Wild Tales of the Buzzard Gang: The Two-Mile Lincoln Gunfight

As we count down to the April 12, 2025 launch of the $5,000 Buzzard’s Booty: Quest for the Lost JBT Treasure Hunt, I’m sharing true stories about these infamous criminals—their daring heists, notorious hideouts, and dramatic showdowns with the law.

Here’s the third installment. Click here to read other Wild Tales of the Buzzard Gang. 

The Two-Mile Lincoln Gunfight of 1883

By the fall of 1883, Abe Buzzard was already one of Lancaster County’s most wanted men. After his daring escape from Lancaster County Prison on October 10, he and his gang, including his brother Ike, embarked on a crime spree that left a trail of burglaries across the county. Over the next 22 months, they committed more than 22 burglaries and at least 17 house break-ins, targeting homes, stores, and even churches.

One of their most infamous heists took place in the village of Lincoln, PA, a small community nestled between Ephrata and Clay. Along with fellow outlaw John Clifford, Abe broke into Hollinger’s General Store (sometimes referred to as Abner Hollander’s store), stealing cash, clothing, and over $4,000 worth of goods. But their crime did not go unnoticed.

The next morning, the store’s furious owner, Allison “A.B.” Hollinger, wasted no time in assembling a posse of armed townspeople to hunt down the thieves. The posse, determined to bring the outlaws to justice, tracked Abe and Clifford to a nearby field outside of Lincoln.

When the posse caught up with them, Hollinger called for their surrender—but Abe had no intention of giving up. Instead, he pulled his pistol and opened fire, kicking off one of the most dramatic gunfights in Lancaster County history.

What followed was a running battle stretching over two miles, as Buzzard and Clifford fired at their pursuers while sprinting through fields and dodging behind trees for cover. Abe, a skilled marksman, fired methodically as he fled. He shot six times, striking one of the posse members, Ellis Bard, in the face, arm and chest during his escape. The bullet knocked out two of Bard’s teeth, but he miraculously survived.

Fun side note: Bard was arrested a few years later and they both served time at Eastern State Penitentiary together.

John Clifford wasn’t as fortunate. During the chase, he was shot in the leg and quickly subdued by the posse. However, even as his accomplice fell, Abe refused to surrender. Despite being wounded himself, he vanished into the dense Ephrata Mountains, once again slipping through the fingers of the law.

The boldness of his escape only fueled his growing legend. Newspapers soon dubbed him The Jesse James of the East Coast. But for Lancaster County law enforcement, enough was enough. Determined to bring him to justice, authorities placed a staggering $5,000 bounty on Abe Buzzard’s head—equivalent to nearly $150,000 today—one of the highest rewards ever offered in the region.

For now, Abe Buzzard remained free, but the law was closing in. Click here to read other Wild Tales of the Buzzard Gang.

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References

• Most Creative Use of a Canary
• The Buzzards Are Here! The Buzzards Are Here!
• A look back at the Buzzard Gang’s lawless exploits
• Who Were the New Holland Buzzard Gang? – March 2023
• Video Lecture: History of The Buzzard Gang