John Riley Banister facts for kids
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John Riley Banister (born May 24, 1854 – died 1918) was an American law officer, cowboy, and Texas Ranger. He was known for his work protecting people and property in the American West.
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Early Life in Missouri
John Banister was born in a small place called Banister Hollow in Camden County, Missouri. This area became a local center for nearby communities. His parents were William Lawrence and Mary (Buchanan) Banister. The Banister family loved music. They played instruments like the fiddle, banjo, and guitar. They also sang old songs and played lively Irish and Scottish tunes.
Around 1863, when John was about nine years old, his father, William, moved to Texas. He had been hurt twice while serving in the Confederate Army. In Texas, his father married Mary Catherine Miller and had six more children.
Moving to Texas
It's not fully clear why John Banister decided to leave Banister Hollow. Some stories say his mother was unhappy, and the area itself was a bit wild and chaotic. Mobs and groups of fighters were a constant threat. Also, the idea of the West, where his father had gone, was very appealing. So, in 1867, when John was thirteen, he and his brother, Will, decided to leave home to find their father in Texas.
They didn't have a map or a planned route. One spring night, they didn't come home from hunting near the Niangua River. They chose this time because they knew their family wouldn't let them leave. Their grandfather might have followed and stopped them if he had known.
There are no records to show that John and Will ever returned to Banister Hollow. We also don't know exactly how they traveled or what happened during their journey. However, we do know they asked other travelers for advice. They asked about crossing rivers, what kind of storms happened in spring, how to plan a route, and where they might face dangers. They traveled almost 600 miles alone. They had only one rifle, a small amount of lead and powder, and a bag of cornmeal. Four months after leaving home, the boys arrived in Fort Worth, Texas. This was a well-known town where people could get supplies.
A New Family
After reaching Fort Worth, John and Will asked many strangers about their father. They were befriended by a man named Colonel Rufus Winn. He was a veteran from the Confederate Army. Colonel Winn and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Vaughn, had two young children. They were touched by the boys' story and worried about their safety. They didn't want the boys to fall in with outlaws, so the Winns took them in.
On the Rufus Winn ranch, John Banister helped Colonel Winn with all kinds of chores and duties. Soon, he became an important part of the family and the community.
From Cowboys to Catching Outlaws
John Banister worked driving cattle for the Rufus Winn Ranch near Menardville. Later, he worked for the Sam Golson ranch in Coleman and Mason counties.
He then joined the Texas Rangers in Austin, Texas. As a Ranger, he was part of the Frontier Battalion. His duties included escorting a person named John Wesley Hardin to Comanche for a trial. He also helped capture the famous outlaw Sam Bass.
After leaving the Rangers in 1881, John Banister moved to San Saba. He went back to cattle driving until 1883, taking cattle all the way to Kansas. In 1883, Banister married Mary Ellen Walker. They settled on a ranch near Brownwood. Later, they moved to Coleman to run a stable. They had six children together. Sadly, Mrs. Banister died in 1892. John Banister then married Emma Daugherty on September 25, 1894, in Goldthwaite. John and Emma had five children.
Special Work and Sheriff Duties
Between 1889 and 1892, Banister took on special jobs as a detective for the Santa Fe and other railroad companies. In 1892, he became a Treasury Agent. His job was to help police the U.S.-Mexico border and stop cattle smugglers.
After six years, he left that job and became an inspector for the Texas Cattle Raisers Association. This group helps protect cattle. He started the field-inspection service for the association and was its first chief. Banister investigated cattle theft for the association in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, and Oklahoma. He did this until 1914, when he became the sheriff of Coleman County.
John Banister's life and work are well-documented. His papers, especially those about his investigations into cattle theft, show how much effort the cattlemen's association put into protecting their livestock. Banister passed away from a stroke on August 1, 1918, in Coleman. He was buried in Santa Anna. After his death, his wife, Emma, took over his job as sheriff. This made her the first female sheriff in the United States.
Images for kids
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John R. Banister as a young man, posed for a "tin type" photograph.
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John Riley Banister with Luther Alred (Oklahoma, November 11, 1911)
