Finis M. Shannon

In 1868 a deadly feud arose between the Shannons and Fishers and their friends, in which several persons on each side lost their lives. All the parties at the time lived at or near Evansville and were considered desperate characters. The trouble grew out of a gambling transaction. Maj. Fisher won a horse from M. K. Shannon, but the latter’s father claimed $30 of the value of the horse, and Fisher paid it. About a week later he met M. K. Shannon in a saloon in Evansville, and asked him to make good the amount he had paid his father. While they were parleying F. M. Shannon, a brother of M. K. Shannon, entered the saloon and shot Fisher through the head, killing him instantly. Shannon was tried before a justice of the peace, and released. Soon after John Fisher, a brother of the murdered man, and Calvin Carter’ returned from southern Arkansas, where they had been attending races, and had Shannon re-arrested, taken to Fayetteville, and again tried, with the same result as before. They returned to Evansville, resolved to kill Shannon, but he remained away. Dr. J. C. McKinney, the father-in-law of Shannon, took an active part in his defense, and attempted to raise a mob to drive Fisher and Carter from the country. One morning in February, 1869, he entered G. W. McClure’s store to make some purchases, and was followed by John Fisher, who without many words shot him through the heart. He then went to Mrs. Alberty’s, where he re-enforced himself with Calvin Carter and Charles Bush. All mounted horses, and armed with guns and pistols passed several times up and down the streets of Evansville. Some half hour later they rode out of town into the Nation. In a short time F. M. Shannon, with John Finley, W. M. Finley, J. W. Bell, M. K. Shannon and John Brotherton, arrived in Evansville and started in pursuit. After going some eight or ten miles the party separated, and taking a circuitous route returned to Evansville. Bell, Brotherton, W. M. Finley and M. K. Shannon arrived first, and dismounted at the store where McKinney had been killed. Fisher and his party, who in the meantime had returned and were at Gillett’s grocery, fired upon them, wounding Sam Alberty, an old citizen, in the hip, and breaking the leg of a horse. F. M. Shannon and John Finley arrived at this juncture, and a large number of shots were fired by both parties, but no serious damage was done. Matters then quieted down for several weeks, but each party watched the other, hoping to take them at a disadvantage. Meantime the Fisher party was re-enforced by Scott Reed, and one who was thought to have been Frank James. Not long after this party gave a dance in Evansville, and the Shannons, together with the sheriff, Benjamin Little, and a posse, in all about thirty men, attempted to eapture John Fisher, for whom Gov. Clayton had offered a reward. They made the attack, and killed Scott Reed at the first fire, but Fisher rallied his men, and drove the Shannons into an old stable near by. He then took refuge in the house where his sisters lived. The two parties maintained their respective positions, firing occasional shots back and forth all day. When night came on Fisher and his men escaped into the Territory, and the sheriff took Fisher’s horses and left. The sheriff then took a posse, and went to Texas in search of the outlaws, and upon his return reported that Fisher had been killed. Fisher’s sisters brought suit for the horses taken by the sheriff, and gained the suit, but it is said, that the Shannons, as soon as the judgment was rendered, went to the stable and shot one of the horses, a fine race mare. Soon after this occurrence the Fisher sisters removed into the Cherokee Nation, where they joined their brother and his party. On June 2, 1869, John Fisher, Cal Carter, Charles Bush, James Reed and John Coleman entered Evansville, and waylaid and killed two of the Shannon faction, Noah Fitzwaters and Newton C. Stout. They then returned to the Nation, and the Governor offered a reward for their arrest. Capt. Anderson, of Crawford County, with a posse, went in pursuit, and succeeded in killing two of the party, Edmondson and Coleman, in Benton County. By this time the law-abiding citizens had become weary at these continued outrages, and A. G. Lewis, William Littlejohn, Capt. Adair and several others organized themselves into a company, and forced both parties to leave the country.

SHANNON, Fine - {from The Fayetteville Democrat} Fine Shannon,

who was sent to the penitentiary a year ago from this county, is reported to

have died on the state farm two weeks ago. [The Springdale News 1907------------------------------------- SHANNON, F.M. - F.M. Shannon filed Veteran Application #13565 with the Confederate Pension Board of Washington County for a Confederate pension and it was received as allowed August 12, 1905 at the State, citing service with Company K, 8thTexas Infantry from 1862 thru 1865. Mr. Shannon died May 1, 1907. His widow, Mrs. Nannie Shannon filed Widow Application #13565 with the Confederate Pension Board of Washington County for a Confederate widow pension and it was received as allowed August 15, 1907 at the State. [State of Arkansas Confederate Pension Archives]