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Range -lore
Annie .cAulay
-averiok, Texas
RANGL -LORE
;Alton Wylie was born in Lrath County in 1890. Le
moved with his parents to Coke County in 1899.
-r. Wylie says: "1,7 father didn't move out here so
early, but I did have some unoles who were among the first
settlers in this part of the country. Henry and E. K.,
brothers of my father, bought land on the Colorado River,
Valley Creek, and some in Coke County in the early days.
They ran stuff on the open range out here even earlier
than that.
"I oome from a family of stookmen. There were seven
in my rrandfather WItlie's family. They all grew up to be
comen 11.1:-e their father. They also raised a rood nany
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horses, and later raised sheep as well as cattle. :y
father end his brothers rAinded up as far as Van Horn,
Texas.' That was in the open rance days end the cattle
drifted, sometimes a hundred or two hundred miles.
“Ly father's family had a few skirmishes with the
Indians. he was with a party that ran down a band of
Indians that had captured two white girls, sisters, and
Lade orf with them. When they °aught them the cirls
were unharmed, They told a peculiar story of why the
Indians had spared them. They seemed not to be afraid
of the blonde sister. The other, who was a brunette,
they seemed to hold in awe. Vihen they would act as if
they were going to lead the blonde girl off and separate
them, the dark one would motion for them to stand back
end they would. The sisters said they treated them kind—
ly, feeding them and giving them a blanket to sleep on.
They were only with the band, who were Comanohes, two or
three days before the white men attacked them. They fled
at the first fire, leaving the 7..irls to their own neople.
"Once 1 -hen my father cld two brothers were out with
a trail herd some Indiana stole all their horses except
two or three. For some peculiar reccon one old Indian,
probably the leader, ventured near the camp after the
raid and indioated he wanted to pow wow. There was a
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drouth, and he said his people were hungry. The white
mon finally agreed to give them little meal and syrup,
6 knife or two, and fifty head of oettle if they'd re-
turn their saddle horses. They did, and the trail drivers
had no further trouble with the Redman on that trip.
'Then my father was running a little store in Lrath
County, where he kept all kinds of frontier products in-
cluding guns, some Indians come by and wanted to buy some
7uns. Knowing they'd take the guns and maybe do other
damages too, my father said he decided to barter with them.
Fe succeedee in tradinp them a few guns for some blankets
end other thins, gave them a little candy and rot them to
pronise to trecA other white settlers peaceably.
"I've heard my father relate an incident thtlt describes
pretty well the character of the men in that day. They
seemed to have the utmost confidence in each other. They
believed that lionesty was truly the best policy. 'A man is
as good as his word,' they'd say. Ly father, at this par-
tioular time had, together with a neighbor, each owning a
herd, driven the two herds of cattle to Kansas, delivered
them and received payment for them in cash, and in one
lump sum. he first night after the sale, while father was
mending a saddle, the other fellow took the money out of the
beg where it was, figured out eaoh man's share and divided
it. ly father took his share and thanked him, not once
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doubting or questioning his honesty. The other would have
considered it an insult if he had.
"y fst'7or's brand was TL; he never changed it. Tom's
cattle bri9nd was X- end lienry's an X on hip.
"I started riding as soon as I was old enou7h to sit
on a horse. I helped with some round -ups wilen kill TA,Aulay
was round -up boss. They'd always make us kids hold the
herd as they'd round up the cattle.
vI've known some extra Good all aroun riders and
brono Lusters. ire. Kornis ;.ayes was the best wonan rider
1 ever knew. ,he used to lacip with the round -ups and made
a very good hand, too. 1he and her husband owned a ranch
south of Bronte for many years.
"Viok Uazeiton WOE the best brono rider I ever knew.
Le used to break horses for Ld. Good and other ranohers in
Coke County. 7*) didn't need any chute or any help. he'd
catch and saddle the bronco, climb into the saddle which
might be any kind, and ride tem. He always rode 'en, too.
He was s professional horsebreaker, never rode in shore,
but he could beet some of then all to smash.
"When we first moved to Coke County, yrick wee the
couLty scot, and the land there Lronts is nor located res
te old round -up grounds for this section of the country.
Twelve lailes south of Lronte there ap.necs to be whet was
orb's&
an old Indian (temp ground. _any arrows, beads, and grind
lug atones have been found. There ere also several Indi-
tat craves on top of the mountain per nearby. An Indian
buttle uith the whites res supposed to have taken place
on Kiakapoo Greek near Bronte. The band was supposed to
have be Riokapoos, end that is where old timers say the
creak (rot Ito name.
'-**41r*
F6FLPENCE:- 7:111ton ylie, Bronte, Texas. Interviewed
Aur:ust 12, lS30.
Yrs. T e cAulay
Yaverf_ck, Texas
Runnels County
Pate 1.
=ON 'YLIE was born in Erioth Count:- ir 1390. He moved with
his p.ire:',ts.,..2446.11,0mormWrilleftr to Coke County in 1899. iflemidNOMPrft...
Caa..441r,IrrrtIrtan
Mr. lie says' "My father eiCn't move out here so early, but I
did Tive some uncles Irho 7ere am.)nr the first settlers in this part
of the country. Henry and R. K., 'T'others of my father, bought land
on the Colorado River, Valley Creek, and some
ht Coke County in the
early days. They ran stuff on the open range out here even earlier
than that.
"I come from a ITamily of stockmen. There were seven boys in my
-/drandfather Wylie's family,
They all zrew up to be cowmen -like their father. They ,..11
foiam:104.144beiR-70.4.1%.pe.. They also raised,
a zood many horses, and later raised sheep as well as cattle. My
fat'a,r and his brothers rounded up as far as Van Horn, Texas. That
was in the open range days and the cattle drifted, sometimes a hundred
or two hundred miles.
"My father's family had a few skirmishes( wi ndins. He
was ,,rith a party that ran don a band of Indians
6
two'ite sister, and made off with then;.:)
When they caught them the were unharmed. The7 told a
peculiar story of why the Indians had spared them: They seemed
thapm4A64. not to be afraid of the blonde sister. The other, who was
that had capturea
a brunette, they seemd to hold in awe. When they would act as if
they were going-Ao lead the blonde girl off and separate them, the
dark one would motion for them to stand back and they would. The
sisters said they treated them kindly, feedfng them ,.nd jiving them
a blanket to sleep on. 2:7
CA/They were only with the band, who were Comanches, uwo or three
days bef)re the white men attacked them. They fled at the first fire
leav1n the girls to their own people.
"Once when my father and two brothers were out withda trail herd
some Indians stole all their horses except two or three. For some
peculiar reason one old Indian, probatly the leader, ventured near
the ramp after the raid and indic-ted he wanted to Pow Wow. There was
a drouth, and he said hjs people were hungry. The white men finally
agreed to give them a little meal and syrup, a knife )r two, ana fifIr
hend of cattle if the:'d return their saddle horses. They did, and
the trail drive,s had no further trouble with the Red...men on that trip.
"When my father w -s running a little store in Ergth County, where
nE kept all kinds of frontier -products includir uns, some Indians
came by and wanted to buy SDME guns, Knowin: they'd take the guns
and miybe do other damaTes too, my fither sqid he eecided t) barter
with them. He succeeded in trading them a few -uns for some blankets
and other things, 2---ve them q little candy -n0 got them to promise
to tre:-nt other white settlers peaceably.
"I've heard my father rej:ate in incident th-t describes pretty
well the character of the men in that day. They seemed to hive the
utmost confidence in each other. The believed that honesty was tnly
Page 3.
the test policY. (TA man is as good as his woq_itnrILm._
ilyfatthie. particular tire had, together with a neigh-
bor, each own-ima. a herd, dtiven the two he:-ds of cattle to Kansas,
delivered them and received-oa-ment for them in cash, and in one
lump sum.
00The first ni:ht after the sale, while am.- fPthEr mending a
saddle, the our fellow took the m)nry out of the bac7/wherittit was,
fizured,out e-_ch)411nIs share and divided it. My f-ther took his
shore and thanked hi" t )nce doubting or questioning his honesty.
The other w-)A.d have considered it an insult if he had.
"My fath,r's brand was TI,;, he never changed it. Tom's cattle
brand was X- and Henry's an X on hip.
"I started riding wireirtilf as soon as I was old enough to sit on
q horse.
I helped with some round -ups when Bill McAulay was round-
up boss. They'd always make us kids hold the herd as they'd round
up the (-,ttle.
ifion to become goo
"I've known some extra good all around riders and bronc busters,
'.40111.c Mrs. Yernie Mayes -vs the test woman rider I ever knew. She
used to help with the round -ups and made a i:rery good hand, too. She
and her husband owned a'ranch south of Dronte for many years.
Page 4.
"Vick Hazelton was4„imilimildssui the be3t bronc rider I ever knew.
He used to break horses for Ed Good -,rid other ranchel-s in Coke Courtr,
"He didn't need any chute or afly help. He'd catch and sadile
the frolics, climb into the saddle w Ach might be any kind, and ride
'em. He always rode 'em, too. He w -s professional 'Iorsebrea_-_e.›
/I( 'I th
ever rode in SDWS, but he could beat spire of em all to smasla.
"When we first moved to Coke County, Hayrick was the co,nty
sea, ind the land where onte is now located was the old Round -up
grounds for this section of the country. Twelve miles south of Bronte
there appears to be whnt -;--.s an old Indinn camp zr)und. Llany arrows,
beads and _;rindinE stones have been found. There -re .1so several
Indian graves on top of the mountail peaks nearby. An Indian battle
with the aites was supposed to-h-ve taken pince on Kickappo) Creek
ne,r Dr nte. The b,nd was supposed to have been Kickapoos, and that
is Where Old timers s -y the creek :ot its name."