Jack Helm

John Jackson Helm (sometimes Helms) (c.1839–May 17, 1873), was a lawman, cowboy, gunfighter, and inventor in the American Old West. He fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War, but worked as a lawman for the Union during Reconstruction. He was an active participant in the Sutton–Taylor feud in and about Dewitt County, Texas; and was killed in an ambush related to the feud and perpetrated by Jim Taylor and John Wesley Hardin.

Early life and family John Jackson Helm was born in Missouri in 1837, the son of George Washington Helm and Ruth Mayo [] Helm. Helm deserted in April 1864, and soon went to work for rancher "Shanghai" Pierce rousting cattle. in neighboring DeWitt County, drawing him into the Sutton–Taylor feud. Helm now found himself aligned with the Union-backed Sutton faction. Helm was also sworn as a Goliad County deputy sheriff, based out of Middletown (now Weesatche) at this time. Afterward, Helm became relentless in hunting down members of the Taylor faction. Helm had by now developed a reputation for bringing in wanted men more often dead than alive. Mainly due to his decidedly heavy-handed methods, and the public outrage following the deaths of the Kelly brothers, Helm was suspended the following October.

Ambushed in town On May 17, 1873, the outlaw, John Wesley Hardin, an ally of the Taylor family, played a part in the death of Helm in Albuquerque, Texas. Reportedly, Hardin, Helm, and Sam McCracken, an acquaintance of Helm were talking in front of a blacksmith shop. Helm had recently moved to the area, and in order to perfect a cotton-worm destroyer machine which he had invented, he often spent time in town, staying at McCracken's boarding house while he worked on his invention at Bland's Blacksmith Shop. Helm found himself unarmed except for a bowie knife when confronted by Hardin, having developed the habit of leaving his guns in his room while working on his invention.

While being distracted by Hardin, Jim Taylor, a nephew of Creed Taylor, crept up on Helm from behind and attempted to shoot him, but his revolver misfired. As the startled Helm turned, Taylor managed to get off a shot, striking Helm in the chest. Helm rushed Taylor, but Hardin shattered Helm's arm with a shotgun blast. Helm then attempted to flee into the blacksmith shop. While Hardin held the townspeople at gunpoint, Taylor chased down Helm and unloaded the remaining five bullets into his head. As Hardin and Taylor mounted their horses and prepared to ride away, they boasted that they had accomplished what they had set out to do.

Burial Helm was buried in a shallow grave in the McCracken Family Cemetery in rural Gonzales County.