The Story of George Brownlee, an ill-fated Idaho homesteader

In past columns, I have told many stories about homesteaders from just after the Civil War to the mid-20th century. But when I recently discovered the history of George Brownlee, a homesteader in early 20th century Idaho, it was a story that was different than any I have found before. It was one I would not have predicted: a tale from the “Old West” involving a grisly murder.

First let me introduce you to Mr. Brownlee. George Brownlee was born in August 1859 in East Canada and immigrated to the United States in 1880. His younger brother Thomas H. Brownlee (1862-1946) also later immigrated to the USA in 1887, with both ending up in Idaho well over a century ago.

By 1900, George was a hired man handling livestock on a ranch in Idaho County, Idaho. It is bordered on the east by high mountains marking the Montana border and on the west by the Snake River canyon that divides Idaho from Oregon. Much of the region is mountainous mixed with high prairie good for livestock and farming. Homesteaders began settling in the region starting in the later 1800s.

Sometime after the 1900 census, George Brownlee filed a homestead for 138.60 acres of land west of the small community of Lucile in the western part of Idaho County. His land was east of the Snake River and included ravines and other rough terrain making some of his homestead unfarmable but good for grazing cattle and sheep. The exact filing date for George’s claim would be found in his homestead casefile located in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

George Brownlee filed for his homestead and was proving up on it prior to May 18, 1904, the day he died. By then, he had established a residence on his homestead claim and was cultivating the land to meet the requirements of the Homestead Act.

He would never live to get title to his homestead. He was shot and killed on May 18, 1904, while driving cattle across the land of a man in the area, Thomas M. Myers (1857-1904). George’s killing took place at what was called the Crook’s Corral, which includes steep canyon country near the breaks of the Snake River to the west.

According to newspaper accounts of the murder, Brownlee and his younger partner, Wallace I. Jarrett (1879-1959), thought that they had permission to cross Myers’ land. But instead, both were ambushed and shot from behind by Myers while driving their cattle on horseback.

The weekly newspaper, the Idaho County Free Press gave front-page coverage to the shocking event. During the ambush, Brownlee was shot first, with his wounds proving instantly fatal. Reportedly, a bullet “passed through his backbone,” causing him to immediately fall from his horse to the ground lifeless.

Next, the killer, Myers, turned his gun on Jarrett and fired again. The bullet passed through the back of Jarrett’s upper arm and exited through the front cutting through the bridle reins he was holding for his horse. The same bullet continued to pierce his horse’s ear. The horse, startled and in pain, threw the wounded Jarrett to the ground, with Jarrett rolling down a steep hill.

The murderer continued, firing six more bullets intent that Jarrett, too, should die. Though extremely painful, Jarrett’s fall over rocks and brush saved his life. It enabled him to find shelter and dodge the bullets raining down on him.

The paper reported that Jarrett ran “about two miles, secured another horse and made his way to the ranch of C. J. Hall.” One of Hall’s men brought news of the fatal attack to White Bird, with a party from that town capturing Myers. When Myers was captured he was on horseback, carrying a 30-30 rifle along with three boxes of cartridges. He offered no resistance, nor any explanation for his actions.

After a preliminary hearing in Grangeville, Myers was returned to White Bird to stand trial. The first day of the trial occurred, but public anger had increased so much about Brownlee’s murder that a “mob” decided that “justice” would be best served by its intervention.

To follow is the front-page account of Myers’ fate, as printed in the Idaho County Free Press, Grangeville, Idaho, on Thursday, June 2, 1904:

“Thomas M. Myers, who killed George Brownlee and shot Wallace Jarrett near Crooks Corral on May 18, was taken from deputy Sheriff Seay last Thursday morning on the road from White Bird and hanged. Myers had been taken from here [Grangeville] Wednesday to White Bird where he was given a preliminary examination before Judge F.Z. Taylor... Later that evening rumors reached Deputy Seay that an effort would be made to lynch the prisoner that night and that a posse was already organized for that purpose. This he soon found to be true, and what was worse, the feeling against Myers was so bitter that it was impossible to get anyone to take any active part in his protection. Armed men paraded every street, and no one was permitted to leave or enter the town who was suspected of wanting to interfere with their plans."

“The next morning the streets were practically deserted, but no one suspected that the mob had abandoned their purpose. About 8 o'clock Deputy Seay with Constable Roy Gordon started with Myers for Grangeville but when this side of the Hawley ranch about two miles this side of White Bird they discovered men on horseback at several points in front of them and knew the critical moment had come.

“Getting out of sight of the watchers, Seay got the prisoner on a horse and turning the buggy over to Gordon determined to make a run through the hills in hopes of escaping that way. They had gone but a short distance until they were again confronted by the mob who with drawn guns demanded the prisoner. Mr. Seay begged earnestly for his prisoner, but resistance was useless as there were about 30 men in the mob, and nothing could stop them in their purpose.

“They ordered Seay to return to town and the crowd started toward the mountains with their man. As soon as the news became known searching parties started out and Myers was found hanging to a tree near where he was taken from the deputy sheriff. The body was taken back to White Bird where it was buried after a coroner's jury was empaneled and although the inquest is being held today it would be easy to guess what the verdict will be [as to cause of death]."


This was vigilante retribution for the death of a homesteader, with the newspapers never telling the outcome of what happened to those in the “mob.” I found no stories reporting if anyone was ever held accountable. Instead, the incident and its aftermath, if any, disappeared from the papers.

What became of George Brownlee’s homestead claim after he was murdered on May 18, 1904? His brother, Thomas Brownlee, who operated a restaurant at Grangeville, Idaho at that time, filed with the court to become administer of his brother's estate. Thomas succeeded in getting a federal patent for his deceased brother’s homestead. When it was finally issued on October 1, 1909 by the General Land Office, over five years had passed since George’s death.

The homestead certificate was worded to say that it was awarded to the “heirs of George Brownlee.” Eventually, Thomas became the owner of George Brownlee’s homestead with the settlement of his estate. The 1910 census reported Thomas Brownlee to be ranching there with his wife, Anna, two daughters, and a son named George Elmore Brownlee, who had likely been named for his uncle.

Subsequently, on January 15, 1915, Thomas Brownlee and his wife Anna L. Brownlee sold the 138.60-acre homestead to Charles J. Hall - the same man who owned the nearby ranch to which George’s injured partner, Wallace Jarrett, had gone for help after nearly being killed along with George on May 18, 1904.

After selling the property Thomas obtained a Quit Claim Deed signed by the other heirs of his deceased brother all still living in Canada. This document would clear up any ownership problems with the title to George Brownlee’s homestead. By its terms, the Quit Claim Deed assigned to Thomas any interest that the other heirs had in this property for a nominal $1 “and other good and valuable consideration.” The latter, if anything, were not specified. Thomas Brownlee and his family subsequently moved into Oregon where they lived the rest of their lives.

Today George Brownlee lies buried in the Cottonwood Community Cemetery in Cottonwood, Idaho, about 25 miles north of where he was homesteading before his life suddenly and sadly ended by gunfire in the spring of 1904. The sad tale of George Brownlee shows once again that among the estimated 1.6 million homesteaders there are countless undiscovered fascinating stories. Stories like Brownlee’s and others help illustrate the wide variety of experiences homesteaders had during the Homesteading Era in American history, 1860s-1980s.