grandparents holmsted with only a few markers but with the old Norwigon
names. Or the one West just over the mountains from Seattle, and old coal mining communty for the
Northern Pacific railroad. Different ethnic areas in the cemetery. Lots of history written in the stones and
so many children died young.

On my dad's side of the family, Franklin H. Woody very early pioneer in what is now MIssoula, Montana.  
Of 6 children only 3 grew op to maturity. Cold winters and drafty houses and no penicilin.

Here is a Woody who ended up in Wise Co., Texas.

# 30. William Woody and his wife were said to have started out from Tennessee for Texas six weeks after
their first son was born, on foot with home made high top boots, a gun, quilt and a skillet. Six months later
they were in Fannin Co. Texas.

(tough people, man and women).

Take Care and thanks for the morning entertainment. Michael A Woody

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