Today in Wild West History, Vol 2: The Burrow Bros’ First Train Robbery
How a simple farmer became one of the most infamous train robbers of the Wild West
Reuben Burrow was born in 1854, one of 10 children, the son of a farmer. His mother was an occultist and faith healer, rumored to be a witch. Growing up, Rube and his brother Jim were inspired by stories of outlaws like Jesse James, but Rube followed in his father’s footsteps to become an honest farmer. He married, bought a small farm, and fathered two children. Rube was an accomplished rider and marksman, but his life was plagued by misfortune. His first wife died of yellow fever. He married again but later separated after his crops failed and the farm was lost.
On December 11, 1886, Rube’s new career began. Teaming up with his brother Jim and several tough cowboys, with bandanas covering their faces, they stepped onto the Denver & Fort Worth Express train at Bellevue, Texas. They were only able to nab $300 and some watches but gained some valuable train-robbing experience. They must have made a good impression on the passengers because when a U.S. Army sergeant who was riding the train drew his gun as the robbers were departing, the other passengers persuaded him not to fire.
The Rube Brothers Gang went on to become one of the most feared and pursued train robbery outfits of the late Wild West period. Rube came to be known as the Robin Hood of Alabama because (legend has it) he never robbed from the poor. Like so many Wild West outlaws, Rube Burrow lived by the gun but also died by it. He was shot and killed during a daring escape attempt on October 7, 1890.
Today in Wild West History is an ongoing series from the VendettaDAO Web3 Gaming project. We want to help our community stay engaged and educated in the compelling lore of the Wild West. Who knows? Some of the stranger-than-fiction characters you read about may turn up in the Chalk River Metaverse.
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