Document text
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Range -lore
Annie glaulay
Maverick, Texas.
RANG1.-LJBL,
Page one
J. b. (Uncle Joe) LoCutchen was born
in Coryell County near Gatesville, Texas
in 1868. :sine. 1889 he has lived in and
near brontel Texas. He still owns and.
looks after his farm and ranch, is a
director in the First National Bank of
Bronte. Mr. McCutehen'a father wee one
of the very early citizens of Coryell
County. He was not only a lawyer but a
prominent stockmen in that county. He
was county judge of that county for a
number of years serving during the Civil
par. At the close of the war he resigned
his judgeship bemuse, he said, he could
not take the "Iron Clad Oath" and be true
to the 3outh. J. B. MaCutehen says:
"After the war my father joined the Texas Hangers. He
wee captain af his bend. It was also his duty to look after
Jmeedy war widows in his section.
"During the war the cattle were turned loose and went
wild. en were too busy fighting to look after their property.
14 father was lucky enough to have a son old enough to keep his
cattle pretty well branded. when the war was over there were
many unbranded ea tie. Do one knew the owners. dome men cot
rich branding the streys. There -was a court order passed in
Page two
Coryell County, authorising whosoever would pay a small amount
per heed, to brand and take possession of the unbranded cattle.
My father, like many others, was very conscientious and would
not claim anything that did not have his brand on it.
"I don't remember very much about Indian disturbances,
although I saw plenty of them when just a little boy. T do
remember people would cut little triangle shaped holes in the
lower walls of the houses so they could shoot at the 'Redskins
when they'd come sneaking around. One time same Congenches
came to our house to try to steal some horses. Father always
kept them tied to some trees near the house at night. had
a little old barkinc, dog that discovered the Indians and gave
the alarm. *hen the ii,en ciot up to investigate they could see
the Indians. They were trying to loose the horses. Our folks
began shooting and soared ,em sway before they could get the
horses, but they did get away with some of our neighbor's
horses not so many miles away. They trailed the thieves for
awhile the next day, but finally gave up. From what my father
said, the settlers had to be constantly on guard against them.
began riding when just a little tyke. I rode and
worked on my father's ranch. All boys rode them days. I came
west in 1878, end landed at Camp Colorado and got a job on the
v:celennan ranch. I worked for them a good many years and con-
tinued to cork with their outfit after I was married and en-
quired a little herd of my own. *hile working with the MoClen-
nen outfit we vere delivering some cattle further west end had
Page three
aped for the niht a little ways south of the 6ante Anna
tin. Ve had two thousand head in that berd. A storm
up about 10:00 o'clock. It was i bad electrical storm,
vnu oluld see the lightning playing on the horns of
4
the cattle. The thunder was terrifying, so keen and loud.
Ii blies called us all out emmetime before the storm struck.
One man refused to try to help hold the*. He said he
401101t agree to work night and day too. We stayed with them
managed to keep them from scattering, but the leaders
te running and .the v. hole herd ran and we ran with then',
s beside them and trying to get in the lead so that we
turn them and get them to milling. We were twelve
from our oamp when we finally got conteol of the herd
a* got them to circling. We kept them circling 'til the,
qUieted down. we were all as wet as drowned rats. The boss
me to stay and help him keep the herd together and sent the
olOor boys back to camp. They lost their way and it was 2:00
00k the next day before they come back to U. We Imre
pIbty tiree and hungry. The boss turned the herd over to the
boys to drive back and we lit out for eamp. That was
81.02411ay and the boss gave me a holiday until
"I had bought a little ranch in Colems$ County north of
tat present town of i)anta itnna. I sold it le 1889 and came to
Cele County where I bought a ranch south of hronte. There were
reh tenoes here at that time. Alen I first Same to laments it
.4,1 little one teacher school called 0 -So; no poet office.'
Page four
The school district was a very large one, and the first year
after 1 eame 1 took the school census and there were eighteen
pupils in the district. We got our mail and supplies at
,caverick or old Fort Chadbourne. We petitioned for a post
office and got it in 1890.
"1 knew some alful good brows busters. Clarence Jones,
F.1;imms and Jibe Enda., all rode in this part of the country
and were- real riders, Babe Bradshaw, for whom the town of
Bradshaw in Taylor County was named, could ride anything, Fe
vas a good roper, too.
"There was lots of trouble when ranchers first began
building fences The big ranchers would often fence in the
little stockman or farmer, crowdinu him out. Deny times the
men would buy up several sections and fence in more than they
had Lought. he free rangers resented this. Lots of men had
a little bunch of cettle but didn't have VA, means to buy and
fence a ranah. They couldn't understand why it didn't remain
free as there money to be plenty for everybody at that time.
I was invited to several wire cutting parties, but can truth-
fully say I never went to one. They would cut the wires and
many times burn the posts. I remember about the Baugh party.
Faugh owned a big ranch in Coleman eounty. He had just built
a string of fence about ton miles square. There was a traitor
that put old Paugh wise, He had the Rangers reedy at his place
and then ths wire cutting began, a fight ensued and the Pangers
shot two of the cuttinc. party. There were many arainst and
Page five
many in favor of fenees. And mistakes were made on both sides.
Lee ahields of Coleman City was a candideta for a seat in the
Texas Legislature and was very much against fences and thought
the 'ire cutters were often justified in what they were doing.
"Those were f!ood old days, although sometimes hard.
always ,torked hard on V,e range and really enjoyed e holiday.
:ihen we dim get one the boys, the unmarried on;s especially,
mace lor the nearest town or a .Aturdey niht dance. :kotboy
life and living in the open makes a men tough physically and
otherwise. e learned to accept circumstances and to over—
come many obstacles, too."
Ronge-lore
Annie .'.cAulay
_averiok, Texas.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
J. B. MoCutohen, Bronte,, Texas, interviewed Maro101611 1938.
61Aerfryle,
Annie Mc ulay
Maverick Wexas
Runnels County
COWBOY LORE
5:6;06
Page One
J. B. (Uncle Joe) McCutchen was born in loryell County near
Gatesville,Texas in 1858. .ae-eame,-west--tt-Runne 0*.MONO
Qamahtwiedommenwripeat
-a-voin66-01medSince iti446ee has lived in and near.41ponte
still owns and looks after his farm and ranch, is a direCtor
in The First National Bank of Bronte. e EC wo owilb ftliex
-Me-iltr-preeritteite-em
_
st church of Br
TL1ere-trrhi. acklucti.
mt. Me‘utcheds father-sawerys-tmeeloop.aa...Aidgie-Mer4belrer
was one of the very early citizens of Coryell County. He was
not only a lawyer but a prominent st4kman in that county. He
was county Judge of that county for a number of years serving
during the Civil War; At the close of the war he resigned his
Judgeship besause4.1.- he said, )e could not take The Iron Clad
Oath and be true to theS-outhoir
Cutdhen sayett after the war my father joillithe
s ?angers. He was ‘aptain'of his band. It was also his
duty to look after needy war widows in his section.
4(During the war the cattle were turnedloose and went wild.
Annie McAulay
Maverick Wexas
Page Two
Men' were too busy fighting to look .after their property. My
father was lucky enough to have a son old enough•eatd-ttrr-
..yere4k-Sye-D---t-e-the-werr- to keep his cattle pretty well branded,a
-4.mp. When the war was over there were mny unbranded cattle. No
one knew the owners. Some men got rich branding the strays.
There w,s a court order passed in Coryell tountyliguthorizing
whosoever would pay a small amount per head, to brand and
take poseesion of the unbranded cattle. My father, like many
others, was very cmAientious and would not claim anything
that did not have his brand on it.
I don't remember very much about Indian disturbances,
althouiI saw plent of t em when just a little boy. I do
31
reinemberl..CUt littl triangle shaped holes in the
lowerl walls of the housey so they could shoot at the
east ins when they'd come sneaking arouild..„==
*ne time some Commanches cams to our house
to try to steal some horses. Father always kept them tied to
some trees near the house at night. We had a little old
barking deg -that discovered the Indians and gave tile alarm.
When the men got up to investigate they could see the Indians.
They were trying to lote the horses. Our folks began shooting
and scared 'em away before they could get the horses, but
they did get away with some of our neighbors horses not so
mrny miles away. They trailed the thieves for awhile the
next day, but finaly gave up. From what my father said the
settlers bad to e constantly on. guard agai*
-47k
Annie McAulay
Maverick ±exas PageFour
They lost their way and it was twoftclock the next day before
they came back to us. We were plenty tired and hungry. The boss
turned the herd over to the other boys tai drive back and we lit
out for camp. That was Saturday 'Ind the boss gave me a holiday
until monday.
1K
I had bought a little ranch in Coleman county north of
the present town of Santa Anna. I sold it in 1889 and came to
coke county where I bought a ranch south of Bronte. There were
few, fences here at that time. When I first came to Bronte it
was a little one teacher school called OdSopto post office.
The school district was a very large one/ the first year
after I came I took the school census and there were eighteen
pupils in the district. We got our mail and supplies at Mav-
erick or/61d Ft. Chadbourne. We petitioned for a Post Office
and got it in 1390.
I came to Coke
Bill lived at Live
the first. Uncle
and was rang f this section
Be was an A-1 rider too. All
Aiala.MW.A.WW14.alcialmIbMa..213Aiiihmitilw4wmtdel'
"I knew a me awful good bronc busters. Clarence Jonesi
1 F. Sjmme Bradshaw all rode in this part of the country
and were real riders. Babe Bradshawotfor whimh the town of
Bradshaw in Taylor county was namedr could ride anything. He
was a good roper too.
/There was lots of tr/buble when ranchers first began
building fences. The big ranchers would often fence in the
Annie MeAulay
Ahverick Texas
Page Five
little stockman or farmer, crowding him out. Many times the
man would buy up several sections and fence in more than they
had bought!::::::
The free rangers resented this. Lots of men had a little
bunch of cattl!A.but did'mt have the means to buy and fence
if
a ranch. They couldn't understand why it didn't remain free
as there seemed to be plenty fot everybody at tkat time.
.411=01Z.,
I was invited to several wire cutting parties, but can
truthfully say I never went to one. They would cut the wlres
and many times burn the posts. I remember about thk Baugh patty.
Baugh owned a big ranch in Coleman county. He had just built a
string of fence about ten miles square. There was a traitor
that put old Baugh wise. lie -had the Bangers ready at his place
and when the wire cutting began, a fight ensued and the Rangers
shot two of the cutting party, There were many against anc/ifin
favor of fenies. And mistakes were made on both sides. 22)
was a candidate for a seat in
//eil e Texas Legislature/and was very much against fences and Amr.--
,-.4ormr-Trr. thought 464rwinam the wire cutters were often justified
in what they were doing.
'(Those were good old dayee somet es hard. We always worked
hard on the range and really enjoyed a holiday. When we did get
one/ihe boys( the unmarried ones especially),6de for the nearest
town or a Saturday night dance. Cowboy life and living in thhe
open makes a man tough phlsically and otherwise. We learned to
accept circumstances and to overcome many obstacles too. t,