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Mrs. Annie McAulay
M9verick texas
Runnels County
(1.1p/kii COWBOY LORE
Page Dm
KIANK KEEN* s born in Bell County Texas,June 22, lt7.eiter-rnM'
4404.441.4cak.s.ollawibelie..464""ffli.motr.ali_ hist ilaniamciar-teeter
16,94-AA;lAmittrlIrlfter4 ;44/7tiloar Z4k
441,_ mqyA, "I began riding when about ten years dC age. I V'
can remember how proud I was of my first saddle. It cost seven
-'nd one half dollars. --7
I suppose the first real experience I had in trying to
ride, was when I tried to ride my first milk pen calf. I got
up c)urage to get on a pretty good size calf some of the other
older boys had been riding. I wasn't more Ilan nine years old.
Well, I gund out yea,lings could buck. I rode that Mom calf
all over the pen, while the other boys whooped and yelled. Then
he finlfally got fierce and ran into the cowshed and tore the
outfit down. I guess it wasn't very substantiali4heserianywaY.
itTlettco my father got me the saddle and put me to riding a horse.
Pretty soon I was riding and helping in the pasture with the ot*r
boys.
I held m:y first cowhand job in. San Saba unty. I was a boy
still in my teens and I worked or my t,Mrs. Houston. She
owned a cattle ranch near Richland Springs. I river went on any
long drives or done anything outstaxdpc while I worked there,
cl
but I did get some good old fashionekSx,-perience about handling
sattls,.
I went to Dickens County in 338 /ergot a job on tne
Spur ranch tle day I landed tiers. The Spur s a nit hundreu
section ranch near the town and county
iickens. They
worb.d a_lat.--41f-sisu.........i.Lwaa_taie Joiggest_outfit, I...ever worked for.
It was all open range then with chuck wagon outfits. The
hands all carried their packs -containing bedding and so on
on their mounts. We ate and slept outdoors the year around.
They.twas lots of wild stuff in that country tnen. We'd
see antelope, wild turkeys and other wild stuff every day.
The Spur ou*it hired a ma just to trap wolves and other
varmints. The wolves a'real menace to stogen up ther*.
t
timatm Lee Self was the hunte nd trapperolaitwile-i-was.theas
lie worked every day with hi gun and traps and often had
other men to help him.
ci
They always had two big round -ups a year. One in the
spring and the other in thefall. When round -up time came
frere'd always be one big range bossiliTien other straw bosses.
These last bossed the smaller roundups which made up the big
general roundup. IN'd brand and cut the young stuff or what
the owner wanted to sell.)
n•••••• wid...........^......,
4::: And then we'd always brand when they bought a new herd,
or when t1ei,fd round some up to sell. En -4m* ere was always
plenty to o if it wasn't anything but lalildingi6rrals or
digging new well.
qe'd have a little schindig ever once in a while. The
boss said we needed alittle fun to flavor our work. It was
usually a danceiof cours!)&t the big ranch house, with plenty
Page Three
of old time fiddlers and pretty gilly to dance with.
ces--
Ed Fuqua was the horsebreaker or bronco buster for the
44414-a•0
outfit. He was idamme 4heme.good riden too. He could just about ride
anything. When he forked a hors, well, you just knew he was a
gonna stick. I've seen him ride Some awful tough and tridir ones.
He had 'a way with horses. They liked him. He seelpmed to attract
_ them some way. And if they was stubborn he'd conquer them before
he quit 'em.
Of co)urse we had lots of stampedesodurnr-Cremmimmedwinnm..........
We'd be holding a bunch and for some reason they'd become
restless and break away. And then of course we'd have to ride
like thunder to try to stop 'em. We'd try to get in the lead
of them and then they9tisually follow 20, we would try to head
off the leaders and g 'em to ci7cling. Then we'd keep them
milling until they were run down and would get quiet.
time on to -Abilene and finally drifted to C
I married nnd ed near Robert Lee
901.
eral years. I worked
on rances some and I wirled for Olvis Bros. Grocery store
inBalli
1904 and 105. 06 my brother Charlie and I
t out Shawes furniture, Groceries dertaking Co. at
S.
I'll never forget the good old cowboy days thamoltpon the range.
Those were my happiest days. It's true we razzed each other a
lot but I never saw a wowboy that wouldn't stand up for another
when he needed help or was in any kind of a jam.)/
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L.tory of the WalesaWS' ass*
41esteth £oy3.
=mom*
tiURY OF,TIL OUTnANDSB-PANO#
(A) Mr. Itsteliford. nershent and old time resident of Point Reek,
Texas, interviewed April 4, 1936.
(B) rreel4 c. Stewart, preeent obenpent of house, Point Pock,
Toss.. Intirviewed April 4, 193e.
Range -lore
Annie :cAulay
Laveriok, Texas
RANGE -LORE
Page one
Frank Feeny of Coke County was torn in Bell County, Texas,
June 22, 1877. re tells the following story:
"I began riding when about ten yeers of age. I can remember
how proud I was of my first saddle. It cost seven and one half
dollars. I suppose the first real experienoe I had in trying to
ride, was uhen I tried to ride my first milk pen calf. I got up
courage to get on a pretty good size calf some of the other older
toys had been riding. I wasn't more than nine years old. e11, I
found out yearlings .could' buck. I rode that calf all over the pen,
while the other boys whooped and yelled. Then he finally got
fierce and ran into the cow shed and tore the outfit down. I guess
Page two
it wasn't very substantial, anyway. So my father rrot me the
saddle and put me to riding a horse. Pretty soon I was riding
and helping in the pasture with the other boys.
"I held my first cowhand job in San Saba County, I was a
boy still in my teehs and I worked for my aunt, Ere. Houston.
she owned a cattle ranch near Iiichland Springs. I never went on
any long drives or done anything outstanding while I worked there;
but I did get some good old fashioned experience about handling
cattle.
"I went to Dickens County in 1889 and got a job on the &Our
ranch the day I landed there. The spur wee a nine hundred section
ranch near the town and county seat, Dickens. They sure worked a
lot of men. It was the biggest outfit I ever worked for. It was
all open range then with chuck wagon outfits. The hands all carried
their pocks- containing bedding end so on on their mounts. e ate
and slept outdoors the year around.
"There was lote of wild stuff in that country then, eld sec
antelope, wild turkeys end other wild stuff every day. The spur
outfit hired a man just to trap wolves and other varmints. The
wolves were a reel menace to stookmen up there. Lee Self was the
.hunter end trapper. He worked every day with his guh and traps and
often had other men to Irlp him.
"They always had two big round -ups a year. One in the spring
and the other in the fall. When round -up time came there'd always
be one big range boss, then other straw bosses. These last bossed
the smeller round -ups which made up the big general round -up. V,e'd
Page three
brand and out the young stuff or what the owner wanted to sell.
And then we'd always brawl when they bought a new herd, or when
they'd round some up to sell. There was always plenty to do if
it wasn't anything but building corrals or digging a new well.
"vie'd have a little sehindig ever once in a while. The boss
saicl we needed a little fun to flavor our work. It was usually a
dance, of course, et the big ranch house, with plenty of old time
fiddlers and pretty girls to dance with.
"24 Fuqua was the horse breaker or bronco buster for the out-
fit. He was sure a good rider, too. He could justlebout ride any-
thing. Then he torkedo horse, well, you just knew he was a -gonna
stick. I've seen him ride some awful tough end tricky ones. Ile
had a w3y with horses. They liked him. Lc seemed to attract them
core way. rald if they was stubborn he'd conquer them before he (,uit
'em.
"Of course we had lots of stampedes. eld be holding a bunch
and for come reason they'd become restless and break aray. lind then
of course we'd have to ride like thunder to try to stop tem. We'd
try to get in the lead of them and then they'd usually follow or we
would try to head off the leaders and get 'em to circling. Then we'd
keep them milling until they were run down en, would get quiet.
"I'll never forget the good old cowboy days on the range. Those
were my hu piest days. It's true we razzed each other a lot but I
never saw a cowboy that wouldn't stand up for another then he needed
help or was in any kind of e jam."
Pange-lore
innie::oAulay
Daverick, Texas
EIBLIOGRAPHY
Frank Keen?, bronto, Texas. Interviewed April 13# 1938.