We went to the movies the other night to see “True Grit” (the original version). The movie follows a young girl who goes to Fort Smith, Ark., and then heads into the Indian Territory (Oklahoma) with John Wayne to track down her father’s killer. It’s a great film.
Watching it, I realized I’ve never blogged about the most interesting person in my family tree.
My great-great grandfather Milo Creekmore lived in Fort Smith, Ark., and often ventured into the Indian Territory during the 1890s. Milo killed his girlfriend’s father, served time in prison, got into a gunfight with Ned Christie while working as a U.S. marshal, joined the Henry Starr Gang after leaving the U.S. marshal service and robbed a couple of stores. I’m not glorifying any of that (except for the U.S. marshal part). I’m just saying he led a full life in his 61 years and ended up as a character in a Larry McMurtry novel.
If you Google Milo, the first thing that pops up is a forum discussion about the murder he committed. According to the newspapers of 1893, Milo fell in love with a “very pretty Cherokee maiden” named Cora Runyon and killed her father, Loss Runyon.
Apparently Loss Runyon didn’t approve of the relationship, confronted the couple and ended up dead. Cora stood by Milo, and it was a good thing. The judge in Fort Smith was Judge Parker, better known as the hanging judge. In “True Grit,” there’s a scene in which Judge Parker sits on top of the courthouse’s front porch and watches the simultaneous hanging of three men.
I’ll blog more about Milo in the future.
louisianagenealogygirl 
My great grandmother was Cora runyon
Interesting! I’d love to compare notes!
Apparently they were not in any relationship. According to stories, she was really involved with his cousin, Clarence. Cora’s father had assumed it was with him she was involved with. My understanding is they got married due to the fact a wife cannot be compelled to testify against her husband. Notice nothing became of them as husband and wife, and later he married Alma Yarbrough.
Milo was my great great grandfather, who was your great great grandmother?
He was my g-g-g grandfather through his son, Pinckney. So my g-g-g-grandmother was Alma Louise/Lou Alma.
Same here. I understand Alma Louise lived with Thomas V., her son/my grandfather in Silsbee, TX, that is until they put her in a nursing home; then died about 1974. I was quite young back then, but I do not remember her staying there at all. Especially since we went to that house very often.
Family rumor has it , he was not involved with Cora Runyon, but she was involved with his cousin. They had apparently got married because a spouse cannot be forced to testify against the other.
I have heard the same story about the Cora Runyon marriage … My grandmother is Paula, whose middle name is Milo for her grandfather. She remembers Alma’s house basically falling down. So it would make sense that she then went to live with relatives. I gather she had a hard time supporting herself after Milo died. The 1930s were tough. I don’t remember Alma. She died when I was a baby, but it’s incredible to think my g-g–grandmother was still living when I was born.
You know. I not know what happened after he died. Apparently, he was in some accident on the logging railroad company he worked for. (I have a picture of him in a steam engine – I thought it was Thomas V, when I first saw it). It seems he suffered from a lot of pain, and ended up shooting himself when Thomas V was about 16 years of age. Thomas V. and all his brothers had joined the US Army in the 1930s. I think maybe they sent her money. Thomas V went on to marry Anella Hooks who was also from East Texas. Then went on to live in the San Antonio area as he was stationed at Camp (now Fort) Sam Houston. I suspect Alma continued to live in East Texas because all five of Thomas V and Anella’s children were all born in East Texas. I am thinking she would return back home to family to have the children. As my father now lives near the area were he lived as a child, and went to school near Fort Sam Houston.
I will have to ask my mother about Alma, as my dad seems to be going senile in his old age, and we not talking much now
My grandmother said the same thing. He had an accident and later killed himself. Alma lived in a terrible house that eventually fell down. She moved into a son’s house (after he moved to find work). If it’s the house I remember, it was a tiny, 2-bedroom house in Wells that’s since burned. Aunt Alma lived in a trailer next to that house when I was a small child. We used to go back for family reunions.
I remember Uncle Pinckney very well. My grandfather was Marion Everett Creekmore, Pickney’s brother. Milo , My Great Grandfather also served in the Boar war and won the Queens medal. Questions have been raised if Great Granddaddy was undercover in many of those situations that he got arrested for. The arrest record is very long and no real time was ever served. He never went to prison for the Runyon murder. Him and Cora were married right out side his jail cell at Ft. Smith. He was released shortly after.
Penny Creekmore
Actually, there was an article from the Fort Smith newspaper indicating he had testified against Henry Starr, who he did some of the crimes with in exchange for a lighter sentence. He got five years in Federal pen, and was sent to a prison somewhere in upstate New York. This was right after marriage to Cora Runyon.
I finally talked to my sister. She recalls Alma living with Thomas V and Anella in the very early 70s for a short time. According to sister, Alma was having elderly issues, and would not get out of bed to do her business. They then put her in a nursing home where she spent her last years. I think it was 1974, or 1975. I would of been old enough to know about such a death in the family, but for some reason, do not recall hearing anything about a funeral. I tried asking my mother, but she had a stroke a while back, and her memory is getting really bad lately.
I asked my grandmother again about this, but she doesn’t remember. Her memory also is a bit fuzzy. I would’ve been too young to remember Alma, but I do remember going to Creekmore family reunions and going out to (what I remember) as a log cabin near Wells. I have footage from one of the reunions on a DVD. Were you at the reunions?
For some reason, we never went to any Creekmore reunion. We only went to the reunion of my grandmother at Boykin Springs Park in East Texas. I would certainly love to see that DVD of videos of the Creekmore family reunions
I just realized I never replied. I’ll see if my dad – who is pretty tech savvy – can figure out how to make that video digital. I also found reunion pictures this weekend. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone in them other than my grandmother and her parents and sisters.
I see there is a Free program you can download which will convert the DVD to a single file. It’s called HandBrake. It can be found at handbreak.fr
Maybe some others on my side of the family will know some of the people. Guess better hurry, I lost one uncle a year ago. My aunt, is not looking so well these days. Maybe you can get the pictures posted?
How’s the DVD coming along?
Still working on it! My dad is doing it so I’m waiting on him.
Thanks for posting this. I’m a direct descendant of Lawson through his daughter (and Cora’s half-sister) Evaline Runyon Mounts. Evaline was my great-great grandmother. Please let me know if you’d ever like to compare notes on this. I’d never seen this photo of Cora—much appreciated.
Yes, would love to compare notes! I don’t know much about Cora other than what I’ve heard from family stories and newspaper articles. I’ve been trying to sort out her children. My email address is michellemill@bellsouth.net
Cora was my great grandmother….her son Thomas Miller was my grandfather. She had 5 sons
Hi, Karen. It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve since done some more digging and came across records that showed five sons: Charlie, Louis and Theodore with French Miller and then Robert Jackson Blythe and Thomas. I assume Thomas also was French’s son, but I’m not sure who Robert’s father was.
Anyone know about their spit up? Was there some divorce?
I understand he name was “Ross” Runyan.