Document text
Annie MbAulay
Erpverick TEX9.S
Runnels Canty
COWBOY LORE
Page One
W. C. tob)Haley was born in e State of Mississippi in
The
1874. HeIrved with his parents to Texas in 18780 The family
settled on a cAttle ranch ne NOviceiteleman County. They
lived tiere eleven yea n 889 thermoved to Coke County.
Mr. le)S father bought a ranch near Hayrick, then Ihe county
ere he lived until his death.
Mr. Ha ey says: father was a pioneer stockman in
West Texas. I began riding As soon as I was old enough to
ddle a horse. My father always kept some gentle sad 9e
aj
horses for kids and mother to ride. I began ridingy dj
helping work cattle for my father befeic atimareasaiin my
r.axer'kearly teens. I learned sometixg about the ways of cattle
and men on my fathers ranch. My taught me to treat all
men honest and square and expect the same from them.
(7
men I was abut grown, I got a job with/ihe Harris Eros.
outfit. They owned a forty section ranch, south of Rob Lee
and kept a big outfit. It was partly open range the
were some fences. In working the herds in the spring or fall,
lie'd round up one bunch in one section of the -pasture, cut
the stuff we wanted and brand the young stuff there that day.
Then we'd go on to another part the next day and continue
until we'd worked the whole ranch,
Annie McAulay
Maverick texas Page Two
4e
I remember the first spring we lived in Coke county,
it had been awful dry. Ihe streams had nearly all dried up.
We were rounding up,i boss said some of the cattle would
have to be moved where there was more water and grass or
be sold. Astir to play a joke on us after we had most of
the herd worked, /t began raining one nig,/ and it poured
fal. several day. We had to quit worki/Axit took out ftil
the rain let up.10117-1ftip verbody was 4044/glad to see that
rain.
--1--tweer-Wee.-= any ve
collie of trips to the Texas Plains
I made a
,Oco4ect we always
tried to pick a place that was level and open to bed the
cattle and rna cm at n;igh
;4./vt°'
t was easier to keep them
togetherd4 Cattle retiove easy disturbed. Sometimes a horse
would snort or a rabbit jump up near the herd and frighten
some of lh.em and get them to stirring. And once they got
startedlthe riders had to get started too.
I remember on one of our trips we had to ride all night
long. We were trying our dead level best to get the herd
quieted. We never knew2Ixt it was perhaps some small animal
that frightened them. We rode like thunder and tried to get
in the lead of them. We did manage to sort of keep them
bunched together, and,mtremrwe-finfially got than' to igel-lewitag--
'milling. Inler-tr044.4)43--a2113-1-14-446M-,
hen they stopped and began lyi awn. I can tell
you we was all plenty tired next day.
Annie McAulay
Maverick, Texas
Page Three
e//
The boys I worked with were usually full of fun and liked
no hing better than a good joke. I remember once during a
spring round -up we were camped near Cedar Mountain and
at t time there was quite a bit of wild stuff -animals I
mean- in them parts. Some of ti -.e boys had roped a wild -tat
and brought him into camp that day. That night after supper
we was all grouped around or near the firejamoking and dis-
cussing our day‘ work. The wildcat was tied with a rope and
was lying on the ground nearby. John Hasey, our cook, was
sitting with his back to the fire and directly in front of the
big kitt*4141../1
Pick Castlebury, who was always up to some trick, heated
an iron in tile fire and told us he was goin g to have sons fun.
When the iron was hot he applied it to what he thought was a
-sleeping catioeftr expecting him to lunge toward the coot)
t instealibe jumped high into the air with an awful equal
tirrped back for pick. Re nenrly tore his clothes off befanate
managed to back out of his reach. The joke was on old Didt
and the boys just doubled up with laughter. They/all/NV...enjoyed
razzing him about that tricklafter-tilbat..
knew several good riders, but I believe )41d John
Hargroves, who worked for Spades outfit when I didrwas about
as good as I eve' saw. He could ride anything, steers and
broncs too.
remember once while there, there was an old steer about
seven years oldvilever had a rope an him. He was a booger to
catch and a fighter too. r-
FPT
Annie McAulay
Maverick Texas
Page Pour
Our bossiMr. Arnettitold us boys if we coud drive that steer
in 111(1 catch him we could have him.
ell d Hargroves went out one d.97 on his horse, rode
up beside ol4big'ne and jumpedkitraddle of him. The old steer
pitched and reared, but I'll be dadblamed if he did'nt ride
/4
him into to -the pen. John could 414441Aeride ild steers as
well as broncs.
'bibliography
W. C. Myley1Pronte Texas.' Pioneer titizen and cowhand of
Coke County. Interviewed March 21, 1938.
Binge -lore -I
Annie moAulay
maveriok, Texas
t,
RANGE -LORE
rage one
C. (Bob) Haley was born in the state of Mississippi
in 1874. He moved with his parents to Texas in 1878. The
family settled on a settle ranoh near Neriae, Coleman County*
They lives there eleven years and in 1889 moved to Coke County*
Mr. Haley's father bought a leash near Heyriekt then the
sounty seat where he lived until his death.
ilir* Haley says: *My father was a pioneer stockman in
West Texas* I began riding as soon as I was old enough to
saddle a horse. My father always kept some gentle saddle
horses for us kids end mother to rids* 1 began riding the,
range and helping work settle for wy father in wy sari, teens.
Page two
I learned something abott,the ways of cattle and men on my
father's ranch. He taught me to treat all men honest and
square and expect the same from them.
'When I was about grown, I rot a job with the Harris
brothers' outfit. They owned a forty section ranch south of
Robert Lee and kept a bip outfit. It was partly open range
then, although there were come fences. In working the herds
in the spring or fell, we'd round up one bunch in one section
of the pasture, out the stuff we wanted and brand the younp
stuff there that day. Then we'd go on to another pert the
next day und continue until we'd worked the whole ranch.
"I reLember the first spring we lived in Coke County,
it had been awful dry. The streams had nearl:/ all dried up,
a were rounding up and the boss said same of the cattle
would hive to be moved where there was more water and grass
or be sold. AS if to play a joke on us after we had most of
the herd worked, it began raining one night and it poured
for several days. V,e had to quit work; just took out 'til
the ruin let up. hverybody was sure glad to see that rein.
"I made a couple of trips to the Texas Plains and I
recollect we always tried to pick a place that was level end
open to bed the cattle and mak(' camp at night, as it was
easier to keep them torether in that way. Cattle were very
easy disturbed. .Jometimes a horse would snort or a rabbit
jump up near the h‘ld und frighten some of them ard get them
to stirring. ,nd once they got started, the riders had to get
7 -age three
started tlo.
"I reneTber on one of our trips we had to ride all
night long. e were trying our dead level best to get the
herd quieted. ,e never knot, but it was perhaps some small
animal that frightened them. Ws rode like thunder and tried
to get in the lead of them. vte did manage t keels) thf3m to-
gether, end finally got to them to milling. Then they stopp-
ed end began lying down. I can tell you we was all plenty
tired next,day.
"The boys I worked with were usually full of fun and
liked nothing better than a good joke, I remember once
during a big spring round...up we were camped near Cedar Moun-
tain and'at that time there was quite a bit of wild stuff
animals I mean.- in them parts. Some of the boys had roped
a wildcat and bfOught him into comp that day. That night
after supper we was all grouped around the fire, smoking
and discussi-g our day's work. The wildca was tied with
o rope end was lying on the ground nearby. John nosey, our
cook, woe sitting' with.his back tl the fire ane directly in
front of the big kitten. :Oick Castlebury, vho woe always up
to come trick, heated an iron in the fire and told us he was
goine to have some fun. Olen the iron was hot he applied it
to whet he thought was a sleeping oat, expecting him to lunge
toward the cook; but instead, he jumped high into the air with
an awful squall and jumped beak for Lick. He nearly tore his
Page four
clothes off before he managed to'back -Jut of his reach. The
joke was on old Dick and the boys just doubled up with laugh-
ter, They sure enjoyed razzing him about that trick.
"I knew several good riders, but t believe old John
largroves, who worked for 'Spades outfit when I did, wee about
as good as I over saw. He could ride anything, steers and
bronco too. I remember once rhile there, there was an old
steer about seven years old, never had a rope on hir. 7e
was e booger to catch and s fichter too, our boss, :r. Arnett,
told us toys lf we could drive that steer in and catch him we
could have him. rell, old Hargroves went out one day on his
horse, rode up beside old big'ne eud jumped a -straddle of him.
:he old steer pitched tJI.d reared, but I'll be dadblamed if he
didn't ride him into tht pen. John could sure ride- wild
steerc as well as broncs,"
Rang ore
Anni
7,ove 7, Texas
LIbLIOGRAPHY
C. Laley, Lronte, Texas, interviewed Aproh 21, 1938.