Victims of the bloody war between the Cattle and Sheep men in Cassia County
Disagreements over grazing rights and boundary rights caused much tension and violence between the cattlemen and sheep men for many years.
1886- In a Pioneer Cemetery outside of Oakley lies the resting place of a victim of the bloody war between the Cattlemen and Sheep men. A young man of 30 years unusual in both color and courage, the first negro resident of Cassia County.
Gobo Fango was born in 1856 in the West African jungles. Orphaned by tribal warfare, A LDS missionary family smuggled him into America. He later moved to Utah and then to Idaho.
Gobo Fango died Feb 10, 1886 mortally wounded from a gunshot wound to his mid-section while at his sheep camp tending a herd of sheep leased with Walt Matthews from Thomas Poulton and sons of Willow Creek. No one will ever know what led up to that eventful day, but what is known is that Gobo crawled and dragged himself 4 miles to the Matthews home in agonizing pain and died a few hours later.
Gobo Fango died leaving a will, $400.00 to the LDS Church which he had joined, $100.00 to the Grantsville Relief Society and instructions to pay for his funeral and a grave marker for his grave.
After a investigation and no witnesses the case was closed, murdered by a unknown gunman.
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1896- In the Oakley Cemetery lies the remains of two young men, also victims of the bloody war between the Cattlemen and Sheep men.
Daniel Cummings born 1872 and John Wilson born 1871, both murdered brutally by gunshot wounds on February 4, 1896, in their sheep camp. An autopsy on the bodies stated that they had been dead about two weeks.
Diamondfield Jack first accused of the brutal murders but pardoned in 1902. In 1898 two other men openly admitted they were the guilty parties, Jeff Gray and J. E. Bower. Jeff Gray was tried for the murder in 1899 at Albion and was acquitted on grounds of self-defense.
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