Page 365 - Foy

A neighbor, Winfield Scott, knew the Renfroes had money available and one day asked
John Renfroe for a loan so that he could repair his house. John refused which made
Scott mad. Scott later returned to the Renfroe place with his sons and an ex-slave who
carried an axe. John was found asleep on a bench in the front hall of the house. Scott
ordered the ex-slave to hit John with the axe which the man, at first refused to do.
After Scott threatened the ex-slave the man did as he was told. Scott and his sons
searched for the hidden money but did not find it. Lydiann and her children were not
at home at the time.

Lydiann returned home and found John mortally wounded. He lived long enough to
tell her who had done the deed and died.

When Benjamin (Frank) and Thomas Renfroe returned home their mother, Lydiann,
told them what had happened. One story claims Ben (Frank) and Thomas loaded the
family into a wagon and sent them on to Texas. Ben (Frank) and Thomas then took
their rifles and went to the Scott farm. On the way they saw the ex-slave plowing a
field and killed him. They continued on to the Scott farm where they found the Scott
men on their house roof making repairs. They shot them all off the roof one at a time.

Thus began the “outlaw” life for the RENFRO boys.

Benjamin (Frank) and Thomas allegedly made a pact at that time. They decided that
if either of them was ever caught for the murders he would blame the other one for the
crimes. They then went to Texas. Thomas was later caught in Texas and returned to
Mississippi where he was tried and found not guilty. Benjamin (Frank) ran from the
law until his death in 1909, spending much of his time in the bad lands of New Mexico.

As mentioned earlier there are several versions of the various events described above.
One is that the Renfroes all came to Texas shortly after the death of John J. Renfroe.
However, Thomas and his brother Levi always held a grudge against those responsible

for their father’s death. After moving to Texas Thomas and his younger brother, Levi,
(not Benjamin Frank) returned to Mississippi and killed the Scotts and the ex-slave.
They then returned to San Saba County, Texas and always kept their horses saddled
in the front yard twenty four hours a day. This version causes some problems because
it was well known that Frank (Benjamin Franklin) spent his entire adult life running
from authorities.

BROTHERS & SISTERS OF JOHN ELON FOY 10