The Governor's Hounds: The Texas State Police, 1870–1873

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgment< Researching and writing The Governor’s Hounds required much more than the efforts of these authors; bringing this book to fruition required the assistance and support of a tremendous number of individuals. After many years of research and writing, our work is complete. Unfortunately, the untimely death of Barry A. Crouch prevented him from enjoying the final production of our work. Barry brought to this project a sense of dedication, a fountain of knowledge of the subject, and a discipline in writing that would be difficult to match. Barry’s vast knowledge of Reconstruction instilled in me an enthusiasm for that exciting and misunderstood period of history. This is the second book that I have had the privilege to research and write with Barry. Our first book was Cullen Montgomery Baker: Reconstruction Desperado. After completing that book, Barry had originally set his sights on writing a general history of Reconstruction in Texas. I had become quite interested in the Texas State Police during the administration of Governor Edmund J. Davis and persuaded Barry to set aside his general history to work on a history of this unique and controversial constabulary force. Until 1969, little had been written about the Texas State Police that had portrayed them in a positive light. In that year Ann Patton Baenziger’s article “The Texas State Police During Reconstruction: A Reexamination” was published in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly. Having read her article, I realized that the State Police had accomplished much good in spite of what had previously been written about them. I decided that a balanced history of the State Police was needed to show the positive results of their actions as well as the negative things that had been written about them. Thanks, Ann, for opening my eyes to the positive contributions made by this constabulary force that struggled to combat the violence in Reconstruction Texas. In acknowledging the following persons, I am confident that I am also expressing the appreciation and gratitude that Barry would have extended for all the assistance and support we received in this project. THE GOVERNOR’S HOUNDS X Two people who deserve a very special recognition for their warm friendship and untiring support in our endeavor are Charles and Pat Spurlin of Victoria . When they first met Barry and me, I am not sure what they made of us. I am sure that they thought we were “different.” However, from the beginning they expressed a warm friendship and accepted us both as part of their family . Their kindness, generosity, and support have been unconditional. Barry appreciated their friendship, and I will always be in their debt for all their help and encouragement. Pat, there are not enough “thank yous” in the world to express my gratitude for your assistance that compensated for my lack of computer knowledge in this endeavor. A number of institutions have provided invaluable information and assistance to us in the course of writing our book. First and foremost I would like to thank the patient and knowledgeable staff of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin. Jean Carefoot, Bill Simmons, Sergio Velasco, and John Anderson, in particular, were always there to help and put up with a great deal of Barry’s wry sense of humor during his extended stays in Texas during the summer months. Although the lion’s share of State Police records was found in the Texas State Archives, we did visit a number of other institutions and libraries where we obtained valuable information. We both owe a debt of gratitude to the staffs at the Austin History Center and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History in Austin, the Texas Collection at Baylor University in Waco, the Ralph W. Steen Library at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, the National Archives and Records Center in Washington, D.C., and the Indiana State Archives in Indianapolis. We also appreciated the courteous and helpful personnel at the many county courthouses that we visited during our numerous research trips around the state. Special thanks must be extended to Sheron Barnes and Greg Garcia of the Regional History Center at the Victoria College/University of Houston–Victoria Library for their computer expertise and helpful assistance. For assisting us in acquiring a number of photographs and images for this project, I would like to thank John Anderson and Liz Clare of the Texas State Archives; Christina Stopka of the Texas Ranger Museum and Hall of Fame in Waco; the staffs of the Austin History Center and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History; Richard Banks of Lockhart; Bryan Davis of Nacogdoches ; Caroline Anderson of Houston; Anne Watkins of Viveash, Western Australia; Malford Ackermann of Schertz; and Harriett and David Condon of Middleburg, Virginia. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS XI To Carl H. Moneyhon of the University of Arkansas–Little Rock and Walter L. Buenger of Texas A&M University–College Station, I owe a debt of gratitude for your sage advice and constructive recommendations that helped us improve our manuscript tremendously. To Theresa May, Leslie Tingle, Teri Sperry, Nancy Bryan, and all the staff of the University of Texas Press, I want to acknowledge your encouragement, guidance, and long-suffering patience in helping to bring our book into reality . Your assistance has been greatly appreciated. Although I never had the opportunity to meet Erik Larsen, a friend of Barry’s, I appreciate the statistical analysis that he provided us regarding the composition and makeup of the Texas State Police force. This information was gleaned from incomplete data in the State Police records and has added greatly to our book. Barry was impressed with his analysis and felt that it would lend much to our book. I would also like to express my appreciation to Charles D. Grear of Prairie View A&M University for providing the maps that will help the reader to understand the logistics and place-names associated with the Texas State Police. Some others who have offered valuable information and insight into our work include Kenneth W. Howell of Prairie View A&M University, Chuck Parsons of Luling, Harold Weiss of Leander, Jeff Jackson of Lampasas, James M. Smallwood of Gainesville, Rick Miller of Harker Heights, Dave Johnson of Zionsville, Indiana; Larry Madaras of Lake Worth, Florida; Patrick Williams of Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Lynne Payne of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. All the many friends of Barry’s and mine who have offered their support and encouragement in this project are too numerous to mention by name. I hope that each of you know how much your support meant to both of us. Last, but not least, I must acknowledge my wife, Clare, and Barry’s family, his daughter Jennifer Crouch and his sister Patsy Conn. Without the love, support, and encouragement of our families, it would have been a much more difficult task to complete The Governor’s Hounds. 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