ROUTE 66 TRIKERS FORUM

One of the most ruthless, fearsome renegades who hid out in the Ozark hills during the Civil War was Alf Bolin. Bolin's gang centered themselves around Pine Mountain, ten miles south of Forsyth on what is now Highway JJ. "Murder Rocks" or the "Alf Bolin Rocks," a few feet from the old Springfield-Harrison road, was the site of many ambushes led by Bolin during the early Civil War years. Legend has it that Bolin's stolen loot is still buried near Fox Creek.

Bolin and his sister, apparently orphans, grew up near Spokane, MO. When they were young children, they stayed with John Bilyeu's family in Christian County. Not much is known of his life prior to the Civil War; however, once the war broke out, Bolin and his gang of nearly twenty ransacked southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas, taking full advantage of the fact that most able-bodied men were off fighting for one side or the other. According to most accounts, Bolin was most adroit at terrorizing old men, women, and children, at least fourteen of whom he killed in various attacks.

Douglas Mahnkey relates incidents surrounding several of the killings, emphasizing "one of the saddest stories of all is of an old man by the name of Budd who was about 80 years old. Mr. Budd drove a yoke of oxen into Taney County from Christian County to get a small amount of corn from someone on White River. The corn was to be used for making bread for the women and children of the neighborhood.

"He got the load of corn and started back to his home. He reached White River and crossed it near the place that was later known as Hensley's Ferry. Just as he crossed the river and started on his way Bolin and his band halted him. They forced him to leave his wagon and wade back into the river. There he was shot down and fell into the water, his body being carried away by the stream" (2).

Bolin's gang also killed two Union soldiers who were returning to the Army after a furlough home. The soldiers were killed near Murder Rocks and were buried by Joe McGill on what is now known as the Charley Mahnkey place.

Mahnkey also tells of Bolin's return to the Bilyeu farm, demanding money and threatening to kill John Bilyeau. Mrs. Bilyeau bribed the would-be killers by offering them a batch of maple sugar she had kept hidden for her family during the frequent raids during the war. The band ate the sugar, stole the Bilyeau's best saddle horse, and left the family unharmed.

Finally, the Union army made a workable plan to capture Bolin in his own hills. They arranged with a Mrs. Foster, who lived near the place Bolin and his men camped out, to lure Bolin in, planning to capture him dead or alive. Mrs. Foster's husband, a Confederate soldier, had been captured by the Union; in exchange for helping capture Bolin, Mr. Foster was to be released from all charges and returned home.

Zach Thomas, a Union soldier disguised in a Confederate uniform, holed up at Mrs. Foster's for several days, pretending to be sick. When Bolin appeared for his dinner, he was told that Thomas was on his way back home and was laid up to recuperate. Bolin was suspicious, but finally he let down his guard and stoked the fire. At that moment, allegedly, Thomas struck him with a colter, and they dragged Bolin's body to the back room.

Bolin's corpse was brought to Forsyth, where Colbert Hays chopped off his head. The head was taken to Ozark, MO, and displayed on a pole for all to see that the vicious bushwhacker had finally been killed. The body was buried on the right side of the old Swan Creek Road, northeast of Forsyth.

Mrs. Foster was escorted to Ozark, MO, by Union soldiers. A reward was collected for Bolin's head. People flocked from miles around to see the gruesome spectacle. Apparently, the entire area rejoiced at the assassination of this notorious terror of the hills.

Works Cited