Major Robert S. Neighbors

As Indian agent, forceful peacemaker and humanist, Maj. Neighbors had more influence over Texas' Indians than any other man of his era; came to Texas in 1836. He served as quartermaster in Texas army, 1839-41. While on Texas Ranger duty in San Antonio, 1842, he was taken as a prisoner of war to Mexico by Gen. Adrian Woll and spent 18 months in Perote Prison. Began his service to the Indians in 1845. As agent for Lipan-Apache and Tonkawa tribes, he used field system of control, visiting Indian homes, learning a red man's way of life, improving living condition, helping them to trade. He ably defended their rights, was counselor and friend, and sought new homes for them, never faltering in commitment to their safety. As a Texas commissioner in 1850 he organized El Paso County; he was also a state representative, 1851-1852, and a presidential elector in 1852. Major Neighbors later became the supervising agent for all of the Indians in Texas. Frontier civilians and soldiers failed to support his Indian policies. Many became hostile. On Sept. 14, 1859, he was murdered near here by a white man as he was returning after safely removing all reservation Indians from Texas. He was buried in Belknap Cemetery (1/2 mile E. of Town).

Major Robert S. Neighbors is a historical marker in Newcastle, Young County, dedicated in 1967. It is one of 43 historical markers documented in Young County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 49 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.1512, -98.7404 near Newcastle. The nearest cataloged historic site is Fort Belknap (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Camp Belknap, CSA, Old Fort Belknap Powder Magazine, and Colonel William C. Young.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5503003194. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.