27 Facts About Crawford Goldsby

Crawford Goldsby, known by the alias Cherokee Bill, was an American outlaw.

Crawford Goldsby's mother Ellen Beck Goldsby Lynch was a Cherokee freedwoman of mixed African, Native, and white ancestry.

Crawford Goldsby was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation born in the Delaware District, is listed on the Dawes Rolls, and had Cherokee heritage through her father's side.

Crawford Goldsby had one sister, Georgia, and two brothers, Luther and Clarence.

Crawford Goldsby's father was Thornton Goldsby of Selma, Alabama, and his mother Hester King, who resided on her own place west of Summerfield Road between Selma and Marion, Alabama.

In 1867, Crawford Goldsby enlisted in the 10th Cavalry Regiment under his proper name, and by 1872 was promoted to sergeant major.

Arrington, along with a party of rangers, went on-post in an attempt to arrest George Crawford Goldsby, charging that he was responsible for arming the soldiers.

Crawford Goldsby apparently knew that the Army could not, or would not, protect him away from the post, so he went AWOL.

Sometime after being abandoned at Fort Concho, Ellen Beck Crawford Goldsby moved with her family to Fort Gibson, Indian Territory.

Crawford Goldsby left her son, Crawford Goldsby, in the care of an elderly black lady known as "Aunty" Amanda Foster.

Foster cared for him until he was seven years old, then Crawford Goldsby was sent to the Indian school at Cherokee, Kansas.

Crawford Goldsby had served during an earlier enlistment with H Troop, 10th Cavalry.

Crawford Goldsby was the "authenticated" laundress of the 10th Cavalry, D Troop, and stayed with the unit which gave her rations, transportation, and quarters.

Crawford Goldsby transferred to Fort Davis, Texas, and to Fort Grant, Arizona.

Crawford Goldsby was with the unit at Fort Apache, Arizona.

Crawford Goldsby began to associate with unsavory characters, drink liquor, and rebel against authority.

However, Mose and his brother-in-law did not get along well, and Crawford Goldsby did not stay for long.

Crawford Goldsby went back to Fort Gibson, moved in with a man named Bud Buffington, and began working odd jobs.

The authorities fled, but later on, when Effie Crittenden was asked if Crawford Goldsby had been involved, she stated that it was not Crawford Goldsby, but it was Cherokee Bill.

On January 31,1895, Crawford Goldsby was captured by Ike Rogers and Clint Scales in Nowata, Oklahoma; $1300 and taken to Fort Smith, Arkansas, to wait for his trial.

In June 1895 a pistol was discovered in a bucket at the Fort Smith jail; Crawford Goldsby claimed that a prison trustee named Ben Howell had brought the gun in and then had run away a few days later.

On July 26,1895, Crawford Goldsby attempted a jail break with it.

Crawford Goldsby jumped the night guards as they came to lock him into his cell.

Moments later he came back with Crawford Goldsby, who was unarmed.

The second trial lasted three days, resulting in a guilty verdict and US District Judge Isaac C Parker sentenced Goldsby to be hanged on September 10,1895.

Crawford Goldsby ate a light breakfast sent from the hotel by his mother.

Crawford Goldsby was scheduled to arrive at 1 pm on the eastbound train.