McNelly, Leander H., 1843 or 1844-1877

Civil War hero and captain in the Texas State Police and the Texas Rangers, Leander H. McNelly was born in Virginia in 1844. His family moved to Washington Co., Texas, in 1860. McNelly joined the Confederate Army when 16 years old, afterwards returning to Brenham, where he married Carey Cheek. During the Edmund J. Davis administration he was one of 4 State Police captains. He was appointed a Deputy U.S. Marshall April 4, 1873. In July 1874 McNelly was commissioned captain of a 30 man volunteer militia in the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers. For 4 months his company mediated the violence in DeWitt Co. caused by the Taylor-Sutton Feud. In 1875, McNelly raised a company of Texas Rangers that pursued cattle rustlers on both sides of the Rio Grande. He was fired due to ill health in 1876, and died of tuberculosis Sept. 4, 1877.

From the description of Leander H. McNelly papers, 1873-1933 (bulk 1880-1910). (San Jacinto Museum of History). WorldCat record id: 55223959

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