The Enigmatic Legacy of Fox Winne: From Civil War Hero to the Namesake of Winnie, Texas
Fox Winne’s life is a captivating saga of valor, ambition, and a curious twist of spelling that left an indelible mark on two states. A Civil War veteran and visionary entrepreneur, Winne’s journey culminated in the founding of Winnie, Texas—a town bearing his name, yet spelled with an intriguing discrepancy that continues to puzzle historians.
Born in 1843 in Minden, New York, Fox Winne arrived in Kansas in 1855 at age 12, settling with his parents, Jacob and Magdalena, near Manhattan in Riley County after a stint in Illinois. In April 1863, the 20-year-old enlisted in the 11th Kansas Cavalry, Company G, thrusting himself into the turbulent skirmishes along the Kansas-Missouri border. His unit played a critical role in operations against Quantrill’s raid from August 20-28, 1863, under Colonel Thomas Ewing Jr., and later served as General Samuel Curtis’s bodyguard at Fort Leavenworth. The regiment endured heavy losses—173 men over two years, with 63 killed in battle or from wounds and 110 felled by disease—before mustering out on July 17, 1865.
The war left Winne with chronic health issues, including “Chronic Diarrhea” and “Disease of the Digestive Organs,” contracted at Fort Leavenworth in April 1865. Treated at the post hospital, he never fully recovered, yet his resilience shone through. In the 1890s, with the aid of attorney John C. Johnston, Winne secured a pension from the Department of the Interior, documenting ailments that plagued him for life.
Undaunted, Winne forged a new path in Newton, Kansas. In 1866, he married Mary E. Haulenbeck, and by 1880, the couple, now with three children, had settled in Newton. There, Winne seized opportunity in the mid-1880s building boom, founding the Newton Lumber Company at 113 E. 6th Street between 1876 and 1880. As a lumber dealer, he built a thriving enterprise, later joined by his son-in-law, John B. Olinger, which became a community mainstay, celebrated in city directories and a vibrant 1921 parade float.
Winne’s ambition extended far beyond Kansas. In 1894, the state of Texas opened eastern Chambers County for settlement under a homestead grant, sparking interest from the Santa Fe Railroad. Recognizing Winne’s acumen, the railroad dispatched him as an engineer to evaluate the region’s potential. His expertise proved transformative. In 1895, a new town was surveyed and christened Winnie, Texas, in honor of the Newton contractor and investor whose vision helped shape its founding. This marked the pinnacle of Winne’s legacy—a town bearing his name, destined to grow into a vibrant community.
Yet, herein lies the intrigue: Fox Winne’s surname, consistently spelled “Winne” in historical records—census data, pension files, tombstones, and even his daughter Maud’s marriage certificate—became “Winnie” in the naming of the Texas town. The reason for this alteration remains a tantalizing mystery. Was it a clerical error, a deliberate choice by railroad officials, or a nod to local pronunciation? The discrepancy adds a layer of enigma to Winne’s story, inviting speculation about how a single letter transformed his legacy.
Fox Winne died on July 20, 1927, at age 84, after two years of declining health, survived by his wife, Mary, sons John, Elmer, and Grant, and daughter Maud Winne Olinger. His life—from the battlefields of the Civil War to the entrepreneurial heights of Kansas and Texas—reflects a man undeterred by adversity. The town of Winnie, Texas, stands as a testament to his enduring impact, its name a curious echo of a hero whose story continues to captivate.
Sources:
Winne, Fox File. John C. Johnston Collection of Civil War Pensions, HCHM Archives, Newton, KS.
U.S. Census, 1880.
City Directories for Newton, KS: 1885, 1887, 1902, 1905, 1911, 1913, 1917, HCHM Archives, Newton, KS.
Voters Registration List 1882-1902, HCHM Archives, Newton, KS.
Evening Republican Kansan, 20 July 1927, 10 Dec. 1934.
http://www.civilwaronthewesternborder.org/content/henry-barnes-henry-boothe-fox-winne-and-nd-horton
http://www.pddoc.com/skedaddle/010/0078.htm
U.S. Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865.
U.S. National Park Service, Battle Unit Details – The Civil War at www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm.
Winnie Area Chamber of Commerce – Winnie Early History at winnietexas.com/early-history/
County Markers at uncoveredtexas.com/texas-historical-markers-detail.php?city=Winnie&county.