Chet Southworth - Ghosts of Bell County, Texas

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.com

Copyright 2018 by Chester Southworth

All rights reserved

Front cover: Original City of Killeen water well. Author photo.

First published 2018

e-book edition 2018

ISBN 978.1.43966.510.7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018942438

print edition ISBN 978.1.46713.977.9

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Many thanks to the
Killeen Area Paranormal Society,
the Killeen City Library System,
Light Paranormal Investigations of Temple, Texas,
and especially my wife, Barbara.

Without their help, this book could not have been completed.

The stories of the ghosts of Bell County contained herein are condensed from second-, third- and fourth-hand reports and stories from involved parties and others. None of the stories could be confirmed, and no paranormal investigations have been reportedly performed to date to confirm or deny the existence of any paranormal entities. No paranormal entities were known to have been harmed in the making of this book.

All photographs contained herein are the property of the author; the City of Killeen, Texas; or others who have granted permission for their use and any other use or distribution is prohibited.

The photographs on the cover and on pages 12, 13, 16, 19, 26, 45, 55, 62 and 69 are courtesy of the Killeen City Library System and used with permission of the City of Killeen.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

There have been many stories told of a variety of inexplicable events that have occurred in and around Bell County, Texas, over the decades. Evidence of human habitation has been found in excavations showing the region was inhabited for tens of thousands of years before Robertsons Colony was established in the 1830s. Indian unrest was common, and the settlers relied on Little River Fort to protect them. Death was a common occurrence in early Bell County, as both Indian raids and the hostile environment took their toll. By 1850, the population of Bell County stood around 660. Bell County was officially formed in 1850 and named for Peter H. Bell. The county seat was established in the area now known as Belton, and it remains so today.

The largest city in Bell County and the most active hot spot for paranormal activity is the city of Killeen. Named after railroad assistant general manager Frank P. Killeen, the city was instantly turned into the agricultural, financial and social hub for western Bell County, Texas, and was a popular place to visit.

Death was not uncommon in the Wild West, and Bell County was no different. With several saloons and banks, the old towns of Killeen, Temple, Belton and Salado attracted their fair share of all types of people to fill the dirt-covered streets. No doubt some of them were fine, upstanding citizens. Some of them were of less savory character. Some of them may still be wandering around the county, searching for an end of their journey, a final resting spot.

William Jennings Bryan political rally at the Killeen train station, 1909.

Joe H. Boydstun.

First State Bank on the corner of Avenue D and Gray, circa 1910.

While Killeen continues to be regarded as a legendary habitat for haunts, the rest of Bell County does not lag far behind. To truly understand the spirits that continue to roam the area, it is necessary to study the makeup of ghosts, the types of entities that may exist and the possible manifestations they are reported to have in the material world we live in. Then and only then will it be possible to review the variety of paranormal entities that have been reported to wander around in and about Bell County.

STAGE GHOST

Stillhouse Hollow

Back in the mid-1860s came the end of the War Between the States. After valiantly fighting for Southern independence, many former soldiers returned home to find their property in ruins, their homes repossessed or, worse, confiscated by Yankees as payback for their service in the Confederate army.

The men tried to find work, but hard currency was sparse and jobs scarce. Most of the young men were unskilled, having been in the military most of their lives. Some, with no other work available, returned to the one skill they had been trained in, the way of the gun.

Bob was one of them. Bob was reported to have served in the cavalry and was familiar with ambushes as well as hit-and-run tactics. With no home left and desperate for funds to buy a ranch, Bob turned to earning his living with a gun by robbing stagecoaches as they traveled north from Austin. No one knew his real name or would admit to it if they did. He earned the name Bob by what he did when he worked his trade.

Stages used to run infrequently in southern Bell County, but there was a stage station just north of the Lampasas River. The route to the station required stages to cross the river. As there was no bridge back then, the stage crossed through shallows close to where the Maxdale Bridge now stands. Climbing the far bank slowed stagecoaches and provided Bob a perfect opportunity to relieve them and their northern passengers of valuables.

Stillhouse Hollow.

While it is true that Bob held up stagecoaches, his manner of doing so was quite unusual. Halting the stage when it slowed, and with his face covered by a kerchief to hide his identity, he would have the passengers disembark, ask them where they were from and only take things from northerners. To those who claimed to be from Texas, he would bob his head politely and allow them to return to the coach without taking anything. Thus, the name Bob arose when people spoke of him.

Bob secreted his ill-gotten gains in a small cave in the side of Stillhouse Hollow, through which the Lampasas River ran. He slowly built up his stake for his new life. He wanted to settle down and hang up his guns for good. He had amassed quite a bit of gold, silver and northern currency and was ready to quit when fate intervened to prevent this happy ending.

During his final holdup, a northerner pulled a gun and there was a shootout. A woman was killed, and her ghost has been reportedly seen hanging around the area, especially the area of the old stage station on the north side of the river just east of the highway.