> Two of Bill Ike's sons, Boye Collins Babb and Walter Isaac Babb, and
> a son-in-law, John Will Wise, were also members of the gang. At one
> point, in order to escape the Texas Rangers, the gang fled to Durango,
> Mexico. It is not known how long they remained there.
> Sometime before 1916, Walter Babb had returned to Texas and
> married Jewel Wilson (aka - Border Healing Woman) in that year.
> Around 1919, Boye, Walter and John were arrested for murder in
> Texas but never convicted. Bill is listed on the US Census with his
> family on the US Census for the years 1920 and 1930 in Val Verde
> County, Texas. At a later date, Walter returned to Durango, Mexico
> and died there about 1952.

It's unclear what you mean by family; did these 1920 and 1930 census listings include both Boye and Walter? If the latter, was his wife Jewel there, too?

> Now for the speculation! Why did Walter leave his family in Texas to
> live out the rest of his life in Mexico?

Are you sure it wasn't Boye rather than Walter who went back to Durango? The reason I ask is because this family is described in "Babb Families of America (3rd ed.)", and it says that Walter died in 1934 of heart problems (his wife Jewel died in 1991 at the age of 91). Nothing at all is said about Boye, though (other than that there were 11 children altogether, with Walter the youngest).

> In a posting on a GenForum bulletin board, a woman wrote that her
> finance, Walter Babb, is from Durango, Mexico, and his father's name
> is Boye Babb. Is it possible that my Walter Babb had a son while
> living in Mexico and later returned to live with his first family?

How old are this woman's Walter and Boye? Is it possible that the latter is the same as yours? It would be a senior romance, for sure, but not out of the question. Or there may be an additional generation or two stuck in, but keeping the same family names.

For reference, Bill Ike is given in "Babb Families" as 1-2-2-1-6-1-2-3-1.

Scott