Bravo of the Brazos: John Larn of Fort Griffin, Texas

More than a century after his death in 1878, the mere mention of John Larn’s name can trigger strong reactions along the Clear Fork of the Brazos River in northern Texas. In Bravo of the Brazos, Robert K. DeArment tells for the first time the complete story of this enigmatic and controversial figure.

Larn was good—looking, well—mannered, and gentle around women and children. He was a successful rancher and renowned frontier sheriff. Yet he was also the charismatic leader of a vigilante comm...