William H. Booher ¹

   Other names for William were Wild Bill Booher and William H. Booker.^{2 3}

  General Notes:

!SOURCES:
1. Harold G. Keisling, Cookeville, TN
2. Booher, Allen G. sr. MY OFTEN MISPELLED NAME IS BOOHER
3. 1840 Sullivan Co. TN census [see father]
4. 1850 Overton Co. TN census [see father]
5. 1860 Overton Co. TN cenus
6. 1870 Overton Co. TN census
7. Helen Wood, Plano TX - packet received Oct. 1999
8. Ferguson, Jack. EARLY TIMES IN CLINTON COUNTY
9. 1900 Overton Co. TN census

!BIRTH: Source-7 for date and state

!MARRIAGE: Source-7 for name and date

!DEATH: Source-7 for date and place

!BURIAL: Source-7 for place

!ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Source-7 William H. "Wild Bill" Booher entered the Union Army in December, 1861, actually reporting for duty "mustered in" in January, 1862, Company H, 3rd KY Infantry. He was discharged in January, 1865. He fought in the Battle of Nashville, The Battle of Stones River, in various battles around Chattanooga, Chicamauga and in battles from Chattanooga to Atlanta. He was wounded on 14 May, 1864. He had a brother killed at Stones River and his father was captured in the Battle of Nashville. He entered service as a Private and he left service as a Private.

After the Civil War, " Wild Bill" always wore a pistol on his side. He was afraid that other men would kill him. Even when plowing in the fields or chopping corn he wore the gun. It would wear blisters on his side, but he wore it everywhere he went.

In the Bethsaida Community there are some caves, reportedly near theBethsaida Church. " Wild Bill"
would disappear from time to time and it is reported that he was hiding from people who were "out to get him". On one occasion he did not receive advance warning about a group of horsemen coming for him. They were in sight before "Wild Bill" mounted a horse bareback and tried to outrun them. He finally ducked into the woods with them in hot pursuit.They continued the chase up and down hills thru the dense timber. Wild Bill fell off his horse when it jumped over a fallen hollow chestnu ttree. He crawled into the hollow tree and the riders continued to chase his horse for a short distance. Once they came upon the horse they realized that he had dismounted. They searched for him in fact all along the route that they had come to include around the hollow tree, but not in the hollow tree. After several hours they became discouraged and left. As related by the family, the riders were going to kill "Wild Bill".

On another occasion, long after the war, (do not know how many years) a group of about 100 horsemen were coming for "Wild Bill". Peter Booher Jr., the half-brother of "Wild Bill" Booher, came upon these men at the river (probably the East Fork or the Obey). Upon learning of who these riders were looking for Peter Jr. spent over half a day on his knees begging these men for the life of "Wild Bill". He explained that after the war "Wild Bill" had settled down, was a family man and a farmer and that "Wild Bill" had made peace with his neighbors who were once on the other side of the war. He explained how he had lived a decent, peaceful life ever since he came home from the war. After several hours of questions, grilling, threats and the like they appeared to be convinced and let Peter Jr. go. Peter Jr. rode to Bethsaida and told "Wild Bill" about the episode. "Wild Bill" did not believe that these people that had so much hatred for him would have let Peter Jr. live and certainly would not have turned back when they were so close to catching him. He would not believe the story until he went down on the banks of the river and saw where many horses had cut up the ground. He then knew that Peter Jr. had convinced these men to let him be and shortly after this incident he took off his pistol.

"Wild Bill" farmed near Means Creek on Highway 52 about a mile from Alpine, TN. His wife died in 1896 when she was 61 and "Wild Bill" was 63. He lived 6 more years. Modelia Booher Young was the youngest child (15 at the time of her mother's death) and she stayed home and took care of him. He was in a wheelchair at the time of his death. He died at the age of 69.

Someone told me he cut the rubber on his wheelchair tires. [Helen Wood]

Source-8 Vol. I p. 128 Footnote # 148. After the Civil War, Pearson M. Huff, Cornelius Huff, and William Booher were indicted in the Clinton County Circuit Court for the murder of Reuben Hurt on January 24, 1865. The judicial proceedings against them were stopped by an executive order of Governor Bramlette, who viewed the killing as an act of war. [This may have been why the men were looking for Wild Bill]

!CENSUS:
1860 Source-5 p. 46 #266
Booher, William H. 25 farmer /100 TN
Anne 24
Daniel 3
John 2/12

!Note. William has the same household number as his father so he and his family must have been living in Peter's household. He is also listed in Clay Co. TN dist 15 #11.

!1870 Source-6 p. 1 #11-11 Monroe P. O. 15th Civil District
Booher, William H. 35 farmer /100 TN
Ann 34 "
Sarah J. 9 "
Mary R. 3

!1900 Source-9 p. 312 #93-93 11-Dist
Booker, Willliam H. July 1834 65 wd TN TN TN farmer
Modealia Mar 1881 19 " " "

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He has conflicting birth information of 1835 and , , TN. ⁴

2. Census in 1850 in 11th District, Overton, TN. ⁴ Peter Booher, 43, was living with Nancy, 43; Samuel, 17; William, 15; George, 13; Abraham, 8; James, 5; Mary, 11, Hannah, 3; and David, 1. Everyone was born in Tennessee. Peter's real estate was worth $350. Nancy could not read or write.

3. Census in 1860 in 11th District, Overton, TN. ⁵ Peter Booher, farmer, 51, was living with wife Nancy, 53; Mary, 22; Abraham, 18; Hannah, 13; Daniel, 11; and Sarah, 8. All were born in Tennessee. Peter's real estate was worth $2,500 and personal estate $1,500.

Next door is William H. Booher, farmer, 25; wife Anne, 24; Daniel, 3, and John, 2 months when the census was recorded on 11 Jun 1860. All were born in Tennessee. William had no real estate value, and his personal estate was worth $100.

4. Census in 1870 in Monroe, Overton, TN. ³ William H. Booker, farmer, 35, was living with wife Ann, 34; Sarah J., 9; and Mary R., 3. Everyone was born in Tennessee. The post office was Monroe.

5. Census in 1900 in 11th District, Overton, TN. ² William H. Booker, 65, born Jul 1834, widowed, was living with daughter Modealia, 19, Mar 1881, single. Everyone and their parents were born in Tennessee. None had an occupation.

On the next census page, Sherman A. Booker, farmer, 29, Dec 1870, was married for 3 years to Martha E., 23, May 1877. She had birthed 2 children: William D., 2, Dec 1897; Dortha M., 1, Mar 1899. Everyone and their parents were born in Tennessee.

William married Anna Tharp on 26 Apr 1857. (Anna Tharp was born on 29 Dec 1835 in , , TN,^{3 5} died on 13 Oct 1896 in , Overton, TN and was buried in Monroe: Bethsaida Cemetery, Overton, TN.)