Known throughout Texas as a formidable figure who defied convention, Sally Skull carved out her own legend in the untamed American West. This fearless frontier woman was notorious for her sharp shooting, expert horsemanship, and fiery temperament, becoming a legend in her own time. To encounter Sally Skull was to meet a force of nature, a woman who lived by her own rules and left an indelible mark on Texas history.
Early Life and Formative Years of a Frontier Legend
Born Sarah Jane Newman around 1817 or 1818 in Pennsylvania, Sally’s lineage was deeply rooted in Texas’s pioneering spirit. Her grandfather, William Rabb, was one of Stephen F. Austin’s original ‘Old Three Hundred’ colonists, receiving land in Fayette County where the family had to master survival in hostile Comanche territory. Sally inherited an unyielding spirit from her mother, Rachael Newman, whose audacious defense of their cabin against Native American attackers, including chopping off toes and setting fire to a feather pillow in the chimney, instilled a powerful example of courage and ingenuity. Sally herself, even as a young girl, displayed remarkable bravery, once confronting a timid neighbor with the words, “If you were one man, you would fight them! Give me that gun!”, when Indians approached. The Newmans eventually relocated to the safer environs of Egypt, Texas.
Marriages and Marital Strife: The Husbands of Sally Skull
Sally Skull was famous for her succession of five husbands, each experiencing her formidable will. She married her first husband, Jesse Robinson, a Revolutionary War veteran’s son and a Battle of San Jacinto participant, in 1836 when she was just 16. Jesse had been her hero, rescuing her family from an Indian attack. They had two children, Nancy and Alfred, the latter becoming a Texas Ranger. However, Jesse divorced Sally in 1843, citing her as a “great scold, a termagant, and an adulterer.” Sally countersued, accusing him of ruthless treatment and demanding her dowry. This contentious split led her to begin life as an independent horse trader, leaving Jesse to raise their children, though she later kidnapped both from convents where Jesse had placed them.
Later in 1843, Sally married George H. Scull, a mild-mannered gunsmith. The couple eventually fled Texas for New Orleans amid ongoing custody battles with Jesse, where Sally placed her children in a convent. George Scull disappeared around 1849, with Sally tersely stating, “He’s dead.” While some speculated she killed him, records from northeast Texas suggested his possible survival in 1853, adding to the mystery.
Around 1852, Sally, who by then had adopted the surname Skull, purchased a 150-acre ranch in Banquete, Nueces County, and married John Doyle. Doyle aided her in establishing Banquete as a thriving trade and ranching hub. Like Scull, Doyle also vanished, leading to several colorful theories about his demise: from an attempted ambush by Doyle that backfired, to a drunken pistol shot by Sally after he doused her with cold water, or even Sally drowning him in a whiskey barrel. A fourth theory involved Doyle drowning in a swollen river while trying to save their oxen, with Sally reportedly valuing her livestock over her husband. These varied accounts underscore her fearsome reputation.
Her fourth marriage, in 1855, was to Isaiah Wadkins, but it lasted only five months. Sally divorced him on grounds of cruelty and adultery, claiming he beat and dragged her nearly 200 yards and was living with another woman. Her final husband, known only as ‘Mr. Williams,’ eventually disappeared during the Civil War, reportedly fleeing to avoid a similar fate to his predecessors.
A Texas Amazon’s Notorious Reputation and Skills
Sally Skull was an extraordinary figure in a male-dominated world, equally skilled with a pistol in either hand and a rifle. She carried a black leather-handled whip, capable of inflicting severe punishment. Colonel John S. “Rip” Ford, a legendary Texas Ranger, documented an incident in 1852 where Sally shot a man in self-defense, noting her reputation as a “rough fighter” whom “prudent men did not willingly provoke.” Her ruthlessness was legendary; she once forced a man to “dance” by shooting at his feet and another time threatened a debtor by brandishing an ax, promising to chop the wheels off his wagons. European tourists observed her in the mid-1850s, describing her as a “North American amazon, a perfect female desperado,” adept with revolvers and bowie knives, participating in fandangos, and fearlessly driving wild horses and ox-wagons through dangerous territories.
Horse Trading and the Shadow of Horse Theft
Sally’s primary livelihood came from horse trading, a profession typically reserved for men. She undertook perilous journeys alone into Mexico, carrying large sums of gold to purchase herds of wild mustangs, which she often sold in New Orleans. Despite her success, whispers of horse theft often followed her. Some neighbors suspected she used friendly visits to scout ranches, with her vaqueros later cutting fences and stealing horses, often blaming Native Americans for the deeds. There were even claims she had Comanche bands on her payroll. Her registered brand was ‘J N’ (her father’s initials) in a swallowfork and underslope ear mark, indicating her inherited stock, though some sources mention a ‘Circle S’ brand and imply she was not above altering brands.
The Civil War and The Cotton Road
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Sally Skull saw an opportunity for immense profit. She became a vital transporter on ‘The Cotton Road,’ the treacherous route from Matamoros, Mexico, to Alleyton, Texas, where the Houston railroad line ended. This route facilitated the lucrative trade of Texas cotton to European manufacturers, and in return, brought arms and military supplies to the Confederacy. Banquete, her ranch’s location, served as a crucial midway point. During her freighting expeditions with her teamsters, Sally favored practical attire: buckskin shirts, jackets, and chibarros (rawhide or cotton bloomers tied at the ankles), sometimes in bright red flannel during winter. She always kept her two French pistols hidden in her skirt when not openly displaying her holstered six-shooters, a testament to her constant readiness and unconventional style.
Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Sally Skull
The exact circumstances of Sally Skull‘s death remain as shrouded in mystery as much of her life. Some accounts suggest she died in 1869 or 1870, potentially at the hands of one of her former vaqueros during a heated argument over a horse trade, or in a shootout near Corpus Christi. Another popular legend places her death in 1872 at the hands of a bandit named ‘Negro Horse’ (or Negro Joe) near La Salle County, Texas, who ambushed and killed her for her gold. Regardless of the precise details, her passing marked the end of an era for one of Texas’s most legendary and colorful figures. Sally Skull was more than just a woman of the frontier; she was an embodiment of its wild, untamed spirit. Her story, filled with daring feats, personal dramas, and an unwavering defiance of societal norms, continues to captivate, ensuring her place as the quintessential Texas Amazon, a woman whose legend echoes through the annals of the Old West.
