He exposed the Texas Bankers Associations murder machine in 1928. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. His knowledge of personal defense was not academic, nor were all of his fights in the line of duty. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Additionally, we see the effects of tunnel vision on our awareness in a chaotic situation. Hamer armed with a Remington Model 8 semi-automatic rifle with a special 15-round magazine and his entire posse opened fire putting more than 100 rounds into the suspects and their vehicle. He participated in numerous raids and shootouts, and he was involved in a gun battle with smugglers on March 21 which resulted in the death of Prohibition Agent Ernest W. One is that, just because you have been shot, it doesnt mean that you have lost the fightwhen the threat continues, a smart man keeps fighting. An officer must know the habits of the outlaw, how he thinks and how he will act in different situations. McSwain approached Frank one day and offered him a special job for a great deal of money. Last Updated: April 10, 2020 As Barrow and Parker breathed their last breath, the entire country breathed a sigh of relief. As McMeans reached Hamer he drew his pistol and Frank reacted instinctively grabbing the weapon. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Hamer determined that men were setting up deadbeats and two-bit outlaws to be killed by complicit police officers; the officers would collect the rewards and pay the men their finder's fees. Please try again later. She and her brother had faced charges for Simss murder in 1916. However, the mob set fire to the courthouse. Outside the bank stood two glowering groups of armed men. Cu MIX za . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But Frank pushed Harrisons rifle barrel up and told him not to shoot a man in the back. Knight, James R., with Jonathan Davis (2003). There was a problem getting your location. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Simmons persuaded Hamer to hunt down the Barrow Gang. [50], Chris Mulkey portrays Hamer in Timeless (TV series), This article is about the Texas Ranger. Francis Hamer was born on March 17, 1884, in Wilson County, Texas, USA. Such was the case at Sweetwater, TX. Your email address will not be published. Hamer's wife Gladys not only shouted ?Look out!? Hamer was commissioned as an officer of the Texas Highway Patrol, then seconded to the prison system as a special investigator charged with apprehending Barrow and his colleagues. Hamer, Gladys and several other members of their family were purchasing gasoline on October 1, 1917, when they ran into Gus McMeans of Odessa, Simss brother-in-law. Hamer shot back, killed McMeans, and was no-billed on the spot by a grand jury watching the shootout through a window. One of Hamer's many Remington Model 8's displayed at the Texas Ranger Museum includes this fine engraved model. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Sorry! He was laid to rest in Memorial Park Cemetery in Austin, Texas next to his personal hero, his son Billy, who was a Marine killed in combat on Iwo Jima. McMeans approached from the front and Phillips armed with a shotgun approached from behind meaning to do murder. Phillips ran for it. But the police refused him support and the Bankers' Association's position was that "any man that could be induced to participate in a bank robbery ought to be killed." As this was going on, McMeans henchman, H.E. Frank Hamer was one of the most famous and controversial members of the Texas Rangers during his long career in law enforcement in the first half of the 20th century. Now, admittedly, Hamer had his hands full, but it appears that he was not aware of the additional threat until the shotgun was fired. Harris, Charles H., and Louis R. Sadler (2007). "[24], In the next couple of months, Barrow, Parker, and Henry Methvin robbed banks in Lancaster, Texas, Poteau, Oklahoma, and the Iowa towns of Rembrandt, Knierim, Stuart, and Everly. [32][notes 2] The two deputies and Schmid had tried to ambush Bonnie and Clyde in late November 1933 near Sowers, Texas. See the events in life of Frank Hamer in Chronological Order. Hamer appreciated the fact that Maney was from a "Travis County pioneer family." As neighbors in the Riverside area of Austin, Hamer and Gault became tight, as did their feisty wives, Gladys and Rebecca. When Frank declined the offer to become a hired killer, McSwain warned him not to tell anyone about his offer or Frank and his brother would be dead men. While Gladys' determined fire with her Colt Pocket Model auto kept one gunman at bay, another named Gee McMeans rushed Hamer and shot him in his right thigh and left . Additionally, it is also never a good idea to split your forces when you know a fight might be about to occur. She received $20,000 from the studios as a settlement, a large sum of money at the time. He was also employed as a wrangler on Barry Ketchums horse ranch. He grew up on the Welch ranch in San Saba County, and later spent time in Oxford, Llano County, which is now a ghost town; he later joked about being the only "Oxford-educated Ranger". It is also a good idea to realize that dangerous encounters can occur with people who are known to us. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? On October 1, 1917 the Hamers drove into Sweetwater, Texas. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Frank determined that Phillips did not need to be shot dead, because the man did nothing but ruin a good hat. FREE Grant assistance! Interview with Bud Hamer, Bobbie Hamer and Harrison Hamer. Additionally, we see the effects of tunnel vision on our awareness in a chaotic situation. Olson, p. 252; Plantinga, p. 152; Wolff, Henry Jr., Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, 1948 United States Senate election in Texas, "The Aspermont Star (Aspermont, Tex. Texas State Library & Archives Commission, "Box 13 Is a Black Mark on Texas Politics. [29] The lurid newspaper stories and the furor which they created increased the pressure on government and law enforcement to capture the criminals, and Governor Ferguson placed a $500 bounty on Bonnie for her alleged role in the murder of Patrolman Murphy. Simply having a gun doesnt get the job done, nor is employing it quicklyyou have to be able to shoot it accurately as well as rapidly. [30], Five days later, popular opinion turned against the criminals even more when Barrow and Methvin killed Constable Calvin Campbell, a 60-year-old single father, near Commerce, Oklahoma. In 1914, he became a deputy sheriff in Kimble County and served as the department's livestock theft investigator. But Frank pushed Harrisons rifle barrel up and told him not to shoot a man in the back. Search above to list available cemeteries. Try again later. In the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, Hamer is portrayed by Denver Pyle. She was previously married to Ed Sims of Snyder, Texas. Ten shots were fired in the gunfight, and police collected a total of seven revolvers, two semi-automatic pistols, and three rifles from the two parties.[8]. Frank Hamer was not afraid to wade into trouble, but occasionally learned a hard lesson doing so. He left the Rangers and was commissioned as a Special Ranger for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. Harrison Hamer, who had just arrived back on the scene, started to shoot the fleeing Phillips. Renowned for his toughness, marksmanship, and investigative skill, he acquired status in the Southwest as the archetypal Texas Ranger. Today, a jury might get the impression that a person was welcoming the opportunity to engage his enemies. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Harrison returned after hearing the gunfire and he armed himself while Frank drew his pistol. Not to mention, tactically, it is just not a good idea to walk into a trap when you suspect that it is there waiting for you. Simmons, chief of the Dept. After the film's release, his widow Gladys and son Frank Jr. sued Warner Bros.-Seven Arts for defamation of character. A pistol fight ensued and McMeans, who was a former Texas Ranger and sheriff of Ector County, was killed, while Hamer was wounded. In this article Hamer felt that he learned Barrow's statistics, but "this was not enough. Hamer, who had recently married W.A. | NRA Family, How to Point Your Gun in a Safe Direction | NRA Family, Self-Defense for the Aging Shooter | NRA Family, New For 2023: The Gunsite Glock Service Pistol, New For 2023: The Smith & Wesson M&P 5.7 Pistol, New For 2023: The Taurus 605 T.O.R.O. The rancher tried to hire Frank to kill a man; when the teenager refused, McSwain fired a shotgun blast into his back. Please reset your password. Burial. She died on March 13, 1967 in Los Angeles, California, USA. In 1917, romance threw Frank Hamer into a first-class Texas feud. gladys hamer wife of frank hamer 11, Ed. All six, however, agreed that Deputy Oakley stood and fired the opening shot from his Remington Model 8, and that his bullet hit Barrow's left temple and killed the outlaw instantly. [11] They got into a borrowed car and drove away from Sherman, later regrouping at the sheriff's office. Frank Hamer was not afraid to wade into trouble, but occasionally learned a hard lesson doing so. "[6] Hamer moved in at age 24 and enforced law and order. Crooks dont like even odds. Prior to the Bonnie and Clyde incident, Hamer's most famous gunfight is probably the one in Sweetwater, Texas, in 1917, when two assassins ambushed him and his wife, Gladys. On January 16, 1934, Barrow, Parker, and associate Jimmy Mullens raided Eastham prison farm, freeing Raymond Hamilton, Henry Methvin, Hilton Bybee, and Joe Palmer. Finally, throughout the whole encounter, Gladys was leaning out of the car window, shooting at McMeans and Phillips with her Colt Pocket Auto until it was empty. and manufacturers. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40839700/ida-gladys-hamer. Hamer rejoined the Rangers in 1915 and was assigned to patrol the South Texas border around Brownsville during the Bandit War and La Matanza. Luxury Holiday Cabin in the Trossachs. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hamer survived them all dying in Austin, Texas on July 10, 1955 at the age of seventy-one. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Frank Hamer was born in 1884 in Fairview, Wilson County, Texas, where his father operated a blacksmith shop. See full bio Born: Harrison Hamer fired, but Frank knocked the barrel down, causing Harrison to miss. The Johnson and Sims families were prominent ranch families in West Texas and both were used to having their own way about things. With one hand holding the .45, Hamer used his other hand to beat McMeans about the face. to Frank, but the love of Frank's life filled her hand with a pocket Colt and opened fire on . Include gps location with grave photos where possible. He was the second eldest of eight children and grew up on the Welch Ranch in San Saba County. A slide cut for optics, a threaded barrel and a 22 round magazine are the icing on a 5.7x28mm cake. Now, admittedly, Hamer had his hands full, but it appears that he was not aware of the additional threat until the shotgun was fired. [1][pageneeded] A less successful incident happened during the Sherman Riot of 1930, however. Hamer married Gladys Johnson while she and her brother, Emmett, were under indictment for killing Gladys ex-husband, Ed Sims. During the struggle Frank was shot in the shoulder and the thigh. [35][notes 4] The posse fired off another 100-plus rounds, any number of which would have been fatal to Parker and also to Barrow. They also tried to control the bootleggers during the Prohibition era and bandits who plagued the border. In 1918, State Representative Jos Toms Canales was helming an investigation into the alleged abuse of the residents of the Rio Grande Valley by several Rangers. After retiring from law enforcement in 1949, he relocated to Austin where he spent the rest of his days. A large mob approached the courthouse, and Hamer personally shot and wounded two of the mob's members. AND Sidearms. Hamer was a Ranger off and on throughout his adult life, resigning often to take other jobs. [31], In mid-March, Henry Methvin's family contacted Bienville Parish Sheriff Henderson Jordan about their son, his legal troubles, and his involvement with Barrow. However, he was a lawman of one kind or another for many years and engaged in many shootings. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Resend Activation Email. Required fields are marked *. Francis Augustus Hamer (March 17, 1884 - July 10, 1955) was an American lawman and Texas Ranger who led the 1934 posse that tracked down and killed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Renowned for his toughness, marksmanship, and investigative skill, he acquired status in the Southwest as the archetypal Texas Ranger. Three of his brothers also became Texas Rangers. On May 23, 1934, Hamer and his posse gunned down Bonnie and Clyde on a rural road in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. As this was going on, McMeans henchman, H.E. of Corrections, wrote in his memoir that Hamer was one of two lawmen whom he had in mind. Phillips was able to approach very close to Hamer with a shotgun. [25] Hamer was always following close behind. The route to their home in Snyder took them through Sweetwater. Phillips abandoned the car and fled on foot. On October 1, 1916, shortly after Frank married his wife Gladys Johnson, Gladys, her brother Frank, and his brother Harrison stopped on the town square in Sweetwater Texas. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. [7] In 1911, he moved to Houston to work as a special investigator for Mayor Horace Baldwin Rice, where he was seconded to the Sheriff's Office of Harris County. Hamer wrote a detailed expos of the racket, which he termed "the bankers' murder machine", and he took his article to the press room of the State Capitol and handed out copies. While stopped to get a flat tire repaired, they were attacked in broad daylight in Sweetwater, Texas. interacts online and researches product purchases When Hamer returned to work for the Rangers in 1915, he was assigned the duty of patrolling the south Texas border from the Big Bend to Brownsville. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. Drag images here or select from your computer for Ida Gladys Johnson Hamer memorial. based on information from your browser. Frank Hamer and Gladys stayed together for the rest of Franks life. His service was brief but eventful while stationed in El Paso, the scene of countless gunfights during the Prohibition era. But Frank pushed Harrisons rifle barrel up and told him not to shoot a man in the back. 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