LAWMEN	and	OUTLAWS

Uncle JOE JONES was born in Ky. or Missouri 1864-65, sometime during the civil war. He was a hunter, farmer, first marshal of Ladonia, deputy at Dodge City, Kansas and reported to be a United States Deputy Marshall for the Territory of Okla. He was an excellent shot with a rifle, broke 97 out of 100 glass balls at a shooting match in Dodge City, Kansas. (pa Jones said the match was held at Col. Springs, Col). He won a trophy worth several hundred dollars at the exhibition against some of the best shots in the West.

JOE married a woman from Ladonia by the name of PRU DYER. They had a child by the name of HARLE, but the marriage did not last long. Seems Uncle JOE was a peace officer at Dallas and one night while making his round of the local saloons, he found his wife in a saloon with another man, He immediately put his wife and child on the train for Ladonia. Pru had two brothers who made a boast that if Joe ever came back to Ladonia that they would kill him. Uncle Joe returned and would ride around the field where the Ross brothers were working, just daring them to make their play. He sent word that he wanted to see his baby and if the child was not made available, he would come after the child.

There was another gun fighter in Ladonia by the name of WILL KILGORE. Kilgore being the expert with a pistol while Uncle Joe was the expert with rifle. Seems Joe and Will nearly came to blows several times over who was the best shot. Mrm Salmon, who grew-up in Ladonia as a child, told me in 1958 that folks always expected a shoot-out between the two men, kind of professional jealously.

Uncle Joe was working as a game hunter for the railroad at Valliant Okla. probably when the railroad was being built through the town. He had married an Indian woman by the name of CROWDER.

A child was born, no name available. The child and mother visited Ladonia after Uncle Joe's death, according to Flo Hayden, daughter of Uncle Bose.

Joe contacted pneumonia in about 1908 which proved fatal, according to my story he asked to be helped out of bed. He put his boots on and stood up, falling over dead. He had boasted that he would never die in bed.

My dad, B. G. JONES stated that he was on a hunting trip with Uncle Joe when he was a young boy. They drove their wagon in a quarantined area where two marshals or wardens told them that they could not leave the designated area, an argument started, one of the marshals started to climb up on the wagon to take Uncle Joe's rifle. Uncle Joe told the deputy not to take another step and before he took his rifle he would take the contents first. The two law men backed off and allowed them to pass as they know him as one of the deadly shots in the Okla. Territory.

Dad said Uncle Joe always had a fine horse. He cross-bred horses and enjoyed racing horses. He dressed well and had an expensive saddle. Dad said he could come up to a campfire at night without making a sound. The story that I have heard is that Joe Jones killed a man while a peace officer at Dallas, also killed another man when he was a deputy at Dodge City.

JOE JONES died at Valliant, Okla. about 1908, another source mentioned being buried at Howe, however it is my belief that he is buried at the old cemetery on the east side of town at Valliant. I could not find a marker as the cemetery is neglected and only 6-8 markers are visible. One bit of information indicated that he was 35 at death while another said he was 54. He probably would have been about 50, just a guess.

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