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Annie LaAulay
Jeverick„ Texas.
RANGEr-LORE
Page one
R. L. Maddox wee born in Grayeon County, Texas
April 12, l88. He name to Runnels County in_1881„
and settled at Funnels City* Re also worked in
1euard County. In 1889 he came book to Runnels
County, married, and wont to work as foreman on the
Loomis reneh not far froaballingsr*
"I began riding and working settles" Mr* maddox
says, "when just a led* Jim Johnson was mr first
wagon boss* I had heard so many stories sonserming
Indians and buffalo in the nest that I OXPeoted to
see them roaming. the pretties in large numbers* I
later learned that the lest bend of Indians to pass
Page two
through this esetion yes in lirft, end the last buffalo
was killed on Fumy Creek in 1O,B. About the only wild
things left were eoyotes, antelope, prairie ehiekens
and prairie doge. But they were plentiful.
vines I first came to Sunnels, the Chisholm Treil
passed a few miles east of Bellinger. nese or over
this trail large herds of cattle were driven from points
south, to northern markets. They kept moving the route
west until they'd peso seer where Ballinger now is and
right by Rumels City, end on by the way or Cedar Gap
and Abilene.
"I have watobed, fascinated by them when a boy,
many large herds driven by our home. The biggest
roundel* that ever took place in Bunnels County,
happened in 1/1811 an this trail. I have seen many
stampedes end helped to *corral smug herds of restless
doglea, but this was the worst, the one that preeipi-.
toted the big round•up. There were three or four large
trail herds camped at this pertieular time, at differ-.
eat plate's along the trail over distance of about
fifteen miles, mainly on Fussy Creek. A very severe
thunderstorm oamo up in the night and frightened the
herds and threw them into potpie. They oey there wee
a great hallsbaloo as cowboys rode, yelled and sang
to try to hold their herds together. It finally got
Peg() three
so nobody knew those cattle they were ehesinv ond they
had to let 'am co. 'hey went eild end scattered and
mixed. 0,1me waLdered as far as fifteen miles from the
atartine place. it took several days for the trail men
with some help to cut their brends ane get the herds
together again. It was as that there were 4,000
head in the round -up.
"I remember how the boys used to play prectioal
jokes on the green hands. They'd. rot 7retty rourh
sometimes, too. (.:ine of teir favorite -jokes was to
grub e set of vorle harness, drag them throurt the
()amp ct night, yellinc7, 'hoe: 7;hotal :.top ter_12, The
tenderfoot would jump out of bed, of course, rettinc
very iaueh excited. Then. how the other bTie would
11,Alrh et him. I knew one old toy thet didn't let any
tAnc boter him, he wasn't afroid of anything' that
was connected with cow work, until it lichtened.
simply would not leave tLe houeo or cane if c cloud
zus brewing.
"lAinces were the chief place of anueen*nt for
us in ehe early days. I remember attending u dance
near laint :Took owe. Alen I got there, there were
five fiddlers present and no fiddle. I rode fifteen
!Ales end brought back a fiddle. It vas nearly mid-
night before we rot started to denoing. The pirls
ell wonted to go hone ()tout three o'clock, so we
rent out end turned their horses loosc end &need
Page four
until after breeYfaat. Z.omatimes, GnC nis was one of
then, velen wc were short of girls and wanted to clvee
square, se7r-e of u boys would tie a bandanna around our
head or tri! ant', VI,!e the pleat of to
°The best tro-e rider i ever 77new vas Ploger -ed,
a rmiliar chnracter ici thost days. .ver:T cowboy had
to e u Fooc rider ond many .4' them were Lusters.
"I knew and cownein, .og .:offee, u san of o. old
Indin fi;71iter to v:ac Iftwi fond of plcyLic precticul
jokes, :21c, he z)uld tdke a drik no wiL then, too.
,ad you couldn't haral:ir got book i3t hin nt all, aot
even if he was drinking. I remenber one time he come
Lniliacor pad cot on a vhis. Et woo rnising a
rieht mart of trouble when ths sheriff erre:It:ad him
ane undertook to take him to jail. 70c wan on his
horse oaL Aieriff Yarnwalt was holding the reins, and
pin' in the directlal of the jell. l'ew, suddenly had
bright lee°. Pe very q,41etly alt te bridle off
his horse'n heed off, best it for home, leaving the
much surnriced officer holCin7 the brias,"
honge-lore
Annie iviiuley
,everiek, Aexoe,
F. L. ;lecidox, ellinrer, Texrie, interviewed,
nusry
Mrnnie NbAulay
Maverick Texas
/Runnels County.
0 Mt" W V lit id
COWT3DY LORE
44
Page One
R. L. MADDOX was born in Graysoneounty Texas, April 12,
1867. He came to &burl/leis County in 1881, and settled at
Runnels City. 4.--TZIoRsmirerr-Trevr-mmi-nr`ett
tiMa-aaacl-ualt4gr-ia-i-s-4eR4at--4ri-44ey•r also worked -efflie-1---
1-......4-4-reisirti in Menard county. In 1889 he came back to Runnels
County, married) and went to work as foreman on,24ie Loomis
ranch not far from Ballinger.
"I began riding and working cattle," Ar. Maddox says,
"when just a lac. Jim JohnSon was my first wagon boss. I
had heard so many stories co)ncerning Indians and falo
in the West that I expected to see than roaming the prairies
in large numbers, I later learned that the last band of
Indians to pass thru_gh, this section was in 1876, and the
buffalo was killed on Puzzy creek in 1878. About the only wild 14fings left wer1/6yotesyAtelopel prairie chick-
ens and 'prairie dogs. But they were plentiful.
When I first came to Runnels/he Chisiolm rail passed
a few miles east of Lallinger. Here or over this trail large
herds of cattle were driven from points sout1 jto northern
markets. They kept moving the route west unt 1 ey'd pass
near where hallinger no is and right by Runnels City. And
ja
on, by the may of Cedar 4P and Abilene.
Maverick Texas
Mrs. Annie *Aulay
Page Two
tr. 4;
I have watched, facinated by them when a oy many
large herds driven by our home. The biggest oundup that
eveP took place in Punnels county, happened in 1882 on
this trail. I have seen many stampedes and helped to carra
many herds of restless dogies, but this was the worst, he
one that precipitated the big A'oundup.
were three or four large trail herds camped at
this particular time, at different places along the ,trail
over a distance of about fifteen miles, mainly on FUzzy creek.
A very severe thunder. -storm came up in the night and fright-
ened the herds and threw them into a panic. They may there
was a great hallabaloo as cowboys rode, yelled and sang to
try to hold 4veir herds together. It finnally got so nobody
knew whose cattle they were chasing and they had to let 'em
go. They went wild and scattered and mixed. Some wandered
as far as fteen miles from the starting place.
It took several days for the trail men with some help
to cut their brands d get the herds together-agetlit.
were estimateie000 head in the roundup.
(I remember how the boys usacto play practicl jokes on
the green haiads. They'd get pretty rough sometimes too. On.
of their favorite jokes was to grab a set of work harness,
drag them through the camp at niA, yelling,10Lat Whoa!
Stop tele The tenderfoot would jump outof bed,,of course)
getting vg much excited. Then how the other bop* would
laugh him. I knew one old boy that client let any
Mrs.;lkunie McAulay
Maverick Texas
Page Three
thing bother him, he wasn't afraid of anything that was
connected with cowwork, until it lightened. He simply would
not leave the house or gang if a cloud were brewing.
0. -e
Dances were the chief place of amusement for us in the
early days. I remember attending a)lance near Pain1 kock once.
When I got there) there were five fiddlers present and no
fiddle. I rode iifteen miles and brought back a fiddle. It
4
was nearly midnight before we got started to danc tag.
The girls all wanted to go home about threetclock;`= so
we went out and turned their horses loose and danced until
after breakfast. Sometiiesland this was one of them, when
we were short of girls and wanted to dance a square, solo_
of us boys would tie a bandanna around our head or arm
and take the place of the Miss.
The best bronc rider I ever knew was Booker Red, a
familiar character in those days. Eve'ry cowboy had to be a
good rider and many of them were busters.
I knew one cowman, Fog Coffee, a son of an old Indian
fighte7/0ho was dery fond of playing practical jokes, and
he would take a drink now and thltoo. And you couldn't hard--
ly get back at him at all not even if he was drinking.
I remember one time he come to Ballinger and got on a
whiz. He was raising a right smart rucait when the sherriff
arrestedAand undertook to take him to jail. Fog was on his
horse and Sheriff Farmralt was holding the reinsland going
\k'he direction of the jail. Fog suddenly hadi bright.idea.
Mri.'Annie McAulay
Maverick Texas page four
He very quietly slipped the bridle off his horses head
and beat it for home? leaning the much surprised officer,
holding the bridle.°
I w ed as foreman on the Loomis ranch •17,
I moved to Ballinge as a salesman ever
slnce. I travel y years foreirm in Chicago.
now eyee forKirk And Mack Hardware Co. of Ballinger.
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