I just bought M.Koch's book from Amazon. I was particularly interested because my father A.N.(Jack) Boatman was involved in the prosecution, as Okmulgee county attorney, of Matt and George. In late 1956 or 1957 my husband worked on the Oklahoma Turnpike as manager of Howard's Johnson. One of his waitresses was George Kimes wife. My father was at the restaurant and visited with her. She told him how much Matt and George admired him. I have several stories about my father's involvement with the gangs of the 1920's. I'm buying the book for all the grandkids---good job!!!

Martha Boatman Mayer

Hi,

Thanks for the nice compliment! A. N. (Jack) Boatman from all accounts was an honorable man and gave the Kimes' their just dues. Some others I describe in my book were not honorable men. Hope you enjoy it.

Mike

Kimes Info for "kimescousin"!

hi this is kimescousin i would like to know all the information you have about the kimes boys please.because they are my cousins and im very interested.thank you

I came across this article while doing research on a totally different subject. Thought I would post it here for those who might be interested.

The following article was taken from The Heavener Ledger, Thursday, June 28, 1928, Page 2, Col. 3.

Kimes Boys' Father Killed at Bowlegs
Neiley Kimes shot by officers while resisting arrest on bootlegging charge

Another chapter was written Thursday in the Kimes family criminal history, when Neiley Kimes, father of George and Matthew Kimes was shot by an officer while resisting arrest at Bow Legs. The Southwest American had the following article regarding the killing in Friday morning's edition:

Neiley Kimes, father of George and Matthew Kimes, Oklahoma bandits, now in the state penitentiary at McAlester, was shot and killed late last Thursday near Bowlegs, an oil town, by Jack Sparks, Deputy sheriff of Seminole County.

Shaw Nelm, Jim Clinton and Sparks went to raid an establishment Kimes maintained near Bowlegs, after watching him for several days as a bootleg suspect.

As the officers approached, Kimes emerged from the building and raised an automatic to fire at Nelm, the deputies said. At the same time another man, who has not been identified, ran from the house and attacked Clinton with an axe.

Sparks fired, he says, as Kimes raised his gun to shoot Nelm, and then went to the assistance of Clinton. The man with the axe was captured, but refused to give his name, while a third man who ran from the house during the fighting, escaped.

Nellie and Jessie Kimes, who were at the home at the time of the shooting, were taken to Wewoka by the deputies, because they are said to have thrown glass fruit jars at the officers during the fight, but they were released later.

Kimes had been convicted and fined a few days ago by Justice of the Peace Cose of Bowlegs on a liquor charge. He had promised to return later and pay the fine, but had not kept his promise, and because of this deputies had secured a search warrant, intending to raid the Kimes place again and bring him in to pay the fine as well as search for liquor, they said.

Neiley Kimes, who was shot and killed by a deputy sheriff near Bowlegs, Thursday afternoon, left Van Buren, several months ago, following the death of his wife, who died May 31, 1927.

The parents of George and Matthew Kimes were residents of Van Buren durng the career of their sons as bank bandits. At the time of his mother's death, Matthew Kimes was a fugitive from justice. When he was captured several weeks later he declared that he was in Van Buren the night his mother died. A sister Nellie Kimes resides in Van Buren.

nellie s sister was jackie not jessie.but there was another sister that lived in okla city in about 1945 or 1946 when matt was killed.

Hi,

Check out my book called simple, "The Kimes Gang," published by Authorhouse in 2005. It has a lot of information on the Kimes' family and history of the gangs activites.