Near Alvord in Wise County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Capture of Willie & Bud Ball
In the mid-1800s, proximity to Indian reservations made Wise County a flashpoint of confrontation between Native American tribes and Anglo American settlers. On September 20, 1865, eight-year-old cousins James (Bud) Ball and William (Willie) Ball set off on a two-mile walk to a neighbor’s house to borrow a hand saw. On the journey home, as Bud and Willie stopped to play in a creek they were overtaken and captured by a band of Comanche and Kiowa Indians. Three days later, the bands split up with the Comanche taking Willie and the Kiowa taking Bud.
On October 24, 1865, Bud Ball was recovered and delivered to the Kaw Indian Agency near Council Grove, Kansas (about 300 miles north of Wise County). Willie Ball was located with the Nocona band of Comanche after spending the winter of 1865-66 on the plains with the tribe. He was recovered around mid-March and arrived at the Kaw Indian Agency on June 6, 1866. One year after their capture, they were both returned home.
In October 1868, Willie and his brother-in-law, John Bailey, were working in a cornfield near the Ball Ranch when a large band of Kiowa appeared, led by Tan-Guadal (Red Cap or Red Feather). They attempted to recapture Willie once again. John Bailey, armed with a revolver, charged Tan-Guadal. Both men fired simultaneously and both fell dead, Tan-Guadal with a bullet and John with an arrow. Willie escaped and the Kiowa retreated. John Bailey was one of the first burials in what would become the Ball Knob Cemetery. Tan-Guadal, a noted Kiowa warrior, was also buried nearby.
Erected 2020 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22764.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical date for this entry is October 24, 1865.
Location. 33° 22.535′ N, 97° 38.303′ W. Marker is near Alvord, Texas, in Wise County. Marker is on County Road 2475, half a mile east of County Road 2585. The marker stands in front of Ball Knob Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Alvord TX 76225, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ball Knob Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Hopewell Baptist Church (approx. 2.3 miles away); First United Methodist Church Alvord (approx. 3.3 miles away); City of Alvord (approx. 3½ miles away); General Ernest O. Thompson (approx. 3.7 miles away); Battle of the Knobs (approx. 8 miles away); Butterfield Overland Stage Line (approx. 9.7 miles away); St. John Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 10 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alvord.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 10, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2024, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. This page has been viewed 70 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 29, 2024, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.