I am researching my mysterious and elusive ancestor named Lewis Gardner. He was born around 1810 at SC, migrated to GA where he married, fathered children, farmed, owned slaves, and then migrated to MS where he owned a farm. His wife divorced him during the Civil War and after the war he migrated to Texas where he lived in Houston County for a time, probably remarried, and spent his last years in Johnson County, Texas.

However, family lore says he was a "bad sort" and that he was later killed by horse thieves at Natchez, Texas near Brownsville. However, their is no Natchez near Brownsville. I believe he was in Brownsville though, because a supposed postcard tintype photograph was taken of him there.

Does anyone know of a gunfighter named Lewis Gardner in Brownsville, Texas, perhaps a mention of a bad man or city marshal by that name?