Background
The war was brought on mostly due to neither culture understanding the other, with neither making much effort to do so, in addition to political and social disagreements. However, it likely would not have resulted in violence had the area possessed a suitable and professional law enforcement element. German settlers began settling in the Mason County area early on, and by the mid-1840s they had a considerable population. However, despite a slight language barrier, the two groups at first cooperated fairly well, due to there being a considerable Indian threat. In 1860 the county's first Sheriff, Thomas Milligan, was killed by Indians, and the settlers, both Anglo and German, banded together to hunt down the hostiles.
Following the war, although tensions were high, there was little to no trouble due to the Union Army posting troops at Fort Mason. After the United States Army closed the fort in 1869, law enforcement was left to the local population. Many Germans held positions of authority over the Anglos, both as judges and as lawmen.
Read more about this topic: Mason County War
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