| Texas Rangers
are icons of Texas history and folklore. The first Rangers were hired by Stephen
F. Austin to "range" about his colony in the 1820s to protect it from hostile
Indians. Texas Rangers fought so fiercely during the Mexican War that they were
called Diablos--devils by opponents, and one of the better units in the Civil
War was known as Terry's Texas Rangers. "The
Lone Ranger" starring Brace Beemer was an important radio program in the 1930s
and 1940s, an early television program featured the late Clayton Moore in the
same role, and today "Walker, Texas Ranger," remains a long running prime time
show. The traditional "One Riot, One Ranger" conveys the mystique of these ultimate
lawmen who are unique to Texas. Robert
Nieman has written an insightful book with Texas Ranger Glenn Elliott titled Glenn
Elliott: A Ranger's Ranger. Elliott was born in Flat Springs, Texas, near Bonham
and the Oklahoma border, in 1926. He was educated in the Windom schools and received
an appointment to West Point, but did not attend because "at fifteen I was too
young...and by the time I was old enough I didn't want to go." Instead he served
in the Army, married, and worked in various jobs before settling on a career in
law enforcement.
Elliott became a Texas Highway Patrol officer in 1949 and a Ranger in 1961; primarily
he worked in the Longview-Marshall area. Elliott turned down opportunities for
advancement to captain, choosing instead to remain in field work where he felt
he was effective.
Elliott helped solve murders and apprehend fugitives, as one would expect, but
he also was involved with school integration cases and maintaining law and order
during labor disputes at Lone Star Steel. He helped protect presidents, senators,
and governors when they visited his area. When
Elliott retired from the Rangers in 1987 he was given a tribute by Paul Harvey,
who had become a fishing buddy of Elliott's, on his nationally syndicated radio
show. Attitudes
toward Texas Rangers among other Texans depends on many things, especially whether
or not one is a law breaker or a law abider. Both sides respected Glenn Elliott.
All
Things Historical OCTOBER
22-28, 2000
Published by permission.
(Archie
P. McDonald is Director of the East Texas Historical Association and author or
editor of more than 20 books on Texas)
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