View source for Hank Wormwood

'''Henry r. "Texas Hank" Wormwood''', ?former mountain man?, scout for Crook (1876), Miles City [[town marshall]].
[[File:HankWormwood.jpg|thumb|right|400px|This is said to be a photo of Hank, but is not yet confirmed.]]

A Hank Wormwood is mentioned in a group of men involved in the Indian fight on Cameron Creek, July 1874. This was near the Loving Ranch in Jack County, Texas. A group of men were involved in a roundup on the opposite side of Cameron Creek from the Loving ranch, when about 30 Commanches chased two cowboys who were bringing in the horses, trying to separate the horses from them. They were able to make camp and a firefight ensued, lasting about half an hour. The Indians formed a line on the ridge, firing their longer range rifles, under the direction of their leader who rode around the line. One the best liked cowboys was hit and killed and then one cowboy was able to hit the Comanche leader, who slumped until the horse reached the end of the line and then fell off. The Indians retreated with their chief and both groups busied themselves with breakfast. The men were: [[Coon Cooper]], [[Ira Cooper]], [[Cal Sanders]], [[Bill Jay]] (wagon boss), [[John Heath]] (killed), [[Jones Keith]], [[Nath Brumlow]], [[Jim Loving]], [[Shad Damaron]], [[Tobe Tipton]], '''Henry Wormwood''', [[Buck Cooper]] (a black child who lived with the Coopers), [[Jim Reagan]], [[Frank Chase]] and Cross-eyed [[Bob Carsen]].

In September 1877 a Battalion of the Second Cavalry had moved out of Tongue River Cantonment to scout the country going towards the Black Hills for a new improved road. At the same time a pack train travel party was coming the other way from Deadwood. Members in the group included several destined for notoriety or fame - including the Reece brothers (Bill & Frank), Ranger Hank Wormwood, Morgan Earp, Fitzsimmons, John McCormick, a few of their gals, and two other men. They arrived at Milestown in early October.

[[11 July 1878]] Wormwood and [[Charley Blackburn]] arrive in [[Bozeman]]. After prospecting some diggings about 150 miles from [[Fort Custer]], they have about $1800 in shot gold from 25-40 cents per pan diggings.

1878 Wormwood is night watchman in Miles City. (Hoopes: As part of his job he posed as a tough.)

1879 he is constable and town marshal. He leads a posse that arrests [[Big Nose George]] about Mar 1879 near [[Buffalo Rapids]].

Feb 1880 he leaves Miles City to become a farmer on the Yellowstone River, but...

About [[May 11 1880]], Hank joined a party of travelers (includes [[John Roberts]]) headed by Granville Stuart, and was hired with $40 to accompany them for the remainder of the journey. Stuart was scouting range land and had covered most of the area between the Bighorn and Tongue Rivers. Now they were heading north for Flatwillow and the Musselshell range. They reached Flatwillow [12 May 1880]] and scouted the area north of there. On [[198 May 1880]] the four "land scouts" rode westward to the divide between McDonald Creek and the Judith Basin. 12 miles beyond they came to the settlement of Red River Metis who had plowed and planted crops. They went through Judith Gap and by [[22 May 1880]] they arrived at Martinsdale, at the forks of the Musselshell. The town had four or five houses, but they found 30 soldiers. Stuart paid his three companions and waited two days for the stage to Helena.

[[27 Jun 1880]] He is deputy sheriff of Custer County. He and Sheriff [[W. H. Bullard]] arrive in Helena, via Fort Benton, transporting two prisoners: [[Joe Harris, indicted for murder of Sherman and Droll; and [[Sam Traster]], convicted horse thief. Traster is going to prison in Deer Lodge and Harris is going to Radersburg to stand trial (change of venue).

C. N. Strevell wrote this about Hank:
:"...Hank Wormwood who posed as being a real tough, with long curls tied at the back of neck with a wide blue ribbon such as girls wore. Hank's principal act was parading up and down the street and loafing in the saloons. I never heard of him being involved in any real trouble -- just posing as a bad man."


[[File:WormwoodProvesHisMettle.jpg|thumb|left|1100px|March-April, 1960 True West magazine.]]