| Night Rider History | Chain Links | Pics | Blank |
| Blank | Crank Case | Fallen Brothers | Blank |
The New Madrid Earthquake of 1811 submerged some
18,000 acres that formed Reelfoot Lake . The States of North Carolina
and Tennessee had issued land grants covering the Reelfoot Lake area
long before any lake existed .
When the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811 covered the land, owners of these
lands beneath the lake claimed exclusive rights to the waters above.
The specific conflict concerned private versus public control of the
lake.
Serveral factions existed at the time , from Private Land Companies
to the Settlers that felt the lake was free to all that used it to
maintain their livelihood on the lake.
With tempertures rising amoung the factions for control and rights
to the lake , The Night Riders of Reelfoot Lake was formed . Over
a period of several years the factions fought tooth and nail. The
Night Riders upped the ante by using daring and sometimes brutal
tactics.
It has been said The Night Riders did not intend to murder Robert
Z Taylor or Capt. Quentin Rankin who were attorneys for and
shareholders in the land company which controlled the lake .
The Night Riders only intended to bend them to their will. However,
both Taylor and Rankin saw no need to relent.
The night of october 21, 1908 would change forever the shape of
ownership and rights to Reelfoot Lake. The Night Riders having
made their minds up about the outcome of this evening of October
21 wrestled Taylor and Rankin from their beds at a Walnut Log Lodge .
Escorting the two toward the lake ,the Night Riders threw a
rope over a tree branch , placed the rope around Capt.
Quentin Rankin's neck and hung him. Taylor fearing for his
life leaped into the waters to escape. The Nightriders fired
some thirty shots at Taylor in hopes of killing him or intimating
him into not talking.
Taylor escaped through the muddy waters, hiding for a couple days
in the lake hoping the Night Riders wouldn't find him.
Eventually, eight Night Riders were tried for murder and some
300 were indicted on various charges.
The state finally dropped the cases because it could not prosecute
successfully.
Useful Reading:(2)
Night Riders of Reelfoot Lake
by R C Forrester
with
Betty Burdick Wood
Night Riders
of Reelfoot Lake
by Paul J. Vanderwood
These books and many other items through: hillbillyjunction.com
