The BEST episodes written by Dwight Newton
#1 - The Jesse Cowan Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 17
Two brothers return to their home after the civil war to find their home and family wiped out. Their family, the Cowans, had long been feuding with a neighbouring family, the Beals, and so the Beal family are the prime suspects. The elder Beal son, Ruf, especially so. The Beals are nowhere to be found. The Cowan brothers discover that the Beals have joined up with a wagon train, heading west to start a new life. The Beals have joined Seth Adams train and when the Cowans catch up with it, Major Adams finds the wagon train becomes their new feuding ground.
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#2 - The Riley Gratton Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 12
The train is halted. Flint McCullough is away, scouting. Then in rides a rangy young man with the gift of the gab who fought alongside the Major during the war. The Major takes a shine to him and invites him to stay, which suits this young man with the name of Riley Gratton just fine. It takes the wiley old Wooster to remind the Major that, when they were in the army, Gratton went missing shortly after the Major's prized golden spurs did. It seems Gratton has done the same again, only this time he disappears after selling some worthless land to the settlers. The Major decides to go after him to get it all back by hook or by crook.
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#3 - The Bill Tawnee Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 22
The Major finds a lone wagon on the trail. Inside is a man he recognises as Bill Tawnee, once Indian Scout to General Sherman during the Civil War and much decorated for bravery. With him is his wife and baby. Bill is suffering from a beating he took at a trading post back on the trail. The Major takes them back to the wagons to resume their journey with them. On the train is another civil war hero, Mr. Barry. That is his version of events at least. It is not long before a few comments from Bill Tawnee show that Barry did not win the civil war single handed and the two men come to blows. Later, Bill Tawnee finds Barry's missing rifle. When Barry accuses Bill of stealing it, Bill decides to leave the train, leaving his wife and child behind. It seems there is no hope of him returning. Then events take a turn for the worse and Bill Tawney comes into his own.
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#4 - The Honorable Don Charlie Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 19
Major Adams is intrusted with getting socialite Julie Wharton safely to San Francisco. His plans nearly come to naught, however, when ageing Lothario the Honourable Don Charlie (at least that is one of the names he uses) tries to sweet talk her into staying with him. Hot on his heels, though, is his girlfriend and a soldier. The girlfriend wants to win him; the soldier wants to win back the money he and his colleagues believe Don Charlie cheated them out of.
#5 - The Jean LeBec Story
Wagon Train - Season 1 - Episode 2
Before the Civil War Jean Le Bec was a young musician with a special talent for the violin. His family were too poor to pay for his musical studies so he was sponsored by a rich southern family. The daughter was called Mary. When her family lost everthing in the war, Mary's father entrusted her well-being to Jean. Mary had relatives in San Francisco so they decided to go there and they were going to get there via the wagon train. Jean didn't tell Mary that he was having trouble raising the cash for the journey. While the train was forming at St. Joseph, Missouri, as a last resort to raise the money, Jean used his precious violin as a stake in a card game, which he won but was accused of cheating. The allegation was false but it cost him his violin to get out alive. When Mary realised what he had done she went to the saloon to try to buy the fiddle back, but things went badly wrong and Jean ended up by killing the son of the man who practically owned the town. Flint McCullough witnessed