Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Scott Tschirhart
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Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I have several relatives that were Texas Rangers and some good friends that served and continue to serve in that capacity.

Joseph Sitter was born in Castroville, Texas on January 13, 1863. He was a great, great...uncle to me on my mother's side of the family. He married and had kids. But a buckboard accident killed his wife and left him despondent. I imagine that he blamed himself for her death. He left the kids with relatives and wandered out to El Paso. He joined the Texas Rangers and served unde the Border Boss John Hughes. Below is a photo from 1894 in Isleta, Texas just east of current day El Paso. Joe is the big guy (built a lot like me) in the back with an 1886 Winchester.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by .45colt »

What a Great picture !! what a time it would have been to spend an evening with anyone of them, and listen to how things really were. Wow.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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I have lots of stories and photos about Joe's service in the Rangers, but this one is the one that led to his death.

Mexico was in revolution at the beginning of the 20th Century and there was a great struggle among competing factions as to who would recieve support and recognition from the US government. Things were wild along the border, but there were not a whole lot of people there so folks knew or knew of each other.

Joe got crossways with the "Chico Cano Gang" who were sometimes revolutionarys and mostly stock thieves. Chico stood out in the crowd as he was a handsome fellow and a lot taller than most Mexicans of his time.

The Rangers got wind of Chico and his brothers attending a wake in a house on this side of the Rio Bravo near Candelaria, Texas. They surrounded the house which was full of people and called out. Chico yelled out to the Rangers that there were women in the house and asked if the Rangers would please allow the women to leave. The Rangers agreed and several of the male gang members put on women's dresses and made for the border. All of them escaped, except for Chico, because the Rangers thought that the one really tall woman was suspicious. Chico was taken into custody without any trouble.

Three Rangers camped that night near the mouth of a canyon and the next day, they were planning to take their prisoner to Marfa which was the County seat in those days. When they entered the canyon, they were ambushed by Chico's brothers. One Ranger was killed and Joe was shot in the neck and left for dead. From this time on both Joe and Chico swore that they would kill the other on sight.

Joe was taken to El Paso to heal up at the Catholic Hospital. There he met Zane Grey who was doing background for a book that was later published under the title "The Lone Star Ranger." Grey mentions speaking with Joe in the forward to this book.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Joe left the Rangers for a time and became a Customs Inspector, doing very much the same work, and riding with the same Rangers, but for better pay.

But the new administration in Washington insisted that Customs Inspectors had to take a civil service test. Joe couldn't pass the test, so he went back to Rangering.

The Rangers recieved a tip from Pancho Villa's men that Chico and his gang would be transporting some stolen horses through an area south of Valentine, Texas. Joe and several companions went down there to try to head them off. On the night of May 23, 1915, Joe and his companions were in a dark camp in rough country near the border and they heard the gang moving horses up a canyon to a spring.

In the morning the group split up and Joe with another Ranger named Hullins went up the canyon. It was the perfect place for an ambush. There was a shelf on the west side of the canyon with a depression that could hold fifty men. As Joe made his way to the horses, he and Hullins were shot at. Hullins died almost immediately, while Joe gave them hell. The other Rangers could not get up the canyon as they were held off by rifle fire, they eventually rode off for help.

Joe's mutilated body was found in the canyon, in a pile of empty brass. It looked like he had shot up all the ammo he had. They stripped and mutilated his body. It is said that the mule they loaded him on vomited. Joe was laid to rest in Valentine, Texas in a little church cemetary.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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One hundred years later, former Sheriff Jim Wilson, Former Ranger Joachim Jackson and I planned to be in that canyon to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the fight. Jim and I did not know just how sick our friend was getting. Below is a photo of Jim, Joachim, and me (old Texas lawmen) in the YO Ranch Hotel in Kerrville, Texas where we planned the expedition in 2014. Rob Leahy took this photo and after this, we retired with a bottle of drinking whiskey to make our plans.
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Last edited by Scott Tschirhart on Sat Jun 19, 2021 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Jim and I were in that canyon on the morning of May 24, 2015 and the spring is now called Sitter Spring in honor of the Ranger who died there. The spring comes out from under a big rock and I drank deeply from the water there. (no ill effects) One of my favorite adventures. The spring is under the rock right behind us in the photo. There is a little pool of water there and it seeps through the rocks and down the canyon to small pools. Water is pretty scarce in this country.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Chico's gang threatened Joe's widow and family. As a result, they left Valentine and moved to Los Angeles. While I was at the site, the Sitters were having a reunion in Castroville, including some of our relatives from California. They were fascinated by the photos and information I was sending back.

Chico went to his grave saying that he had nothing to do with killing Joe and he died in his bed of natural causes in Mexico.

I met one of Chico's descendants in El Paso and we shook hands. Thanks for letting me share this.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by M. M. Wright »

No Scott, thank you for sharing with us. I just love tales of the old west.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Fascinating family history...thanks for sharing.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by .45colt »

Scott , Thanks for the great reading. those Guys were a tough bunch. made My day. :D
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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I just felt like writing this morning. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Cool story sad ending, thanks for sharing. 8) 8)
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Great post, Scott. It made me glad I stopped in today.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Great story and writing. The wife and I were just in that Marfa area and it is rough, you couldn't grow one cow in ten miles there! The wife's Grandpa was stationed in Camp Marfa in the mounted Cav around 1917 or so, and later won a National Polo Championship on an Army team. I have his 3.5" pre model 27, a family heirloom.
Did see some javelinas and mountain sheep down there, the sheep looked poorly.
Last edited by octagon on Sun Jun 20, 2021 5:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Great story, thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks for posting!
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Neato story...but it's easy for us think those times were easy......tough times required tough people....

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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Thank you for taking the time to write that up for us. What a story. Shame he had to die so hard. Hope he took a bunch with him.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Thanks for sharing. You’re a descendant of a pretty tough guy!
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

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Likewise Scott, enjoyed the family history!
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by JimT »

Thanks Scott.
That photo of you and Jim Wilson is great! I always thought Jim was of average height but standing next to you he looks short as me! :D
I hope you are doing well my friend.
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

We are doing much better Jim. Thank you for asking.

Jim is normal size!!!! I'm just "sharing size"
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Re: Texas Ranger Joe Sitter

Post by Bill in Oregon »

Scott, you sure blessed my day with this post. Thank you. Glad to hear things are better at your house.
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