Document text
,41.4.00proc,
Gauthier. Sheldon F.
Hangelore.
Tarrant Copist,.#7
e
Ernest Spann#86,1iving at 1007 Woodard
St9P0 Box 296A #2,Fort WarthsTexastwas born milky
8,1882 at Bedford CasTinsi.
fatheroltoblart Spannoswvwd his family
from Tannest to Texas and settled, in Fort Worth
in the year of 19924.104_1. _
ti
Ernest Wan iALIF AgtOtpaunlaoapt.
ad a job with the We renehlin 1900.1ocated in maylor
Co#16 miles S•of Seymour and worked there for a period
of four years.
His story of Bangs life follows:
"I was born in Bedford CotTenn'in 1682 an a farm that
my father owned and operetol. My fajiher moved his family to
Texas in 1892,comiqg to tort worth.
"I spent py time going to school during my teens until
I was about 16 years old. During my school years learned to
ride a hoes. 4 father owned a couple saddle animals and those
critters provided me the means to learn.
"I married when I was 17 years oldlthen was put to
calculating on getting a job. I got wind of a job for a cowhand
and a cooky on the 'Bri outfilotowned by Ramp Francheetlocated
in BaXlor Co#15 miles S•of Seymour, Evatmy wifetand I started
for the ranch each straddled ad a bronco and dragged out to to
'HP ranch. is were taken =fahe as cooky and I as a cowhand.
That was in 1900 and we stayed with the *utile four years.
"My wife hadon the ,,verage,15 hands to fix chuck for.
Sometimes the number would be as low as sight and at times high
:-Asa;„02.4. -otrp,I-,exws
as 210* Ai**e1 ö4ft O9,4daf W
just enough to attend to the general worktbut during branding
tossoma amdiabed*there was a lot of shipping the numb ar gobands
•YE.c--T
111111144 --dip etc 241.:
QAutbeir.Sheldon F.
Mere.
t ColDist,.#7
Sege 42
PC 240
"We had the best of everything to sat and did most of
our flue lining in the cook shack. Only during bronding seasons,
occasionally,we used the check wagon. Ny wife was ordered to
feed the hands well and that she did. Of course, there were
no fancy dishes fixed,but plenty of good solid food of all kinds
needed,including chuck for the sweet tooth.
"The fivi out was a fenced range of 4000 acees.
The
outfiltalso had an open range camp in the SWUM section of
Texas. The critters were ranged Su the Skillet rang, until
Me animals were to made ready for the amrtet,then they were
driven to the Baylor Co, camp for !atoning. There was a steady
movement more or less, of critters from the Skillet range to
the Baylor Co, ranch and from this ranch to the market. Wihn
a bunch of critters were ready for the market they would be
driven to Seymour and there loaded on a train for shippment
to tort Worth.
"The cattle were the white face Illerfords and easily
handled. A stampede was a rare event and then it didn't amount
to anything. The white face critters coundn't run fist no how.
Once in a while a bunch would break for a run back to the ranch
while we were driving the animals to Seymour. On the a040 we
never had any stampedes.
"Our big worry was caused by the cattle rustler and
the brand artist. The rustler kept us peeling our eye all the
year while the brand artist worked in he spring when the calf
crop was coming on.
"he brand artist would watch for an umbranded calf and
GauthieriSheldon Y. Page #3
Rangelore. PC 240
Tarrant CoOlstts#7
and put the iron on itiotoes the critter over the fence and take
it to some other bunch of cattle. We lost many calves to the
brand artist. We could tell when a calf was stolen by iLealflus
mother cow showing up. Of course, after we did the spring braning
the calves -would be safe.
"The cattle rustler stole stock for sale. That breed
would cut the range fence and drive the crittees off. Later,
after I quit the rangeothe rustler used the auto -truck and loaded
the critters at the rangetand than drove to market. We could
always tell when a bunch of crittees were rustled by finding the
range fence cut and the tracks of the crittees leading out through
the gap.
"Fence ridees were kept busy riding the fence line
watchi.“g for gaps cut by rustlees and broken wire. Thera was
two man that did nothing else but repair the fence and keep it
in good condition.
"clay once were we able to catch th rustlers in the
act. That time the fence rider rode up on the bunch as they were
(hitting 26 head to the highway. Five man were too many for him,
so the rider hit for the camp with the news. Ernest Dawson was
top -screw and be sent six of us after the gangtwhile.he hit far
Seymour to netify the MaghAtheriff.
"Us waddles caught up with the rustlerstabout five miles
from uhere the gap was cut, driving the crittees down the high.
way It was dark and to trail :the outfit we had to frequent-
ly get off of our hoases and examine the road for tracks. Ever
Gauthier. Sheldon 7*
inft140rient_l.
Tarrant Copist,47
Page
PC 240
cross trail had to be watched and we had to keep our eye peeled
for the trail taking off a cross the prairie* tie finally spied
a bunch of moving objests ahead* We all gave our mounts the
gut -hooks and lit out to cut down on the rustlees suddenly,but
when we drove Into the hard there was no rustlers in sight*
They bad sighted us coming and lit out leaving their loot* About
that tinelpavislthe Sheriff and erocryldWputies arrived* They
took up the trail of the hosses's hoofs and it lead them into
6eymour where the trail was lost*
"Occasionally's rustler al two would be caughtearreated
and tried with some convections,but far more steals took place
than convections
"The steady bands on the 'I*' ranch, during my stay there,
were Erenst Desson'the top -screw, second to Clyed Francheelthe
main screwie lion*Then the regular hands 'Odd Hutchinson' ton
Toltver,Tex Usthirws'av wife and I
"While we did not have to herd the critters to keep the
hard on the range'because the fence took care of that Job, we did
a tolerable lot of range ridinglwatching for injured and sick
antnals* Two riders were used to do nothing else but ride the
range.
"The critters were fed grain f regularly and that job
kept four of us busy taking feed to various spots an the range,
where all of the, two to three thousnad,critters could get at it.
One thing stands out in my nind about the bunch of
waddles on the 'HY' and that was the way we all got along together*
We were just like one iig family and I don't mean a fighting
Gauthier.auldon F. Page #6
it101•0 PC 240
g:nt Copistl.#7
outfit.
The boys called the cooktNneens and they treated her
as4ons. he called the waddles 'he r bops* and treated the bunch
as she would her boys. So between the boys and the gook things
ran smooth. If the bunch hankered for some special churk they
would tell the Queen and Lbws /got it. The Queen hpd a,mystem
about her goodneestbecause she knew the bunch would not forget
her on paydays and there always was something coning her way in
the form of presents.
"We had our good times as well as lot of work. We did
a lot of card playing and poker was the in game we played the
most. Then we did a lot of target shoo ingthad looping matches,
hose wrsngling and sports of that sort. Tex: &thews was able to
agitate the cat gut so we had fiddle music occasionally. All in
all we had a pert time.
The best hoes wrangler and all around rider I have ever
watched straddle a hoes was Odd Hutchinson. He did the wrangling
of the wild critters brought in from the rangs,which were broke
to the saddle Wrangling a hose was plmy for Odd and he wouldn't
trade his job bi being King of Gila Gulch. 'tor anKone else I
ever chined totbad never seen Odd take a spill off of a critter.
He knew hose character and every movement of the piehher and
could sense what move was coming in ti;;Ik to be sit for it.
"There was not much roping necessary on the far,
because those white fade critters are a tame breed and will not
run from a rider Therefore,I did not see much real range looping,
done
Oftthier.dheldon
Gangelore.
Tarrant Co,Dists.#7
Fags #6
FC 240
except then the boys pritticed Tex Mathews was the handy iny
tcith the rope in our bunch. Be could swing a pretty loop and put
it just at the point he wanted it placed. Now, I want to prattle
about the real artist with the six.gunfthat was Tom oliver. Be
wits just as good with a moving target as with a still one. I have
many times held a match between myLfinguersoff 25 pacestand he
would light the match with a bullet fron his gun.
"If you ask whom I consider the best camp cook that I
know offlIgll have to give that honor to the Queertbecnuse I an
still living with her and want to continue doing sofbut at that
she is entitled to the honor.
"At the end of four years work my wife insisted that we
quit and set to building a farm some for our selves. I consented
and ended my range career.