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A few years ago I was exploring the Wildcat Thicket ( explored the area a few months ago)which from my understanding is part of the of the Corners (where Collin County, Fannin County, Grayson, and Hunt County meet) of North Texas. While exploring those back roads I came across a cemetery. The signs says its the Lee Family Cemetery near Leonard, Texas. During my research of the cemetery I realized this the cemetery of the Captain Bob Lee and the Lee Family that they were part of a Texas sized. Below you find a little history of Captain Bob Lee and the feud a pictures from the cemetery.
Lee-Peacock Feud
For those that are familiar with Texas History may recognize the name. For those that aren’t familiar. Bob Lee is one of the leaders of the Lee-Peacock Feud that took part in the Corners in the Wildcat Thicket near his home and in the surrounding areas. This feud is one of the more famous feuds to come out of Texas.
In 1861 the Lee Brothers left for training for the Civil War. Two brothers were killed in action and was crippled. Bob Lee fought in many battles and after the war was over he road his horse back to Lee Station, Fannin County, Texas.
As the Confederacy was breaking up the US government put Texas under placed under martial law. Lawless was everywhere. Jayhawkers, guerrillas and highwaymen could be found along found through the areas. It was said one stagecoach was held up almost every five minutes.
“The Union League of America, sometimes called the Loyal League, originated in Ohio in 1862 for political purposes. Within one year it had spread to Unionists of the South. At the end of the war, it worked for radical reconstruction of the South, i.e.: punishment of Southern leaders, confiscation of property and Negro suffrage. Southern Unionists hoped to start a new political party with the block vote of Freedman. (Given time, Freedman began to run for offices and the white Southern Unionists deserted the league causing its collapse.) They began secretly drilling and became night riders to achieve their ends. Lewis Peacock was head of the local Union League.” – Bob Lee during Reconstruction
Captain Bob Lee was well respected Southern man and the family was rumored have gold (several rumors I had it was a lot of gold and money hidden away). Lewis Peacock saw the Captain as threat to the League and Southern Reconstruction. So Captain Bob Lee became the target for the Peacock Party. Lewis Peacock and Union League were the aggressors in this feud.
Captain Bob Lee ran into Jim Maddox, a Peacock man and one of the men that help kidnapped when Peacock and his men targeted the Lee Family. The captain offered Jim a gun and they could step outside and finish it. Maddox declined and said he was sorry for what he had done and that he did not want to hurt him in a fight. He offered to buy the Captain a drink.
After the drink, Maddox asked to be left alone. As the Captain left the store, Maddox came up from behind and shot him the head. Fortunately, Maddox didn’t get a good shot off. The bullet grazed the Captains hear and the side of his head. It ended up knocking unconscious. – The Lee-Peacock Feud – Civil War Continues in Northeast Texas
After a couple more murders and fights the feud was on. Some said it was more of a war because of the amount people that died during the 4 year feud. The estimated the death count is 50 but other says the numbers were closer to 200 people that lost their lives during the feud. A few days before Captains Bob Lee’s death he told one of his raiders that he personally killed 43 people during the feud.
On May 24th, 1869 Henry Boren shot Captain Bob Lee in the chest with load of buckshot from his barreled shotgun. He was laid to rest in the Lee Family Cemetery near Leonard, Texas on south edge of his father’s, Daniel Lee, farm.
About the history
There’s a lot of information about the feud and the information is a bit confusing. From the information I pulled from several different sources. The feud and the families involved interest me (since I live in the area) and I have been given several books to read and plan to look more into the feud. I tried shortening the story but there’s a lot of information
Sources:
Photos of Captain Bob Lee and Jim Maddox
The old photos of Captain Bob Lee and Jim Maddox were found on do a search on Bing. The same images were used on several different articles. If you are the owner of these images and do not want me to use them please contact me and I will remove them or site to the proper site.
Lee Family Cemetery near Leonard, Texas
There are two Lee Family Cemeteries in the area one near Dodd City and the other is near Leonard just inside of Hunt County. I’m not sure the families are related. The Lee Family Cemetery I visited sometimes referred to as the Bob Lee Family Cemetery near Leonard, Texs
I visited the Cemetery a few years ago and the grass had been cut and brush had been cleared away. But Ivy was growing everywhere and needed to be cut back. Several of the headstones were damaged. Roots Web said that the cemetery is being maintained but over the years the cemetery has seen vandalism. I read another article that Captain Bob Lee’s has been exhumed several times with the belief that his gold was buried with him. It wasn’t there…
About the images
All images were shot with an old Nikon D5000 and Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR during a sunny and cold early afternoon day and edited the images in Adobe Lightroom. Next, I post processed with Topaz Clarity to add texture, brighten, and bring out the details in the images.
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