urn:taro:ttu.sw.00037 Espuela Land and Cattle Company: An Inventory of Its Records, 1880-1979 and undated, at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library Abel Ramirez The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library
The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library Texas Tech University MS 41041 Lubbock, Texas 79409 Phone: (806) 742-3749 Fax: (806) 742-0496 Webpage: http://swco.ttu.edu/ Contact Person: Reference Archivist
August 2000 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, September 2000. Finding aid written in English. Tue Jul 22 15:21:07 CDT 2003 urn:taro:ttu.sw.00037 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (20030505). Inventory for the Espuela Land and Cattle Company Records, 1880-1979 and undated Abel Ramirez The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, August 2000 Descriptive Summary Espuela Land and Cattle Company, Ltd. Espuela Land and Cattle Company, Ltd. Records, 1880-1979 and undated The records of the Espuela Land and Cattle Company, Ltd., a British syndicate that founded the Spur Ranch in the early 1880s. S 310.1 Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University 9 boxes and 36 ledgers (16.0 linear feet) English. Biographical Sketch

The Espuela Land and Cattle Company, Ltd., a British syndicate, founded the Spur Ranch in the early 1880s. The ranch was located in Dickens, Kent, Crosby, and Garza counties of West Texas and encompassed approximately 439,000 acres

The materials were donated by the Swenson Land and Cattle Company, owner of the Spur Ranch, and Clifford B. Jones, a former president of Texas Technological College and the son of Charles A. Jones, who was a manager for the Spur Ranch.

 Scope and Contents

Included are correspondence, legal documents, financial records and work diaries. The collection bulks with financial records relating to the operation of the Spur Ranch. The correspondence includes several letters from leading ranchers, while the work diaries detail the daily routine of ranching.

 Index Terms

The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally developed.

Subjects (Persons) Britton, Alfred Markham Campbell, A. T. Horsbrugh, Fred Johnstone, Henry Lomax, Spottswood W. Swenson family Subjects (Organizations) Espuela Land and Cattle Company, Ltd. Places Crosby County (Tex.) Dickens County (Tex.) Freeport (Tex.) Garza County (Tex.) Kent County (Tex.) Long S Ranch (Tex.) Spur (Tex.) Spur Ranch (Tex.) SMS Ranch (Tex.) Subjects Cattle trade--Economic aspects--Texas, West Cattle trade--Texas Land titles--Registration and transfer--Texas Land settlement--Texas--History Ranch life--Texas Ranch houses--Texas, West Ranching--Economic aspects--Texas, West Ranching--Texas, West Ranches--Texas--History Real estate development--Texas--History Acquisition

Gifts, 1958-1971 and undated

 Access Restrictions

Open for research

 Processed by

Abel Ramirez, August 2000

 Preferred Citation

Espuela Land and Cattle Company Records, 1880-1979 and undated, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

 Additional Sources The Handbook of Texas has published a more in-depth online biography of Espuela (Spur) Cattle Company at http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html Holden, William Curry. The Spur Ranch: a Study of the Inclosed Ranch Phase of the Cattle Industry in Texas. Boston: The Christopher publishing house, 1934. Holden, William Curry. The Espuela Land and Cattle Company; a Study of a Foreign-Owned Ranch in Texas. Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 1970. Rylander, Dorothy. The Economic Phase of the Ranching Industry on the Spur Ranch, 1885-1906. Thesis (M.A.)--Texas Technological College, 1931.

For related materials located in the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, see the following collections:

Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company, Records, 1837-1976 Spur Ranch photograph collection, 1890-1915 Jones, Charles Adam, Papers [microfilm], 1933-1934 Clifford Bartlett Jones oral history interview [sound recording], 1968. Frank Reeves oral history interview [sound recording], 1969 J. L. Davis oral history interview [sound recording], 1970. William G. and A.M.G. "Swede" Swenson oral history interview [sound recording], 1969. Collection Inventory Legal Material, 1880-1937 1 1 Deeds of Trust, Notary Publics, 1892-1928 Business Records, 1939-1952 and undated 1 2 Statement of Interests, undated 1 3 Collection Reports, 1939-1945 1 4 Collection Reports, 1945-1952 1 5 Remittance Letters, 1942-1949 1 6 Remittance Letters, 1949-1951 1 7 Remittance Letters, 1939-1942 Land and Lots, 1935-1958 and undated 1 8 Suits and Claims, 1935-1939 and undated 1 9 Record of Instruments, 1939-1946 1 10 Spur Lots, etc., 1938-1958 and undated 1 11 Inquiries for Land, 1939-1941 and undated Taxes, 1938-1941 and undated 1 12 Kent County, Texas, 1939-1940 and undated 1 13 Garza, (empty) 1 14 Crosby, (empty) 1 15 Dickens, (empty) 1 16 1939 Tax Renditions, 1939 1 17 1938 Taxes Paid, 1939 1 18 1941 Taxes, 1941 and undated 1 19 1940 Taxes, 1941 and undated 1 20 Notes: Lease Notes, 1936-1940 and undated Collection Reports, 1935-1942 and undated 1 21 Notices, 1935-1941 and undated 1 22 Foreclosure Suits, 1942 1 23 Lot Notes-Town Site Co., 1940-1941 1 24 Land Notes, 1939-1941 1 25 Crop Mortgage Notes, 1940 1 26 Grass and Farm Leases: Grass Leases, 1943-1944 1 27 Grass and Farm Leases: S.M.S. Ranch, 1938-1941 1 28 Grass and Farm Leases: List of Leases, 1937-1941 1 29 Insurance: Compensation, 1941 1 30 Insurance: Fire, 1937-1942 1 31 Land and Feed Data: Acreage, Owned and Sold, 1940-1941 and undated 1 32 Land and Feed Data: Feed Statements, 1918-1919 and undated 1 33 Land and Feed Data: Letter Received, 1919 1 34 Bookkeeping Accounts, 1939-1940 and undated 1 35 Bookkeeping Accounts, 1940-1941 and undated Suits and Extensions, A-J, 1940-1945 and undated 1 36 Baze, T. F. (J. Z. Smith Notes), 1941-1944 and undated 1 37 Cravy, T. H., 1942 and undated 1 38 Faulkner, George, 1942 1 39 Fry, A. A., 1940-1945 and undated 1 40 Hindman, L. A., 1942 Suits and Extensions, K-Z, 1934-1942 1 41 Karr, A. M., 1942 1 42 King, B. H., 1942 1 43 Kennedy, Maggie E., 1942 1 44 Loe, D. I., 1941-1942 1 45 Mizell, Mrs. Bell, 1934 1 46 Taylor, F.O., 1939-1942 Sales and Prices, 1924-1966 2 1 Land Sales, 1940-1966 2 2 Spur Town Lot Sales, 1941-1959 2 3 Correspondence, 1963-1966 and undated 2 4 Correspondence: Cravy, T. H. (Dick), Post, Texas, RE-Land Trade, Sec., 4750, Blk. 8, Garza County, Texas, 1947 and undated 2 5 Correspondence: Fractional Acreage, 1945-1947 2 6 Land Prices, 1937-1940 2 7 Lot Prices, 1939-1946 2 8 Spur Ranch Reversions and Sales, 1923-1925 Correspondence, Ranch Headquarters, 1914-1952 and undated 2 9 Correspondence, Ranch Headquarters, Land Leases, Land Sales and Notes, A-G, 1941-1949 2 10 Correspondence, Ranch Headquarters, Land Leases, Land Sales and Notes, H-J, 1941-1952 2 11 Correspondence, Ranch Headquarters, Land Leases, Land Sales and Notes, K-R, 1914-1949 2 12 Correspondence, Ranch Headquarters, Land Leases, Land Sales and Notes, S-Z, 1914-1952 Correspondence, New York Headquarters, 1939-1964 and undated 2 13 Correspondence, New York Headquarters, Land Leases, Land Sales and Notes, 1939-1946 2 14 Correspondence, New York Headquarters, Land Leases, Land Sales and Notes, 1946-1951 Correspondence Received, 1889-1902 and undated 2 15 Files, A-D, 1889-1902 and undated 2 16 Files, E-G, 1889-1902 and undated 3 1 Files, H-I, 1889-1902 and undated 3 2 Files, J-K, 1889-1902 and undated 3 3 Files, N-R, 1889-1902 and undated 3 4 File, S, 1889-1902 and undated 3 5 Files, T-V, 1889-1902 and undated 3 6 Correspondence, Miscellaneous, File D-Z, 1896-1899 Correspondence, 1886-1907 4 1 London and Ranch Headquarters; Transference of London Management and General Ranch Affairs, 1886-1907 and undated 4 2 London and Ranch Headquarters; Transference of London Management and General Ranch Affairs, 1886-1907 and undated 4 3 London and Ranch Headquarters; Transference of London Management and General Ranch Affairs, 1886-1907 and undated 4 4 Spur Land Leases vs. S. M. Swenson, 1914-1915 and undated 4 5 Correspondence, 1967-1979 and undated Correspondence in Book Format, 1885-1905 and undated 4 6 Correspondence, Book #1, 1900-1908 4 7 Correspondence, Book #2, 1906-1907 4 8 Correspondence, Book #3, 1907-1908 4 9 Correspondence, Book #4, 1908 4 10 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Bookkeeper's Reports to London Office, 1886-1895 4 11 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, General, 1887-1888 5 1 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's General Letters, 1889-1891 5 2 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, General, 1888-1889 5 3 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's Reports to London Office (General 1886), 1887-1890 5 4 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's Reports to London Office, 1899-1903 5 5 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's Reports to London Office, 1896-1899 5 6 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, General, 1885-1886 5 7 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's General Letters, 1897-1900 5 8 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's General Letters, 1894-1897 5 9 Letters Sent, Ranch Headquarters, Manager's General Letters, 1903-1905 and undated Literary Production, 1887-1915 and undated 6 1 Diary, Ranch Headquarters, Jan. 3, 1888 (?) - April 30, 1895 and undated 6 2 Diary, Ranch Headquarters, Jan. 13 - Dec. 31, 1900 and undated 6 3 Diary of Work on Range, May 30, 1908 - Jan. 30, 1909 and undated 6 4 Diary, Ranch Headquarters (E. W. Lomax), Jan. 1, 1887 - Feb. 11, 1887 and undated 6 5 Diary, Ranch Headquarters (Fred Horsbrough), Jan. 1 - Dec. 17-1887(?) 6 6 Diary, Ranch Headquarters, Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, 1901 and undated 6 7 Report on the Economic Geology of the Spur Ranch, 1915 Legal Documents, 1889-1949 6 8 Lease Agreements, 1889-1908 6 9 Miscellaneous, 1889-1908 6 10 Miscellaneous (Bank Officer List, Photo, Receipts, Letters, Survey), 1921-1949 Financial Material, 1884-1941 and undated 6 11 Public Record Office, photocopies, 1884-1895 6 12 Public Record Office, photocopies, 1890-1908 6 13 Check Stubs, 1885-1909 7 1 Check Stubs and Books, 1885-1909 7 2 Ledger, Miscellaneous, 1890-1896 7 3 Ledger, General, 1886-1892 7 4 Store Journal: Daily Sales, Aug. 17, 1898 - Dec. 24, 1902 7 5 Store Journal: Daily Sales, Jan. 1, 1903 - May 6, 1905 7 6 Store Journal: Daily Sales, May 8, 1905 - Feb. 1, 1906 8 Ledger 1 Journal, Ranch Headquarters, 1899-1904 8 Ledger 2 Store Journal, Company Records, 1892-1899 8 Ledger 3 Branding Register, 1884-1909 8 Ledger 4 Stock Register and Ranch Record Book, 1885-1895 8 Ledger 5 Account Book, Ranch Headquarters, Misc., 1885-1896 8 Ledger 6 Supply Account Book, 1885-1892 8 Ledger 7 Supply Account Book, 1892-1896 8 Ledger 8 Store Journal, Daily Sales, 1899-1900 8 Ledger 9 Feed Account Book, 1891-1895 8 Ledger 10 Store Inventory of Stock, 1897-1899 8 Ledger 11 Store Inventory of Stock, 1900-1901 8 Ledger 12 Store Inventory of Stock, 1902-1903 9 Journal 1 Receipts and Journal, 1913-1921 9 Journal 2 Receipts and Journal, 1920-1923 9 Journal 3 Receipts and Journal, 1924-1926 9 Ledger 4 Ledger, General, 1912-1922 9 Ledger 5 Ledger, General, 1923-1926 9 Ledger 6 Store Ledger, 1888-1890 Ledger 1 Cash Book, Ranch Headquarters, 1888-1892 Ledger 2 Cash Book, Ranch Headquarters, 1902-1905 Ledger 3 Cash Book, Ranch Headquarters, 1892-1897 Ledger 4 Cash Book, Ranch Headquarters, 1897-1902 Ledger 5 Journal, Ranch Headquarters, 1885-1888 Ledger 6 Store Cash Book (Misc. Cash Entries), 1902-1907 Ledger 7 General Accounts, Ranch Headquarters, 1899-1906 Ledger 8 General Accounts, Ranch Headquarters, 1888-1898 Ledger 9 Journal, Ranch Headquarters, 1895-1904 Ledger 10 Store Ledger, 1904-1907 Ledger 11 Store Ledger, 1896-1899 Ledger 12 Store Ledger, 1899-1900 Ledger 13 Payroll, 1885-1887 Ledger 14 Payroll, 1888-1898 Ledger 15 Payroll, 1898-1909 Ledger 16 Store Ledger, 1900-1902 Ledger 17 Store Ledger, 1902-1903 Ledger 18 Store Ledger, 1890-1896 Ledger 19 Ranch Headquarters Ledger, 1885-1888 Ledger 20 Store Purchase Journal, 1898-1906 Ledger 21 Supply Account Book, 1907-1908 Ledger 22 Ranch Headquarters Journal, 1888-1894 Ledger 23 Notary Public, Record of Acknowledgement, William Dawson, 1899-1902 Ledger 24 Cash Book, Ranch Headquarters, 1885-1888 Ledger 25 Trial Balance Book, 1901-1907 Ledger 26 Miscellaneous Ledger, 1884-1891 and undated Ledger 27 Journal, Blank unused Book, undated Ledger 28 Land Sales No. 1, 1908-1913 Ledger 29 Land Sales No. 2, 1913-1916 Ledger 30 Land Sales No. 3, 1916-1919 Ledger 31 Land Sales No. 4, 1919-1941 Ledger 32 Land Sales, Texas and Sundry Business, 1923-1934