Josiah P. Wilbarger

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An interpretation of the scalping of Josiah Wilbarger.

Josiah Pugh Wilbarger (September 10, 1801-April 11, 1845) was a legendary early Texan who lived for 11 years after being scalped by Comanches.

[edit] Early life

He was born in, according to some sources, Bourbon County, Kentucky, but other sources say that he was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, and moved to Kentucky in 1818. Wilbarger moved to Pike County, Missouri, in 1823 and married Margaret Barker in September 1827. They left for Texas soon after the wedding, arriving at Matagorda on December 26. Wilbarger was a teacher at Matagorda for a year before moving to La Grange, where he taught and did surveying until he settled in Stephen F. Austin's colony in a bend of the Colorado River 10 miles above the site of present Bastrop, Texas.

[edit] The scalping

In August 1833, Wilbarger was a member of a surveying party that was attacked by Comanche Native Americans about four miles east of the site of present Austin, Texas. He was scalped but was still living when he was found the next day by Reuben Hornsby and taken to the Hornsby home for treatment. According to legend, Wilbarger was thought to have been killed, but later that night Hornsby's wife saw Wilbarger in a dream sitting under a tree. She gave her husband a description of the tree and he was found there the next day. Wilbarger never completely recovered from his wound although he lived for 11 more years. He died at his home near Bastrop in 1845 after an accident in which he struck his head on a low support beam inside of his cotton gin. His exposed skull eventually became diseased, causing it to die and expose the brain.

Wilbarger County, Texas is named in honor of Josiah Wilbarger and his brother, Mathias Wilbarger.