William Dixon (1850 - 1913)

Born 25 Sep 1850 in Ohio, West Virginia, United States

Husband of Olive (King) Dixon — married 1894 in Hutchinson County, Texas

Descendants

Died 9 Mar 1913 at age 62 in Cimarron, Oklahoma, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mary Richardson [send private message]

William Dixon was awarded the Medal of Honor

Biography

Indian Campaign Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient

Born in Ohio County, West Virginia on September 25, 1850, William "'Billy Dixon and was an orphan.^[1] He learned jobs in Missouri such as hunting, trapping, etc. Then he joined a hunting trip in 1869 that took him to Kansas. He had a good aim with his rifles.

After the railroad was installed, Dodge City, Kansas mushroomed. Cattle were shipped to the east via the railroad for tanning. ^[2] One would see stacks of hides in areas surrounding the railroads. ^[3] Skinning left bits of raw animal meat on the hides and piles of these caused the roads near the railroads to smell bad. (This author has a tanned buffalo hide that smells bad.) If an afternoon shower occurred, the dampness intensified the smell. ^[3]

Billy began scouting southward into the Texas Panhandle, in his next occupation. Billy began to scout and lead Easterners (men who "wanted their chance to kill a real buffalo, willing to pay for this excitement, but didn't want to work too hard, doing it"). The train companies brought them in. ^[2]The scouts were hired out to assist these men find a buffalo to kill. Billy usually took along his legendary buffalo rifle. Adobe Walls was a good place to camp since it was in the breaks of the Canadian River, giving semi-defense for American Indian attacks.

1874 Billy was guiding some Easterners who wanted to hunt/kill a buffalo. The "breaks" form when rains wear though the Texas Panhandle "caprock". Billy guided his hunters through the grassy areas and down through the breaks of the Canadian River. They set up camp near Bent's Fort post, near the ruins of Adobe Walls. ^[4]This was located 15 miles NE of Stinnett, Texas, 20 miles south of Spearman, Texas, and 20 miles north of Borger, Texas.

Suddenly a band of Comanche and Kiowa American Indians attacked the campers. ^[2] The Indians regarded the Panhandle as their traditional hunting ground area and these strangers were killing "their" buffalo. ^{[5] [6]}

Billy borrowed another Sharps rifle as he felt his buffalo rifle was too powerful. Some Indians were up on a hill, that Dixon aimed for. ^[5]This shot had to go uphill, for a distance taking a little over 5 seconds to reach. It knocked an Indian off his horse near the famous Chief Quanah Parker. ^[7] Then the Indians left. The article goes into the trajectory, speed, etc regarding the possibility Billy could have hit the Indian. Possibly sheer luck. ^[5]

Billy decided to stop the buffalo hunting. He returned to doing scouting for the Army. Billy and another scout were scouting for an army detail of 4 troopers of 6th Cavalry, 3 months after the horrible Battle of Adobe Walls. A band of both Comanches and Kiowas attacked the army, Billy and another scout. This battle was called the 'Battle of Buffalo Wallow'. ^[8][9] A Kiowa ledger drawing depicts the Battle of Buffalo Wallow in September 12, 1874 .

The troopers, scout and Billy took refuge in a buffalo wallow in Hemphill County to hold off the Indians with rifle fire. ^[8]. After 3 days of fighting, the American Indians became cold, wet in a rainstorm, ceased the fight. Troops and Native Americans were cold in the rainstorm and had many wounded plus one dead trooper.

Billy Dixon was awarded the Medal of Honor U.S. Army 1862 - 1895.

Billy Dixon was awarded the Civilian Medal of Honor for action on September 12, 1874 at Washita River, Texas. His citation reads "Gallantry in action." Medal of Honor (for Gallantry in Battle). Not many civilians receive the Medal of Honor (for Gallantry in Battle. ^[10]

The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, Canyon, Texas near West Texas State College has the medal on display. The state of Texas erected a Texas Historical Marker at the battle site. This is called "Waymarking".

In 1883, Dixon ceased to scout or hunt buffalo. He built a house in Hutchinson County, Texas near Turkey Track Ranch, planted fruit trees and alfalfa on 30 acres. He irrigated the alfalfa and fruit trees from the small Bent's Creek.

Billy served as postmaster, sheriff for Hutchinson County even was elected justice of peace near the area where Stinnett, Texas was formed. (Not many settlers in that area of Hutchinson County, Texas) The list of postmasters of Hutchinson county, Texas reflects Billy as postmaster:^[11]

POSTMASTERS & POST OFFICES of HUTCHINSON COUNTY, TEXAS, 1880 - 1930

ADOBE WALLS (Hutchinson)

Dixon, Billy, 3 Aug 1887

Dixon, Wm. M., 23 Apr 1888

He married Olive King Dixon of Virginia in 1894 and lived in Billy's house near Bent's Fort and Adobe Walls ruins. ^[12] The couple had 7 children. By 1902 they moved to Plemons, TX (ghost town now) nearer Borger for schooling for their children, then moved to Cimmaron County, Oklahoma in 1906.

Children:

1. Dora Miles Dixon Coble (1895 - 1995)
2. Bobbie Dixon McKee (1897 - 1978)
3. William Drew Dixon (1899 - 1975)
4. Edna Dixon Irwin (1903 - 1992)
5. Archie King Dixon (1906 - 1979)
6. Olive Virginia Dixon Ragan (1908 - 1993)

Dixon passed away from pneumonia in Cimarron County 1913. When he had told Olive about his life, she took notes, later had it published. He was buried near Texline, Texas.

His body was moved to a final grave in 1929 near Adobe Walls near where he first saw the Indians. They placed a marker at his final grave site, commemorating his receiving the Medal of Honor where he stood when he first saw the Indians riding up the valley. A marker was erected at the grave site commemorating his being awarded the Medal of Honor. ^[13]

Billy Dixon's grave marker at Adobe Walls Medals of Honor/Honour- Medal of Honor[14]

NOTE: Billy was one of eight civilians to be awarded the Medal of Honor. The Billy Dixon Masonic lodge, located in Fritch, Texas was named for Billy contains a plaque commemorating his Medal of Honor. ^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Remiger, (Vol. 2) p. 100, 156.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Billy Dixon – Texas Plains Pioneer
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Encyclopedia of Buffalo Hunters and Skinners" Vol. 2: E-K; (2006) Pioneer Press, TN; ISBN 1-877704-89-X.
4. ↑ Personal knowledge about Texas Panhandle, Mary Richardson
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} The Long Shot: The Battle for Texas at Adobe Walls
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Dixon
7. ↑ Billy Dixon's Remarkable Shot
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Billy Dixon and his life
9. ↑ The Handbook of Texas History: Buffalo Wallow Fight
10. ↑ Civilian recipient of Medal of Honor
11. ↑ [http://sites.rootsweb.com/~txpost/hutchinson.html POSTMASTERS & POST OFFICES of HUTCHINSON COUNTY, TEXAS, 1880 - 1930]
12. ↑ Story of Billy and Olive Dixon" (Signed), by McCarty, John L
13. ↑ http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1WY4_William_Billy_Dixon
14. ↑ Waymarking.com: William "Billy" Dixon - Medal Of Honor Resting Places
15. ↑ http://www.spearmanreporter.com/atouchofhistory/billydixon.html

• http://www.spearmanreporter.com/atouchofhistory/billydixon.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Dixon
• The Handbook of Texas Online: Plemons, TX
• Waymarking.com: William "Billy" Dixon - Medal Of Honor Resting Places
• "Red River War". Retrieved September 24, 2010.
• Gilbert, Miles; Remiger, Leo; Cunningham, Sharon. "Encyclopedia of Buffalo Hunters and Skinners. Vol. 1: A-D; (2003) Pioneer Press, TN; ISBN 1-877704-37-7."
• "Encyclopedia of Buffalo Hunters and Skinners" Vol. 2: E-K; (2006) Pioneer Press, TN; ISBN 1-877704-89-X.
• "The Handbook of Texas History: Buffalo Wallow Fight". Retrieved September 24, 2010.
• "Texas Historical Commission: Hemphill County: Marker 565". Retrieved September 24, 2010.
• "Life of Billy Dixon" Book, Author: Olive K. Dixon
• John L. McCarty. "Adobe Walls Bride: The Story of Billy and Olive Dixon", San Antonio, TX: Naylor, 1955.
• Legends of Billy Dixon
• Waymarking for Billy Dixon
• Billy Dixon and his life
• John King waymarking

See also:

• Personal knowledge about Texas Panhandle, Mary Richardson
• Civilian recipient of Medal of Honor