The Goacher Family Massacre on Rabbs Creek
In a quiet pasture off CR 217 in the Northrup area of Giddings stands a historical marker at the gravesite of five members of the James Goacher family massacred by Indians in March 1837.
Goacher brought his family to Texas around 1834 and settled on Rabbs Creek near Serbin. He later built a second home in the community of Post Oak, just a few miles from the family homestead on Rabb’s Creek. Goacher, with the assistance of several people, marked a road between San Felipe and the Colony on the Colorado (now the city of Bastrop.) The road became known as Goacher’s Trace and is still referred to, as such, by many land surveyors.
Being an enterprising man of industrious habits fortune seemed to smile on the efforts of Goacher. He had a good farm for cultivation and soon had a large stock of cattle and horses. Others soon moved in and settled in his vicinity, where a short time before nothing was heard but the war whoop of the native, the tramp of the buffalo and the howling of wolves.
In pioneer days, settlers often valued lead more highly than gold and silver as lead was easily molded into bullets, with which the settlers defended themselves against Indians. Goacher seemed to have an endless supply and settlers came to his home on Rabb’s Creek for their lead supplies. Only three people besides Goacher knew where he secured his lead (two of his sons and his son-in-law.) Settlers speculated that Goacher mined the lead near the creek.
Aware that Goacher was supplying lead for the bullets to be used against them, Indians ambushed the Goacher home in March 1837. While Mr. Goacher, his son-in-law and one of his sons were away from the house cutting firewood, two parties of Indians surrounded the house approaching it from two directions. One of the parties of Indians came across two of Mr. Goacher’s children who were playing near the house. Fearing they might give the alarm the brutal wretches thrust a long steel spear through the little boy, killing him instantly. After scalping the little boy, they seized the other child, the little girl, and made her a prisoner. After this, both parties united and made a furious onslaught on the house.
Mrs. Nancy Goacher, her daughter Jane and one or two small children were inside the house. The Indians, seeing there was no man on the premises, made a vigorous assault expecting an easy victory. However, Mrs. Goacher was a lady of great courage and determination, and as there were several loaded guns in the house, she resolved to sell the lives of herself and children as dearly as possible. She seized one gun after another and emptied their contents among her assailants. This made the Indians more furious than ever, as they had expected no resistance to their diabolical work. They shot Mrs. Goacher until she was almost literally covered with arrows. Still this brave and heroic woman stood at the door and defended her helpless children to the last. At length, one of the savages who was armed with a gun fired upon her and she fell dead upon the floor.
Mr. Goacher and his party heard the firing of the guns and hastened to the assistance of his family. In their anxiety of the moment, they forgot to bring the arms they had with them in the woods and when they reached the scene of disaster, they were unable to render any assistance to the family or even to defend themselves. Their only chance was to make a bold rush for the house to get possession of the guns inside, but alas the Indians were too strong for them and Mr. Goacher and his son-in-law were shot and killed. His little son endeavored to make his escape by flight but was met by an Indian who seized him and gave him a terrible shaking. The little boy caught one of the Indian’s thumbs in his mouth and bit it severely. The Indian endeavored to extricate his thumb from the boys’ mouth but failing to do so, he drew his ramrod and beat him terribly before the little fellow would let go. Another son, after he had been mortally wounded, crawled away unperceived by the Indians, to some trees where he laid his head upon a stone and breathed his last.
This was indeed one of the bloodiest tragedies that had ever occurred up to that time in the settlement. A father, wife, son, son-in-law and two children lay cold in death where but a few hours previously they had assembled in fancied security, within the walls of their once happy home.
But the story does not stop there. Mrs. Crawford, the now widowed daughter of Mr. Goacher, her two children and the little girl, who was captured by the Indians before they attacked the house, were all carried off as captives. They suffered as prisoners of Indians usually do with all the insults and indignities their captors could heap upon them.
One of the lady’s children was a little daughter, about two months old, and the Indians were tired of hearing her cry. They snatched her from the arms of her mother and threw her in a deep pool of water with the intention of drowning the poor little innocent. The heroic mother dashed boldly into the watery grave to save the child from downing. The Indians were amused by her frantic efforts to save her child from drowning and as soon as she reached the bank with it, they threw it in again and continued the sport until the child was nearly drowned and the poor woman almost exhausted. At last, one of them seized the child, drew back it’s head and told another to cut its throat. The frantic mother seeing this, caught up a heavy billet of wood and with the strength born of desperation, with one blow, she laid the Indian who held the knife in his hand upright on the ground. The poor woman expected that instant death would be her fate, but on the contrary, the Indians seemed to be favorably impressed by her heroic defense of her child. They laughed loudly at their fallen comrade and one of them stepped forward, picked up the child and gave it to her saying, “Squaw too much brave. Damn you, take your papoose and carry it yourself-we will not do it.” They never attempted to injure the child afterwards. No doubt the Indians would have killed both mother and child had it not been that they hoped to get a good ransom for them when they reached the trading house.
After having been a prisoner among the Indians for nearly two years, she and her little children were taken to Coffee’s Trading House, on the Red River and bartered off for four hundred yards of calico, a large number of blankets, a quantity of beads and some other articles.
These goods were furnished by Mr. Coffee, the trading agent. Having released the unfortunate lady and her two children from their brutal captors Mr. Coffee furnished them an escort under the control of a Mr. Spaulding, who conducted them safely to Texas. On the journey to Texas Mr. Spaulding became much attached to the lady and eventually married her.
This brave and heroic woman has long since passed, as has Mr. Spaulding. Her children born to her after her marriage to Mr. Spaulding settled in the Bastrop County area near the old Gouchers Trace.
Over the years many searches have been made for Goachers lead mine, but no one has even come close to finding it.
Credit: Information on the story of Goacher and his family was taken from “Indian Depredations in Texas” and Texas Talkin’ article. Both articles date the ambush on March 1837 and the spelling as Goacher. The gravesite marker lists the date as November 26, 1836 and the spelling as Goucher.
To locate the historical marker, take 448 toward Northrup, turn left on CR 217, pass the Bullpen Sports bar, cross over the creek and the marker can be seen a short distance to the right. Note: This in in an open field and is on private property. The marker can be seen from the road.
Holy Cross News
The sewing and quilting group at Holy Cross will begin again on Thursday, Jan. 6. They meet every Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon, in the old parish hall. Everyone is welcome to join them for a morning of sewing, cutting, laughter, fellowship and of course yummy goodies. You do not need to be a member of Holy Cross to join this fun group.
The ladies still collect all cancelled postage stamps, these are trimmed from their envelopes and sold to collectors. These can be dropped off at the church office, or in the designated box in the hallway.
The Bible Study Group at Holy Cross is excited to announce a new study on Sermon on the Mount beginning Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m. This eight-week study, which will conclude before Lent begins, is an in-depth look at Jesus’ longest recorded message in the Bible. If you would like to join the group please contact Cyndy Zoch at cyndy.zoch@gmail.com or (979) 966-3166 so she can order a study guide for you. The cost of the study guide will be $15-18.
Condolences
Our sympathy to Lorie and Doug Lehmann and their family on the death of Lorie’s mom, Rose Marie Kilian. Her funeral was held Sunday at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Winchester.
Holy Cross Services
Services at Holy Cross Lutheran are Sunday at 9 a.m. Bible Class and Sunday school follows the morning service.
Sermon links/streaming videos and additional information is on the website at: www.holycrosswarda.com
Faith Lutheran High School
Shadow days are a great opportunity for prospective students to follow us for a day and experience what FLHS is all about. Parents can contact the school at (979) 242-2889 to set up a shadow day for their child.
Everyone is invited to join FLHS each Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. for Chapel.
The Faith Lutheran High School Spring Raffle is just around the corner. The Board of Directors is currently looking for valuable items or monetary donations to be used in the raffle. Please contact Nikki Keuck at kueckn@flhstx.org if you have something to donate.
Prayer Requests
Al Jurk, Layne Schramm, Susan Dube, Lacey Quadrelli, Sandra Behrens, Robert Vanek.
Special prayers for those fighting cancer: Layne Schramm, Nancy I. Pietsch, Kenneth Moore, Darrell Schubert, Dee Tegtmeier, Jana Tindle, John Kaiser, Joyce Bise, Carolyn Major, Wesley Cervenka, Bethany Behrens Lara, Jessie Mendoza, Diane Tribble, Taylor Korenek, Susan Dube.
Birthdays
Birthday wishes are extended to the following celebrants: Daniel Bamsch-Jan. 7; Jerrell Dunk-9; Carolyn Buscha-12.
Special Birthday wishes to Alfred Bohot who celebrates turning 92 on Jan. 8.
Have news to share?
If you have news items to share with readers of the Warda news including visits from your friends and family, contact Lisa Gay at (979) 218-6000 or Wardanews78960@gmail.com.