Document text
Rarv7e-lore
Annie I cAuley
Asverick, Texas
RANG.1-J-LORL
a. L,;. Lewis was born in Louisiana in 1878. He come
to Texas at the age of eighteen end began working on a
ranch in Coleman County.
Lr. Lewis says: "1 got my first ranch job when I 7aa
seventeen years old. I came out to visit my uncle, Robert
,ocine, in Colenon County, and he put to ridinp! or help-
ing breok bronc horses. I helped pith round-upc and such
things, too. fter a few months I not homesick and vent
back to Louisieno for c apell, but oe bock later and
Vila time 1 stayed.
"1 worked on ranchos in Coleman and 1-unnels County for
many years. I learned something about settle, horses and
men. 14 bruther-in-law, Lem Cresswe11, has live6, in Cole-
man County since 18%. I've heard him tell some wild and
.2.
woolly stories tout the west, when he was a pioneer. He
told about ho r the Indians reided his place end stole his
horses. How they /nod drouths end other thines to eut up
with.
"I heard hie. _tell how one old timer, Fog, Cote, who
is etill living, traded two old ponies, o waeon end o side
of becen, to sees poor, discouraged, drouth-etricken home-
eteneers for tete sections of land in the bend of the
Colored° River. All the hoeecteader wanted was a way to
live ene e little somethine to e%t, Tro Coffey still owns
tee lend.
"The open ranee days were over when I crime out here.
They conducted their round -ups Red drives about like they
do on ranches now. ec only had to drive 'em the short
dietaeoe to the reilroad, ond of course the round -ups didn't
teec long, en they had. fences.
"I reeeeter the first or about the first troec I ever
tried to ride, T was eorkine in Colemen Couety. I °limbed
onto the brone one morning after my unele told me they'd
be ceiling me softie if I didn't teee to ridine the wilder
ones mare. o I wee determined to try to learn to ride as
erioe. on Iee best rtder on the elace and he was e cold one.
Ole. JizT. Cotton could elnont ride anything, no natter how
111(12 or v.ide le pitched. end so I climbed on old Borrel
and he lit in to pitchiel and I lit in with ley spurs eed
He bucked me of tc., first ttne 71t at hi:7J, and
hmi7 Vie ot:2or by yelled! That was VLe kind of fun they
vas lookin7 for. 1Lut I wasn't satisfied, so T. climbed on
him again arid this time I stuck. After that I didn't
ind ridin' tem.
"I lived in Bollinger seven years. Luring, that time
I traded or bought and sold cattle. I moved to the Rio
*rondo Valley in 1g10. I vJorked with cattle some, but soon
got UP eno;iaering job riaidh I kept or many yoars.
noved bece7 to Ballinger and went into the produce business.
I have been in tri) ofivie business at Pobert Lee for about a
yeer. I 11J7e it over here. The went is still the rm3t.
dn7 you on lolly out wia sec cattle on the hills end
her Ve jinr.71e of sure and the cluE4a, clunf) of boots as
coumon walk Jo= no streets of OAT little torn."
;$-44*'* 4*
RIF.ALAIE: 71. Lewis, Rotort Lcc, Texas. Intervie7ed
July 12, 193C.
We only hqd to drive 'em the short dist-nce to the railroad, and of
course the round -ups didn't take lon) as they hnd fences.
"I remember the first or about the first bronc I ever tried
to ride, I w -s —orking in Coleman Cpunty. I climbed orhone
morning after my uncle told rre they'd be calling me softie if I
didn't take to Hain: the wilder ones more. So I was determined
tp try to leflrn to rife s good s the test rider on t plate
and he as a :pod one. Old Jim Cotton cOld ride anything,
no matter how hiL;11 or wide he pitched.
Cland so I climbed on old sorrel and herait in to pitchin' and
I lit in with my spurs and quirt. He biacked me off the first time
I got on himland how the other boys yelled! That wns the kind of
fun they wa4 looking for. But I wasn't satisfied, so I climbed on
him;in and this time I stuck. After th-lt I didn't -ind ridin'
'em.
"I lived in Ballinger seven yenrs. Durin: that tire I traded
or bought and sold cattle. I moved to the Rio qrande Valley in 1910.
I worked with cattle some, but soon got qn engineering job which
I kept for many years. I moved b.A.ck to Ballinger and went into
the produce business. I hnve'be-endin,the-slthe business at Robert
Lee for about a year. I like it over here. The west is still the
west. Any day you can look out and see cattle on the hills 'nher
the jingle of s2urs ando4clump, clump of boots as cowmen walk down
the streets of our little town.
EIBLIOGRAPH
S. Lewis, Robert Lee, Texas. Old cowhand and
p oneer citizen of West Texs. Interviewed July
1 1933.