from Indian Depredations in Texas – Published in 1889
1859 Nathan Holt came to Texas at an early age – during those times that “tried men’s souls.” He settled in what is now known as Hood county, where he lived for a number of years, engaged in the occupation of stock raising. This business exposed him a great deal to the attacks of Indians. One beautiful morning in the summer of 1859, Holt went out on the range to collect some of his cattle. While he was thus employed, and unsuspicious of any danger, he discovered a party of Indians coming towards him at full speed. As he was alone he sought to save himself by flight. His faithful animal strained every nerve to bear his rider out of danger, but all to no purpose. The Indians were well mounted and soon came up with him. He defended himself for a time against the numbers that surrounded him, but finally fell dead from his horse with a dozen arrows. Holt’s body was found the next day and taken to his sorrowing family. Reader, when we thus relate to you the murders of fathers, mothers and helpless children, all destroyed by the tomahawk, scalping knife and death dealing arrows of the savage, it awakens within us the keenest emotions of pity and anger – pity for those who suffered and anger at the perpetrators of these diabolical, hellish outrages. But when we remember that there are none but “good Ingens” now in Texas, and that they have all gone (mostly by the shot gun and rifle route) to their “happy hunting grounds,” we can almost, but not quite, forgive them for the atrocious deeds they committed.