Hidden Eyewitness Account of KGC.

[Texas Jay]

Since you are an authority on Texas history, swr, then you are familiar with the fact that The Order of the Lone Star was a secret organization that was greatly responsible for starting the successful Texas Revolution with Mexico in 1836. This was one of the motivating factors that resulted in the creation of the Knights of the Golden Circle in 1854. The Knights Templar also used a five-point star as one of their symbols hundreds of years before there even was a "Texas". True history is never wrong. "Mainstream" or "traditionalist" history is often wrong, usually intentionally so. Finding masses of buried treasure is not that important to me but correcting mistakes made by later-day "historians" is. Like I've said many times before: I am a treasure hunting and metal detecting hobbyist.

http://www.johnhorse.com/trail/04/a/16.htm - one incomplete account of the Order of the Lone Star.

~Texas Jay

 

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[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Listening my friends

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Texas Jay]

I want to post a photo of Brooke Smith to this thread.
Brooke Smith (1853-1940)
~Texas Jay

 

[KGC4Dixie]

Seems like your "mainstream history" is wrong about a lot of things, doesn't it?
~Texas Jay

Very interesting. History is wrong, so that you can find buried treasure. Also notable: Texas, being the Lone Star State has always had an association or affiliation with the five-point star. Years and years before the creation of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Chances are, the five-pointed stars on the buildings are more of a Texas thing, than a secret organization squirreling away tons and tons of gold/silver

Jay, I've also seen a building of the period you suspect has decoration of five points with those stars. If inspected, these seem to be the final touches of major floor anchoring that "drill" or press into the structure at the second floor level with heavy iron support rods. There was a choice of decoration to finish off these supports outside the building and the five-pointed star was chosen in this case.

There has been a steady move away from the Saxon star of six-points for a couple of hundred years that I've seen in artwork, flags and architecture. In heraldry most of the ancient stars were six-pointed ones but in today's representation of the same arms those shields moved to displaying five points.

The five-pointed star was a popular one among the public. Where the U.S. government steadily used six-pointed ones on all flags (including Betsey Ross' regardless of cover articles) it was the five-pointed more popularly seen in public hands. There seems to have been an undercurrent toward five points. By the time of the late 1800s it is no surprise these would have been used.

Curiously, I'm beginning to form an opinion that the closer one is to the Freemasons the more distant one is to that star of five points contrary to George Washington Bickley's (reported founder of the KGC) personal possessions on capture. It may be that his Liberty penny and two, five-pointed stars of a general's rank were so because by that time accessory stars of Yankee military wear were five-pointed except for federal horse blanket.

The triangular five-pointed star of the Freemasons may simply be a knock-off version much as with the similar two-triangle version to the ancient six-pointed Saxon star. Just my opinion but I don't think the double-triangle is as old as the solid version. Judaic slave traders of Newport, Rhode Island probably got into the Freemasons early in America's history because of business ties. A good question to resolve would be if the Freemasons were drifting toward the five-pointed star and taking America with it or if the Freemasons from 1717 were a continuation of the true ancient order? The ancient Knights Templars escorted Christian pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. Today's Knights Templars first accept any man and his god in fraternity--doesn't sound the same. Something altered percepts but figuring out what the introduced element was might lead to clue of star meanings.

In the Washington D.C. Freemason temple there is on display a "copy" of the Ark of the Covenant so the six-pointed star holds this background which is knowledge no longer widely understood in public terms. Most of the last Protestant preachers with the Christian Israel message pass out of life while later ones have been absorbed by "modern" seminaries and a later Christian message just a little different. A "for example" can be found in that Medieval churches required baptism before entering. Many of today's churches do not consider it necessary at all.

Too bad for us but large amounts of investigation are needed to get to the bottom of most any subject these days.

Gary

 

[Texas Jay]

Believe whatever you want but I know that the five-point star was a primary symbol of the KGC whether it was on a KGC flag, used in the "northwest" to signify a house belonged to members or in the case of the window in Bloody Bill Anderson's farm house at Salt Creek, Texas. This fact is so well-documented that arguing about it is not worth the time it takes.
~Texas Jay

 

[KGC4Dixie]

Believe whatever you want but I know that the five-point star was a primary symbol of the KGC whether it was on a KGC flag, used in the "northwest" to signify a house belonged to members or in the case of the window in Bloody Bill Anderson's farm house at Salt Creek, Texas. This fact is so well-documented that arguing about it is not worth the time it takes. ~Texas Jay

Jay, I'd rather see the additional or supporting evidence than cut this off with a claim of arguing the point.

Gary

 

[Texas Jay]

Hi Gary. I suggest you perform a Messages Search at our Bloody Bill group using the following separate phrases and you will find much evidence that proves this. Keywords: [five-point star] & [5-point star]. You may even want to post a message on our board asking for more proof and I am sure some of our members will be happy to offer it.
~Texas Jay
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bloodybillandersonmystery

 

[Texas Jay]

Here's one example for you from James D. Horan's "Confederate Agent" which I read recently. Page 29

http://www.archive.org/stream/confederateagent011673mbp/confederateagent011673mbp_djvu.txt

The lone-star flag mentioned contains, of course, a five-point star. This emphasize my main point that the five-point star was one of the primary symbols of the Knights of the Golden Circle. It was so important that the KGC put it on their own flag! I think Bob Brewer said it best when he recommended that those who are asking all the questions do some real research and reading of their own.

***
"...The next day at Croydon, Indiana, Hines, in the advance guard,
charged a band of militia firing from behind rail fences, and Morgan's
acting adjutant was killed at his side. Passing through Croydon, the
column, took the Salem road, camping eighteen miles from the town.
A short halt was made in Salem the next day to feed the troops and
the horses. Hines burned several railroad bridges in and around the
town. In Salem pillaging was so widespread the provost marshal re-
ported to Duke he could not control it. "It was senseless and purpose-
less," Duke later recalled.

One man carried for two days a bird cage with three canaries.
Another rode with a large chafing dish tied to the pommel of his
saddle until an officer forced him to cut it loose. The weather was
boiling hot, yet several troopers hung ice skates about their necks.
The looting had its serious side. The homes of Copperheads, from
which hung the lone-star flag of the Knights of the Golden Circle, as
well as homes of Union men, were looted. In fact, the homes of Cop-
perheads became special targets for Morgan's raiders, "Give for the
cause you love so well/' they told the protesting Knights..."

***

~Texas Jay

 

[Texas Jay]

Well, it sounds like you need to argue with James D. Horan then because he was the first to see the files on the KGC that were locked up for nearly 90 years. Once again, I remind you of the Order of the Lone Star which preceeded the Texas Revolution. Keep reading and let me know when you get caught up.
~Texas Jay

 

[Texas Jay]

All the government's files on the KGC were sealed for nearly 90 years according to a source you quote often but obviously haven't even read the Introduction to, SWR. "Confederate Agent" by James D. Horan, 1954. I have no intention of writing an action adventure novel or any other kind of book despite your and other naysayers' claims during the past four years. Yes, you replied to the Order of the Lone Star previously but like all of your posts, it was incorrect. Attached is a photograph of one KGC flag that Bob Brewer kindly shared with me from his extensive research over many decades. This photostat copy is of a card that was found on Mrs. Bickley when she was detained and the card itself is located in the National Archives in D.C.
~Texas Jay

 

[Texas Jay]

Well, SWR, first you argue with James D. Horan. Then you argue about solid proof in the National Archives. Pretty soon, all of your "mainstream" historian allies are going to leave you "flapping in the breeze" if they haven't already. ha.
~Texas Jay

 

[Texas Jay]

Thanks, Gary, but the find was not mine. It was Bob Brewer's discovery which was in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.. Despite claims to the contrary, this just illustrates, one more time, how much real research and dedicated work has gone into Bob's books and treasure hunting over many years. Bob, in the few years I've known him, has always been willing to freely share his findings with me in order to help others understand our history better.
~Texas Jay

 

[arkhunter]

tag

 

[Texas Jay]

I was browsing the digital collection of S.M.U. last night when I came upon this historic photo of one of Brownwood's leading businessmen, Maj. John Y. Rankin, C.S.A. Our Bloody Bill Anderson Mystery Group has been researching Major Rankin since 2006 when we began our investigation into Bloody Bill Anderson and the KGC. Below, I am going to post a few of the most important messages that have been posted on our message board that give details about this outstanding Brownwood citizen.
~Texas Jay

***
From: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bloodybillandersonmystery

Re: Major John Y. Rankin of Brown County.


Here is an older message from this board that tells a few things about Major
John Y. Rankin, C.S.A.
~Jay~

--- In BloodyBillAndersonMystery@yahoogroups.com, "Jay Longley"
<jay_longley@...> wrote:
>
> I visited the Library Annex, this afternoon, looking for one thing
> and came away with some other information that I thought was of value
> to our study. I found a typewritten thesis by Robert E. Blair
> written in the 1930's entitled: "The History of Brownwood". Blair
> dedicated a few pages to Major John Y. Rankin. Rankin was born in
> 1840 in Lexington, Kentucky and died in Brownwood in 1934. He also
> lived for awhile in Missouri when he was a teenager. Blair says of
> him:
> "In 1861 he entered the Confederate army and served through the war,
> going from there to Henderson...In 1870 he moved to Brownwood."
> Major Rankin was "Brownwood's first real estate promoter and
> salesman...For many years Major Rankin was the only notary public
> available in Brownwood."
> ***
> So Major Rankin is definitely a person of interest in our
> investigation to determine the truth about Brown County's Colonel
> Bill Anderson. Anderson must have been well-acquainted with Major
> Rankin as Brownwood was not heavily-populated when both men came to
> town. Another thing to note is that Rankin did not die until 1934 -
> 10 years after Colonel Bill Anderson publicly announced that he was
> Bloody Bill Anderson and 7 years after Anderson died. I believe
> Rankin was probably one of the "few closest friends" that Bill
> Anderson confided in. My question to the other side of the debate is
> this: "Here is a Confederate officer that had to have known Colonel
> William C. Anderson well so why, after Anderson died, did Major
> Rankin not blow the whistle on him and expose him as the fraud you
> believe he was?"
> ~Jay~
***

Re: John Y Rankin


Here is a post our member Ruth Lyle made upon joining our group.
~Jay~

--- In BloodyBillAndersonMystery@yahoogroups.com, "Ruth" <ralyle@...> wrote:
>
> I just joined today and am looking forward to sharing information.
> My great grandfather is Maj John Y Rankin and I have lots of
> information on him although always looking for more. He was born in
> 1833 in Lexington KY and died in Brownwood in Feb 1924. He moved to
> Boonville, Missouri in 1840 and was educated in the Kemper Institute
> in Boonville. He moved to St Augustine, Tx in 1853 and then to
> Henderson Tx in 1854. He was a Lt in Capt Giles Bogges's Co A Tx
> Ranger from 1854-1855. Moved to Navasota Tx in 1861. In 1861 he
> was again in the Tx Rangers and then in the service of the
> Confederate states in the 25th Tx calvery. At the end of the war he
> returned to Tx. He married Sarah Shed in Henderson Tx. He refused
> to take the "oath of allegiance" and moved to Comanche Tx in 1869.
> He moved to Brownwood in 1872. He again was with the Tx Rangers
> from Nov 1872 for a few months. He had 5 children and his wife,
> Sarah died in 1878. In 1879 he married Josephine Wiggins. He was
> very much involved with the United Confederate Veterans at
> Brownwood. I do have more details than this on him so if anyone has
> any questions or additional information I would love to share.
> I will go through the writings I have from John Y and see if I can
> find anything that relates to Anderson. I do not remeber any
> mention of him but I will check again. We have lots of pictures so
> will go through them when I can. I do know of a picture we have on
> a U.C.V reunion. Anyway I am very exicted to have found this group.
> Ruth
>
***

Re: Brown County information


One of the amazing facts about Maj. Rankin is that he possessed a calling card
of John Wilkes Booth as Ruth Lyle states in this message. We've documented that
Booth was a KGC and also that a man by the name of John Ravenswood lived in
Brownwood for a year in the 1870s and claimed to be John Wilkes Booth. So the
big question is: Did Booth give Rankin his calling card sometime during the War
or did Booth escape killing after the Lincoln assassination and give it to Maj.
Rankin during his year in Brownwood living as John Ravenswood?
~Jay~

--- In BloodyBillAndersonMystery@yahoogroups.com, "Jay Longley"
<jay_longley@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Ruth. Thank you so much for assisting us in our study. Major
> Rankin's writings, which you have in your possession, will undoubtedly
> help us break through many of the barriers of misinformation that has
> been spread about our county's history. Your mention of John Wilkes
> Booth possibly living in Brownwood could send shock waves through the
> entire historical community.
> I have posted everything I could find about John Ravenswood, who lived
> in Brownwood for a short time and claimed on his deathbed later that he
> was John Wilkes Booth, on this message board. The best account was
> presented by Tevis Clyde Smith in his book "Frontier's Generation"
> which was published in 1931. I own a rare First Edition copy of this
> book and have posted much of it on our message board. To retrieve the
> messages dealing with John Ravenswood, simply type that name into our
> Messages Search box. To retrieve all messages about the author, just
> type his name Tevis Clyde Smith in the Search box.
> Thank you,
> ~Jay~
>
>
>
>
> --- In BloodyBillAndersonMystery@yahoogroups.com, "Ruth" <ralyle@>
> wrote:
> >
> > As I go through the writings of John Y Rankin I will gladly share
> > information. If anyone has a particular name (I know I will be
> > looking for Anderson) please let me know so that I will keep my eyes
> > open for it.
> >
> > Also I noticed information on John Wilkes Booth - there is a picture
> > (calling card) among John Y's papers of Booth. I wondered about it
> at
> > the time I found it. What information does anyone have on his living
> > in Brownwood?
> >
> > Ruth
> >
>
***

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=/jtx&CISOSTART=1,1

 

[Texas Jay]

Here is a photograph I took last year of Major Rankin's tombstone. He was a member of the Oddfellows Lodge (I.O.O.F.) in Brownwood, Texas after the war. His grave is located in Greenleaf Cemetery in Brownwood. Notice the "chain links" near the top of the monument. His grave is in the Masonic section of this cemetery, near Henry Ford's grave. There are several points that indicate that Maj. Rankin was KGC in his biography and even more in his life story after he came to Brownwood. One is that he had the calling card of John Wilkes Booth among his personal possessions and diaries. Booth was KGC before the Civil War even started. Then, one will notice that he never signed the "oath of allegiance" to the Union after the War. Then you see he was a Texas Ranger on at least two occasions. Then, he chose to live out his life in the most pro-Southern frontier towns in Texas - Comanche and then Brownwood. With all these KGC trademarks appearing in his life story, it would be a great stretch to even try to assume that Major Rankin was not a KGC member.
~Texas Jay
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bloodybillandersonmystery

 

[Timberwolf]

Jay,

Keep posting my friend. Some of us appreciate your work.
Those that don't....well what can I say?

TW

 

[Texas Jay]

Thanks, Timberwolf, for your kind words of support. Don't worry, I've been successfully battling the naysayers for over 4 years now and will continue to confront them with the facts despite all of their protests. The tide is rapidly turning in our favor as public interest in learning the truth about the KGC is at an all-time high. I believe Bob Brewer and Warren Getler got the ball moving with the publishing of "Shadow of the Sentinel" ("Rebel Gold"). Then Walt Disney Pictures made the movie "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" with Bob Brewer serving as a consultant. It followed up the highly-successful first "National Treasure". For a couple of years now, The History Channel has been regularly airing documentaries about the Knights and, tonight, they will air "Jesse James' Hidden Treasure" which will take another look at the KGC and also at the alleged death of Jesse James in 1882. One of the Moderators of our Yahoo group will be working with me this month on another very important project involving the Knights of the Golden Circle. The results of our work will be viewable worldwide by early next year. The 1995 exhumation of "Jesse James" is coming under closer scrutiny by formerly "mainstream" media and is being exposed for the fraud that it was. We are taking the offensive regarding the truth about Bloody Bill Anderson and will continue our demands that some credible historical organization finally exhume the grave at Richmond, Missouri where traditionalists have erroneously claimed Bill Anderson was buried. This is a very exciting and productive time for all of us who want the truth to be told about the Civil War and the Knights of the Golden Circle. Add to this all the great friends I've made in recent years due to this work, like you Timberwolf, and you have something that no amount of money could buy.
~Texas Jay
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bloodybillandersonmystery

 

[Timberwolf]

Jay,

Thanks for the kind words, but I must admit that I am nothing special.
I consider myself a "truth seeker', but I am still just a humble "fleshy air-breather".

TW

 

[Walker Colt]

Fun reading yalls posts...just need to mention that the KGC had uniforms. Legion, Division, Regiment, and Company flags, insignia worn on the breast etc..the specifications of which can be found in Bickley's Rules and Regs of the KGC found at NARA in DC. Whether or not any of these flags were made is unknown. Only one known Confederate KGC flag exists.

 

[Texas Jay]

I'd like to bump this old thread up on the message list here because our research into Bloody Bill Anderson and the KGC continues at our Bloody Bill Anderson Mystery group and to let you know that this afternoon I had the pleasure of taking a long walking tour all over William C. "Bloody Bill" Anderson's Salt Creek, Brown County, Texas farm. I made some important observations and discoveries and took lots of photos of the farm and its interesting features and landmarks.
~Texas Jay