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Space Cowboy Posts: 9
4/9/2013
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Some old buddies and I hiked out to Carrizo Creek not all that long ago and I wrote it up for In-The-Desert. http://www.in-the-desert.com/carrizowash.html
I had never really looked for Frank Fox's grave before, even though I had read the article in Desert Magazine many moons ago. (June 1940, page 17 on PDF, page 15 in the actual magazine) http://dezertmagazine.com/mine/1940DM06/index.html. Well, we found the grave, it has a new, very impressive marker, set there by the Clampers, and I started obsessing on this incident where Frank Fox was killed, shot, unarmed, in the back. I came across Phil Brigandi's very scholarly, wonderfully readable article on it, and I'd give you a link, but its disappeared from the internet.
Thing is, he took a myth and made it a historical event, but then didn't tie up all the loose ends. So I've given it a try. If you've ever wondered about this Cowboy Tragedy, I've got a whole lot of background and foreground on this killing, maybe more than anywhere else: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?AuthorID=3199
It is a work in progress, and what I'm looking for right now, is anyone who is or knows any of the descendants of the principles in the story. If there's any Arizona Slankards, Crouch's, Davenports, Porters, Grays, I'd love to hear from them, because the story is always told from the Cowboy's perspective, and not from the posse's.
All Help Greatly appreciated.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
4/9/2013
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tarradiddle ??
Great write up...I first read about about Frank Fox in Lester Reeds book and have wanted to try and find the grave site also. Hopefully someone else may know more info.
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Space Cowboy Posts: 9
4/9/2013
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dsefcik wrote:
tarradiddle ??
Its a word. It may not be the best word, but its a word.
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Britain Posts: 604
10/6/2020
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Im digging this back up. Last season I did 2 quick hikes looking for it. So they say upstream from the old stage ruins, along the bank of the creek. Anyone get this yet?
edited by Britain on 10/6/2020
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Cant drive 55
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/7/2020
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I have not....have only read about attempts and heard it is just dirt now...but maybe not......
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Britain Posts: 604
10/8/2020
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A local historian sent be an electronic copy of Vails diary. Vail was a cattle hand in the drive in which Frank Fox was killed. Frank was 14 years old.
Vail requested they needed the Fox brothers to complete the drive. On March 29 Saturday Frank made a run and was shot in the back. Vail was upset with the shooting and told the Sheriff " Where could he to go ? Its the desert" I also got the description of where he's buried, Its been a long time so yes are there any rocks or markers left perhaps. Seems like some group placed a brass plaque there.
edited by Britain on 10/8/2020
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Cant drive 55
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/8/2020
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That sounds like it is out of the old timer cattleman's book by frank....(?) I am at work and can't look at the book but can when I get home.
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Britain Posts: 604
10/8/2020
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I'm going to go out tomorrow early morning. Nothing else to do. It'll get the creeks out me. The diary some universerty in AZ has it. Most of the newer transcripts I've seen are a bit off. If it doesn't warm up to fast I'll do some badland exploring. Place is known for flash flooding so if it's in the creek area maybe washed away.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/8/2020
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Looking thru Lester Reed's book he writes he was killed "about March 1 1886" and he has a picture of a pile of rocks as his grave.
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Britain Posts: 604
10/8/2020
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dsefcik wrote:
Looking thru Lester Reed's book he writes he was killed "about March 1 1886" and he has a picture of a pile of rocks as his grave.
Lesters is off. He died 1890 March 29 per the diary also Find a grave also lists the same. I was first told the gave site is on the hill. I couldnt find it but will look again. Per diary Frank ran about 100 yards following the creek and was shot down and buried there.Another report list 80 yards. I can cover that. I was surprised that Find a Grave even listed it.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134930620/frank-fox
edited by Britain on 10/8/2020
edited by Britain on 10/8/2020
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
10/8/2020
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According to this, the grave washed away years ago: https://sandiegohistory.org/collection/davis/op-15362-25/
Would be nice to see if the plaque is still out there. Have been out there a few times but never found it. The OP below is the only article I've seen mentioning the black plaque.
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Britain Posts: 604
10/9/2020
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tommy750 wrote:
According to this, the grave washed away years ago: https://sandiegohistory.org/collection/davis/op-15362-25/
Would be nice to see if the plaque is still out there. Have been out there a few times but never found it. The OP below is the only article I've seen mentioning the black plaque.
Plaque was seen in 2013. I would guess it could be there. But yes the area does have flooding. I'll look for it today.
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Britain Posts: 604
10/9/2020
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Bingo found it along with the stone burial stie. Will post picture perhaps Sunday.
edited by Britain on 10/11/2020
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Britain Posts: 604
10/11/2020
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Got an early AM start hit the trailhead at 6:45. Temps were 75 with winds from the west. Brought in some smoke but made of an interesting sunrise. And yes the area is still blocked off.
 
Made quick time covering the 2 miles to the hill adjacent to the ruins. Most of the gloppy swamp stuff was dried from the summer heat so trudging out in it shouldnt be an issue. I stop on the hill to take some pictures in the area I was going to search. Then moved down to the stage ruins. I place a marker on the gps. Only 100 yards Vail said in the diary. I have 2 markers to get alignment, distance and alignment of a few peaks. I fear that it was washed away like so many reports.
Off I went following the trail of excape and death. Lots of brush and some swamp. I wasnt confident I would find anything. I arrived at the crossroads of the alignment at 100 yards. Nothing. I searched around and found a bush and a boulder sticking out. Could this be it? I poked around the bush and more boulder sized rocks.
Someone wrote "hidden in plain site" they didnt mention also off the beaten path. I need to find the plaque. Theres a picture of someone standing next to it on the web. Suns in his face I think so its either on the east or west side so I start suffing my boot about, I'm on the west end of the boulders. Bingo.
 
Completely buried by the winds of time. Im guessing also most of the burial is covered also. I sat down next to the plaque for a bit. Said a quick prayer for Frank. Headed off and was back at the Jeep at 9am. The burial is still there.
edited by Britain on 10/11/2020
edited by Britain on 10/11/2020
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
10/11/2020
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Great detective work and great find, Britain!
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Scooter Posts: 114
10/11/2020
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Great trip report thanks
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/12/2020
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Nice work..!!!
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Britain Posts: 604
10/12/2020
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tommy750 wrote:
Great detective work and great find, Britain!
Thanks wasnt hard once I had some good info. Been out there looking for it for nearly a decade. My family genealogist got interested in the Fox family. She did some research and for what she could find was this.
Frank Fox was born about 1877 in California, USA, maybe in Knights Ferry, Stanislaus County. If this is the correct Frank, with brother, William, then his parents were William M. Fox and Mary.[1]
It appears that Frank and his older brother, William, were trying to get home, to Stanislaus County, California,[2] after a spree of unlawful acts in New Mexico and Maricopa County, Arizona. Frank was shot as an 'alleged horse thief' in 1890 at approximately age 15 [sic: age 13], in Carrizo Creek, Imperial County, California.
Per the diary the Fox brothers were indeed trying to return to California. If the info match is true the Frank Fox was only 13 years old at the time of his death.
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Rocko1 Posts: 597
10/12/2020
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Wow! Great find. How old is that plaque?
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Britain Posts: 604
10/12/2020
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Rocko1 wrote:
Wow! Great find. How old is that plaque?
I think it was placed there in 2009.
Today the pile of stone marking Frank Fox’s grave also has an impressive black marble marker next to it, placed there by unnamed ‘Clampers’, (The Ancient And Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus), telling the story.
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deborah Posts: 115
10/26/2020
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It's really interesting history. Nice work!
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Britain Posts: 604
1/21/2022
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For whats its worth. We dug up some information On the Foxes. Speculation perhaps but a good match.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fox-17780?fbclid=IwAR0p2zzQNatJd-wEp733EEDD6xjsRFhnM6B2dvjFI3Ha7TfT5xIEAiNNpEQ
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
1/22/2022
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Britain wrote:
For whats its worth. We dug up some information On the Foxes. Speculation perhaps but a good match.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fox-17780?fbclid=IwAR0p2zzQNatJd-wEp733EEDD6xjsRFhnM6B2dvjFI3Ha7TfT5xIEAiNNpEQ
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Brian Posts: 226
1/22/2022
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I've only been to the old stage station once. I'd like to go back some time and look for that.
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