Document text
Range -lore
PBC from
Continuity of
Nellie B. Cox
RANGEIORE
Page one
Having lived in the Concho Country in pioneer
days, Jim Howard relates the following story:
"The people who pioneered the West didn't have brick
houses to live in as the younger generation has. Their
houses were built out of logs. These logs had the bark
peeled off and were cut flat on one side. A trench was
dug and these were stood up close together. This made
comfortable walls, and with a roof made of buffalo hides,
made a fine house; later though, we had adobe houses.
"There weren't any fences, but we had corrals built
about ten rails high. My greatest ambition was to have
an opportunity to 'go up the trail" but I never got to go.
"There were lots of buffaloes here then. Traders
made San Angelo their headquarters when they came to this
part of the country to make deaIeLfor buffalo hides. I
Page two
remember in the year 1873, we used to go out anywhere
around here anf kill buffaloes just fdir their tongues;
sometimes we skinned them, but not always.
"The early settlers had to deal with the Indians,
too. I've seen lots of them, but never took.a shot at
one. Some of them were friendly and some were just the
opposite. old man Wiley Williams was always hunting
Indians. One morning he walked out to his well and
saw two Indians standing on a little hill near his house
Old Wiley crawled back to the house, got his gun, took
roundance on the Indians and killed one. The other one
ran like the devil; I saw him. We supposed they were
slipping around trying to steal some of the horses.”
Range -lore
Nellie R. Cox
Continuity
RANGE -LORE
Page one
Jim Howard has lived in what he calls the San
Saba Country for many years, but in about 1873, he lived
in the country around Ben Picklin and the Conchos. He
says, TT' remember when they used to go out anywhere around
here and kill buffaloes just for their tongues; sometimes
they were skinned, but not always. We didn't have to go
far to find them.
"I7ve seen lots of Indians but never shot at one.
Old man Wiley Williams, he was always hunting Indians.
One morning he walked out to his well and saw two Indians
standing on a little hill near his house. Old Wiley
crawled back to the house, got his gun, took roundance
on the Indians and killed one. The other one ran like
the devil; I saw him.
"There weren't no fences, just corrals built about
ten rails high. I'd rather work cattle than do any kind
Page two
of work. Old man John McDaniel had a ranch hand called
"Craghead"(nickname), I don't know what for. He could
ride anything or rope anything. He got to go up the
trail on big drives, but I never went on none.
"The houses was built out og logs with the bark
peeled off and cut flat on one side. A trench was dug
and theme was stood up close together. This made com-
fortable walls and with a roof made of buffalo hides
made a fine house; later though, we had adobe houses'i
Mr. Howard's keen eyes had a far away look while
talking of early days. To him they were the best days
that could ever have been. He has an old map of Texas
showing all the water holes from the Conchos to Hew Mex-
ico and giving their names and locations. On the map -1873
the names of Bismarck and Tower Hill are given in Oe
part of the country that was later organized into Tom
Green County. His favorite book is "Indian Depredations
in TexasV which tells the adventures of "Big Foot" Wallace.