Document text
..,--1A41 Itzt .40-6- OC,t,44 Zlif-rr-)4K-'
I
Rangd-lore,
FU Written by Elizabeth
De1e,from Continuity sub-
miltted by Lrs. Annie licAulay,
Laverick, Texas.
Page one
.c
RANGE -LORE
horn in ilam County in 1684,
Calvin Roberson moved from there
to the Indian Territory when only
five years of age. In 1905 his
parents brought their family to
Runnels County where they made their
future home. Most of Mr. Roberson's
life has been spent on the ranch but
he has not made an active hand for
the last several years, having served
as night watchman in Lallinger since
leaving the ranch and is a candiditte
for sheriff of Runnels County in the
1938 election.
"I was only fifteen years of ag(,: says 1:r. Roberson
"when my work as a cowhand T went with my uncle to
the Indian Territory in 1889 and went to %:ork on the Todd
ranch near Chickasha. T. was just a general cowhand helping
with the trandinq or what ever come up to be done. Rustlers
gave us our Wort trouble, stealinn the cattle and turni:g the
brands. :,,ny cattle found wi.thout brands were taken by them
Page two
and given their own brand. A few people believed that
the Indians were doing this but most of the settlers
knew that the worst Indians of that section were a credit
to the class of rustlers that caused so much trouble a-
mong the cowmen -I-here. The Indians f -at we knew were
fairly well civilized and seemed to vent to be friendly.
I was there six years Torkina on the same ranch the whole
time and it was a tough place alright but the gamblers
and desperadoes who came through the country crooking
every one they could was what made it so towt. The
Indians were easier swindled out of their cattle then the
white men were and that was one cause of the roua:h element
coming to the Territory in such great numbers.
"The one woman cook I knew while I worked there was
said to be part Indian and was known to everyone as "Flap-
jack Sally". She was some bean slinr:er and wasn't afraid
of hard work. I have heard that she could dress a wound
or set a broken -hone as well as any h. D. She was a great
story teller and the Indian stories she could tell would
make the hair rise up on a feller's head and stay up. her
skill with cards made her a match for any gambler that came
her way. Gambling was her hobby and no tin horn gambler
ever best her out of anathing.
"Of course the tenderfoot didn't make nood hands at
first and they didn't fail to suffer the consequences. They
couldn't ride much and were always put on the worst horses.
bare three
Yellowjackets were put in their beds and cockleburs in
their boots. They would leg 'em, get 'em drunk and
duck 'em but never really hurt 'em. That was their idea
of fun and if a guy come through without too much kickin/
he was called good and soon became one of the boys.
"Speakin' of ridin', I knew some good ones, in fact
they had to be good to make the grade them days, but the
best I ever knew was old Booger Red. He rode 'em all with
an ease that I never saw equaled.
"My next work was for bob Hewitt on the Larch Ranch
in Coke County. I worked there a number of years and it
was one of the biest outfits in this
The day ief hi 7 cattle drives were over
most of the cattle were shipped from.
markets. Our drives to ain Angelo Was
part of the country.
by that time as
n Anrelo to northern
at out all the drivin'
we did then. One sprinr: after we'd had our .7eneral round-
up and cut out the ones we were ,7oinF to drive to market
and was holdin' them in a ravine, a storm came up just after
dark and threw cows, punchers, and all into a panic and the
cattle scattered all over the ranch in spite of all we
could do. Ve lost the whole dad blame mess of them and had
our roundin' up and cuttin' all to do over again.
"I guess my ranch days are over but Boy, how I enjoy-
ed them good old days. The old time dances and fiddle times
won't ever be beat for the cowpunchers. Our work was hard
but we was young and strong, had plenty to eat and didn't
Page four
know what it was to worry, so I believe most of t 21d
boys would say with me, 'Them was the {;:ood old dayei!"
=oleviager
BUILIOOP,AFIft
Calvin Roberson, Pellingers Texas, interviewed,
February ls, 193P.
Mrs. Annie McAulay
Maverick Texas
Runnels County
Page Two
I knew one woman cook in the territory. They said she
was part Indian. But she was a good cook and didn't mind
hard work. She cooked on -I believe it was The Old Omega
itanch not so many miles from where I worked. She was 7arried
but was known by everyone as flapjack Sally. They say she
could set a broken bone or dress a wound as good as any M. D.
She was shore some talker as well ass a bashslinger. :'he
could tell Indian and other stories that would make the hair
rise on a fellers head and stay that way. I never saw her p lay
but they say he IMRS pretty slick with cards. She never gambled
for much, but it was her hobby and no tinhorn gambler or
roving cowboy ever beat her out of anything.
They'd certainly razz the tenderfoot in them parts.
They wasn't usually god' hands at first. Couldn't ride much
and amildn't stand some of the hardships. The boys would
make it pretty tough for them. Work them into riding the
toughest horses, put yellow jackets in their bunks, cockleburs
in their boots, leg 'em get 'em drunk That their Idea of
fun. Never really hurt 'em you might say.
I knew some pretty good riders. In fact in the early
•/47_ days they all had to be good riders. I reckon Old aooger Red
,was the best Bronc rider I ever knew.
Salm-after I moved to tunnels county in 1905, I moved to
The Collinsjianch in coke vounty. I only lived there a short
time until I went tm, work for Bob Hewitt, On The March Ranch,
Aso in Coke county. I worked on that ranch for a number of
Mrs. Annie MeAulay
Maverivekt,iexas
Runnels ounty
Page Three
It was one of the biggest outfits in this patt of the country.
There was some pretty good riders with that outfit too. They
didn't make any long cattle drives then. Most of the cattle
were driven to San Angelo and shipped to northern markets
from there.
I remember ane spring we'd had our general round up; we
hdh cut the cattle we were going to drive to market from, the
general herd and was holding them in a ravine on the ranch.
A storm came up the night before the drive, and threw them
into a panicTand us too- In spite of all we could do they
got away from us and scattered all over Vast ranch. We lost
whole dadblame business of 'em and had our job of roundin up
and cutting them out do all over agail.
I haven't worked on a ranch in a good many years, but
we use to la -ye some good times. boy how I liked them ole time
dances and fiddle tunes. Our work was usually -hard but what
of it. 1e were young and strong. !lad plenty to eat and never
worried. Them was good old days.
Mr. Roberson has served as night watchman in Ballinger
for a good long time. He is a canidate for sheriff 61 Punnels
county' in 1938 election.
Bibligraphy.
Calvin ftoberson, Ballinger Texas. Early settler in Runnels Co.
Interviewed Feb. 181 1938.