Customer Reviews

The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 (A.C. Greene)

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The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 by biographer and historian David Johnson is an informed and informative history based upon extensive research of the Post-Reconstruction age in Texas around the mid 1870s, when the "Hoo Doo War" broke out in the Texas hill country of Mason County. Introducing the reader to a genuine Texas frontier story of the fight against an element of criminal intent, The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 delves deeply into a heretofore obscure bit of Texas history, exposing a graphic and sinister criminal activity culminating in the death of Sheriff John Clark. The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 is very strongly recommended to all students of American Western History in a true life story that rivals any fiction account of lawless times in the Old West.

The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 by biographer and historian David Johnson is an informed and informative history based upon extensive research of the Post-Reconstruction age in Texas around the mid 1870s, when the "Hoo Doo War" broke out in the Texas hill country of Mason County. Introducing the reader to a genuine Texas frontier story of the fight against an element of criminal intent, The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 delves deeply into a heretofore obscure bit of Texas history, exposing a graphic and sinister criminal activity culminating in the death of Sheriff John Clark. The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 is very strongly recommended to all students of American Western History in a true life story that rivals any fiction account of lawless times in the Old West.

I know Dave Johnson. I know Mason County and have researched extensively there, though my interest was not the HooDoo War. The HooDoo War is one of the very most interesting, complex ... fun ... incidents in the Old West.
So I was disappointed when the book came out. Names, relationships, facts are presented in such a manner as to wonder why the publisher let this one go without an extensive re-write. Now, granted, the HooDoo War deserves a much bigger treatment, but crammed into this slim volume, no good came of it.

I took the bait and bought this book but there is certainly nothing in it that I have not seen in free "Hoo Doo War" stories all over the internet or heard through the grapevine. I must say that I was very disappointed that I paid the 30% reduced rate of $17.61 for it. I suppose a refund is out of the question?

For the most part, I found this account beyond boring but mainly confusing as to why there was not an objective approach to the identity of the Sheriff of Mason. Everyone knows his identity has never been proven and still has not with this book. Don't waste your money if you think you will find the answer here. What is worse than no proof? An assumption presented as proof for our grandchildren to believe and take as fact. I can see valid research on the background of the German community around Mason but I see no documented proof,
whatsoever, that John E. Clark, from Missouri, was the sheriff of Mason County Texas. I was really disappointed. Any beginner genealogist can tell you that there were many men in that area of Texas at that time, in that age bracket, named John Clark.
Good luck with credibility issues in the future!