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Rube Burrow

Updated Mar 10, 2025
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Rube Burrow
A photo of Reuben Houston Burrow, a well-known train robber in the U.S. South and Southwest. Like Butch Cassidy and his gang, he was hunted by the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

He was captured in 1890 and shot while trying to escape. His body was viewed by thousands while on his way to be buried.
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130 years ago, law and order was a bit different - as were sensibilities. This notorious train robber was shot "while trying to escape" - and displayed to thousands while being transported for burial. Souvenirs - such as buttons off his jacket, his boots, and locks of his hair were taken.
Photo of Sonya Lujan Sonya Lujan
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01/21/2020
😝..Gross
Photo of Lilly Watson Lilly Watson
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01/21/2020
So young.
Photo of Lena Gargano-Reddy Lena Gargano-Reddy
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01/21/2020
Ancient faces can you come up with some happy history stories as your page is becoming a bit to morbid these days
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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01/21/2020
Sure! Just look at the past few days - and more will be coming! ;)
Photo of Lena Gargano-Reddy Lena Gargano-Reddy
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01/21/2020
AncientFaces ok I will
Photo of Nancy Thompson Nancy Thompson
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01/21/2020
Hope his family found him through this.
I've not noticed any more morbid stories than usual.

I like history. All sides of it is, I think, important to know in order to help keep the present day in perspective. Sometimes people go on about how much better, nicer, prettier, and so on things were in the "old days." I'm 71, and my parents were born in 1902 and 1908. Things were NOT better in their day or in my younger days.
Photo of Jennifer Guerra Jennifer Guerra
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01/21/2020
Morbid is in
Photo of Lena Gargano-Reddy Lena Gargano-Reddy
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01/21/2020
Jennifer Guerra hey Jennifer my sister in is a Guerra but we are from Australia πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ί
Photo of Leah M Howard Leah M Howard
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01/21/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy history is morbid, so is the present
Photo of Nina Klokset Nina Klokset
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01/21/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy Agree.. sure this is history too, but.. well, too much of the sad and morbid stuff...
Photo of Tabitha Bryson Tabitha Bryson
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01/21/2020
The Morbid the Merrier πŸ˜‰
Photo of Lena Gargano-Reddy Lena Gargano-Reddy
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01/21/2020
Tabitha Bryson πŸ˜‚
Photo of Julie Sears Julie Sears
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01/21/2020
They’re keeping it real LOL. These things happened and education is important
Photo of Amy Gilmore Amy Gilmore
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01/21/2020
Fun note about old photography- death photos were more common than living photos, because they were extremely expensive and people usually only got a death photo in their lifetime. Photography only became a celebration of living when the price dropped dramatically in the 50s/60s, but still wasnt particularly common until the digital age made it everyday
Photo of Anthony Finch Anthony Finch
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01/21/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy I find it quite heartwarming.
Photo of Maureen Freeson Maureen Freeson
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01/21/2020
They were tough old days, and folks had to be tough, I am 83yrs , and back then people struggled to just survive.My forebears did that on N.Z. s West Coast, mining and producing children.I feel myself , the good days here in N.Z. were mid 50s to 80s we could capitlise on our child benefit 10shillings a week ,get a lump sum , and have our first home.It was a blessing to many families.That was a Labour Govt, started that,mid 80s the rot set in, as I see it.The Greedy,s took over just about every aspect of our lives. and as I see it, most things have gone down hill since then.Just my view, Mo.
Photo of Laura Sue Wood-Day Laura Sue Wood-Day
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01/21/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy I think ALL history is interesting
Photo of JJ Wilson JJ Wilson
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01/21/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy leave the page or don’t look
Photo of Judith McNutt Judith McNutt
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01/21/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy I like all the post...
Photo of Pam Reed Chainey Pam Reed Chainey
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01/21/2020
Amy Gilmore Sometimes these photos are the only picture of the deceased! History for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Photo of K Michael Willet K Michael Willet
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01/21/2020
AncientFaces History has been morbid. Don't sugarcoat it for the rest of us. This is fascinating.
Photo of Terry Morris Terry Morris
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01/21/2020
Photo of Donna Appleby Donna Appleby
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01/22/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy life is brutal! Get a sense of perspective
Photo of Porsha Williams Porsha Williams
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01/22/2020
PLEASE keep it AS-IS! πŸ‘πŸ˜‰ Most interesting page I've come across so far!!! πŸ‘ ⭐ πŸ˜‰ ⭐ πŸ’–
Photo of Porsha Williams Porsha Williams
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01/22/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy Boo! Hiss!
Photo of Rob Mcdowell Rob Mcdowell
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01/22/2020
Ree Young I suppose better depends on what the subject is being talked about.
Photo of Kathleen Fitzgerald Kathleen Fitzgerald
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01/22/2020
Lena Gargano-Reddy not too happy 😊
Photo of Kimberly Kennelly Kimberly Kennelly
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01/21/2020
Time to bring back public executions and displays like this. Maybe it would deter crime...
Photo of Vickie Duke Allen Vickie Duke Allen
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01/21/2020
Death displays were a pretty morbid practice. 😟
To us and in our society, but not to all societies or in all time periods.
Photo of Ed Mazzola Ed Mazzola
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01/21/2020
Vickie Duke Allen but f****** cool. I support the death penalty today, expedited, and on Pay Per View. I would totally pay to see some of the US 3400 death row inmates put down. No rehabilitation for these losers and no use for them. Death Row should be a "row" of electric bleachers. Bzzzzz...zzzzz...zzz-zzzzzzz... mutha f-er!
Photo of Lynn Harbach Lynn Harbach
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01/21/2020
they took buttons and not his guns?
Photo of Sukhpreet Singh Sukhpreet Singh
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01/22/2020
Buttons taken as trophy n those days, nobody take guns from dead, they had dignity. Nowadays it's opposite, kill n loot.
Photo of Vicki Silverfeather Vicki Silverfeather
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01/21/2020
Interesting deterrent tactic.
Photo of Carole Christman Beseler Carole Christman Beseler
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01/21/2020
During the Victorian era pictures were taken of loved ones who had died to remember them by. Family members posed with the dead.
Photo of Alesia Lachenauer Alesia Lachenauer
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01/21/2020
How grim
Photo of Kevin Spooner Kevin Spooner
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01/21/2020
For what you did to Ned little Bill
Photo of Seanski Bennett Seanski Bennett
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01/21/2020
Kevin Spooner very good movie...
Photo of Alesia Lachenauer Alesia Lachenauer
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01/21/2020
FYI they still make mitred corner coffins still popular in Europe and Australia unlike here in US with the narrow rectangular coffins πŸ˜•πŸ˜’
Photo of Doug Spooner Doug Spooner
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01/21/2020
Very sensible to shoot at fleeing violent criminals. Though the law seems to want to protect them nowadays
Photo of Kayla Noelle Kayla Noelle
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01/21/2020
Michaela Roden
Photo of Michaela Roden Michaela Roden
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01/21/2020
Kayla Noelle I just shared it. 🀣
Photo of Jill Pitcher Jill Pitcher
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01/21/2020
I like morbid...nice change from politics....Oh wait- never mindπŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚
Photo of Anne Ostrem Ray Anne Ostrem Ray
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01/21/2020
Could they not at least have closed his eyes. Good Grief!
Photo of Doris Krueger Buchmann Doris Krueger Buchmann
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01/21/2020
Anne Ostrem Ray These were tougher times, realistic times.....
Anne Ostrem Ray no Super Glue back then.
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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01/21/2020
So, I enlarged the original as best I could. STILL can't say definitively that his eyes were open?!
Photo of Anne Ostrem Ray Anne Ostrem Ray
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01/21/2020
AncientFaces I looked again either a magnifying glass and you are right.
Photo of Seanski Bennett Seanski Bennett
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01/21/2020
Who was he?
Photo of AncientFaces AncientFaces
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01/21/2020
A train robber in the South/Southwest. As famous as Butch Cassidy in his day.
Photo of Seanski Bennett Seanski Bennett
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01/21/2020
AncientFaces ok but what's his name? Doesn't seem as famous if nobody knows his name...
Photo of Janet Strief Janet Strief
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01/21/2020
No worse than families taking family photos with the dead family member.
Photo of Karen Riner Karen Riner
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01/21/2020
😞😞 He was somebody's baby, cuddly - little boy, at one time and someone loved him...I don't think our species has ever had much "humanity" - just look at the way we treat animals - but in some centuries - we have had a little more class and sensibilities. Not this century - but, in the past - in certain places. Don't get me wrong - I support the death penalty in all violent cases no matter the AGE of the Perp. I do believe there are in fact, "Rabid Dogs" in human beings - but gloating, holier than thou, money grubbers do offend me - mostly because I get sick and tired of appologizing for the IDIOTS !!
Photo of Michael Stohlin Michael Stohlin
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01/21/2020
Karen Riner was thinking that too. Somewhere along with, the mundane- ness of that RxR crosswalk underneath him.
It was a day like today. No different.
Same sky, same moon.
In the whole scheme of things this moment was but a millisecond ago.
If we all could only just get along.
Photo of Gina Estrada Nevarez Gina Estrada Nevarez
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01/21/2020
There had to be β€˜witnesses’ of his death, in order for people to know that he was no longer a threat....I could imagine. Kind of like a news event, but with no tv, so they would show the deceased outlaw to as many people.
Photo of Valerie Ruebusch Minnis Valerie Ruebusch Minnis
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01/21/2020
I think it was also to act as a deterrent like when people were hung in trees and left to serve as a warning.
Photo of Gina Estrada Nevarez Gina Estrada Nevarez
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01/21/2020
Valerie Ruebusch Minnis wild west, yes that too.
Photo of Ronald Everett Richardson Sr. Ronald Everett Richardson Sr.
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01/21/2020
It don’t bother me. Morbidity is a part of life. This place ain’t Heaven!πŸ˜‡
Photo of Juin Cool Juin Cool
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01/21/2020
I love this page keep it upπŸ‘
Photo of Bryan Neeley Bryan Neeley
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01/21/2020
Buh bye bad guy.
Photo of Gisele Smith Gisele Smith
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01/21/2020
Wow
Photo of Kayley Engel Kayley Engel
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01/21/2020
Always wonder how these individuals grew up. What their life story was, how they fell into the life they did.
Photo of Todd Shields Todd Shields
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01/21/2020
Kayley Engel watch a movie called "The Spikes Gang" and "Young Guns" both are a good representation.
Photo of Sukhpreet Singh Sukhpreet Singh
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01/22/2020
Mostly not having supportive family n falling in trap, to bad company.
Photo of Ronita Glath Ronita Glath
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01/21/2020
Not much crime in those days. I can see why. Not like today.
Photo of Scarlet DeJonge Scarlet DeJonge
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01/21/2020
Sadistic.
Photo of Gina Kingsbury Gina Kingsbury
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01/21/2020
Who wanted a lock of some dead criminal's hair? No wonder PT Barnum flourished.
Photo of Victoria Hatch Victoria Hatch
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01/22/2020
Gina Kingsbury they ripped flesh from people or dipped their hankies in their blood too.
Photo of Sara Pardo Sara Pardo
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01/21/2020
Kinda morbid lol
Photo of Pat Hatley Pat Hatley
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01/21/2020
Photos of the dead had two basic purposes back in those days. One was to verify that a criminal was actually dead. The second one is a reminder of what their loved ones looked like. Especially children. Not uncommon to photograph a dead child for memory’s sake.
Photo of Michaela Roden Michaela Roden
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01/21/2020
Pat Hatley memento mori photos fascinate me like no other!
Photo of Julie Maltais Julie Maltais
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01/21/2020
Pat Hatley how come they were able to verify if a criminal was dead by taking a picture?
Photo of Brenda Lichty-Steedley Brenda Lichty-Steedley
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01/21/2020
Pat Hatley, and perhaps as deterrents to criminals of that time period.
Photo of Alana Lee Alana Lee
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01/21/2020
Well, if you don't want to die and your body be displayed, don't do crime... Even thousands of years ago and in other countries, it was common for criminals' bodies to be displayed publicly as a warning to other potential criminals. Some hangings even stayed up until the buzzards had eaten all their flesh. Not exactly sanitary, but I'm sure it did cut down on crime rates. They lost their right to respect when they decided to be a criminal. But these days, there is such sympathy given to criminals, especially in the media. The brains required to be a good criminal, imagine what else they could do if they lived their lives for good. Be a decent human, live a respectable life and be a responsible citizen... That's not hard.
Photo of Tammy Mullins Tammy Mullins
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01/21/2020
And they buried him with his firearms?????? There's a waste, someone could have used them! 😁
Photo of Melissa Lowman Melissa Lowman
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01/21/2020
Probably sold those off after the picture too.
Photo of K Michael Willet K Michael Willet
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01/21/2020
Best place FOR it.
Photo of Linda Cucullu Newell Linda Cucullu Newell
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01/21/2020
I was wondering about that.
Photo of Todd Shields Todd Shields
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01/21/2020
They would have been sold or traded to cover burial most of the time.
Photo of Sukhpreet Singh Sukhpreet Singh
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01/22/2020
That's the difference between time periods, we are born too. We think this way n those days, it was different.
Photo of Haroldo Pereira Da Silva Porto JΓΊnior Haroldo Pereira Da Silva Porto JΓΊnior
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01/21/2020
JoΓ£o Gabriel Tardin de Moraes kkkk
Photo of Jill Nix Jill Nix
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01/21/2020
we should do that now! would deter alot of our criminals, theres nothing stopping them now. limp a** judges.
Photo of Yvonne Kelly Yvonne Kelly
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01/21/2020
I like ancient faces just the way they are keep them coming!!!
Photo of Frank Hopkinson Frank Hopkinson
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01/21/2020
Didn't fckn say who it is fck wits
Photo of Kimberly Stephanie Anzalone Kimberly Stephanie Anzalone
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01/21/2020
Sad
Photo of Gail Boyer Williams-Swetman Gail Boyer Williams-Swetman
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01/21/2020
It is as it was !
Photo of Brenda Lichty-Steedley Brenda Lichty-Steedley
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01/21/2020
Who was he?
Photo of David Budrus David Budrus
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01/21/2020
Photo of Breanne Bennett Breanne Bennett
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01/21/2020
Macabre. But neat.
Photo of Messer Schmitt Messer Schmitt
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01/21/2020
R.I.P.
Photo of Sukhpreet Singh Sukhpreet Singh
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01/22/2020
May God bless him. Man you are getting your due, obituary comments coming n discussing about you. Wonder, how same way, people have been reacting,seeing you than.
Photo of Michelle Christian Michelle Christian
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01/22/2020
Lets do this with child molesters and rapists.
Photo of Bob Gaines Bob Gaines
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01/22/2020
Proof that crime doesn't pay (unless you are in politics!)
Photo of Charmaine Langley Charmaine Langley
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01/22/2020
time to bring that justice back so we have a deterrent in place lol
Photo of Patrick Winters Patrick Winters
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01/22/2020
History is morbid. I like it.. bring it!
Photo of Kathy Honeycutt Kathy Honeycutt
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01/22/2020
Rube Burrow from the red clay hills of north Alabama.
Photo of Hexa Dev Hexa Dev
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01/22/2020
I love this. How he is squeezed into his coffin and the shape of it. No internet back then so displaying the body would have let everyone know that the crook was caught and delt with. Different times
Photo of Victoria Hatch Victoria Hatch
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01/22/2020
Sounds like he was an awful man and it was better him being there in that box than to be killing innocent people because he wouldnt sign for a package.
Photo of Patrick K Wickersham Patrick K Wickersham
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01/22/2020
They'd keep the guns, for burying expenses.
Photo of Renee Bartlett Renee Bartlett
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01/22/2020
Riga-mortis comes in handy with holding his guns. Bet he wishes he could have been cremated. 🀣🀣
Photo of Jax  Annetts Jax Annetts
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01/23/2020
Love these posts, no sugar coating thanks 😊
Photo of Ginny Miller Gorman Ginny Miller Gorman
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01/24/2020
Marie Very interesting and sad story. Thanks for sharing it.
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Reuben Houston Burrow
Reuben Houston Burrow was born on December 11, 1854 at Alabama, and died at age 35 years old on October 9, 1890 at Alabama. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Reuben Houston Burrow.
Age in photo:
35
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I'm a Founder of AncientFaces and support the community answering questions & helping members make connections to the past (thus my official title of Founder & Content and Community Support ). For me, it's been a labor of love for over 20 years. I truly believe with all of my heart that everyone should be remembered for generations to come. I am 2nd generation San Jose and have seen a lot of changes in the area while growing up. We used to be known as the "Valley of Heart's Delight" (because the Valley was covered with orchards and there were many canneries to process the food grown here, which shipped all over the US) - now we have adopted the nickname "Capital of Silicon Valley" and Apple, Ebay, Adobe, Netflix, Facebook, and many more tech companies are within a few miles of my current home in San Jose (including AncientFaces). From a small town of 25,000, we have grown to 1 million plus. And when you add in all of the communities surrounding us (for instance, Saratoga, where I attended high school, living a block from our previous Mayor), we are truly one of the big cities in the US. I am so very proud of my hometown. For more information see Kathy - Founder & Content and Community Director
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