‘Fred Dodge Story’ coming to a jail museum near you

GUEST COMMENTARY

Seldom in my research have I ever been so lucky.

In July, my wife and I spent three days in Boerne and, within the first 24 hours, I collected data for my research on Fred Dodge from no less than three sources within the city.

First, I stopped at the Kendall County Clerk’s Office. Within minutes I had copies of several real estate deeds for Fred Dodge’s old ranch outside of Boerne. Fred purchased the ranch in 1906 and later bragged about the location of the property in a letter to his old friend, Wyatt Earp.

In 1928 he wrote to Wyatt saying, “I bought a ranch here in the most beautiful part of Texas or any other state.”

Next, I visited the Boerne City Library, where Robin Stauber instantly located the library’s vertical file on Fred Dodge’s Boerne family and emailed me a copy of the file.

To my surprise, it contained photos that, to the best of my knowledge, have never been published, including portraits of both Fred and his wife, Jessie, and a photo of Fred Sr. holding his 2-year-old son, Fred Jr. while standing next to his Boerne ranch house in 1920.

In the same 1928 letter to Wyatt Earp, Fred beamed with pride and described his boy to Wyatt, writing, “Later I again married and have a son 10 years old. They say he is a chip off the old block. He rides and ropes and is a thoroughly active outdoor boy.

“Above all stories,” the letter continued, “he loves tales of the old west, and is very familiar with your name and Morgan’s.”

Robin Stauber then gave me a suggestion. She sent me to Paul Barwick, the special projects director for the city of Boerne. His office was only a parking lot away from the library.

Within 20 minutes, Paul and I were discussing his plans for a Fred Dodge exhibit at the old Jail Museum in Boerne.

The following day, I visited Paul at the museum and met Dean Sprowl, a local historian. The three of us spent the next hour sharing our favorite Fed Dodge stories.

When I left Boerne the next day, I traveled to San Antonio and spent a week at the Wild West History Association’s Roundup at the Menger Hotel. I told everyone about Boerne’s Old Jail Museum and Dean’s plans for the exhibit on Fred Dodge. The announcement drew a great deal of attention, particularly from the past president of the WWHA, Pam Potter, who now lives in Boerne.

Fred Dodge was one of Wells Fargo Express Co.’s most respected detectives. Between 1890 and 1918, Detective Dodge chased train robbers, killers, and embezzlers all over the Southwest and Mexico.

He honed his detective skills while serving as a lawman in Tombstone, Arizona, alongside the Earp brothers. I cannot wait to see the Fred Dodge exhibit at the Old Jail Museum.

Ron Woggon WWHS member