Person:Samuel Queen (4)

SAMUEL DAWSON QUEEN AKA Samuel Dekalb Queen AKA Kep Queen. AKA Kelp Queen

Kep Queen was an outlaw in Texas/Oklohoma area. He died in indian territory OK. Killed by the local sheriff, Bud Sanders, and his possie.

Newspaper Account / Nov. 17, 1888 - New York Times.

VINITA, Indian Territory, Nov. 17 -- The notorious Kep Queen, from Texas and Colorado, was killed near Claremore, in the Cherokee Nation, Last night by the District Sheriff, E. Sanders, and posse, and his body was brought to this city to-day. A week ago it became known that Queen and some of his outlaw followers were in the city. They were finally discovered in a cabin about a mile from the Dog Creek Court House. Last night the Sheriff made up a party and, going to the place, they secreted themselves about the premises. One of the number went into the house and asked permission to warm his feet. He stated on coming out that two men were lying in bed, but covered their hands with a blanket. As he left the house, two women who were there went to the stable and saddled three horses and led them up. Three men then came out and mounted and they were riding away, when called upon to halt. The answer was a pistol shot, which was returned by a volley from the officials. Queen went down, mortally wounded, one of his companions was unhorsed, and an instant later the other horse was killed. Queen's two companions, one of whom was John Barber, made their escape in different directions, on foot and hatless. Barber was wounded. The women were Queen's wife and Barber's sister. Queen spent the time between the shooting and his death in praying and cursing and talking with the women. Both Queen and Barber were engaged in the attempted robbery of the Missouri Pacific train near Gibson station last June. Rewards are standing in Texas for his capture, dead or alive. Gov. Ross of that State has been telegraphed, and the body will be held until he is heard from. The Cisco and other bank robberies are laid at Queen's door, and his sudden death will not be seriously regretted. Not one of the Sheriff's party was wounded.

Burial: The library in Vineta OK has copies of the Vineta Indian Cheiftan Newspaper with an obit in 1898, and an article from 1899.

Obit "Vinita Weekly Indian Chieftan" Nov 29, 1888

"The body of Kep Queen was buried in the city last Saturday"

"Vinita Weekly Indian Chieftan" Nov 22, , 1888

Kep Queen Killed The Alleged Train Robber and Murderer Shot Down Near Claremore.

Kep Queen, the man wanted on half a dozen charges in Texas and in the territory, was killed near Claremore last friday night by sheriff Ed Sanders and posse, and his body brought to Vinita the day following where it was embalmed and held for identification. It became known more than a week before the shooting that Queen and some of his followers were in the vicinity, and they were finaly located in a cabin about a mile from the Dog Creek Courthouse. Friday night the sheriff made up a party, and going to the place, secrreted themselves in the adjacent underbrush, while one of the more daring entered the house and asked to warm his feet. On coming out he stated that two of the men were lying in bed but that they covered their heads with a blanket. As soon as he left the house the two women who were there went to the stable, saddled three horses and led them up. Three men emerged from the cabin, mounted the horses and as they reode away singing and cursing the officers, they were called upon to halt. The answer was a pistol shot which was returned by a volley from the officers. Queen went down mortally wounded, one of his companions was unhorsed and an instant later the other horse was killed. The two later, one of whom was John Barber, made their escape in different directions, on foot and hatless, and it is beleived that Barber was badly wounded. The women were Queen's wife and Barber's sister. Queen, it is said, spent his last moments in praying, cursing and talking with the women. A horse was missing from W. P. McClellan's Saturday morning three miles distant and one was left there which had been stolen near the scene of the fight, It has always been the impression that both Queen and Barber were engaged in the attempted robery of the Missouri Pacific train last June, near Gibson statioin, and on Tuesday last the express messanger who was held up at that time, viewed the body and immediately recognized it as that of one of the robbers. Rewards are said to be standing in Texas for Queen's captire, dead or alive and the officers are satisified that they have the right man, but up to the present time , although a number of letters and telegrams have been sent out, not a satisfactory answer has been received from any of the firms offering the rewards. The Cisco Bank and a number of train robberies are laid to Queen's door. Not one of the sheriffs party was injured.

The genealocical society in Vineta has known about the burial of Kep Queen, but has not been able to identify his grave. They know he is buried in an unmarked grave in the Fairview Cemetery in Vineta. Source Connie Schofield- Vineta Genealogical Society.

Samuel married Nancy Adeen Smith in 1881.

Citation: Williamson County, Texas Marriage Records, 1848-1888, Revised Edition, Compiled by The Williamson County Genealogical Society, copyright 1994. Groom: Queen, S. D. Bride: Smith, N. A. Date: 03 Apr 1881 The record can be found in book 5, license number 330

The state of Texas Archives has on file, a request from Texas to the Cheif of the Cherokee Nation to extridite to Texas one "C..D. Queen." Request is dated May of 1888.

Sense no other Queen is known to have been a wanted person in the Cherokee Nation at that time, this is most likely a request forr Kep Queen. (Samuel D. Queen)).

From Oklahombres.org.

The Lewis files at the National Archives don't have much on him, other than he was wanted for the train robbery at Verdigris and was charged along with Lewis for the murder of B. C. Tarver, a passenger on the train. But what's interesting is that the USDMs (U.S. Deputy Marshalls) in pursuit of outlaws evidently were supplied with a printed form, listing the known various physical characteristics of the men they were after, to aid in their identification.

Thus, in June of 1888, the form for Kelp Queen notes that he was thought to be between 28 and 33 years old. His height was "near 6 ft." He had "dark" hair and a "dark" beard. His eyes were black. His complection was "dark." As to "Character or special marks" Queen was "injured in one eye by hookspot or catarract."

United States Census, 1880 Name Samuel D. Queen Residence Precinct 4, Williamson, Texas Birthdate 1860 Birthplace Texas, United States Relationship to Head Son Spouse's Name Spouse's Birthplace Father's Name Samuel Queen Father's Birthplace North Carolina, United States Mother's Name Jane A. Queen Mother's Birthplace Tennessee, United States Race or Color (Expanded) White Ethnicity (Standardized) American Gender Male Martial Status Single Age (Expanded) 20 years Occupation Farm Laborer NARA Film Number T9-1332 Page 498 Page Character A Entry Number 258 Film number 1255332

 Household Gender Age 

Parent Samuel Queen M 61 Parent Jane A. Queen F 58

Reubin A. Queen  M 32 
 Samuel D. Queen  M 20 
Sterling P. Queen  M 17 
Samuel Beck  M 20 
William P. Marre  M 19