Sun, Oct 21, 1962
An Army Colonel comes to the Ponderosa looking for a man who was under his command, then deserted. The Colonel believes the deserter lives in the vicinity of the Ponderosa. He wants to bring him to Washington for court martial. He shows them a picture and they claim not to know him but it's their neighbor, Bill Winters. Just as the Colonel was leaving he is shot by an arrow. While the Colonel rests, Ben goes to Bill who admits it's true. Ten years ago, the Colonel was tasked with keeping the Indians in line and he decided to do that by raiding them. Bill chose not to follow him and aided some of them to escape but he still raided the Indians and many were killed. He learns that there'll be another attempt on the Colonel so he goes to the Ponderosa and kills the Indian who was sent to kill him. When the Colonel sees Bill, he pulls his gun on him but Ben tells him that he saved his life. He then reveals that Bill is his son. When the Indians learn of Bill's connection to the Colonel, they take him for punishment. His wife, who's one of the Indians he saved tells Ben. Ben asks to speak to the Chief whom he knows. The Colonel knows that the Chief won't give his son back so he offers himself in exchange for his son. Knowing that the Indians will kill him, he asks Ben to speak to the Indians for him.
Sun, Nov 11, 1962
Civil War politics and Little Joe's romance with the daughter of an important Confederate sympathizer bring disagreement and hard feelings with him and Adam, and things don't get any better when there is shady goings on suspected between the girl's father and higher-up Confederate turncoats right before the crucial vote whether or not Nevada should join the Union, where Joe is a delegate.
Sun, Nov 25, 1962
The Cartwrights find Billy Horn, a young man who was taken captive and raised by the Shoshone. He comes to live with them and befriends them, as they try to re-accustom him to the white man's ways. However, a threat emerges with Milton Tanner, a wealthy landowner who is making a claim for one-third of the Ponderosa. Billy believes that Tanner should be fought head on, as the Indians had taught him, rather than in court, and the Cartwrights are unable to convince him otherwise. Billy decides to confront Tanner himself.
Sun, Mar 3, 1963
Bushwacked and suffering from amnesia, Hoss is found wandering down the road by the Vandervorts, an older couple who are happy to take the gentle giant into their family to replace the son they lost. But when Ben comes looking for his missing son, the Vandervorts lie about seeing him and refuse to tell Hoss who he really is, planning to take him to Michigan with them and away from his real family, and the Ponderosa, for good.
Sun, May 5, 1963
While Ann Wilson and her Uncle Fred are en route to her boyfriend Joe's birthday party, Fred suffers a sudden stroke and is rendered unconscious. A man claiming to be a Good Samaritan stops to help, only to rape and kill Ann. Joe is devastated and vows to track down the killer. While Fred is eventually moved to the Ponderosa to recover (and for his protection against anyone who might want to silence him), Joe undermines Deputy Clem Foster's investigation. Meanwhile, the killer - a munitions expert named William Poole - gets a job on the Ponderosa, since his expertise with a new substance called nitroglycerin can help clear old tree stumps off the ranch. Poole, who is staying with a widowed neighbor named Mrs. Gibson, tries to get at Uncle Fred, but Joe, who has been keeping a bedside vigil, stops him at every turn. Eventually, Joe sees Uncle Fred's hand move and begins questioning him. Fred is only able to scrawl a barely legible message before he goes numb, and suffers a subsequent (and ultimately fatal) stroke. Before Fred dies, Joe manages to figure out the note had something to do with "New Orleans Woman." Joe visits Mrs. Gibson, who produces sheet music to the song. After Joe leaves, Poole returns and Mrs. Gibson eventually realizes that he killed Ann. Poole, knowing he can be identified, kills Mrs. Gibson. Joe later hears an explosion coming from Mrs. Gibson's house and, knowing that Poole had finished his work and was supposed to be on his way, returns to investigate. Upon arrival, he sees Poole carrying Mrs. Gibson's burned corpse into the house, but Joe's suspicions that the explosion was no accident is confirmed when he sees the ripped up sheet music, pieces it back together and fingers Poole as Ann's killer. Poole, who reveals himself as a misogynist, threatens to blow the Ponderosa off the map and throws a vial at Joe, but Joe kills the villain in self-defense.
Sun, May 12, 1963
When Claude Miller is fired from his latest job, his girl and Little Joe scheme to help him regain his self respect by buying his worthless land. When he involves his brother Hoss to buy some mining claims too, the prior owners blow it up and discover silver - as big as the Comstock lode! But new riches brings out those wanting to get rich too.