06/06/2026
137 Years Ago
Jim Williams – Posse of Deputy U.S. Marshal
U. S. Marshal Service June 5, 1889
James William Childers was born October 27, 1863, in Cherokee County, Texas to James C. and Julia A. (Williams) Childers. In the 1870 Cherokee County, Texas census James is listed as one of nine children living with their mother., Julia A., age 43. Their father had died July 26, 1868, at the age of 47. The census lists the nine children as Charles E., age 21, John L., age 19, Robert H., age 17, Julia, age 15, Samuel W., age 13, Thomas E., age 10, James W., age 7, Hugh T., age 6, and Amos P., age 4.
In the 1880’s at least four of the Childers boys had moved to the Indian Territory. It is still a mystery why James Childers changed his name to Jim Williams when he moved to the Indian Territory.
On Wednesday, June 5, 1889, Deputy Marshals John Swain (Swayne) and W.H. “Bill” Carr were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a black man named Cornelius Walker, an ex-convict wanted for horse theft, selling whiskey in Indian Territory and murder. Deputy Marshals Swain and Carr, along with their posse Jim Williams, traveled to Cornelius Walker’s home thirty miles from Pauls Valley. At the Walker house Deputy Marshal “Bill” Carr went around back while Deputy Marshal John Swain and Posse Jim Williams went in the front door. The officers identified themselves and opened the front door.
Posse Jim Williams, carrying a rifle, was the first to enter the house. Two men just inside the house, Robert, and Caesar Franklin, grabbed Posse Jim Williams’ rifle, and wrestle Williams for control of the rifle. As the three lawmen were trying to regain control of the situation, Cornelius Walker stepped out from a back room and fired a shot into Posse Jim Williams, hitting him in the left eye killing him instantly. Deputy Marshal John Swain raised his rifle and continued firing at Cornelius Walker as he ran from the house until Walker fell to the ground. Cornelius Walker had been shot seven times and died later that day as he was being transported by a borrowed wagon to Pauls Valley by the deputy marshals.
On June 7th, Deputy Marshals Swain and Carr passed through Gainesville, Texas on their way to the federal jail in Paris, Texas. with the Franklin brothers. Upon arrival in Paris, Texas the Franklin brothers were placed in jail and held without bail following an examination conducted by a U.S. Commissioner.
Several days later, Sarah Franklin, the wife of one of the incarcerated brothers, was arrested by Deputy Marshal Carr charged with being an accessory to the murder of Posse Jim Williams. She also was committed to jail without bond.
On July 6th Deputy Marshal Carr arrived in Fort Smith, Arkansas with nineteen prisoners and two dead men, and one nearly dead. One of the dead men was identified as Cornelius Walker; the other was Posse Jim Williams. Walkers’ body was taken to Fort Smith due to a court order requiring the body of anyone killed by a Deputy Marshal be brought to the court. There the co**se would be examined, and the responsible deputy given a hearing so the court could determine whether the shooting was justified.
In November of that year a preliminary examination was conducted in federal court in Paris, Texas. After hearing only two witnesses, the commissioner dismissed all charges against Robert, Caesar, and Sarah Franklin.
The burial site of Posse Jim Williams is unknown.
Two of Posse Jim Williams’ brothers, Hugh T. and Thomas E. Childers would become commissioned Deputy U.S. Marshals in late 1889.
OLEM – 9N-2-13 NLEOM – 26W5
Updated August 4, 2023
