Descriptive Summary
McFaddin, Allen Minor, 1863-1930
McFaddin, Al, papers
1842-1895
Materials are written in English.
1931
9 in.
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin
Composed primarily of James A. and Al
McFaddin’s ranch books, the Al McFaddin Papers, 1842-1895, document the business
activities of the McFaddin Ranch in Victoria County, Texas.
Biographical Note
Rancher Allen Minor Al McFaddin (1863-1930) was
born to James Alfred McFaddin (1840-1916) and Margaret V. Coward. James worked on
his father William’s ranch near Beaumont, Texas, before establishing his own ranch
in Refugio County in 1858. Following his service in the Confederate Army during the
Civil War, James returned to ranching and set up a pseudo-bank, keeping his
neighbors’ money in a safe until a local bank was established. In 1881, the
McFaddins moved to a Victoria County ranch, where their son Al began working after
marrying Ada Pettus in 1888. As one of the earliest breeders of Brahman cattle,
James began trading the animals in the 1880s, while Al promoted Brahman cattle
breeding programs, even acting as a consultant to the King Ranch’s breeding program.
Al also co-founded and became first president of both the Texas and Southwestern
Cattle Raisers Association in 1912 and the American Brahman Breeders Association in
1924. Additionally, he served a term in the Texas Legislature and as director of the
Victoria National Bank.
Sources:
Wilson, Rosine McFaddin.
McFaddin, Allen Minor.
Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed February 8, 2011.
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmcbe.
Wilson, Rosine McFaddin.
McFaddin, James Alfred.
Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed February 8, 2011.
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmcbd.
Scope and Contents
Composed primarily of James A. and Al McFaddin’s ranch books, the Al McFaddin Papers,
1842-1895, document the business activities of the McFaddin Ranch in Victoria
County, Texas. The ranch books include tally books, brand books, account books, and
a pasture book, which record the number of cattle, identified by brand mark, ranches
purchased from the McFaddins and how many cattle per brand were in a given pasture.
Consisting of receipts, bills of sale, checks, a brand mark registration
certificate, and other records, the financial and legal documents also illustrate
the McFaddin Ranch’s cattle trade business. Furthermore, business cards, notes, and
correspondence chronicle the shipping of and payment for cattle by the McFaddins.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
McFaddin, Allen Minor, 1863-1930 --
Archives.
McFaddin, James Alfred, 1840-1916 --
Archives.
McFadden family -- Archives.
Subjects (Organizations)
McFaddin Ranch (Tex.) -- Archives.
Subjects
Cattle trade -- Texas -- History -- 19th
century.
Cattle breeders -- Texas -- History -- 19th
century.
Cattle -- Breeding -- Texas -- History -- 19th
century.
Cattle brands -- Texas -- History -- 19th century.
Places
Refugio County (Tex.) -- History --
19th century.
Victoria County (Tex.) -- History --
19th century.
Preferred Citation
Al McFaddin Papers, 1842-1895, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin.
Processing Information
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.
Detailed Description of the Papers
Inventory
2E429
Ranch books
2E430
Ranch books
2E431
Ranch books
2E431
Financial and legal documents, correspondence, business cards,
notes