The Slicker War of Benton County Missouri
The annals of American frontier history are replete with tales of personal vendettas, escalating conflicts, and vigilante justice. Among these turbulent narratives, the "Slicker War" of Benton County, Missouri, stands out as a particularly vivid example of how a family feud could engulf entire communities in a spiral of violence and retribution. Occurring in the 1840s, this conflict, reminiscent of the infamous Hatfield-McCoy saga, pitted the Turk and Jones families against each other, drawing in neighbors and ultimately requiring the intervention of state authorities.
The roots of this bitter dispute can be traced to the migration patterns of the early 19th century, as families sought new opportunities and land in the burgeoning American West. Around 1839, Colonel Hiram Turk, accompanied by his three sons, relocated from Tennessee to an area south of Warsaw, Missouri, near a strategic location known as Judy’s Gap (present-day Quincy). Situated along the Butterfield Trail, the Turks established a store and saloon, quickly becoming known for their business acumen and willingness to stand their ground. Contemporaneously, the Jones family, hailing from Kentucky, settled along the Pomme de Terre River. In contrast to the Turks’ mercantile pursuits, the Joneses gained a reputation for gambling, horse racing, and alleged counterfeiting activities.
The initial spark that ignited the Slicker War of Benton County Missouri occurred on Election Day in 1840. Turk’s store served as a polling place, and a disagreement arose between Andy Jones and Jim Turk, one of Hiram’s sons. The argument escalated into a physical altercation, with Hiram Turk and another son, Tom, reportedly brandishing a knife. Although no serious injuries were sustained, the Turks were charged with assault and inciting a riot, setting the stage for further animosity.
A neighbor named Abraham Nowell witnessed the entire event. However, when the Turks were due to appear before a judge, Jim Turk allegedly threatened Nowell with a firearm to dissuade him from testifying. A violent confrontation ensued, resulting in Jim Turk’s death and Nowell’s subsequent disappearance. This incident further inflamed tensions between the families and their respective allies.
Adding another layer of complexity to the feud, James Morton, a relative of Andy Jones, resided in the area. Morton was a fugitive from Alabama, and the Turk family seized an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the law by helping a bounty hunter apprehend him. They abducted Morton and delivered him to the bounty hunter, who returned him to Alabama. However, Morton was later acquitted and returned to Missouri, adding further fuel to the fire. Hiram Turk was charged with kidnapping but the charges were later dropped.
The Jones family, along with Morton and their associates, felt aggrieved and sought revenge against the Turks. On July 17, 1841, Andy Jones ambushed and killed Hiram Turk as he returned home from the post office. Despite being charged with murder, Jones was acquitted, a verdict that intensified the already volatile situation. The death of the elder Turk and Jones’s acquittal marked a turning point, transforming a family dispute into a full-blown conflict known as the Slicker War of Benton County Missouri.
In the wake of Hiram Turk’s death, his sons took matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante group to rid the area of what they perceived as undesirable elements, including thieves, counterfeiters, and murderers, with the Joneses squarely in their sights. This declaration of war led residents of Benton and Polk Counties (later, Hickory County was formed from parts of both) to align themselves with either the Turk or Jones faction, further dividing the community.
The Turk "posse" began conducting unwelcome visits to those suspected of supporting the Joneses. Their methods were brutal: victims were often tied to trees and whipped with hickory switches, a practice known as "slicking," which ultimately gave the conflict its name, The Slicker War of Benton County Missouri. The severity of these whippings resulted in the deaths of some victims. In response, the Jones faction retaliated with acts of violence of their own, perpetuating a cycle of revenge and frontier justice that spread throughout the Missouri Ozarks.
In April 1842, Abraham Nowell unwisely returned to Benton County. He was promptly arrested for Jim Turk’s murder but was subsequently acquitted. Unsatisfied with this outcome, the Turk faction assassinated Nowell in October. The vigilantes then targeted Andy Jones, mistakenly attacking and nearly killing an innocent farmer named Samuel Yates.
Amidst the escalating violence, Benton County’s Justice of the Peace, DeWitt Ballou, attempted to restore order, but his efforts proved largely ineffective. Commanding a military-like force, he sought to re-establish law and order, but the situation deteriorated to the point where the Missouri Governor was called upon to intervene.
The Governor’s intervention became imperative as the Slicker War of Benton County Missouri spiraled out of control. Eventually, the state militia was deployed to quell the violence in Benton County. In the aftermath, 38 Turk men were charged with the near-fatal assault on Samuel Yates, but the case never went to trial.
The conflict continued to claim lives. Tom Turk was killed by a member of his own posse. Andy Jones fled to Texas, where he was pursued by Nathan Turk. When Jones was arrested for horse theft, Nathan testified against him, leading to Jones’s conviction and execution. Subsequently, Nathan Turk himself was killed in a Louisiana gunfight. Mrs. Turk, with her remaining son, returned to Tennessee. The remaining members of the Jones clan also left the area. Although the family feud had finally subsided, vigilante violence continued to plague the region for more than a decade.
It is important to note that Benton and Polk Counties were not the only areas in Missouri to experience a "Slicker War." From 1843 to 1845, Lincoln County in the eastern part of the state also witnessed vigilante-motivated chaos, as residents sought to combat horse thieves and counterfeiters.
In Lincoln County, the vigilantes were more organized, electing a "captain" and establishing a constitution and by-laws. The group included influential members of the community. Those found guilty by the vigilantes were either "slicked," ordered to leave the county, or both. Refusal to comply with these demands often resulted in death threats. Over the three years of the conflict, several men were killed or wounded. However, once the vigilante group believed it had achieved its objectives and suppressed or expelled the undesirable elements, it disbanded.
Similar "Slicker" organizations operated in St. Charles and McDonald Counties in Missouri, as well as in other areas throughout the state. While most began with the intention of punishing outlaws, in some instances, criminals infiltrated these groups, manipulating them for their own purposes. This often led to the formation of opposing groups known as "Anti-Slickers." Across the state, numerous men were killed and wounded in various "Slicker Wars."
The Slicker War of Benton County Missouri serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by early settlers in establishing law and order in the American West. The feud between the Turk and Jones families, fueled by personal animosity and a breakdown of legal authority, exemplifies the dangers of vigilante justice and the enduring legacy of frontier violence.