Person:Mary Matthews (115)

Statement of Mrs Mary Matthews Box dated Oct 20, 1866 to the U.S. Infantry in Fort Dodge, Kansas, about the Indian attack cited below and subsequent captivity of her and their four daughters (available from the Department of the Interior).

THE BOX FAMILY TRAGEDY: One of the most interesting events to occur during the early days of Montague County was the Indian attack on the James J. Box family at the Head of the Elm in 1866. Mary Matthews Box, widow of James, made a statement to Captain Andrew Sheridan, 3rd U.S. Infantry, Commanding Post, Fort Dodge, Kansas, October 20, 1866, following her purchase and rescue from the Kiowas.

A native of Gibson County, Tennessee, Mary came to Titus County, Texas with her family when she was 8 and married James at the age of 17. She and James settled in Westport, Hopkins County Texas, with other members of the Box family. Mary is thought to have had five children at Westport: Margaret, the oldest girl and a red-head; Maize, second oldest; Ida was the third, and Josephine was around three and Laura was just a few months old.

Mary stated that because of the breaking out of the late Rebellion in May, 1861, she and her family moved to Montague County, Texas, on the extreme frontier because her husband was a Union man and did not wish to fight in the war on the side of the Confederacy. Five other family members came with them.

Early in July, 1866, James Box received word from Westport, Hopkins County, that one of his brothers was at the point of death and another brother had had a leg amputated. The family left at once, stayed five weeks and started home around August 10th with a wagonload of leather, a commodity unavailable in Montague County. During the five-day journey it rained considerably.

Approximately three miles from home, James spotted Kiowa Indians riding down a hill. He shouted to Margaret to fetch his six-shooter but before she could find it, the Indians shot James with arrows, killing him and then scalping him. Grabbing Mary by the hair, the Indians pulled her from the wagon along with Maize, Ida, Josephine and Laura. The Indians put them on ponies and led them away.

Margaret resisted and had to be dragged from her father's body.

Mary related that they traveled for fourteen days and nights before they stopped. Mary was given a wild pony and it kept bucking and she dropped the baby several times. Finally the Indians just hit her in the head with a rock and threw her over into a ditch. This was around the 11th day. The Indians would not allow Mary to drink anything. Upon reaching a stream, Margaret jumped from her horse and put water in her shoe and took it to her mother to drink. Margaret was beaten for her act of kindness. She later had her feet held to the campfire and her feet burnt for trying to comfort her mother. On reaching camp, Mary, feverishly ill, was separated from her children; abused by the braves and beaten by the squaws.

About ten weeks after their capture, a group of Kiowas came to Ft. Dodge, Kansas, to trade. They bragged about their white captives to a Kiowa woman who was married to a white man at the fort. She relayed the message to her husband and he told the fort commander. A rescue group was sent out to get them back. This group was led by Captain Daniel Brunson. He was able to purchase the family from captivity and all returned to Texas by steamboat from St. Louis.

While passing through Austin on the way back to Montague County, Margaret was invited to visit the Governor, James Throckmorton. He kindly sponsored a collection to replenish the family's clothing. He later assiste d the family in returning to Montague County.

Mary Box never fully recovered from this ordeal. She frequently had nightmares. Margaret married her rescuer, Daniel Brunson, and made her home in Montague County.