Local Historian Presents Legendary County Story

In a tale that read like a Shakespearean Western, the Wills Point Historical Society heard a presentation from county historian Elvis Allen about the shooting death of the only fallen peace officer in Wills Point.

In 1892, William Hunter, husband of Blanche Dawson Hunter, and the father of five children, was shot and killed by the grandson of Wills Point founder William Wills.

Horbart Wills was one of three children of William and Mary Wills. His sons John and Henry were at the center of the shooting and subsequent trial.

In the early morning hours of December 26, the Christmas revelry of John Wills had carried over, and created complaints for the Sheriff Deputy William Hunter. Hunter, who was also employed at Thompson and McKinney Mercantile, located adjacent to the Bruce and Human Drug Store arrested John Wills on 4th St.

At 11 a.m., John’s brother Henry returned from Terrell, and went with Hunter to bail out John. Upon John’s release, he threatened the life of Hunter.

Henry Wills operated a meat market in a location at the present day Gallery of the Arts. Next door, where the Majestic Theater stands, his aunt, Mary Wills O’Neal owned and operated the O’Neal House Hotel.

In a tradition that continues to this day, the small town buzzed with the controversy, and gossiping townspeople carried comments and hearsay from the meat market to Thompson and McKinney.

Despite being friendly acquaintances, the rhetoric, or the translation of it, between William Hunter and Henry Wills escalated to the point that Hunter felt continued threats were being made against his life.

Hunter lived east of the downtown area, and his habit was to walk home down Commerce St. At the end of the business day on December 26, Hunter was urged to take a different route. The deputy, however, said that was the only way he could go to stay out of the mud, and Henry Wills wasn’t going to change his habits.

As Hunter passed the meat market, Henry Wills emerged to tell Hunter, "You shouldn’t ought to have done what you did to John."

Hunter turned to see Wills put his hand under his apron, and thought he was reaching for a weapon. Whether as a warning or a misfire, Hunter shot through the awning of the meat market. As Henry retreated inside, another shot lodged in the doorframe. When Hunter entered the market, he was shot in the groin, and his return shot passed through both of Wills’ thighs.

Wills died two days later, and Henry, who recovered from his wounds, would stand trial and be found guilty of murder. The conviction would later be overturned on appeal.

In other discussions during the meeting, the story regarding the 1909 stop of President William Taft’s train was retold. Taft was originally scheduled to make the stop in Wills Point, but changed his mind, and the estimated crowd of 1,500 gathered at the depot was informed that the train would not stop.

At that point, Wills Point resident Bob McLeod and other unnamed conspirators took matters into their own hands. McLeod climbed to the roof of the depot and cut the rope of the signal flag, signaling the train to stop. Taft then stepped out of the train and briefly addressed the crowd.

McLeod was born in 1887, and lived in Wills Point until his death in 1969. He had four sons, and operated the McLeod Service Station located where MacBee Water is located on Highway 80.

Wills Point residents Judy Powers and Kathy Mislivets are McLeod’s granddaughters. Other surviving grandchildren include Sandy Moon of Garland, Nancy Petty of Rowlett, Thomas McCleod Jr., Dallas, and Joe Wilson of St. Louis. McLeod’s son, Robert Donald McLeod lives in Lubbock.