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Warren, Ivey O. PW Lubbock County
District 17. Words 1753
V.
240
Lubbock. Texas pg. 1
COWBOY LIFE IN LONE CATTLE OARS
"I have spent most of my life on ranches," said Mart (M6 P.) Driver, who is 70
years old and who is a veteran cowboy of Oklahoma and Texas oattle ranches.
"I ORM* to Lubbock on October 1, 1906 from Oklahoma and started in to run a, freight
wagon between Lubbock and Big Spring. The weather was dreadfully bad that fall, We
had one snow that measured 14 inches on a level. At that time the roads were so bad
that, although I was driving six mules to my wagon, it took as over a month to cover my
usual route, which generally required About 15 days."
"In 1909 I gave In freighting and turned cowboy again." Mr. Driver continued. "I
never was satisfied uhless I was out on a ranch looking after cows. So I got a jot
with R. M. Clayton and W. D. Johnson on the Muleshoe peach down close to Post, in
Garsa County. This ranch was known in earlier days as "The Old Curry -Cosh Ranch."
After C. W. Post bought up this land he leased 200 sections of it to Clayton and
Johnson for ranching purposes and they stocked it with nearly 9,000 bead of cattle.
This ranch was operated under the names of "Muleshoe," and the cattle were brandied with
a muleshoe.
"The Muleshoe Behan headquarters were located 4 miles north of Post, but I stayed
at a little one room house on the Plains. Out on the range, 1 believe it would be more
correct if I said in the pastures, for the ranches were nearly all faced at this late
a date, I was busy with the cattle and when I went to the house I was chief cook, bottle
and dish washer. I lived alone and did all of my own work."
"I had company one night when I was not expecting to, an uninvited guest came in
onetime during the day and took:possession of my bed," Mr. Driver said. "It was late
and I was tired when I got home that night. I lust hurried through my smmper and went
right to bed. I noticed a knot in the bed as soon as I ley down. I had been working
pretty hard for several days and had been hurriedly spreading mp bed up in the mornings,
Warren, Ivey G. Pt
District 17
Lubbock Oounty 240
Lubbock, TOMS pg. 2
so I supposed that my blanket had beoome rumpled. I turned over and stretched out on
the other side of the bed. About the time I was beginning to feel pretty comfortable
and dosing a little, I became conscious of slight movement somewhere in the bed. I was
wide awake in a minute at that, and lay there wondering what it could have been and
waiting for some more moving, but nothing happened. I told mysele that I had been mis-
tAcen and I tried to get to sleep again, but in vain. Pinally I turned badk over and
felt for the knot, but it waggons, A little farther over I found a roll that seemed
to extend in all directions across the bed, everywhere I.Tnt my hand I touched it, and
it wriggled and wriggled. I threw the covers back leaped from the bed and grabbed my
old oil lantern from the table, as soon as I could get a light, I went beak and examined
the bed. When I turned the blanketbaok I found a big bull snake squirming around on
the mattress. The house did not have any screens and the floor was full of holes so
was easy for snakes to get it. The mice were verylad there and snakes are usually attr-
acted to mice infected places. They are said to be a great helo in exterminating rodents,
but I did not mind the mice as much as I did the snakes, however that wax the only time
I ever went to bed with a snake.
"I left the Mesh** Ranch and went to work for Bllwood on the Spade Ruth° in 1914.
flOb Spade Ranch headquarters were over in Leib Oeunty, Just 6 milee north of Anton,
Hookley 0ounty. This ranch had an area of about 466 square miles mmxiimmiX01tmmunemkbor
immidorelkbixisorkekalboutannegnaudekil being 9 miles wide and 52 miles long. Nothing
but White Paced !aced Hereford cattle were kept on the Spade Rana, and steer oattle
was generally all that was kept on this ranch, but 1,000 cows, a large number of which
were milk cows, were shipped from the dry pastures of the /Inwood Ranch, near Colorado
City, in the late fall of 1917, and pastured on the Spade Ranch that winter. The cattle br
brand was a spade. There was usually about 20.000 cattle on the ranch, but at one time
taxes were paid on 35,000 head of live stook on the Spade Ranch, this list also in-
cluded the saddle horses.*
"I worked on the Spade Ranch 14 years.0 Hr. Driver continued. "Sometimes I was
Warren, Irv/ Se PW
Lubbock Oommi
240
District 17
Imbbock, Texas pg. 3
rmnahing (tattle and sometimes I was repairing windmills. There were 50 windmills on the
ranch and for two years I spent most of my time keeping those mills up."
"Some men do not like to batch, they complain of getting lonesome, but I never was
that way. I never cr,red for any kind of games, or dances. I never cared for a lot of
company. I liked the camp life, liked being alone with just a big herd_of cattle. I
lived my myself in a little house for 8 years, while I worked on this rat*. It Sure
seemed like home to as,
"There was one time though when I was mighty glad to have some of the other boys
come along," Mr. Driver sated. 'That was just after that big blissard in 1918. I was
in camp by my self looking after the cattle that had been shipped from Colorado Oitf..
Then that blissard.struak. I had 26 calves, with this bunch of cows, to take care of.
The calves ranged from 2 weeks down to 3 dare old, the poor little things just looted
as if they would freese when the wind first hit them. I hitched ur to the wagon and drove
down in the pasture. everytime I saw a calf 1 turned my team in among *he cattle until_
I WAS clsoe enough to lasso the calf. then I pulled it up in the wagon, I got all of
them and hauled them to the house where 1 could give them better care and they were pro-
tected from the cold there. I went to feeding them on alfalfa two cotton seed meal and
bran. I raised all of these calves but one, and they never had another drop of milk
adter I hauled them home that day. It did not take them long to learn to eat and they
got along fine themselves.
!About the time I got the calves all up I began to suffer with my head and face.
My jaws went to aching until I could hardly stand it when went out in the wind, but
I had to see about the caws. Sque of them were going lame and getting dawn in the pas-
tures with their feet and legs frozen. I kept going out and doing what I condo but I
kept that could Mot keep it up mush longer and I hoped that some of the other boys
would come to my saw, None of them showed ur howeber and after about four or five days
I got a chanch to send in word that I needed help, In* by a passer-by and the next de,
assistance arrived. Tom Arnett came and brought me back to town. Mt tam was swollen
Warren, Iven Q.
Lubbock °aunt/
Lubbock TOXSS
240
Pg.
and paining me so badly that I welted to have my teeth extracted.. I went to Dr.,O. M.
Ballinger first, but he would net pull my teeth. 100 1 vent to Dr. M. O. Overton. Nal
tole me that he felt cure that n* gnus would have to be treated before any extractions
could be made, but he advised as to go to Dr. R. B. Rutohineon. This dentist treated
my mouth for some time, and finallr pulled ell of my teeth.*
*We lost a good many cows trestle effects of the blissari. We nut the ones that
had gotten down in the pastures on a slide and had ties pulled up to the corral where we
could tre t them. Some of them died in a little while. None of them ever got over it,
the ones that lived to get up again just hobbled around onAheir frirpled feet and looked
miserable. When the weath r befan to get warm their legs broke out in scores and sole
of them got down again. The flies were terribly bad around the corrals. At last along
in KW we just lined the poor creatures, there were 11 of them when we made the
slaughter.
"When the Allwood lands were rut on the market and soul or fares, a number of the
old aorboye were let out, and so after 14 years on the Spade Ranch, I fauld myself
without a job. There were several of the ether boys She were on the ranch long time
that halt? to go too. I worlds with IL Arnett, he is dead now, and Sam Delmelt, he was
there 15 or 17 years, he works on the A. B. Ranch at mesa now. Then Rdd forts wee
with us too, be runs a filling station at Loveliest.
*1 come, to town and bought me a hone and got married,* hr. Driver said with a twinkle
in hie eyes. *1 go out every fall and work for Len *Mellen on the Circa* Bar Ranch for
a month or two during the round up. I cook and rue the ohm,' wagon, while the boys brand
the new calves, and get things in share around the ranch for th- winter.*
Mr. Driver glanced out the window at the snow, ti was a cold, ugly day outside,
then he leaned back in his easy *hair and playfully tweedled the ears of his devoted deg.
who was curled ur oat like fashion in his master's lip. On the other side of the stove
in a little wicker rocking chair sat the old webers wife a perfect picture of cheerful
contentment, and one knows that when, Mr. Arty*, can no longer make trips out to the
tarren Ivey G. pw Lubbock °aunty 240
pg. 8
ranches that he will be spending long, happy hours recounting his experiences as a
cowboy to the attentive lAdy of his choice as she listens quietly and rocks in her
wicker chair.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kart 04. 70 Driver,
Isrren, Ivey Go
January II, 19757.
Labbosk County
Li/strict 17
Cowboy Life In LOSS Cottle Campo.
Pg. 2
se 1 supposed that mg blanket bad beamed rumpplett. I Warned over and stretehed out on
the other side of the bed. .bout the lams I washegasning to feel pretty comfortable and
geeing a little, 1 booms eonsaleus of a slight movement somewhere in the bed. I was
wide rwake in a minute at that, and 1 ley there wondering shot it could have been and
waiting for some more moving, bat nothing happened. I told myself that I had been mistak.-
en and I tried to get to sillop again, but in vain. IP/Dolly I turned beak over and felt
for the knot, but it was gone. t little farther over I found a roll that seamed to
extend in all direstions across the bed, everywhere I put my hand I mossmd,80 iteuch4
,1,4*
and it wriggled and wriggled. I threw the ewers bookavatt-posped from the bett.-4-grobbed
my old ea lantern from the %eine cot as soon as I oeuld get a light, I went back and
examined the bed. *then I turned the blanket bask found a big bull snake squirming
around on the mattress. The house did not have any sermons and the floor rtAt full of
holes so it was easy for snakes to get in. The Else were very bed there and snakes are
usually ettreeted to RIOS infested places. They are said to be a great help in exter-
minating eh* mioe, but I did not mint the ogee as swab as 1 did the snakes, however that
vas ths only time I ever went to cod with a snake'.
"I left the tittleshoe Aanch and went to work for Ellwood on the Spade Ranch in 1914.
The 1pade Annals headquarters were over in Lomb County, Just 6 miles north of Anton, in
Hookley County. This ranch bed an rrea of about 468 square miles, being 9 miles wide and
62 miles long. Nothing but Whits need Werford cattle were kept on the Spade Bomb. And
steer °little was eenervtly all that was kept on this ranch, but TWO atom, a large
number of which were milk aows, were shi pad from the dry pastures of the Ellwood Ranch
near ,;olerfde City in the late fall of 1917 and pastured on the Spade Bomb that winter.
The 'settle urand was a spade. There was usually about 20,000 cattle on the =nab, but at
one tiro true were paid on 36000 head of live stook on the Spade &mob, this list
'minded Sas saddle horses too".
"I worked on the Spode Ranch for 14 years." yr. Driver eontinued. "Sometimes was
Warren, Ivey G.
January II, 1957.
Inbbook County
District IV
Cowboy Life In Lone Cattle Camps.
Pg. 4
days I got a ohanoh to send in word that I needed help, by a passer—by and the next day
assistance arrived. Tom Arnett came and brought me back to town. NI faoe was swollen and
and paining me so badly that I wanted to have my teeth pulled. I want to Doctor Ballenger
first, but,he would not pall my teeth, se I went to Doctor Overton. Se told me that he
felt sure that it gums would have to be treated before any extractions could be mode, but
he advised me to go to Doctor Hutcherson. This dentist treated my mouth for lame time, and
finally pulled all of my teeth".
"We lost a good many cows from the offoots of the blizzard. we put the ones that had
gotten down in the pastures on a slide and had them pulled up to the corral where we could
treat them. Some of them died in a little while. None of them over get over it, the ones
that lived to get up again just hobbled around on their Grappled feet and looked miserable.
When the weather began to get warm their legs broke out in sores and some of them got down
again. The flies terribly bad around the corrals. At last along in May we just
/AASAA_
killed the poor creatures, there was. II of them when we made the slaughter".
"When the Ellwood lands were pat on the market and sold for farms, a number of the cq.d
cowboys were let out and so after 14 years en the Spade laugh I found myself witheat a job.
There were several of the other boys who were on the ranch a long time that had to 0 too.
I worked with K. Arnett, he is dead now, and Sam Delmont, he was there lb or 17 years, he
works en the A. B. Ranch at lames. now, Then Edd Forts was with us too, he runs a filling
station at Levelland."
"I come to town and bought me a home and got married.' Mr. Driver said with a twinkle
in his eyes. "I go out every fall and work for Lem Enilanlen on the Circle Bar Ranch for a
month or two during the round up. I cook and run the *hunk wagon, while the boys brand the
new calves, and get things in shape around the ranch for the winter".
Er. Driver glanced out the window at the snow, it was a cold, ugly day outside, then
he leaned back in his sally chair and playfully tweedled the ears of his devoted deg, who
lama. Ivey G.
January 11, 1937
Dabbock Jaunty
District I7
Cowboy Life in Zone Cattle 3amps.
Pg. 5
was curled up oat like fnshion in his amster's lnp. On timothy, side of the stove in a
little winker roaking ohnir set the old cowboy's wife n perfeot picture of chosenl
eontentment, nnd one knows that when Mr. Driver wan no longer rake trips out to the
?nachos that he will be spending long, hnnly hours recounting his experiences as a Gom.
boy to the attentive lady OS his chaise as she listens quie.iy and reeks in bar wicker
ohnir.