In recent decades, this monument to young Isaac Kountz has fallen into disrepair. The original plaque that was affixed here has been stolen and replaced many times, but will not be replaced in the future.
The Kountz Memorial historical marker is up a steep flight of stairs (past a traditional plate historical marker) to the spot where Isaac Kountz was surprised and shot by a small party of Comanche Indians, who stole his horse and some of his clothing. The full details of this incident have been compiled and presented on Find-A-Grave. We share a small part of their research here: (
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The following information has been very graciously provided by Virginia Brown:
The killing of Isaac Kountz in Kimble County has been told by various people connected to the incident. Although some of the details have differed, most have provided the same basic facts.
The fateful event happened on Christmas Eve in 1876 on a bitterly cold morning when a blanket of snow covered the ground. Sixteen year old Isaac Kountz and his twelve year old brother, were tending a small herd of sheep on a hillside near their home. They were the sons of Ezekiel and Harriet Kountz who had moved to Kimble County from Kansas the year before. Their father had bought the old James Bradbury place on the South Llano River, which was perfect for herding sheep. He had also bought more land extending down into the South Llano valley near what is now the Junction Cemetery to the B.L. Smith place and west beyond "The Nobs."
Isaac and Sebastian's father had left on an errand earlier that morning, and only their mother and sisters, Elizabeth and Dixie, were home. Their older brothers, John and Christopher, were in Kansas on a cattle drive. In April they had been employed as trail hands to take a herd of cattle to Dodge City.
Three versions, which offer a bird's_eye view into what happened during that tragic event, are presented in the following accounts. The first narrative is by a man who later married into the Kountz family, another offers details concerning the posse, and the last report has an emphasis on the Texas rangers. As a matter of interest, Ezekiel Kountz was 47 years old at that time.
Following is the story, in part, told by Nicholas Patterson, who would later marry their sister, Elizabeth: He said, "It happened on December 24, 1876, about 10 o'clock a.m. Snow was on the ground. The two boys Isaac, 16, and his brother Sebastian, 12 or 13, were sent out on the hillside to look about some sheep. While looking after them, they saw some people coming down the road. They took them to be cowboys. On second look they saw 15 or 16 Comanche Indians. Part of them had left the road and were coming around the hillside. The boys started toward the ranch house in haste, only a few hundred yards away. The Indians shot the older boy through the knee and he fell. The Indians advanced, dismounted and shot him through the head, took his boots and part of his clothing.
By this time Sebastian had crossed the road and was going over a rail fence around the field. An Indian made a grab for him as he went over, but only succeeded in snatching off his cap. In the meantime the mother and the two girls had heard the shots, and they stepped out to investigate. When they saw the younger boy running across the field toward home, Elizabeth, who is now my wife, ran half way across the field to meet him. He informed her the Indians had killed Isaac. She was in plain view _ near enough to count them. The Indians did not advance on the ranch house for fear there might be some men there ready for them. This all happened while there was not a man in a mile of the ranch. The Indians moved across the valley north a mile or two, where they ran across another youth out looking for horses. They killed him, but did not attempt to scalp either of the two boys. ...
A posse of citizens was formed to follow them. The father of Isaac and my father, N.Q. Patterson, who were both captains in the Civil War, led the posse till night overtook them. At daybreak they were on the trail again. A squad of State Rangers had joined the chase. After a chase of 150 or 200 miles the Indians abandoned their bunch of stolen horses and split up, making a half_dozen trails or more in various directions, so that it was impossible to follow the real trail any longer. ... " [end of our quote]