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Range -lore
Elizabeth Doyle
San Angelo, Texas.
Pace one
PANDE.4.0RE
"It is admitted by all that the
movies have produoed come wonderful
horsemen but the master of them all
was never filmed," so says the old
timer in any crowd of rodeo fans.
They hold one name over all others
as the greatest brono rider that *I'
merle* has ever produede Few people
ever knew his real name which was
Samuel Thomas Privett, but his nick.*
name, "Booger Red" was famous and for
a quarter of a century he was known to
thousands as the greatest master of
outlaw horses in America. Be was born
on a ranch near Dublin, Broth County,
Texas, December 29, 1884 and as a youth
seemed to possess all the vim, vigor,
and vitality that makes the red -head
outstanding. .At the 'age of 10 he began
riding wild calves on his father's ranch
and by the time he was 12 years of age
he was widely known as the Red -Headed
Kid Brono Rider and was already on the
road to fame. He was the youngest of a
large family and was always trying to
Imitate some stunt of his older brothers.
In attempting to peke his own fireworks
on his 13th Christmas as he had seen
others do he and a pal crammed a lot of
Pane two
gun powder into a hole bored into an
old tree stump and vim it expllded
it killed his friend and blew him a-
bout twenty feet. His face was hope-
lessly burned and for six months -he did
not see daylight. His eyes were out
open three times end his mouth and nose
twice. As he was being carried to the
hospital in a form wagon, a small bay
friend hopped on the side of the wagon,
looked over at Red and thoughtlessly re-
marked, 'Gee, but fled is sure a boogor
now, aint he?' Thus, the famous "Booger
Red" nickname which went with him to his
grave. his parents died when he was 15
years old and he started out in the world
to make his awn way at the job which he
loved most, that of breaking wild horses.
None were too bad for him to tackle and
he made a name for himself in a country
where there were plenty of btono scratchers.
By the time he was grown he had saved e-
nough to buy and stook a small ranoh near
Sebinal, Texas, but he soon sold that and
purchased the wagon yard in Can Angelo, Tex-
as. He married Mollie Webb at the little
west Texas town of Bronte, in 1895. She end
their six, children who became famous in show
life were great assets to the shim business
which he established later. He died of
Bright's disease at Miami, Oklahoma, in 1924.
His widow Mrs. Mollie Webb Privett who lives
with her aged mother in San Angelo, Texas,
relates the following:
"While we were running the wagon yard in Ben Angelo,
people from all over, the southwest would bring wild horses
to Mr. Privett to ride. Re had never been thrown and of
course there -were those, who were envious and wanted to see
his laurels hauled down. One men even brought along e
camera with his outlaw horse, so sure was he that no one
could ride him; he -was going to take a picture of Booger.
Bed as he was thrown. The picture was not taken aid during
Page three
the ride the man himself became so excited that he threw
away his camera and joined in the applause. Booger Led'
had the utmost confidence in his ability to ride and. he
wasn't afraid. to back it up with clash. One year during
a San Angelo Fair a man imported a famous young horse
from Montana and bet his whole bank roil that Booger Red
could not ride him. Other bets were piled up and excite-
ment ran high. The home was a dun color with a black
stripe right down hin beck and the same black stripes en-
circled his legs. He wan sixteen hands high and altogether
a magnificent looking creature. As Booger Bed mounted him
-helms very cautious not to excite him and the horse actual-
ly stood deed still for a Moment, then Booger Bed yelled to
the crowd, 'Folks, he's come all the way down here from
Montana to get a booger on his back and gere we go.' With
that he thumbed Wain the neck end the battle was on. So
wee Booger.at the end of the ride but I'll have to admit
that there were tiMes when even I wondered if, he would
make it, end I believe that I had as much oonfidenoe in his
ability to rids as he did himself but thieves the toughest
number I had ever seen him tackle* The money won was used
to buy the horse and we called him Montana Gyp* This was
only one of the many battles between Booger Asti and Montana
Gyp, as each ride wee only's temporary conquering and the
spirit of Montana Gyp was never conquered* For twenty-
three years almost daily, somo times ten or fifteen times
:,age four
daily this bottle was renewed. Old :Zontena never threw
Booger Red but he tried, just as herd the lost time as
he did the first. I often think of when he rode him
here once at a San Angelo Fair. He bucked all over the
grounds then broke through the fence end out through a
bunch of horses Which were tied on the outside. One
horse become so frightened that he reared up and fell
on his head and broke his nook. Booger was with him
when he stopped, though, and rode him book on the tracks.
As he rode by the grandstand he said, 'ladle° and Gentle-
men, I knew I was ugly but I never knew before that I was
ugly enough to score a horse to death.' They tried to
pay the man for his horse but he wanted an exorbitant
prise and refused any reasonable offer, saying that he had
rather have nothing stall than lops than he asked.
"Another time at the Fair here he rode a big old
white steer that was said to be ride proof. Reny brono
busters had tried him but had been thrown. Be was so
wild that the rider had to climb up on the gate and drop
on him as he came through. Booger Red hit on him boob.
wards, so he grabbed him by the tail and pulled it up
overbill shoulder with one hand and used the other to
fan himself with his big white hat, as he oame by the.
grandstand. He really got a hand on that ride,
"I used to have to exercise the show horses around
the tracks when we were not showing. Ella 'end Boy were,
Page five
little shavers then and I usually left Boy at the grand-
stand with Ella but not without a squall. He would cry
to ride in the little two-whoeled oarriage I drove.
'Stiok h;m down in the foot of that thing and let the
horses out,' his daddy said to me one morning, 'one time
will do him.' I stuck his feet through the slats in the
bottom of the thing and put the horses out at their best.
Then we got back to the grandstand you couldn't tell what
that kid was. His eyes, nose, and mouth were filled with
dirt and'es his daddy predioted he was cured of wanting
to ride.
"The children were already as fond of horses as their
father was.. We got theme little paint htsrse when he was 2
years old and kepthim,untilhe was 224 All six of the
Ohildren,learned to ride an little'Prinees lie wee the
emartest horse I ewer sew. One. of his many intelligent acts
was to stop at a railroad crossing if he heard a train blow,
and no amount of whipping could force hint* orate until he
saw the train go by. The children could ride Just 'an long
es one Could stiok on anywhere. :We,kept him twentymthree
years and when he died it Miami, Oklahoma we buried him
with much grief and ceremony.
"After we bought old Gyp end end Mr. Privett be.
came the ettreotion at every show, the idea of ,a Wild West
Show of our own was born in our minds, so we get our small
possessions together and started out with two bucking
1)ege seven
fasten them on right; but when the horse had made two
or three rounds, off cons his entire disguise. The
crowd went wild when they saw that it was Booger Red
himself.
"Our camp life was our most fun while we travel-
ed in woona, camping on streams and in the most beauti-
ful places we could find. We always had a general clean-
up, even to washing the harness at such times.
"Beeh Saturday niplit we would have rangeroo Court.
There were regular rules to be obeyed and when they were
broken the victim was put on trial in regular cowboy
style. Cu one occasion the "old man" (Booger Red) was
the offender. He had gotten about half sore one morning
when the boys were late to breakfast and had, rung a third
bell after the first for .rising, and the second for break-
fast had been rung. Hyk was tried, found guilty and, sew.'
tenced to tan licks with the ohaps as he was bent over a
wagon tongue. He was a good sport and started off taking
his medicine like a man, when Jack Lewis who loved him
like a daddy ran into the guy, caught his arm and stopped
the punishment. This created great excitement and Jack
we then triad for contempt of court and sentenced to.
double punishment. The usual punishment was to have to
buy candy for the ladies or cigars for the men.
"Many people try to say that show people are no
good, etc,, but I've seen more honesty and true prinoiple
shown by show people than many so-called higher-ups. I
was just talking the other day about a boy we had with us
Pace eight
down in lest Texas. We called him Texas Fid'and loved
him liYe one of the family. He took sick down there
and 1:r. Privett sent him to the hospital in Little Rock,
Arkansas. We continued with our shops but one night when
we had a nice crowd, we all kept feeling so depressed
that we couldn't seem to get going. Lven the bend couldn't
play right and just before we were to start everything the
"old man" received a telegram stating that Texas rid wee
dead. We all just went to pieces and Mr. Privett went out
and read the message to the crowd, offering the* e free
pass the next night if they would excuse us and come book.
They removed their hate and filed out of the tent in respect-
ful order.. The next night the crowd was almost double- and
not one would accept the free pass. 'Use the extra money,
to. defray Ilteneral expenses,' they would say, and that was
what what wee done..
"Uany were the kind deeds I -have seen the _mold man"
perform. He was a,fun loving, witty man and carried on
a lot.in a joking.way but when it came right down to
principle and honesty he couldn't be beat. I have seen
him go out to. a little bunch of ragged children and soya
'toys, aren't you coming in the ehoW 'We'd sure love
to, 104, Bed,' they would reply, 'but we ain't got no
money.' 'Come on in, be would say, 'end bring me some
money next year when I:come back here.' It was surpris-
.Ing how .many little shavers. would walk up,tO him at dif40
Page nine
ferent towns and offer him money, long after he had
forgotten all about them. He always gave the money
back to them but that was his lesson in honesty for
them. The same was true of old or trempy people who
could not pay their way into the show and many times I
have seen him cell beok the customers for change, which
in their excitement they would leave at the ticket
window.
*Booger Red wee not a drinking men but he was brood-'
minded and lenient with his boys. On Christmas eve, one
year, he told all the boys that if they would perform
good that night .they could have tour days for celebration,
with the lid off. That was the funniest .four days I ever
'spent. The "old men" (Booge' r Bed) set a:keg of boor on
the Christmas -table end every fellow:hed.:his 'own' Cup. It
seemed each one had en airs 'stunt' all his own to pull Ott.
..v
"Me boys all called me itiOther. and they, took a notion
for hot bisouits one day.:-. cooked their iliac:its. in a
dutch oven aver an open *amp firea:-.6.114,'; can't (look
biscuits today, boys,' I Said, ,lit is reining and will.
pit out the fire.' *Make ism,' licithirOaake 'em,' they all
shouted, *we will get out there and hold our slickers over
.you end the fire,' while yeti' (kook thei441-' That'we- :10O much
and I made up the dough While they built the tire under the
canopy of slickers and we cooked and ate, biscuits like that
until every one was tilled.
Page ten
"At one time we were a :ill Creek, Oklahoma,
during a big pionio and the crowd insisted that we put
on a morning as well as an afternoon show. We tried
it but somehow the unusual tine of day for the perfor-
mance° threw us all off .balance and every thing went
wrong, 3everal riders were thrown and the whole thing
was a flop. We felt sure that we would have no audi-
enoe that afternoon but I guess our reptaation was big...
ger than our blunders for the crowd very soon out -grew
the tent and Mr. Privett raised the side walls and told
them to stack up, all out-siders free. Pretty soon all
the trees around the tent were filled and I believe we
put on one of the best shows we overproduced.
'Boom Red always advertised ahead of his appear
emcee for people to bring in anything they wild lead,
driVei dregs, or ship, and he would ride it or pay Ma
,standing forfeit of $100.00. So never had to pay off
and there were plenty of bad horses brought in. Bo won
twentr.three first prizes in all and rode at the World's
Fair at St. Louis forty years ago when Will Rogers and
Tam Mix made their first publics appearance.
"His brono riding saddle was merely a frame or
tree, certainly no fancy affair but almost as famous as
the "old menn himself.
"In a rodeo contest in Fort Worth once ho won
$500.00 end a'fine saddle. When he went to the hotel-
Pogo eleven
with the rest of his crowd ho toot- both his old and new
saddle with him and hastily checked the new saddle as
his buddies were rushing him to come on and est. He
pitched the old one in as he rushed after the boys.
'Coma back,' called the clerk,. 'you havn't checked your
other saddle.' 'That's all right,' Booger shouted book,
'if any one uglier than I am comas along just give it to
him,'
"Our show was growing all the time. We now hod
twenty-two broncos, twelve saddle horses and thirty-two
wagons and had beoame known as the best Wild West Show'
on the road, It wee then that the circus sought us out.
We sold everything except our best bucking horses and
went with the (Arouse IWe traveled by rail then and our
good old wagon days were: over.. At different timbales
were with Al G. Barnes, MegenbeckviCallace, Buffalo Bill,
and others,
"I have to laugh every time I think of an incident
which took place while we were with the Barnes Circus.
Booger had twenty-five or thirty bucking horses, all
good performers and with them and our crew we 1)10 on the
wild west part of the show, Be vented s strong line in
the parade so we dressed up every thing available and
put them on horses, Old Frog Born Glancy was our an-
nounoer and when he came out to tell them of the fame of
Booger Bed's wife it was pitiful boa he spread it on. In
Pogo twelve
truth, I was not much of a rider but the way Frog Horn
Clenoy told them of the loving cups and handsome prizes
I had won would have convinced the most skeptical. His
blarney extended into "time" and my horse- became very
restless, so when he finally did close his speel with,
'Behold the famous Mrs. Privett in action,' my horse
lurched forward with an impatient gesture which sent
me right off on my head. ronder, of wonders that I was
not killed but I was hardly hurt. Tickled at*my plight,
but shamed to tears, I gathered myself up with all pos—
sible haste and ran from the tent as the applause died
upon the lips of my spectators.
In show life there is sadness as well as glad—
ness; lots of fun and some *sorrow, like when we were to
show in Wichita Fells once. We were approaohing the.
town and were met out on the highway by Pat Flynn's
brother who knew we were coming in end who had come on
out to meet his brother in an effort to persuade him to
quit the brono riding business. Booger Bed had taught
little Pat to ride end he was good, ,also orasy about
riding, mush to the objection of his family. _We were
all crazy about Pat end hated to see him leave us but
he had already promised his brother that he would go
home with him the next day. A few hours before the
show we all began to feel some of our old signs of de's
pressed feelings returning. We couldn't account for
rage fourteen
"While we were with the Barnes Circus, Mr. Privett
hod Alexander here in an Angelo make him a fine silver
mounted saddle and ship it to him. Of course it had
"Boozer Red" and our address, all over the big wooden
box. atm it arrived at the station and was being un-
loaded the children ell gathered around and began say..
Lug to each other, 'Booger Red has arrived, he's in that
box.' Excitement grew until I really believe some of
the grown-ups believed it too. Booger Red enjoyed the
joke so much that he mould walk around the box end tell
the children that_they should have Booger Red same thing
there to eat when he came out, that he would be hungry.
By the time the box was opened the kids had enough pea-
nuts, candy, milk, and sandwiches there to feed several
people. When the box was opened and the saddle tekap
out, the look of disappointment on the poor little kid...
dies' feces was pitiful. The *old men" enjoyed the
joke so much that he repeated it in several towns where
we shoved.
neaps had mow wonderful horses aid riders in
hiadifferent shows but always it took Montana 0311? and
Ranger Red to produce the star isot in any show. We
'kept the aid horse over twenty years andehen.he died
we bad another funeral end the family grief was not fez'
different from our experienee_when Zittle Prince died,
"Sane of our famouahortesweret FlaXY. M0640
Texas Boy„, Rooky Mountain *Wive, Bleak Diamond, Grey
Page fifteen
rolf, Hell Sett and old Pay Day. Texas Boy Was the
one that never pitched twice the same way and Booger
Red meintained a standing offer of ,:'50.00 per minute
to any one who stayed on him but he was the only one
ever to win the money. They were all bad horses but
none ever equaled old r-Iontana Gyp with the "old men".
He held one grudge against the horse thought until his
dying day. In 1915 he won the world's championship at
the San Francisco World's Fair and received a 050.00
silver mounted saddle and one day after he had ridden
his old horse down and thought he was conquered for
that owe, be made an extra lunge just as the "old man"
was dismounting, causing the =well of his spur to make
an ugly scratch aoross the seat of his beautiful saddle.
Be often remarked that be would never forgive the horse
for this one deed.
"Booger Red's last performance was at the Fat
Stook Show at Fort Worth in 1924 just a short time be-
fore he died. Be had retired end vent to Fort Worth
just to see the show. To keep from being recognized
he wore a cap instead of his big white hat, and low
quarters instead of.boote and slipped in on the top
seat of the grandstand. He was enjoying the perfors.
manoes when trouble arose in the arena with an outlaw
horse. The rider was thrown and the crowd yelled,
'Give us Booger Had,' He sat as still as st mouse unm.
Fnee sixteen
til an old lady at hie elbow reetymizod him and shriek
ad, ,!ere he is1f The crowd went wild and would not be
put off. He mode his way calmly down through the audi-
ence until he reached the bottom step where he was
hoisted on the shoulders of the *hearing throng and car-
ried to the arena. He rode the old horse to a finish
and many said it was the prettiest riding they ever saw.
He was at that time probably the oldest man on record to
make such a ride.
"He had lots of trouble during the last years of
his performances with Movie Companies trying to steel
pictures of him. Many were the times he would start
into the arena end see a machine set up in some obsoure
place, but they newer Arloked him. /f he had lived un-
til the picture business became more prominent he would
have been as famous in the Movie world as he was in the
show life of his day.
"BO always thought of his family first and was a
kind husband and father, doing all the good he could
wherever he was.
"lie died in March, 1924, 'at Miama, Oklahoma, with
these words on his lips, 'Boys, I'm leaving it with you.
DA good ogre of mama end little Bill. Always be honest,
for it pays in the long run. Have all the fun you can
while you live for when you are dead you are a long time
dead.*
Age seventeen
"After his death the children and I went beck to
the Buohannon Shows and tried to carry on but it was
never the same any more. Ella, the eldest girl who had
done a beautiful riding and roping act with her father
for sometimes rushed from the arena in tears the first-
time she attempted to put on the act without her father.
"All the children were taught the riding and rop-
tug acts and wore called famous by many*
"We are all pretty well scattered now though,
rile married one of her father's performers by the name
of Linton and they are with the Tom Ulx Circus in Cali-
fornia* Boy never went baok to the show after the road
War. Be has a nice family and la in the oil business in
Eleotra„ Texas. Thomas is with the Ringland Circus in
New York. Luther is in California* Alta, who suffered
a broken leg in the Bagenbeokallaee Circus, married a
kr. Fueh and lives in San Angelo; and Little Bill as we
all call the baby boy who weighs only /13 pounds, trains
rase stook on the Bents Anita tracks at Arcade. Cali-
fornia*
"Thomas and a bunch of boys went to Belgium in 1937
and put on a Wild West Show in answer to a request from
there and when they were through showing they wouldn't
pay them. They had to sell all their fine saddles and
equipment to live until relatives could send for them.
Range -lore
Llizobeth Doyle
san Angelo Taxa
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mrs. Mollie Privett, an Angelo, Texas, interviewed,
February 8, 1938.