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C. /.2.
Range -lore
Nellie B. Cox
San Angelo, Texas.
RANGE -LORE
Page one
"All the hardships of pioneer days did not con-
sist of fighting Indians", says Mts. Ella Cox who is
now 81 years old. "When I was 11 young girl, I lived
in Washington County near Brenham and was married
there to James Monroe Cox when I was 17 years old.
We bought and paid for a small farm there but after
a few years we sold it and moved to Kerrville, Texas.
This long, long trip was made in wagons, one drawn
by oxen and the others by horses. A boy drove our milk
cows. We passed through San Antonio which was then
very small and dirty, I thought. All I saw were soldiers
Page two
and Mexicans and I was more afraid of the Mexicans than
I would have been of Indians.
"When we got to Kervville, Mr. Cox unloaded our
stuff in the house and started the next day to San
Antonio to take the men who had helped us move back that
far as he had promised to do when we had left Washington
County. My husband left with me $1500, as he did not
want to take it with him. I didn't know what to do with
that money. I put it first one place, then another and.
finally at night put it into my shoe. Then in the night
I thought that ruts or mice might get it so I held it in
my hands all night and WdS thankful I didn't have any
more.
*When Mr. Cox came back, he went to work for Cap-
tain Schreiner who at that time owned nearly everything
in that country. Captain Schreiner was a fine man, al-
ways helped everybody in anyway he could.
"Our place at Kerrville was on the Guadalupe River.
One side of the cow pen was the bank of the river. We
had a windlass to let a bucket down into the river and
drew up our water that way. I used to milk the cows in
that pen and in those days when I was young and silly,
I used to wish that all the cows would fall over that
bluff into the river. I was afraid to leave the chil-
dren in the house, so would bring them out and let them
stay on the fenced side of the pen.
Illy husband decided that we would come to this
Page three
country and we moved here in 1886. The soldiers were
here in the fort and there was very little town. We
lived in a tent on our place north of town until we
could get lumber hauled from Abilene to build a house.
"Mr. Cox took contracts for building fences and
would be gone for weeks at a time. I could work in
the day but at night I would be scared almost to death.
I remember one night d drunk man rode up to the gate
and started to get down. I was watching out the window.
Our watch dog "Bull" would stand in the yard until the
man would get nearly off then old Bull would run under
the fence and the man would climb back on his horse.
After several attempts, the man went on. The two old-
est boys would have to go across from home to Red Bluffs
on Red Creek to drive the milk cows home. The wolves
used to get after them. I remember one time the boys
were coming along home with old Bull walking with them.
When the wolves would get too close, Bull would chase
them away. The boys thought it funny but it wasn't
to me.
"I was glad when things were more settled. I
have never objected to taxes for we have so much better
roads and other comforts. I have always enjoyed train
trips. I liked the long one when I went to California
several years ago. I like to ride fast in an automobile
and may ride some day in an q4lane)i
BIBLIOGIU.MY
Mrs. Ills Cos, Sas saveloy Texas, lator-
sieve& alssary be 19314