Dorris Grayson

Howdy,

   Let me introduce myself. I’m Dorris Grayson, Graham Family Historian and Researcher. I live in Ft. Worth Texas and loving every minute. I’m retired and teach genealogy at the White Settlement Senior Center for many years.

    My in-laws are Odell Harcrow, a helpful and good-humored brother-in-law; Bobbye Sue Cox, Jessie Helen and Hazel Mae are my fascinating sister-in-laws and the youngest, Edgar Eugene Grayson was like a son to me. Willis passed away. Odell was the oldest child, next was my wonderful husband Howard Grayson (now deceased). We were married 47 years joyful years and 23 days. I was previously married and had (2) little sons, Kenneth Wesley and Raymond Leslie Elders. Howard loved my sons and raised them like his very own. We had an entertaining son, Ronnie Glenn Grayson, dubbed “Shotgun” Collins II and a beautiful daughter, Laticia Ann Grayson. Today we have (7) grandchildren and (12) great grandchildren who love to hear the adventurous tales of their famous Grandpa, Outlaw “Shotgun” Collins.

   Howard was the second son of Jessie Jane Graham, daughter of the Legendary Outlaw, “Shotgun” Collins, a. k. a. John Graham alias John Collins, member of famous BTK Gang of Rustlers, member of the Dodge City Peace Commissioners in 1883 and Indian Scout for the U. S. Army Calvary.

Child of Jessie Jane Graham and Claude Harcrow
(1)  Claude Odell Harcrow b. 28 July 1929

Children of Jessie Jane Graham and Lucien Minor Grayson
(1) Howard Brown Grayson b. 28 July, 1931
(2) Willis Alvis Grayson B. May 8, 1932
(3) Jessie Helen Grayson b. 17, September, 1934
(4) Hazel Mae Grayson b. 10 September, 1936
(5) Bobbye Sue Grayson b. 2 August, 1938
(6) Edgar Eugene Grayson b. 16 September, 1941

    Before he was eighteen years old he had already killed. It was the worst mistake of his life and would haunt him to his grave. He was captured and put in jail but with the help of a friend he escaped high tailing it into Old Mexico thus the legend multiplied.
    Our colorful Grandpa, Abraham Gerden Graham, a.k.a "Shotgun Collins" was born November 22, 1851 on Mitchell Swamp in Horry County South Carolina. Folklore of the Wild West portrays him riding with desperadoes such as the Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Luke Short, Tom O’Folliard Jr., Charlie Bowdre, BTK, Pat Garrett and many others gunslingers, outlaws and heroes.

   Grandpa rode as a shot gun guard (messenger) for Wells Fargo on Stagecoaches and sometimes on trains. He wore a holster and a six-shooter hanging low on his hip tied down and carried a sawed-off shot gun filled with buckshot. He carried a long wicked knife. Wyatt Earp was the driver and grandpa was the guard. They were sidekicks and friends from them on. Wyatt stole from Wells Fargo while he was working for them. I don't know if Grandpa, “Shotgun” Collins was involved although he was a close pal of Wyatt's during that time and most likely had a hand shake in it!

   Grandpa was a dashing cowboy possessing a remarkably charismatic personality. He was known to take a swig or two of hard whisky and homemade wine now and then. Grandpa had the magical touch creating “Graham family recipe.” The secret recipe was brought over from the Old Country, Scotland and Ireland and later handed it down to some of the boys…That was family tradition! It was always maintained when he rode into town on horseback heads turn. Women found him fascinating while cowboys respected and admired him. Some feared him but others envied the way he set his horse, his good looks and the twinkle in his smiling blue eyes. It was always understood that “Shotgun” Collins wasn’t afraid of the old devil himself!

   He likes living on the wild side of life and was action packed carousing in saloons, drinking whiskeys, playing cards and dancing seems to be the first thing on his mind when he rode into a cow town. Even though Grandpa had a weakness for women one shouldn’t let the twinkle in his baby blues fool you. His quick temper chock-a-block and got him in trouble more than once. He was animated enjoying playing practical jokes on his friends. When it was time to take care of business he was one of the first cowboys to mount his horse. “Shotgun” Collins was void of fear. He was clever in addition to handy with a gun and rallying by the side of his friends Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Luke Short, Bat Masterson, Texas Jack Vermillion, Rowdy Joe Lowe, Prairie Dog Dave Morrow, Charlie Bassett, Johnny Millsap, Johnny Green and many more in Dodge City Kansas. History depicts Grandpa as one of the renowned Dodge City Peace Commissioners.

    Grandpa was a notorious gunslinger being noted for killing four men, two in Montana and two in Arizona. Rumor has it there were others. He killed his first man when he was about eighteen years old. His famous reputation followed him into the streets of cow towns all across the West. He was well- known for taking care of business.

   He rode with posses, defends his family and live stock from Poncho Villa and his Revolutionary Army in New Mexico. Most of the cattle men were in (Cartels) in that part of the West and did some rustling.

   Back during that time it was a way of life. Most were apart of one gang or another. Grandpa’s activities seem to “see saw” back and forth on both sides of the law. He could understand and speak Spanish and carry on conversations with numerous tribes of Native American Indians. “Shotgun” Collins was a tough man living in hard times and was apart of the most famous American Folklore in the Wild, Wild West!

   As an Indian Scout hired by the Army U. S. Calvary he spent many days of hard riding through the rugged mountains at the head of the Gila, Blue and San Francisco Rivers during the days of the Apache Chief Geronimo. Grandpa was a famous outlaw and gutsy frontiersman of the Wild West.

   Our Graham lines were stanch Scotch-Irish directly connected to the Montrose and king of Scotland thus explaining the gutsy character. It’s been rumored Grandpa was a carbon copy of his fascinating Grandpa William Bellamy Graham from Mitchell Swamp, present day Loris, South Carolina. “Wills” was full of curiosity and woe. He couldn’t stand not knowing what was around the corner and had to be in the center of excitement. In the early 1800’s “Wills” made numerous expeditions out West with his trusted sidekicks, a Native American Indian name Natchez and slave name Bob, a boyhood and lifelong friend. Graham and his posse were like the three Musketeers, animated characters, daring and courageous legends in their own time.

   “Shotgun” Collins moseys across dusty cattle towns drifting across the Old West and rode with multicolored legends of the Old West like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, BTK and Pat Garrett and many more. He smoked peace pipes with the famous Apache Indian Chief Geronimo, Chief Nahche, second son of Chief Cochise and others. He was an indisputable legend & a heroic frontiersman of the S.W. and where there was excitement he was right in the middle. At the time of his death he was using another alias living a different life.

   Anasazi Arch a. k. a. Cox Canyon and Collins Park New Mexico was once the ancestral grounds of Native American Indians until the early Cox settlers came to the area. Tabitha Cox Graham and her family are historically known as the famous Indian fighters who lived there. Even today descendants of the legend still own and live on a piece of historical Apache Creek in New Mexico that Grandpa loved so dearly. His body was buried under another alias in an undisclosed location in El Paso Texas known only too few select family members. Grandpa was living a different life looking over his shoulders till the day he died.

   Apache Creek is where “Shotgun” Collins spirit roams freely in the midst of his Pals, the Calvary, Native American Indians and a handful of early settlers.

   Because of the circumstances and the times Grandpa wasn’t all good and he wasn’t all bad but he was an icon of the Old West.

   Grandpa was the first born child of Hosea Aldeton Graham, Sr. and Martha Ann Graham (first cousins) of Mitchell Swamp, present day, Loris, South Carolina. Graham’s migrated by covered wagons in 1859 from South Carolina to Leon County finally settling down making Buffalo, Texas their home.

Respectfully yours,
Dorris Wilkerson Grayson

Howdy…

It’s me (Dorris) at Weatherford Library

Jessie Jane's children

Left to Right

Odell Harcrow
Hazel Mae
Willis Alvis (Will)
Bobbye Sue
Jessie Helen
Buck

Left to Right

Dorris
Ronnie
Glenn
Buck
Bobbye Sue Cox & hubby Bob Cox

{Photos Courtesy of Cousin Dorris W. Grayson}
[“Shotgun” Collins II]