The Trail Drivers of Texas: Interesting Sketches of Early Cowboys...

by J. Marvin Hunter (Editor)

Overview

These are the chronicles of the trail drivers of Texas—those rugged men and, sometimes, women who drove cattle and horses up the trails from Texas to northern markets in the late 1800s. Gleaned from members of the Old Time Trail Drivers' Association, these hundreds of real-life stories—some humorous, some chilling, some rambling, all interesting—form an invaluable cornerstone to the literature, history, and folklore of Texas and the West. First published in the 1920s and reissued by the University of Texas Press in 1985, this classic work is now available in a handsome paperback edition that contains the full text, historical illustrations, and name index of the hardcover edition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780292730762
Publisher:	University of Texas Press
Publication date:	02/01/1993
Series:	Texas Classics
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	1117
Sales rank:	667,990
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 2.30(d)

About the Author

J. Marvin Hunter was a journalist and printer who wrote about Western U.S. history.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Foreword
• Explanatory
• Organization of The Old Time Trail Drivers' Association
• Minutes of The Annual Reunion of The Old Time Trail Drivers' Association, Held in San Antonio, Texas, September 10th and 11th, 1919
• Origin and Close of The Old-time Northern Trail
• The Pumphrey Brothers' Experience on the Trail. By J. B. Pumphrey, Taylor, Texas, and R. B. Pumphrey of San Antonio
• Dodging Indians near Packsaddle Mountains. By E. A. (Berry) Robuck, Lockhart, Texas
• Fought Indians on the Trail. By Henry Ramsdale, Sabinal, Texas
• Location of The Old Chisholm Trail. By C. H. Rust, San Angelo, Texas
• What Has Become of The Old-fashioned Boy? By C. H. Rust, San Angelo, Texas
• Cyclones, Blizzards, High Water, Stampedes and Indians on the Trail. By G. H. Mohle, Lockhart, Texas
• Mistaken for Cole Younger and Arrested. By S. A. Hickock, Karnes City, Texas,
• A Thorny Experience. By S. A. Brite, Pleasanton, Texas
• A Trip to California. By Jeff M. White, Pleasanton, Texas
• Raised on the Frontier. By Walter Smith, Del Rio, Texas
• Drove a Herd over the Trail to California. By W. E. Cureton, Meridian, Texas
• Parents Settled in the Republic of Texas. By Joseph S. Cruze, Sr., San Antonio, Texas
• Coming up the Trail in 1882. By Jack Potter, Kenton, Oklahoma
• When a Girl Masqueraded as a Cowboy and Spent Four Months on the Trail. By Samuel Dunn, Houston, San Antonio, Texas
• A Trying Trip Alone through the Wilderness. By Samuel Dunn Houston, San Antonio, Texas
• First Camp Meeting in Grayson County. By Z. N. Morell
• Seven Trips up the Trail. By J. F. Ellison, Fort Cobb, Oklahoma
• The Old Trailers
• Killing and Capturing Buffalo in Kansas. By M. A. Withers, Lockhart, Texas
• On the Trail to Nebraska. By Jeff. D. Farris, Bryan, Texas
• Echoes of the Cattle Trail. By Jerry M. Nance, Kyle, Texas
• Reminiscences of Old Trail Driving. By J. M. Hankins, San Antonio, Texas
• Got "Wild and Woolly" on the Chisholm Trail. By J. N. Byler, Dallas, Texas
• With Herds to Colorado and New Mexico. By G. W. Scott of Uvalde, Texas
• Recollections of Old Trail Days. By B. A. Borroum, Del Rio, Texas
• High-heeled Boots and Striped Breeches. By G. O. Burrows, Del Rio, Texas
• Sixty Years in Texas. By William J. Bennett, Pearsall, Texas
• The Good Old Cowboy Days. By Luther A. Lawhon
• Courage and Hardihood on the Old Cattle Trail. Sketch of Sal West
• Lived on the Frontier during Indian Times. By Joe F. Spettel, Rio Medina, Texas
• Made a Long Trip to Wyoming. By H. D. Gruene, Goodwin, Texas
• Played Pranks on the Tenderfoot. By Henry D. Steele, San Antonio, Texas
• When a Man's Word was as Good as a Gilt-edged Note. By George N. Steen, Bryan, Texas
• My Experience on the Cow Trail. By F. M. Polk, Luling, Texas
• Punching Cattle on the Trail to Kansas. By W. D. Hardeman, Devine, Texas
• Exciting Experiences on the Frontier and on the Trail. By C. W. Ackerman, San Antonio, Texas
• Observations and Experiences of Bygone Days. By Louis Schorp, Rio Medina, Texas
• Met Quanah Parker on the Trail. By John Wells Bartlett, Texas
• Texas Cowboys at a Circus in Minneapolis. By S. H. Woods, Alice, Texas
• The Remarkable Career of Colonel Ike T. Pryor
• Habits and Customs of Early Texas. By L. B. Anderson, Seguin, Texas
• Hit the Trail in High Places. By Jeff Connolly, Lockhart, Texas
• The Men Who Made the Trail. By Luther A. Lawhon, San Antonio, Texas
• A Few Thrilling Incidents in My Experience on the Trail. By L. B. Anderson, Seguin, Texas
• Memories of the Old Cow Trail. By C. H. Rus, San Angelo, Texas
• Established the First Packing Plant in Texas. Sketch of W. S. Hall, Comfort, Texas
• Trail Driving to Kansas and Elsewhere. W. F. Cude, San Antonio, Texas
• When Lightning Set the Grass on Fire. By George W. Brock, Lockhart, Texas
• "Big Cowboy Ball
• Did You Ever Do the Square? By James Barton Adams
• Experiences "Tenderfeet" Could Not Survive. By G. W. Mills, Lockhart, Texas
• Killing of "Billy the Kid." By Fred E. Sutton, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• His Father Made Fine "Bowie" Knives. By John James Haynes, San Antonio, Texas
• Three Times Up the Trail. By W. E. Laughlin, Bartlett, Texas
• Will Build a Ten-story Marble Hotel in San Antonio. Sketch of John Young, Alpine, Texas
• When Ab. Blocker Climbed a Fence. By G. M. Carson, Rocksprings, Texas
• Found a Lot of Snuff on the Trail. By J. A. Blythe, Del Rio, Texas
• Eight Trips Up the Trail. By A. N. Eustace, Prairie Lea, Texas
• A Long Time between Drinks. By Sam Neill, La Pryor, Texas
• Scouting and Routing in the Good Old Days. By J. M. Custer, alias
• Wilson
• Catching Antelope and Buffalo on the Trail. By A. Huffmeyer, San Antonio, Texas
• The Old Trail Driver. By Branch Isabell, Odessa, Texas
• Drove a Herd to Mississippi and Alabama. By W. D. H. Saunders, San Antonio, Texas
• "Trail Life." By James Gibson, Alice, Texas
• An Indian Battle near the Leona River. By L. A. Franks, Pleasanton, Texas
• Jack Potter, the "Fighting Parson." By John Warren Hunter
• The Chisholm Trail. By Fred Sutton, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Preferred to Take Older Cattle Up the Trail. By Thomas'Welder, Beeville, Texas
• A Woman Trail Driver. By Mrs. A. Burks, Cotulla, Texas
• The Experience of an Old Trail Driver. By Richard (Dick) Withers, Boyes, Montana
• Cornbread and Clabber Made a Good Meal. By Joseph Cotulla, Cotulla, Texas
• One of the Best-known Trail Drivers. Sketch of John R. Blocker, Big Wells, Texas
• Captain John T. Lytle
• J. D. Jackson
• T. A. Coleman
• Twice Across the Plains in Fourteen Months. By Joe S. Clark, Orange Grove, Texas
• John Z. Means
• George W. Evans
• Cowboy Life in West Texas Days Gone By. By Hiram G. Craig, Brenham
• Captain Charles Schreiner, Kerrville, Texas
• The Early Cattle Days in Texas. By A. W. Capt, San Antonio, Texas
• The Cost of Moving a Herd to Northern Markets. By Col. Ike Pryor, San Antonio, Texas
• Lost Twenty-one Thousand Dollars on One Drive. By John S. Kritzer, Taylor, Texas
• Mose Wesley Hays
• The Platte was Like a Ribbon in the Sunshine. By J. W. Jackson, Bartlett, Texas
• Put up Five Hundred Steers to Secure Three Hundred Dollars. By E. L. Brounson, Sample, Texas
• Some Interesting Things Seen on the Cattle Trail. By John B. Conner, Yoakum, Texas
• When "Louisiana" Came to Texas. By T. M. Turner, San Antonio, Texas
• Made Several Trips up The Trail. By N. L. Word, Alice, Texas
• Probably the Oldest Feeder in Texas. By R. F. Sellers, Mathis, Texas
• Up the Trail to Northern New Mexico. By L. A. Franks, Pleasanton, Texas
• The Son of a Well-known Trail Driver. By Robert Farmer Jennings, San Antonio, Texas
• When George Saunders Made a Bluff "Stick." By T. T. Hawkins, Charlotte, Texas
• Put Many Herds up for D. R. Fant. By Thomas M. Hodges, Junction, Texas
• The Milk of Human Kindness is Drying Up. By George F. Hindes, Pearsall, Texas
• Took Time to Visit His Sweetheart. By H. C. Williams. San Antonio, Texas
• Reminiscences of the Trail. By Jasper (Bob) Lauderdale
• From Texas to the Oregon Line. By W. A. Peril, Harper, Texas
• An Old Frontiersman Tells His Experience. By Joe Chapman, Benton, Texas
• Parents were among Early Colonists. By Henry Fest, San Antonio, Texas
• Phil L. Wright
• Reflections of the Trail. By George W. Saunders, San Antonio, Texas
• Mrs. Lou Gore
• Buried a Cowboy in a Lonely Grave on the Prairie. By Alfred Iverson (Babe) Moye, Kenedy, Texas
• Some Things I Saw Long Ago. By George Gerdes
• Ate Stolen Meat, Anyway. By Jim Wilson, Alpine, Texas
• When a Boy Bossed a Herd. Sketch of J. D. Jackson, Alpine, Texas
• Spent a Hard Winter near Red Cloud. By D. S. Combs, San Antonio, Texas
• Experiences of the Trail and Otherwise. By M. J. Ripps, San Antonio, Texas
• Sketch of Col. J. F. Ellison. By J. F. Ellison, Jr., Fort Cobb, Oklahoma
• Sixty-eight Years in Texas. By Pleasant Burnell Butler, Kenedy, Texas
• My First Five-dollar Bill. By J. L. McCaleb, Carrizo Springs, Texas
• Slaked Their Thirst in a Dry Town. By A. D. McGehee, San Marcos, Texas
• Lived in San Antonio at Time of Woll's Invasion. By George W. West, Jourdanton, Texas
• Got Their Names in the Pot for Supper and Breakfast. By E. M. (Mac) Stoney, Lockhart, Texas
• Settled on the Frontier of Texas. Sketch of Ed B. English of Carrizo Springs
• Some Thrilling Experiences of an Old Trailer. By L. D. Taylor, San Antonio, Texas
• The Man Who Had Hell in His Neck. By Ab. Blocker, San Antonio, Texas
• My Third and Last Trip Up the Trail in 1886. By R. J. Jennings, San Antonio, Texas
• Sketch of Colonel Dillard R. Fant Relates of a Trip Made in 1872. By M. L. Bolding, Bartlett, Texas
• Paid Three Dollars for Five Gallons of Water. By Sam Garner, Lockhart, Texas
• I Listened to the Chant of the Night Songs. By I. H. Elder, Sanderson, Texas
• Sketch of L. B. Allen
• Had Less Trouble with Indians than with the Grangers on the Trail. By J. E. Pettus, Goliad, Texas
• My Trip up the Trail. By W. E. Thompson, Pearsall, Texas
• Richard King
• Drove Cattle for Doe Burnett. By L. Beasley, Junction, Texas
• Worked with Cattle for Over Sixty Years. By E. M. (Bud) Daggett, Fort Worth, Texas
• Made First Trip in 1877. By D. B. Sherrill, Rocksprings, Texas
• Cowboys Dressed Up at End of Trail. By R. J. Jennings, San Antonio, Texas
• A Tenderfoot from Kentucky. By J. D. Jackson
• A True Story of Trail Days
• Traveling The Trail with Good Men was a Pleasure. By J. F. (Little Jim) Ellison, Jr., Fort Cobb, Oklahoma
• Had Plenty of Fun. By Gus Black, Eagle Pass, Texas
• Slumbered through the Shooting. By H. H. Peel, Jourdanton, Texas
• Another Successful Cowman. By J. B. Murrah, San Antonio, Texas
• The Real Cowboy. By Beulah Rust Kirkland, Phoenix, Arizona
• Cowboy from the Plains of Nebraska. By V. F. Carvajal
• Echoes of the 1916 Convention
• Early Days in Texas. By J. T. Hazlewood
• Worked for Geo. W. Saunders in 1875. By L. T. Clark, Quanah, Texas
• Was Freighter and Trail Driver. By. J. M. Cowley, Fentress, Texas
• Sold Cattle in Natchez for $4.50 a Head. By A. E. Scheske, Gonzales, Texas
• Days That Were Full of Thrills. By Branch Isbell, Odessa, Texas
• Some Trips Up the Trail. By J. M. Garner. Texarkana, Arkansas
• Thrilling Experiences. By Levi J. Harkey, Sinton, Texas
• Noted Quantrell Was with Herd on Trail. By Dr. J. W. Hargus of Dimmit County
• Lost Thousands of Dollars. By C. S. Broadbent, San Antonio, Texas
• Were Happier in Good Old Days. By Oscar Thompson, Hebronville, Texas
• Latch String is on the Outside. By R. T. Mellard, Eddy County, New Mexico
• Dedicated to the Memory of W. J. Edwards. By E. M. Edwards, San Antonio, Texas
• Lived in Live Oak County Many Years. By W. M. Shannon, Lytle, Texas
• William James Slaughter
• James Alfred McFaddin
• An Old Cow Hand. By John Pat Ryan
• William C. Irwin
• Lee L. Russell
• Thomas B. Saunders
• Ate Terrapin and Dog Meat and was Glad to Get it. By Ben Drake, South Antonio, Texas
• Gives Some Early Texas History. By W. F. Cude, Pearsall, Texas
• Drove Horses to Mississippi. By F. G. Crawford, Oakville, Texas
• When Jim Dobie Lost His Pants. By E. S. Boatwright, Falfurrius, Texas
• Sketch of Col. J. J. Meyers
• Came over from Germany in 1870. By F. Cornelius, Midfield, Texas.
• A Faithful Negro Servant. By J. E. Folts, Columbus, Texas
• Grazed on Many Ranges. By T. J. Garner, Loveland, Colorado
• John H. Ross Was a Bronco Buster
• Has Had an Eventful Career. By William B. Krempkau, San Antonio, Texas
• No Room in the Tent for Polecats. By W. B. Foster, San Antonio, Texas
• Garland G. Odom
• Reminiscences of an Old Trail Driver. By John C. Jacobs, San Antonio, Texas
• "Chawed" the Earmarks. By J. G. Thompson, Devine, Texas
• James Madison Chittim
• A Big Mix-up. By W. M. Nagiller, Williams, Arizona
• George T. Reynolds
• Colonel Albert G. Boyce
• Born in a Log Cabin. By G. O. Burrow, Del Rio, Texas
• Sixty Years in Texas Around Good Old San Antonio. By Jesse M. Kilgore, San Antonio, Texas
• Hardships of a Winter Drive. By Alf. Beadle, North Pleasanton, Texas
• Mont Woodward Was a Friend. By G. O. Burrow, Del Rio, Texas
• Dream was Realized. By Charlie Bargsley, San Antonio, Texas
• When He Got Big Enough to Fight the Indians were Gone. By W. T. (Bill) Brite, Leming, Texas
• Fifty Cents a Day Was Considered Good Pay. By Louis and Joseph Chorp, Rio Medina, Texas
• When the Elements Wept and Shed Tears. By W. F. Fielder
• Sketch of Captain James D. Reed. By Lou Best Porter, Mountainair, New Mexico
• A Tribute to the Character of William Buckner Houston. By Thomas H. Lewis
• Served with Lee and Jackson. By J. B. C. Harkness, Pearsall, Texas
• Harrowing Experiences with Jayhawkers. By J. M. Daugherty, Daugherty, Texas
• Major George W. Littlefield
• Kidnapped the Inspectors. By Leo Tucker, Yoakum, Texas
• David C. Pryor
• Helped Drive Indians Out of Brown County. By J. W. Driskill, Sabinal, Texas
• Robert E. Stafford
• Lafayette Ward
• Thomas Jefferson Moore
• William G. Butler
• Seth Mabry
• J. D. Murrah Caught the Measles. By Dan Murrah, Del Rio, Texas
• Medina County Pioneer. By Xavier Wanz, Castroville, Texas
• Experiences of a Texas Pioneer. By John M. Sharpe
• W. A. (Buck) Pettus
• R. G. (Dick) Head
• Sketch of J. M. Choate
• W. M. Choate
• Crossed the Arkansas River in a Skiff. By J. H. Saul
• When Temperature Was 72 Degrees Below Zero. By C. C. French, Fort Worth, Texas
• History of an Old Cowman
• Indians Got Their Horses. By W. H. Crain, Pipe Creek, Texas
• George Webb Slaughter
• Thomas M. Peeler
• Hardships of a Cowboy's Life in the Early Days in Texas. By James T. Johnson, Charco, Texas
• Associated with Frank James. By Sam H. Nunneley, San Antonio, Texas
• The Tankersley Family. By Mary Tankersley Lewis, San Angelo, Texas
• Trail Driving was Fascinating. By W. A. Roberts, Frio Town, Texas
• Followed Cattle from the Ranch to the Shipping Pen. By Mrs. A. P. Betcher, Del Rio, Texas
• Tells of an Indian Fight. By W. A. Franks, Pearsall, Texas
• Reminiscences of the Old Trails. By C. F. Doan of Doan's
• Made Many Trips up the Old Cow Trail. By E. P. Byler; Wadsworth, Texas
• Fifty Years Ago. By J. J. (Joe) Roberts, Del Rio, Texas
• P. E. Slaughter
• Sketch of the Life of Captain J. J. (Jack) Cureton. By W. E. Cureton, Meridian, Texas
• Trail Recollections of George W. Elam
• Tells About Bob Robertson. By W. B. Hardeman, Devine, Texas
• "Doe" Burkett
• Ben C. Drago
• An Old Trail Driver
• Richard Robertson Russell
• From the Nueces to the North Platte. By J. R. Humphries, Yoakum, Texas
• A Long, Hard Trip
• A. P. Rachal
• D. C. Rachal
• Frank S. Rachal
• John Redus. By Mrs. Sallie McLamore Redus
• James David Farmer
• A Well-known Frontier Character
• Alonzo Millett
• Three Comrade Cowpunchers
• Could Ride a Hundred Miles a Day. By C. E. Johnson, Charco, Texas.
• Ranson Capps
• Why I am a Prohibitionist. By George F. Hindus, Pearsall, Texas
• Fifty Years a Policeman
• Trailed 'Em Across Red River. By Gus Staples, Skidmore, Texas
• Was in a Railroad Wreck. By John B. Conner, Yoakum, Texas
• The Rutledge Brothers
• Jesse Presnall
• George W. West
• Played the Fiddle on Head at Night
• Reminiscences of the Trail. By A. F. Carvajal, San Antonio, Texas
• James Dobie Made Several Trips up the Trail. By R. J. Jennings, San Antonio, Texas
• Charles de Montel, Jr Was in Packsaddle Mountain Fight. By N. G. Ozment
• The Cowboy's Prayer
• Where They Put a Trail Boss in Jail. By W. T. (Bill) Jackman, San Marcos, Texas
• Made Several Trips. By Joe P. Smith, Click, Texas
• Relates Incidents of Many Drives. By William Baxter Slaughter, San Antonio, Texas
• A Pioneer Mother's Experience. By Mrs. Kate Cruze, San Antonio, Texas
• A Cowboy Undertaker. By W. K. Shipman, San Antonio, Texas
• Captured Three Thousand Quarts
• Would Like to Go Again. By Webster Witter, Beeville, Texas
• My Experience on the Trail. By Mrs. W. B. Slaughter, San Antonio, Texas
• Ed C. Lasater
• The Pluck of a Poor German Boy By B. Vesper, Big Wells, Texas
• Mrs. Ike T. Pryor
• Mrs. George W. Saunders
• Col. C. C. Slaughter
• M. Halff
• Daniel Oppenheimer
• The Killing of Oliver Loving. By Charles Goodnight, Goodnight, Texas
• W. J. Wilson's Narrative
• Cyrus B. Lucas
• John J. Little
• William Henry Jennings
• John B. Slaughter
• Dennis O'Conner
• Shangai Pierce
• J. D. Houston
• Bob Houston
• Jess McCoy
• On the Fort Worth and Dodge City Trail. By T. J. Burkett, Sr., Waelder, Texas
• Character Impersonation
• My Early Days in Good Old San Antonio. By John A. Miller, Bandera, Texas
• Captain A. C. Jones. By George W. Saunders
• Captain Henry Scott. By George W. Saunders
• Oscar Fox. Composer of Cowboy Songs
• A. W. Billingsley, Wife, and Son
• John and Thomas Dewees. By George W. Saunders
• Came to Texas in 1838. By Mrs. H. C. Mayes, Carlsbad, Texas
• A Long, Dry Drive
• Chaplain J. Stewart Pearce
• Martin and Joe O'Connor
• Father Received a Premium for Best Corn. By C. E. Austin, Nixon, Texas
• Son of a Trail Driver. By Harry H. Williams, San Antonio, Texas.
• More About the Chisholm Trail. By Charles Goodnight, Goodnight, Texas
• Now a Member of Congress. By Claude Hudspeth, El Paso, Texas
• Captain Mifflin Kenedy
• John G. Kenedy
• Felix M. Shaw
• A Log of the Trails. By George W. Saunders, Texas
• Thomas H. Shaw
• E. B. Flowers
• Experiences of a Ranger and Scout. By A. M. (Gus) Gildea, Deming, N. M
• Got a Tail-hold and Held on. By R. F. Galbreath, Devine, Texas
• The Poet of the Range
• The Old "Square Dance" of the Western Range
• James B. Gillett
• A Few Bars in the Key of G
• The Morris Family
• One Trip Up the Trail. By B. D. Lindsey, San Antonio, Texas
• No Friends Like the Old Trail Drivers. By G. M. Carson, Rocksprings, Texas
• Dock Burris was Well Known
• Was in Captain Sansom's Company. By J. W. Minear, San Antonio, Texas
• Al. N. McFaddin
• Ira C. Jennings
• A Trip to Kansas in 1870. By W. R. Massengale, Rio Frio, Texas
• From the "Historian of the Plains"
• The Trail Drivers of Texas. By Maude Clark Hough, New York City
• Made Early Drives. By D. H. Snyder, Georgetown, Texas
• Rather Confusing
• James Washington Walker
• Andrew G. Jones
• Four Bandera Pioneers
• In Conclusion
• Index

Editorial Reviews

For 60 years, The Trail Drivers of Texas has been considered the most monumental single source on the old-time Texas trail drives north to Kansas and beyond....Because of its vast volume of raw material, expressed in the words of those who lived the life and rode the long miles, students of cattle industry history regard it with high respect, even awe.

Dallas Morning News

. . . the essential starting point for any study of Texas trail driving days. Walter Prescott Webb called it ‘Absolutely the best source there is on the cattle trail . . .’

Basic Texas Books

For 60 years, The Trail Drivers of Texas has been considered the most monumental single source on the old-time Texas trail drives north to Kansas and beyond. . . . Because of its vast volume of raw material, expressed in the words of those who lived the life and rode the long miles, students of cattle industry history regard it with high respect, even awe.

Dallas Morning News - Elmer Kelton