One of the forerunners of Old West gangs controlled parts of Upstate New York in the first half of the 19th Century.
The Loomis Gang was led by six brothers (Grove Loomis is pictured above). They specialized in horse theft and cattle rustling, but they also delved into robbery, counterfeiting, bribery, protection and arson. And for more than 40 years they ran roughshod across the region.
The gang’s power was cut after the Civil War when vigilantes attacked their farm, destroyed many of the buildings and killed leader Wash Loomis.
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