The University of Texas Press
Trail drivers of Texas

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Table of Contents

1. introduction
2. foreword
3. contents
4. chapters 1-25
   1. the trail drivers of texas
   2. organization of the old time trail drivers' association
   3. origin of the old chisholm trail
   4. election of officers
   5. minutes of the annual reunion of the old time trail drivers' association, held in san antonio, texas, september 10th and 11th, 1919
   6. origin and close of the old-time northern trail
   7. the pumphrey brothers' experience on the trail
   8. dodging indians near packsaddle mountain
   9. fought indians on the trail
   10. location of the old chisholm trail
   11. what has become of the old-fashioned boy?
   12. cyclones, blizzards, high water, stampedes and indians on the trail
   13. mistaken for cole younger and arrested
   14. a thorny experience
   15. a trip to california
   16. raised on the frontier
   17. drove a herd over the trail to california
   18. parents settled in the republic of texas
   19. coming up the trail in 1882
   20. when a girl masqueraded as a cowboy and spent four months on the trail
   21. a trying trip alone through the wilderness
   22. first camp meeting in grayson county
   23. seven trips up the trail
   24. the old trailers
   25. killing and capturing buffalo in kansas
5. chapters 26-50
   1. on the trail to nebraska
   2. echoes of the cattle trail
   3. reminiscences of old trail driving
   4. got "wild and woolly" on the chisholm trail
   5. with herds to colorado and new mexico
   6. recollections of old trail days
   7. high-heeled boots and striped breeches
   8. sixty years in texas
   9. the good old cowboy days
   10. courage and hardihood on the old texas cattle trail
   11. lived on the frontier during indian times
   12. made a long trip to wyoming
   13. played pranks on the tenderfoot
   14. when a man's word was as good as a gilt-edged note
   15. my experience on the cow trail
   16. punching cattle on the trail to kansas
   17. exciting experiences on the frontier and on the trail
   18. observations and experiences of bygone days
   19. met quanah parker on the trail
   20. texas cowboys at a circus in minneapolis
   21. the remarkable career of colonel ike t. pryor
   22. habits and customs of early texans
   23. hit the trail in high places
   24. the men who made the trail
   25. a few thrilling incidents in my experience on the trail
6. chapters 51-75
   1. memories of the old cow trail
   2. established the first packing plant in texas sketch of w. s. hall of comfort, texas
   3. trail driving to kansas and elsewhere
   4. when lightning set the grass on fire
   5. "big cowboy ball"
   6. did you ever do the square?
   7. experiences "tenderfeet" could not survive
   8. killing of "billy the kid"
   9. his father made fine "bowie" knives
   10. three times up the trail
   11. will build a ten-story marble hotel in san antonio
   12. when ab. blocker climbed a fence
   13. found a lot of snuff on the trail
   14. eight trips up the trail
   15. a long time between drinks
   16. scouting and routing in the good old days
   17. catching antelope and buffalo on the trail
   18. the old trail driver
   19. drove a herd to mississippi and alabama
   20. "trail life"
   21. an indian battle near the leona river
   22. jack potter, the "fighting parson"
   23. the chisholm trail
   24. preferred to take older cattle up the trail
   25. a woman trail driver
7. chapters 76-100
   1. the experience of an old trail driver
   2. cornbread and clabber made a good meal
   3. one of the best known trail drivers
   4. captain john . lytle
   5. j. d. jackson
   6. t. a. coleman
   7. twice across the plains in fourteen months
   8. john z. means
   9. george w. evans
   10. cowboy life in west texas
   11. days gone by
   12. captain charles schreiner of kerrville, texas
   13. the early cattle days in texas
   14. the cost of moving a herd to northern markets
   15. lost twenty-one thousand dollars on one drive
   16. mose wesley hays 1015 west agarita avenue, san antonio, texas
   17. the platte was like a ribbon in the sunshine
   18. put up five hundred steers to secure three hundred dollars
   19. some interesting things seen on the cattle trail
   20. when "louisiana" came to texas
   21. made several trips up the trail
   22. probably the oldest feeder in texas
   23. up the trail to northern new mexico
   24. the son of a well-known trail driver
   25. when george saunders made a bluff "stick"
8. chapters 101-125
   1. put up many herds for d. r. fant
   2. the milk of human kindness is drying up
   3. took time to visit his sweetheart
   4. reminiscences of the trail
   5. from texas to the oregon line
   6. an old frontiersman tells his experience
   7. parents were among early colonists
   8. phil l. wright
   9. reflections of the trail
   10. mrs. lou gore first landlady in abilene, kansas
   11. buried a cowboy in a lonely grave on the prairie
   12. some things i saw long ago
   13. ate stolen meat, anyway
   14. when a boy bossed a herd
   15. spent a hard winter near red cloud
   16. experiences of the trail and otherwise
   17. sketch of col. j. f. ellison
   18. sixty-eight years in texas
   19. my first five-dollar bill
   20. slaked their thirst in a dry town
   21. lived in san antonio at time of woll's invasion
   22. got their names in the pot for supper and breakfast
   23. settled on the frontier of texas
   24. some thrilling experiences of an old trailer
   25. the man who had hell in his neck
9. chapters 126-150
   1. my third and last trip up the trail in 1886
   2. colonel dillard r. fant
   3. relates of a trip made in 1872
   4. paid three dollars for five gallons of water
   5. listened to the chant of the night songs
   6. sketch of l. b. allen
   7. had less trouble with indians than with the grangers on the trail
   8. my trip up the trail
   9. richard king
   10. drove cattle for doc burnett
   11. worked with cattle for over sixty years
   12. made first trip in 1877
   13. cowboys dressed up at end of the trail
   14. a tenderfoot from kentucky
   15. a true story of trail days
   16. traveling the trail with good men was a pleasure
   17. had plenty of fun
   18. slumbered through the shooting
   19. another successful cowman
   20. the real cowboy
   21. cowboy from the plains of nebraska
   22. echoes of the 1916 convention
   23. early days in texas
   24. worked for george w. saunders in 1875
   25. was a freighter and trail driver
10. chapters 151-175
    1. sold cattle in natchez for $4.50 a head
    2. days that were full of thrills
    3. some trips up the trail
    4. thrilling experiences
    5. noted quantrell was with herd on trail
    6. lost many thousands of dollars
    7. were happier in good old days
    8. the latch string is on the outside
    9. dedicated to the memory of w. j. edwards
    10. lived in live oak county many years
    11. william james slaughter
    12. james alfred mcfaddin
    13. an old cow hand
    14. william c. irvin
    15. lee l. russell
    16. thomas b. saunders
    17. ate terrapin and dog meat, and was glad to get it
    18. gives some early texas history
    19. drove horses to mississippi
    20. when jim dobie lost his pants
    21. sketch of colonel j. j. myers
    22. came over from germany in 1870
    23. a faithful negro servant
    24. grazed on many ranges
    25. john h. ross was a bronco buster
11. chapters 176-200
    1. has had an eventful career
    2. no room in the tent for polecats
    3. garland g. odom
    4. reminiscences of an old trail driver
    5. "chawed " the earmarks
    6. james madison chittim
    7. a big mixup
    8. george t. reynolds
    9. colonel albert g. boyce
    10. born in a log cabin
    11. sixty years in texas, around good old san antonio
    12. hardships of a winter drive
    13. mont woodward was a friend
    14. dream was realized
    15. when he got big enough to fight, the indians were gone
    16. fifty cents a day was considered good pay
    17. when the elements wept and shed tears
    18. sketch of capt. james d. reed
    19. a tribute to the character of william buckner houston
    20. served with lee and jackson
    21. harrowing experience with jayhawkers
    22. major george w. littlefield
    23. kidnapped the inspectors
    24. david c. pryor
    25. helped drive the indians out of brown county
12. chapters 201-225
    1. robert e. stafford
    2. lafayette ward
    3. thomas jefferson moore
    4. william g. butler
    5. seth mabry
    6. j. b. murrah caught the measles
    7. medina county pioneer
    8. experiences of a texas pioneer
    9. w. a. (buck) pettus
    10. r. g. (dick) head
    11. sketch of j. m. choate
    12. w. m. choate
    13. crossed the arkansas river in a skiff
    14. when the temperature was 72 degrees below zero c. c. french, fort worth, texas
    15. history of an old cowman
    16. indians got their horses
    17. george webb slaughter
    18. thomas m. peeler
    19. hardships of a cowboy's life in the early days in texas
    20. associated with frank james
    21. the tankersley family
    22. trail driving was fascinating
    23. followed cattle from the ranch to the shipping pen
    24. tells of an indian fight
    25. reminiscences of the old trails
13. chapters 226-250
    1. made many trips up the old cow trail
    2. fifty years ago
    3. p. e. slaughter
    4. sketch of the life of captain j. j. (jack) cureton
    5. trail recollections of geo. w. elam
    6. tells about bob robertson
    7. "doc" burnett
    8. ben c. dragoo
    9. an old trail driver
    10. richard robertson russell
    11. from the nueces to the north platte
    12. a long, hard trip
    13. a. p. rachal
    14. d. c. rachal
    15. frank s. rachal
    16. john redus
    17. james david farmer
    18. a well-known frontier character
    19. alonzo millett
    20. three comrade cow-punchers
    21. could ride a hundred miles in a day
    22. ransom capps
    23. why i am a prohibitionist
    24. fifty years a policeman
    25. tailed 'em across red river
14. chapters 251-275
    1. was in a railroad wreck
    2. the rutledge brothers
    3. jesse presnall
    4. george w. west
    5. played the fiddle on herd at night
    6. reminiscences of the trail
    7. james dobie
    8. made several trips up the trail
    9. charles de montel, jr.
    10. was in packsaddle mountain fight
    11. the cowboy's prayer
    12. where they put a trail boss in jail
    13. made several trips
    14. relates incidents of many drives
    15. a pioneer mother's experience
    16. a cowboy undertaker
    17. captured three thousand quarts
    18. would like to go again
    19. my experience on the trail
    20. ed c. lasater
    21. the pluck of a poor german boy
    22. mrs. ike t. pryor
    23. mrs. george w. saunders
    24. col. c. c. slaughter
    25. m. halff
15. chapters 276-300
    1. daniel oppenheimer
    2. the killing of oliver loving
    3. w. j. wilson's narrative
    4. cyrus b. lucas
    5. john j. little
    6. william henry jennings
    7. john b. slaughter
    8. dennis o'connor
    9. shanghai pierce
    10. j. d. houston
    11. bob houston
    12. jess mccoy
    13. on the fort worth and dodge city trail
    14. character impersonation
    15. my early days in good old san antonio
    16. captain a. c. jones
    17. captain henry scott
    18. oscar j. fox, composer of cowboy songs
    19. a. w. billingsley, wife and son
    20. john and thomas dewees
    21. came to texas in 1838
    22. a long, dry drive
    23. chaplain j. stewart pearce
    24. martin and joe o'connor
    25. father received a premium for best corn
16. chapters 301-325
    1. son of a trail driver
    2. more about the chisholm trail
    3. now a member of congress
    4. captain mifflin kenedy
    5. john g. kenedy
    6. felix m. shaw
    7. a log of the trails
    8. thomas h. shaw
    9. e. b. flowers
    10. experiences of a ranger and scout
    11. got a tail-hold and held on
    12. the poet of the range
    13. the old "square dance" of the western range
    14. james b. gillett
    15. a few bars in the key of g. reading before the old time trail drivers' convention by miss marian elizabeth jennings of devine, texas
    16. the morris .family
    17. one trip up the trail
    18. no friends like the old trail drivers
    19. dock burris was well known
    20. was in captain sansom's company
    21. al. n. mcfaddin
    22. ira c. jennings
    23. a trip to kansas in 1870
    24. from the "historian of the plains"
    25. the trail drivers of texas
17. chapters 326-332
    1. made early drives
    2. rather confusing
    3. james washington walker
    4. andrew g. jones
    5. four bandera pioneers
    6. in conclusion

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INTRODUCTION, Page #05

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An estimated 25,000 to 35,000 men trailed six to ten million head of cattle and a million horses northward from Texas to Kansas and other distant markets between the end of the Civil War and the turn of the century. Judging from the literary remains housed in range archives and libraries, memories of the experience lingered far longer in the minds of the men and boys involved than did the tracks of bovine hooves upon the landscape of the Great Plains and beyond. Besides drudgery and hardship, the long drive promised excitement and danger for some; for many, a trip across the prairie behind a herd of Texas Longhorns was the most unforgettable experience of their lives. Years later, memories of raging rivers, unpredictable stampedes, and sudden violence still stirred the blood of these now older and wiser men as they clustered together at old settlers' days and county fairs recounting days that would never pass again and yearning for a simpler life a world grown complex. "Cowboys," observed one novelist descended from a long and distinguished line of Texas cowpunchers, "are romantics, extreme romantics, and ninety-nine out of a hundred of them are sentimental to the core. They are oriented to the past and face the present only under duress, and then with extreme reluctance." ¹ The trail drivers of Texas were no exception. As their numbers steadily declined, the history and folklore created by these drovers threatened to disappear as well.

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¹1. Larry McMurtry, In a Narrow Grave (Austin: Encino Press, 1978), p. 149.

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