At the Peak of His Powers

Texas Ranger June Peak helped bring down Sam Bass

- MARK BOARDMAN

Relatively speaking, Junius “June” Peak spent few years in law enforcement. But he accomplished a great deal—especially in the fight against Sam Bass.

Born in Kentucky in 1845, he fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Afterward, he ended up in Texas. In the early 1870s, he was appointed a deputy sheriff in Dallas County. Less than a year later, he took a lucrative job in New Mexico, serving as a range detective, tracking down rustlers. In 1874, he was elected marshal of Dallas. Four years later, in April 1878, he was appointed a Texas Ranger lieutenant in charge of Company B.

The following three months helped define his life and legacy.