Train and Bank Robber. The "Lieutenant" of the Sam Bass Gang. Called "Seab" or "Nubbin's Colt", he was born in Cass County, Texas. His father died when Seaborn was an infant and his widowed mother took her 5 children to Handley, near Fort Worth, to raise them near her relatives. He worked as a cowboy in his early teens. He was considered illiterate as he never went to school and could not hold his liquor, becoming involved in many barroom fights. He served a year in jail when he was 17 over a shooting, and was arrested again in 1874 in Callahan County, but escaped. He joined the Sam Bass Gang in early 1878 and helped rob trains in April and June of that year. His career as a criminal ended in September, when a new member of the gang informed the Texas Rangers that the gang intended to rob the bank at Round Rock, Texas. Barnes was killed instantly after being shot in the head as he was leaving Koppell's Store next to the Miller's Exchange Bank. His body was identified by the numerous scars from wounds suffered in a previous train robbery in Mesquite, Texas, where he was shot four times in the legs. He is buried next to Sam Bass in the Round Rock Cemetery. His tombstone inscription says "He was right bower to Sam Bass." "Right bower" means sea anchor.
Train and Bank Robber. The "Lieutenant" of the Sam Bass Gang. Called "Seab" or "Nubbin's Colt", he was born in Cass County, Texas. His father died when Seaborn was an infant and his widowed mother took her 5 children to Handley, near Fort Worth, to raise them near her relatives. He worked as a cowboy in his early teens. He was considered illiterate as he never went to school and could not hold his liquor, becoming involved in many barroom fights. He served a year in jail when he was 17 over a shooting, and was arrested again in 1874 in Callahan County, but escaped. He joined the Sam Bass Gang in early 1878 and helped rob trains in April and June of that year. His career as a criminal ended in September, when a new member of the gang informed the Texas Rangers that the gang intended to rob the bank at Round Rock, Texas. Barnes was killed instantly after being shot in the head as he was leaving Koppell's Store next to the Miller's Exchange Bank. His body was identified by the numerous scars from wounds suffered in a previous train robbery in Mesquite, Texas, where he was shot four times in the legs. He is buried next to Sam Bass in the Round Rock Cemetery. His tombstone inscription says "He was right bower to Sam Bass." "Right bower" means sea anchor.
Bio by: H M G
Inscription
Here lies Seaborn Barnes, a member of the Sam Bass Gang, born in Cass County, Texas in 1849. He was known as “Seab” or “Nubbins Colt”.
On Friday July 19, 1878 at 4:15 P.M. he was shot through the head as he fled Fred Koppells store located next to Millers Exchange Bank on Main Street, Round Rock; following the killing of Deputy A. W. Grimes, & the wounding of Deputy Maurice Moore, the fatal shot was fired by Texas Ranger Richard C. Ware.
“He was right bower to Sam Bass.”
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