Document text
Range -lore
Annie ::caulay
Laverick, Texas
RANC11.113112
SEP -8 1938
De (Doe) Lerken was born in reyettaville, Arkansas,
November 21, 1866. He moved to Collin County, TeXOS, in
1872. re only lived there one year, then moved to San
Sabo County. He lived in San Saba until 1P90 when he
roved to Correll County. -:op moved with his *family to Coke
County in 1901, end settled on a ranch neer Tennyson.
r. Larken says: "illy father, who vas a stockman and
farmer, and my mother, were both born in Tennessee. They
moved to Lissouri for avhile after they marrieds They
weren't satisfied and pretty soon they lett for California.
That was during the gold rush. They were with an lumigrent
train of about one hundred people. My oldest brother woo
born on that trips They carried some furniture, s few
orbs.
ehiokens, a pig, end a milk cow along. my, mother would
laugh and tell about milking the cow in the morning and
having churned butter for supper thet night. ity father
said they saw lots of Indians, but they didn't have any
real trouble with them but once. A women and her child
ventured out too for from °amp about dusk one evening,
and the Indians mode off with them. The men hunted for
them several days, but never found any trace of them.
"When I wee a kid we rode horseback every where we
went, except maybe to preaching when the whole family was
going, then we'd go in an oz wagon. The women rode on
side-saddles in them days, and they done somethine besides
ride, too, they plowed with oxen. I've seen lots of women
follow a team of oxen all cloy long, end I've seen tom help
aZin work cattle all day long, too.
"There was lots of wild stuff in an baba County when
we lived there. I romembor when I was Just a kid, me and
some more boys was fishing on the river. I happened to
look up and spy a panther Just on the other side of the
river. He was standing perfectly still and resin' straight
at us. It soared me so bad I nearly dropped my fishing pole.
I whispered to the other kide, end we lit out home, slowly
at first, rhen we thoupht we was out of sirht we ran. re
ran about a mile, all the way home, but he didn't follow us.
I guess he'd had *nis dinner.
"When we firet moved to son Saba the men always went
armed on account of the wild animals end Indians. If they
went to church or any place like that they'd carry their
'old cop and ball guns alont7 and stack them all in a corner.
"I was raised on a horse's back; never did learn to
walk good. I began riding bronco and breaking horses when
just a lad of a boy. I never had one to hurt ne bad. I
rode a bronco at a prohibition rally at Johnson City ones
that like to not we. Several had tried to ride that demon.
Be was sure a mean one. I rode him, but it nearly done we
in, I was so jolted end sore from it, I couldn't hardly
walk for a week.
"I helped tl drive a herd (about 3,000 head) of cattle
from Llano to Jones County in 1889„ when I wee workin' fer
the H. H. outfit in Llano. It was still open range and
good grass up there, and .we was tekin, 'em up there to
winter gem. We lived outdoors all the time, on a horse or
under a tarpaulin.
"We bed a stampede when we was camped one night on
White Flat in Nolan County. Along about midnight we heard
the boys on guard calling for us to get up. A big thunder
eland had made up in the west and the thunder and lightning
ea sonethin* to make you tiel messy.
"The boss ordered us all to fork our saddles in a hurry,
By the time we rode out to the herd, the eattle was getting
restless. They was bawling and stamping, and trying to move
around. The boys was doing their best to keep 'am together,
but just before the rain started it came a keen clap of
thunder and sip they was gone like a streak. we rode all
night nearly, but they scattered and we never did get lam
all together. I had a small bunch 14 there with them, and 1
lost nearly all Jf mlne.
"I worked on the Pitchfork ranoh near EApur in 188, and
drifted oa down to the Matson renoh4 I helped aign the
petition to get a Post Office at Jayton. I broke horses on
the Hitsoa, Aatador, C. B., and other mashes all over the
eountry. I received from 45.50 to 0 )0 per horse, accord-
inc to his age.
"It 'sr run to ride wild ones at first, but after awhile
it pot to be work. It was a job eould do, though, and some..
hew I just couldn't stay off of gem. I can truthfully say I
never was 'Miaowed, not after I really learned how to ride gem.
'Then we etas out on the range with on outfit, we carried
a peck horse and our saddle horse, too. There was usually from
100 to 150 saddle horses with an outfit, and they kept a horse
wrangler for them. I was used to riding and being away from
home some when 1 was a kid and I didn't mind.
owbos
"We generally had two big round*ups at year, one in the
fall and one in the spring* We'd out the settle for shipping
or branding, and then hold than, or as a rule they'd have
some branding and tally men and they'd start right in with
tAt first burial)* They'd work in pairs, ono would bulldog
'em and the other would mark or brand them*
"Shucks, but we sure had lots of fun if we did work herd*
veld ride for miles an Saturday night to take in a dense or
to just get to town. Thetts eowboy life for you, always
reed"' for work or fun or whatever would come*
"Fiddlesticks, I say we'd rasa the green hands, but they
was generally good natured enough to take it. If they wasn't
we'd pour it on 'em sure enough* Sometimes we'd whip 'en
with loin's, maybe make 'em ride a side*eaddle or put 'cm
on a jumpint horse just to see 'em throwed off*
"One old boy I believe it was on the C* Bs ranoh got
a job one day in the spring* Our boss told us to go easy with
him, he'd had a streak of bad luek* he'd lost his parents end
this was his first job on a ranoh sway from home, but it turn-
ed out it wasn't his first job on a 'ranch.
1,1ft saddled him a gentle old nag with a kid's saddle, Ho
Looked it over, then took it off and asked if there was another
saddle horse he oould ride* Thor* was only one in the lot sad
they told him to help himself* He went and sought up a horse,
Mrs. Annie_McAulay
Maverick, Texas
TIOnels County
1
COWBOY 'LORE
Page 1.
JD. (DOC) tARrEN was born in\Fayettel4lie,sArkansai, November 21',
1866. He moved to Collin Count, Texas, in'187. He only lived there
t
one :ear, then moved to San Saba County. 'He lived in' San Sa:Oa,until
1890(,when he moved tC7 Coryell County.
upyr,47' lie\moved with -his family to Coke county dh 1901, and settled /on
a ranch nea..Tennyson.
A
Mr. LarIcen says; 4my father l, who was (a stockman and farmer, and my,
mOther, were both born in Tetnesee. They moved to Missouri for awhile
after they married. They weren't satisfied and pretty soon they left
.,for California. That was during the Cold rtsh. They with an immi-
grant tin of about on hundred people. My oldts-L, brother was born on.
that trip&
The?, carried seme furniture, a few chickens, a pig, -and a milk
cow along. MY mother would laugh and tell about milking the cow in the
morning and havii thurned-buttet,flor-supper'thatnight. Ny father said
they saw lots of but they didn't have 4ny real trouble with
them but once.,, A woman and her'child-ventured out too far from'cft
_about dusk one,evening, and 'the Indians mate off with them. The men
'hunted for them s_veral days, but neVer found any trace of them.
"When I Was a_kid we rode horseback every where we went, except
,(maybe to preachin' ,when the whOle'family ytT9.8 goin',:then wetd go 'an
OX- wagon.' The women rode Olt Side saddles in them days, and they Mine
somethin' besides ride, too, they plowed 4-4thoxen., I've deenLIcits of
follow a team bf:oxen,aIllda' longf,and I'veseen,refiv"ride ancf,_
j
for eattie oo.
14-
1;;40
"There was lots of wild stuff -in San Saba COunty, when 7ie lived thezre.
I renifter when I was just a kid, me 3nd some more -bs v fiS.-_it'4 On the
river. I happened to look up and spy a panther just on the otht,r side of,
.1 the river. He w, s' standing perfectly still and 17asini straizht at us.
It scared tqe So' ft.1-1-7Xred nerly2 dropped 4 tishint pole. I whis-
pered to the other kids, and we lit out h OME slowly at first. When we
r,
thought we was out of s izht -Ye ran. We ran about a mile, all the war
home, but, he didn' t follow us. I, guess be4 d had this dinner.
"Whe'we first moveer.tb,San $aba the men always went q tried On ace ount
P
of the N,h1d aninrds 1.d, If'they w.ent to church br any. place
like that they' d carry tiveir old cap and ball guns along atAd stack them
f
IIl 'a corner.,
"I Was raised on a' horus back; never did le Irn to walk good.
be tan riding-troncs' and breakin4 hop; es when ju4t a _lad of a boy. I never
hac 1etoh1,41,rt -me 1:Ad. ,1 rode a 'branc at' a' rally ,at Johnson
City 'once thnt' like- to' got -,me. Several h4d tried to ride that demon* ,:qe
,mean Agit'I rode 114.14, but it nearly done me in, Iiffas so
was
j olted and, sore ,frOm it 3-,-1.-couldn' ti hardly: walk for ,,,week.,
"1 helped' to dri6 a her bout 3100CY he•7'd) of cattle from -14a= 'to,
Jones County in 189, when I wAs workihf for the 41. 11 ks,-outfit 4.n lamp.
It( waS 8 ti U. open range ,I. good ,4e.:raSSui, ,there and'ne Was takin" en
up there to winter ern. Wi lied out doors ali tt,ie time ma a horse or
under a. ,tarpaulin;,
"We h? d a ,stampede when we was oamped one White rth
FOlan Cbuntyb 41ong abdut midnpght, we helid tile- boys on guard- calling
1 A
for, us t) 'get up._ A big thunder' -t,..-711ilot had, made up .4..11 'the. west and' -4he'
v,
_„
,s4
thunder and li'ghting.wassometh1 to' make' you feel 4teasy,,
"The boss ordered Us,q1,1---t, fog' our. ,saddles in' a'hurry. Ey',the(
time we rode out to the her ie cattle,414“00001ettins restless,
They was and st$Mpin',-,and tryinto move,lroUnd. .The boys Wis
dpi' their best to keep lem, toether,"but just bef6re the ,rain started-,
it came a keen clap of thunder and zip-rthey'wasione like a streak.
,J1
We roce all niglit ne-rlfr, but they scattered and,we never did get 'em:
rrliql together., I had a Small bUndlin theritAqth them,,ond 1 .Oet. near4y.,,
I 1 ,n
all of mine.
"I'Wqiik-ed on the 14,tChfork ranch near Spur;in,!8a-,, and drifted on
A'
down to the Hitson ',peon. I[helped siZn the petition to L.':et a Post 'Office
4 '1
'at Jayton. I broke hbrses on the Hitson, gatadbr, C. 'B. and biller ranches
1 h
allt,'5Dver the country.
Ing to his age.
irr*eiVed r,$35O tc.18:0Q per horse, rd
"It -was funtto ride w'ild pneb at firSt, but after awhile .it gpt to
be wcrk., 1.-t'viaEl,,a job 'I could do0:though,,and somehow I ,j.ust couldn't
staybff of 'em I can .truthfuIlyayi'n , vere was,throwed,-:not after ,1
I re,ally -lealrtied -hoirO4o,firlideolin'‘'
"When we was, out on the ra -10)tIvan;ouifItlir‘ca'rrW, a pack
horse and our Saddlehorp'e',„ tOd. there.yin, uUyo4 190 to l0
saddle hories
I,was,Used'to z1td1nh nd bei avraz,ffii6m, hOtheome 'when T was a kid and
I tdidn''t mind.
A
,r
'We generallyhad.two big:toun44,0u*a-year,
.01110 in ti f1.i. a,tici
_
in the, spring, We'd tut the cattle for Iltppliig oribrageidtIng, and then
ho4'them/or'as A ru4.e they'd haiie some trandineand Vq11,,Y *en and' -they'd'
el
st-rt, right in with the _first, bunch. T'neyrd work ill pairs,
r
bulldog em and, the other w'ould mark "or brand them.
"Shucks, but wetgkhad lots of fUn 4if we did_ work hard. We'd
911e
would _
ride for miles on Seturda-y nithttoke in a aPnce or to, just get to
town. Tht, s'CowbOy life for 1.14,rays reedy For work or,, fun or what-
ever would come.
,"Riddlesticks, I _sky we'd raz, the green hands,_ but they was gen-
rally. good natured
ride a side padf.le eM'On juipin,i: .,hors 6 s to Oeem throwedv,
enouh to take' it. IT, Viiy wasn't wel45, pour,rit On
t
SoTes we'd -90,11p, ''eat': with Itp-it04 ,rOybe illke 'em
"One, old boy -I believe it. via,S,o the C. B. raneh-hgot,: a job one day
"the,spring. Our bosi told us, go may him,, he'd had a streak
e
p,
of bad_ luck. He'd lot his, pireliti Fii, It' ,,this, t.'as his first' job on a randh
,tway' fro:- home, butit t4rned,:out, it ?wasn't' hi i-2,st job on a ranch.
lie saddled b. ntle,- old r -sag with' a kidfil saddle. 1-,ie looked.'it
over then took it off, and •Isked if there was another Saddie horse he
'could ride. her was only -one ip.. t4 -le 1 ot/cand_„':(he;r told, llita, to help
,-_ ,:-.4 o..,:k ,-:,, :',ir i.. .4- '1,, -4" t:j
illitS elf He went and c,',Ught up a '1.0--seywhich was a really mean on$10.•
and to our sur,priee lie rode -him. ,,,Wel,l, "thi 4oke,o*as 'on us. That boy hPd
9,
a right t 3 get rind; but. he ,dtid.p.' t IN' 'ac(iteteted our apolOp,.in a good,
natured' way. ThP_t Inade ther'boys' ittore C 9:17 0 ful'about their jokes after
ft
r
r,