Frank Hamer | |
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![]() Hamer in 1922 | |
Born | Francis Augustus Hamer March 17, 1884 Wilson County, Texas, U.S. |
Died | July 10, 1955 Austin, Texas, U.S. | (aged 71)
Occupation | Law enforcement officer |
Employer | Texas Ranger Division |
Known for | Leader of posse that killed Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow |
Francis Augustus Hamer (March 17, 1884 – July 10, 1955) was an American lawman and Texas Ranger who led the 1934 posse that tracked down and killed criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Renowned for his toughness, marksmanship, and investigative skill, he acquired status in the Southwest as the archetypal Texas Ranger. He was inducted into the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. His professional record and reputation are controversial, particularly with regard to his willingness to use extrajudicial killing even in an increasingly modernized society.
Hamer has been described by biographer John Boessenecker as "one of the greatest American lawmen of the twentieth century".[1]