OUTLAW RIDE
by Marlow Resident Mickey Hoy

In southern Oklahoma, along the Chisholm Trail
Lives a story about a family's pride.
For one hundred years or so, the memory still remains,
The fateful legend of an outlaw ride.
Horse stealin' was the charge against George and Alf and Charlie.
While a shoot-out with a lawman followed Boone.
With no way to prove their innocence, they chose life on the run.
Riding 'neath the Oklahoma moon.

Doc Marlow had five ornery sons, and some folks think its true.
That they were on the lawless side.
And sometimes on an autumn night when the air is clear and cool,
I swear I still can hear those outlaws ride.

Marshall Johnson and his deputies surprised them on Hell Creek
And the Marlow brothers could no longer hide.
They put shackles on their ankles and cuffs upon their hands;
Their freedom ended with a wagon ride.
A jail in Graham, Texas would be the brothers home.
Till a circuit judge could decide their fate.
But the wheels of western justice moved too slow for some in town;
For an angry mob determined not to wait.

That very day the plans were made to move the boys away
To a distant jail until they could be tried.
And on January nineteen of eighteen eighty-nine
The captives took another outlaw ride.
At sundown on that winter eve, a wary band of travelers
Left Graham headed out for safer ground.
While at Dry Creek a gang of cowards waited in the silence,
To have their way and gun the brothers down.

As gunfire pierced the darkness, the Marlow boys took cover,
Down behind the wagon's wooden sides.
And with the guns of lawmen who ran from the lynch mob bullets,
Two brothers took their final outlaw ride.

Alf and Ellie Marlow lay dead there in the moonlight,
While George and Charlie forced the mob to flee.
Bound to their murdered brothers by chains around the ankles,
A Bowie knife was there to cut them free.
The price of freedom on that night, paid by the Marlow Brothers
And the courage that was shown against the odds
Drew praise by Judge McCormick as he cleared them from the charges
And passed sentence on the ruthless, angry mob.

Our History

In the early days of Oklahoma, when it was divided into Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory, great numbers of pioneers found their way into this rich grazing land. It was not uncommon for tent cities to spring up overnight, and such was the beginning of Marlow, Oklahoma.

Marlow was located close by the Chisholm Trail over which thousands of cattle were driven. Many men in the area made their living by taking possession of the cattle which strayed from herds passing by this area. This custom was an encouragement for stampeding passing herds in order to scatter the cattle.

In the mid 1880's, Dr. and Mrs. Williamson Marlow came to Indian Territory and settled near the Chisholm Trail about one and one-half miles east of the division between the two territories. They brought with them five of their sons, Alfred, George, Charlie, Lewellyn (Ellie or Ep), Boone, and daughter, Nancy. While in the area the brothers worked for a large cattle outfit, and were unjustly accused of stealing horses by a United States Deputy Marshal. The saga of the family is a colorful, separate tale which has been told in books, song, and film.

The settlement of Marlow Grove, later to become Marlow, Oklahoma, was named for the Williamson Marlow family.

They lived in this section until 1888 when they moved to Young County, Texas. The old cave which served as the original home of the Marlow family was located on the east bank of Wild Horse Creek at the north end of what is now Marlow's beautiful Redbud Park. After leaving this community, the family led quite an illustrious life in and around Young County, Texas, and later in Colorado's Gunnison Mountain area.

In 1892 the railroad brought the first train to the area. There is some dispute whether the exact date was June 27 or July 4th, but the arrival of the first train is considered to be the founding date of Marlow. One of the first enterprises to be established in the fledgling town was loading pens to accommodate the great numbers of cattle still being driven to the location, and also the local cattle industry which had grown considerably. For many years these loading and holding facilities were used to ship thousands of cattle to northern markets. The cattle industry is still a major contributor to the economy of the Marlow area.

On July 14, 1890, Mrs. Mattie Payne was buried in a plot of ground on the East bank of Wild Horse Creek near the old home of the Marlow family. She was to be the first recorded burial in the Marlow Cemetery. Mrs. Payne donated this plat of about five acres to the new town of Marlow to be used for this purpose.

Marlow became an incorporated town on November 21, 1898, while still in Indian Territory. The original petition for incorporation document for Marlow, Indian Territory, is secured in the city vault at the Marlow Community Facilities Building.

On August 17, 1908, C.N. Haskel, Governor of Oklahoma, issued a proclamation calling for a city of the first class to be established. The proclamation officially declaring Marlow to be a city of the first class was issued by the Governor on October 8, 1908.

Since its inception as a bustling community of pioneers just prior to the turn of the century, Marlow has become a thriving city with wonderful friendly people, sound business establishments, churches, parks, schools, recreational facilities -- all pointing to continued growth and a bright future.