Porum Range War

Background

The feud began in the 1880s when John Porum Davis, a pioneer, migrated to Oklahoma with four mixed-blood Cherokee sons: Cicero, Sam, Jack, and Bob. He built a community called Porum Gap, which merged with the Midland Valley Railroad in 1903 to form the town of Porum, named after him. The Davis family's settlement conflicted with the open range used by Judge Hester for his livestock.

Hester believed the Davises were stealing from his TLH Connected Brand using a similar brand. The Starr family, also of Native American blood, sided with the Davises. Hester repeatedly charged the Davises in court for rustling and formed the Anti-Horse Thief Association, a vigilante group, to combat the so-called Davis Gang.

War

The first killing was Cicero Davis, shot outside his home in 1906 by Mack Alford, who was himself killed days later. Harvey Lindsey was drowned by armed men, and a man named Spivey was also killed, allegedly by the Davis. Smaller ranching families joined the Anti-Horse Thief Association.

Barns belonging to enemies of the Davis, such as the Pierce, Martins, and Price clans, were burned. Sheriff Jim Work was killed on orders of Bob Davis. In May 1911, thirty masked vigilantes rode to the Starr home to kill Jack Davis and Pony Starr after Jack had sent a sheriff to investigate Hester's ranch for stolen cattle.

Pony Starr and Joe Davis grabbed rifles and a 10-minute shootout ensued, ending with the vigilantes retreating and between 3 and 8 men dead, including Judge Hester's son Cliff. Later, Jack Davis was ambushed outside his ranch, crippling his arm. A week later, he shot two assailants outside the Commercial National Bank, killing one and wounding the other.