Memorial dedicatation for murdered Erath County Sheriff set for Sunday, June 25

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ERATH COUNTY (June 20, 2017) – This weekend Erath County residents will gather to honor former Erath County Sheriff James Mastin who was killed in the line of duty Thursday, June 25, 1877, during a Back the Blue rally at the Erath County Courthouse on Sunday, June 25, at 3 p.m. According to records, Mastin was attempting to arrest a suspected horse thief when he was gunned down by the supposed thief.

Research done in the Tarleton Library Archives, which holds local, area and statewide (in some cases) articles related to local events, revealed Mastin and an Erath County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived at a farm approximately 3.5 miles from Stephenville to arrest Bone Wilson on charges of stealing horses. They searched the house and then in back of the house where the suspect stepped from behind a tree and opened fire on the officers. The deputy returned fire, but Mastin was fatally wounded and Wilson, who also went under the alias of Napoleon B. Wilson, escaped.

In a follow-up article, the Austin Weekly Democratic Statesman reported Wilson was possibly wounded in the shooting and described him as such: “about five feet, ten inches, 160 pounds, dark complexion, dark eyes, dark curly hair, wore a mustache and a small patch of whiskers on his chin and is about 24 years of age.”

In another article from July 1877, the Tarleton Library Archives report Wilson was raised in Palo Pinto County and even said, “A reward of seven hundred dollars has been subscribed and will be paid by responsible citizens of Erath County for the arrest and delivery of Wilson inside the jail door of Erath County.”

In several articles from September and October 1877 state Wilson and many members of his family were found in a ‘gun camp’ or ‘hunting camp’ near Coleman City or about 20 miles from Fort Chadbourne by a posse of Texas Rangers lead by Sgt. T.M. Sparks on September 15, 1877. Following the gunfight near the camp, two of Wilson’s brothers were arrested.

According to an article in the Galveston Daily Mail, “Wilson was on horseback and attempting to escape when the Rangers ordered his hands up. He immediately halted, reined his horse around, seized his gun and attempted to draw it from its scabbard. The Rangers again ordered Wilson’s hands in the air, but he was still attempting to draw his gun, so Wilson’s horse was shot down and he was also injured by gunfire. After falling from the horse, Wilson stood and at once leveled his gun at the Rangers and took aim at the troops, but was instantly shot through the right breast by the Rangers. He then ran about five steps and fell dead with his gun cocked in his hand… Out of a reward of $800 subscribed by private citizens for his arrest, $631.25 has been paid and the balance is set to be paid soon.”

Mastin was elected the 13th man to serve the citizens of Erath County as sheriff according to a book entitled “Sin of the Pioneers” by James Pylant. He was sworn into office on February 15, 1876. Pylant reports, “in November of the previous year, Mastin narrowly escaped an attempt on his life when Rufus C. Howie fired a six-shooter at him. Howie was arrested, tired and a jury found him guilty of assault with attempt to murder.”

Mastin was buried in an unmarked grave in Erath County. He left behind a young wife and two small sons. He was also a Mason at the Stephenville Lodge No. 267. 

Kenneth Leatherwood, a current Mason, represented the organization at Erath County Commissioners Court recently regarding a proposed monument. He told the commissioners the organization had raised the necessary funds to create and place the monument so no county funds or taxpayer dollars were needed. Just the location, which Erath County employee John Wooley gladly helped the commissioners and Leatherwood with. Leatherwood said funds almost sufficient to pay for the entire monument and the labor involved for its installation were raised at the first meeting about the matter.

“Between the Masonic Lodge, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Sons of the Confederate Veterans and private donors, we have the funds to pay for this and people are very enthusiastic about the idea,” Leatherwood told the court. “What we propose is a 32-inch wide, 40-inch high monument and we were thinking maybe on the east side of the courthouse, but of course that’s your decision.”

“We can’t place a monument on the courthouse grounds for everybody that wants to honor someone,” County Judge Tab Thompson said. “However, since James Mastin was the Erath County Sheriff in 1877, I think the idea for this monument meets a sufficiently high standard and should be put in place.”

The county and the Stephenville Masonic Lodge 267, 2nd Texas Frontier District Camp 1904, SCV and Major George B. Erath Chapter 2679, UDC will host a monument dedication for Sheriff James Mastin and other fallen Texas law enforcement officers during a Back the Blue rally at the Erath County Courthouse on Sunday, June 25, at 3 p.m.


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Monument Background:

Master Mason and SCV member, Kenneth Leatherwood, brought the story of murdered sheriff, James Mastin, who was also a Master Mason and belonged to Stephenville’s Lodge 267, to the S.C.V. and U.D.C.’s attention.  They were surprised to learn that Sheriff Mastin had no gravestone and so many years (140) had passed that it was no longer known exactly where he is buried, except that it is in the West End Cemetery.

Working on the premise that Sheriff Mastin was most likely an ex-Confederate Soldier, Charles Leatherwood, the 2nd Texas Frontier District Camp, SCV Commander, requested the aid of the UDC president, Sheran Weible. The UDC, with the assistance of other researchers such as the Dublin Library, Tarleton State University Library and the Erath County Clerk’s office, found more than one James Mastin and could not be sure which one of them was Sheriff Mastin.

What was known beyond reasonable doubt was the sheriff was a Master Mason and a member of the Stephenville Lodge No. 267.  Since it was not possible to say definitely the sheriff was a Confederate, Kenneth Leatherwood brought forth the prospect of at least erecting a gravestone for the sheriff, or perhaps even a monument at the Erath Courthouse for the slain officer.

Representatives of the SCV and UDC approached Lacy Funeral Home about acquiring a stone.  They met with, Vance Wade, also a Mason in the Stephenville Masonic Lodge, and the plan evolved.  That plan was to contact the membership of the 2nd Texas Frontier District Camp SCV, the Major George B. Erath Chapter UDC and the Stephenville Masonic Lodge 267 and see if a memorial stone could be purchased by the three organizations, working as a team, to place the monument on the courthouse lawn.  They all enthusiastically agreed to take part in the project.

Kenneth Leatherwood designed the monument and took the plans to County Judge Tab Thompson.  He immediately got behind the project and has been very instrumental in helping to bring it to reality. The Erath County Commissioners were also very supportive.

Vance Wade took a leadership role and used his expertise to acquire a stone at an affordable price from Worthington Monuments. When approached, the Stephenville Masonic Lodge was very receptive to the proposal and some members immediately made personal donations followed up by a donation of the lodge that equaled the SCV and UDC donation.

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