TX BIOS:  Dave Hoffman, Tarrant CO. TX
   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
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   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
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   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
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   00011
   
   [DEL: Beliefs and customs -- [???] :DEL]
   
   Folkstuff -- Range lore
   
   Gauthier. Sheldon [F.?]
   
   Rangelore.
   
   Tarrant co., Dist., #7
   
   [66?]
   
   Page #1
   
   FC 240
   
   Dave Hoffman, 38, living at 3415 Ave., J, Fort Worth, Texas, was born
   at Avon Mo., July 1, 1900. His Father, Jessie Hoffman, was a breeder
   and racer of race horses. The Hoffman family moved from Mo., to the
   Indian Territory (now Okla.) during the year of 1905, and settled in
   Vinita, Craig co., Jessie Hoffman died during the year 1906. Dave
   secured employment on the Leeforce Cattle Ranch during the year
   [1916?], at which place he worked for about one year. He then went to
   Mo., and secured work on the Rankin Cattle Ranch, he headquarters of
   which was at Larkio. The ranch was a fenced range enclosing
   approximately 100,000 acres. Dave continued his employment for the
   Rankin Ranch over a period of two years. His next engaged in catching
   wild mustangs which roamed the Black Hills region of S. Dak. These
   animals were sold for meat food. This work he continued for about
   [on?] year, after which time he enlested in the U. S. Army, in which
   he served during the period of the World War. After the conclusion of
   the war, he engaged in prosecuting in the S. W. States. Later he
   served on the Police Department in Los Angles. During the past 10
   years he has been a resident of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, and has
   engaged in the oil land lease brokerage business.
   
   [His?] story of range life follows:
   
   "My birth place was Mo., in the town of Avon, at a race horse breeding
   and stock farm. The event took place July 1, 1900. My father, whose
   name was Jessie Hoffman, engaged in breeding and racing horses. He
   moved his family to Craig co., of the Indian Territory (now Okla.) in
   1905. Father died the following year, and his death caused me to seek
   my own livelihood as soon as I was large enough to work.
   
     NOTE: C12 - [?] - Texas
     
   "I was reared around the stock business and could ride a horse when a
   young lad. I could ride real well at the age of 10 years, and secured
   my first regular employment during my 13th year. 00022"Craig co., and
   the surrounding country, was then a cattle range country. When we
   moved there, in 1905, it was still more or less an open range country.
   
   "About the only work I knew anything about doing was handling horses,
   and naturally, I seeked seeked employment in the business about which
   I had some knowledge.
   
   The Leeforce ranch was among the larger ranches of the Craig co.,
   sections and I succeeded in securing a regular job with the ranch when
   I was 13 years old. The ranch headquarters were located near Vintia.
   
   "Damon Turner was the ranche's foreman and from five to ten hands were
   employed. During the summer season the outfit worked about 10 cowhands
   and cut the number down to five during the winter season. In addition,
   during the hay harvest season, the ranch employed about 10 extra hands
   cutting hay, which was used for feeding during the winter when the
   grass became scarse.
   
   "The ranch ranged, on an average, of around 5000 head of cattle. At
   the time I began working for the outfit, the range was partly fenced
   and the whole Leeforce range was enclosed completly during the year I
   begun working there. I do not recall the number of acres constituted
   the range, but it was near 10,000 acres. About 1000 acres was used for
   hay production.
   
   "The condition of the range country was different in the early 1900s
   than during the prior years of the open range. During the early days
   of ranching in the S. W., a rancher could shift his herd from one
   section to another as the grazing condition 00033became bad, but when
   I began ny range career, the ranchers were compelled to keep their
   cattle more or less in one locality. Therefore, provisions for winter
   feed was necessary in order to keep the herd in good flesh.
   
   "The/ work we were required to do, in attending to the herd, was from
   fence riding to feeding the stock. Before the fence was [??], a number
   of riders worked holding the herd within the partly fenced area. The
   fence enclosed tree sides, so we rode on the N. side, which was still
   open, holding the herd from drifting out. After the fence was
   completed, one rider rode the fence line constantly, looking for
   breaks. The small breaks he would repair and the large breaks were
   fixed by the repair crew. Other men watched for sick animals and in
   the winter months, when the grass became scarce, we fed hay. There
   were hay racks built in numerous places over the range. Hay was hauled
   and placed in the racks which complemented the grass feed.
   
   "The Leeforce outfit participated in just one general roundup after I
   started to work there. This was the fall roundup of 1913. The fence
   was completed shortly after the roundup and removed the necessity of
   taking part in a general roundup. We had our ranch roundup in the
   Spring and Fall. During our roundup we used the chuck wagon and lived
   with it. We did our sleeping on the ground rolled up in a blanket
   lying on the ground. This sort of life may seem hard to a person who
   has not experienced such living, but it was not considered such by the
   old rawhides. In fact, to one used to living this sort of an outdoor
   life, it was not hard, but 00044on the contary, it was perfered by
   them to living in doors. At the headquarters we had a comfortable bunk
   house and beds. However, several of the old timers would sleep out
   doors rolled in their blankets and lying on the ground in preference
   to using the bed. The out door life was condicive to vigorous apetite
   and health. I often recall two old rawhides who worked on the Leeforce
   ranch when I were employed there. These two fellows were not a day
   under 60 years of age and had engaged range work all of their active
   life. They were tough as steel and spry as most men at the age of 45
   or 50 years. They did their turn in the saddle each day and could do
   as much work as any us other hands. They never slept in their beds,
   except when the weather was inclement, but used the ground to sleep
   on. Another thing they did, which impressed me, was the way they could
   eat. Among the victuals fed us hands were eggs. These were brought
   from town by the supply wagon and always served for breakfast. Well,
   these two old men for their breakfast, would eat three or four fried
   eggs, a piece of beef steak about six inches square, and the usual
   amount of gravy, syrup bread and coffee. The rest of us were no far
   behind [?] two lads, if any, but we were young and still growing. One
   would awake in the morning ready to enjoy breakfast and did not need
   any apetitizer to start off with.
   
   "We were fed plenty of good wholesome food. A varity of canned
   vegetables was served and some kind of dessert with each meal. There
   was always a dish of some kind of dried fruit [one?] the table.
   00055"The cattle raised on the Leeforce ranch was a mixed breed of the
   Texas Longhorn and Herford. Leeforce used the Herford breed of bulls
   and the Longhorn cows to produce his stock. These cattle were fairly
   tame and handled rather easily. We did not have much trouble with
   stampedes. Of course, after the fence was completed, stampedes did not
   worry us much. During a storm, riders were used to watch the fence and
   ride the line on the lee side of the storm. If the herd started to
   drift ahead of or during a storm, there was danger of crowding into
   the fence so hard that it would break, and in such extent there would
   result a scattered herd. Therefore, we riders would ride the fence
   line holding the cattle back.
   
   "Our roundup was the hardest of all work we had to do, but the most
   interesting, at least it was to most of us, because we then had roping
   and bul-dogging to do.
   
   "Leeforce had a large corral, which enclosed about [?] acres, into
   this pen we drove the cattle. The corral save us from doing riding to
   hold the gathered cattle while the herd was being worked. We would
   gather about 300 or 400 hundred head at a time and drive the animals
   into the pen. After these were cut out, branded and counted, the
   animals were driven out and held separate from the rest of the herd
   until the entire herd [?] was gone over.
   
   "All Spring calves were branded in Spring roundup. In the Fall all
   later born calves were branded and such as may have been missed during
   the previous roundup. 00066"I Worked for the Leeforce ranch about 13
   months and then went to Mo., where I secured work on the Rankin Cattle
   Ranch. It was located in Atkinson co., near Larkin. The ranch was
   divided into 12 units, each consisted of from 5000 to 10,000 acres.
   The entire tract was fenced and the unites were enclosed by separate
   fences. Each unit ranged from 3000 to 5000 head of cattle, and on each
   was planted and raised, on an average, of 2,000 acers of corn. There
   was a crew of about six cowhands working on each section, [?] the
   workers who looked after the corn crop. The average production of corn
   per acre was about 75 bushels, thus, one/ may calculate the amount of
   corn raised and fed on the Rankin Ranch.
   
   "The ranch had their own breed of cattle which was the White Face
   Herfords, but Rankin bought a great number of cattle from W. Texas.
   The cattle came in from Texas by the train load. These cattle were
   fattened on corn and then sent to market. All the cattle which came in
   from Texas, were steers of the two/ year old class. These were
   fattened and sold when three. The market where Rankin sold his stock
   was St. Joseph and Omaha.
   
   "The Texas cattle were a mixed breed, but no Longhorn. Rankin had on
   experience with a train load of Longhorns steers, which were twos.
   This bunch caused Rankin to refuse to buy any more of such cattle.
   These cattle were unloaded on the range and within an hour the
   Longhorns went on a stampede. They didn't like the country, I guess.
   The animals ran in to the fence and went through it as if the wires
   were so much thread. So far as Rankin's 00077knowledge about these
   Longhorns [?] location, they are still running yet. Of course, the
   hands were not expecting the stampede, and if they were, there was not
   enough riders to hold the Longhorns.
   
   "The train load of Longhorns were the only cattle which gave us
   stampede trouble, and they didn't give any trouble -- they just left.
   All other cattle bought were of the tame breed and a large precentage
   was the Herfords.
   
   "Within a day or two, after the arrival of a train load of steers, we
   would brand the animals and within a week the cattle would be
   contended and eating corn. Almost all the Texas range cattle shyed
   away from the corn when it was placed before them at first, but by
   watching to [?] other animals eating the grain, the animals would
   finally take a chance and get a taste of it. After getting a taste of
   the grain, they would be gluttens for a while, when the grain was
   placed in the racks.
   
   "The corn was placed in racks built in Long rows and fed twice a day.
   I judge that about 200,000 bushels of corn was fed during the period
   of a year to the stock on each unit of the Rankin ranch. When the
   cattle were sent to the market from the Rankin ranch, the animals were
   in prime condition and sold for top price.
   
   "All equiptment on the ranch was the latest on that period and the
   cattle were handled according to the latest approved method, even to
   our living quarters and foods.
   
   "We waddies were provided with comfortable beds in a well kept bunk
   house and our victuals consisted of a varity of well balanced and best
   of food well cooked. 00089"The work was no different than on other
   ranches, as a whole, which consisted of repairing fences, watching for
   sick and injured animals, feeding and roundups when gathering a herd a
   herd for shippment. The shippments amounted to a dozen car loads to a
   train of fattened stock. Cattle moved in and out from the ranch more
   or less constantly. A least once each month, a train load of cattle
   would arrive and a like number would move out.
   
   "Leading pens and shutes were located at a spur railway track which
   run through the ranch. Therefore, the loading and unloading of cattle
   was did on the ranch and no driving was necessary.
   
   "I worked for the Rankin Ranch for two years and then went to the
   Black Hills country of S. Dak. At the time there were many wild herds
   of the mustang horses which ranged in the [?] River brakes, and these
   animal could be found from S. Dak., back to Idaho and Mont.
   
   "There was a market for those horses at the time. The animals were
   being used to slaughter for meat food. At this period one could buy
   horse meat in retail markets and the meat was listed on menus of many
   restraunts in S. Dak., Neb., Mont., and other places. At Pierie S.
   Dak., existed one of the horse markets then buying horses for meat
   produce. These wild horses sold for a price ranging from $2 to $5,
   depending on the size and weight.
   
   "I joined joined a party of waddies and engaged in catching these wild
   mustangs to sell at the horse market. 000910While I was catching the
   wild mustang, I learned many things about the nature, characteristics,
   and shrewdness of the horse. To catch the animals one must out guess
   the mustang and this is not always done easily. I shall attempt to
   explain some about the animal and tell about our work catching these
   critters.
   
   The different herds have more or less a home range where they will
   stay. Also, the herds number from 300 to 1000, and are separated into
   bunches of from 15 to 25 mares, the young colts, and one stallion.
   
   "While the herd is grazing, the stallion will always be stationed off
   a short distance, standing on the highest point and maintaining a
   watch carefully. It does not take a chance on grazing, but his ears
   moving forward and back and turning his head from one direction to
   another, watching for any approaching object and ready to give the
   warning neigher.
   
   "When the real [??] enemy appears, such as a mounted man, the stallion
   nighers his warning and then his harem starts to make their escape.
   The bunch is always lead by a mare which is [?] to the stallion [??].
   The stallion always takes a position behind the herd, and there, he is
   ready to fight off the pursuer, if it becomes necessary. The stallion
   will attempt to [entice?] the pursuer away from the herd by taking an
   [?] course. If the horseman follows the stallion, the animal will lead
   the purser in a circle till his is traveling in the opposite
   direction. While so doing, the stallion will just stay far enough in
   the lead to keep out of danger. After leading the horseman a
   sufficient distance to 001011follow the harem to make its escape, then
   the stallion [?] into high speed, and one couldn't catch the animal
   with an express trail. The animal's speed and stamina are among the
   reasons why he is at the head of his herd.
   
   "If the horseman does not follow the stallion on his enticing efforts,
   the animal will remain behind the herd, so as to be in a position to
   put up a fight, and to his death if necessary, thus holding the
   pursurer while his mares are escaping. While running behind a herd,
   the stallion will bite, on their rump, any lagging animal forcing them
   to increase their speed.
   
   "It is practically impossible to catch a mustang, unless a number of
   riders, riding in relays, keep chasing the animal till it is
   exhausted, unless it is run into a trap.
   
   "I shall explain the system we used to catch those mustangs. Always,
   when we ran upon a herd, the animals would leave their range. The
   harder they pursued, the farther they will travel, but even if they
   herd travels 75 or more miles, the animals will work cautiously, back
   to their home range. They will return in two to three days providing
   nothing appears dangerous. During the time the horses were away, we
   would build a corral from up-right poles. From the corral we would
   string two strans of wire in V shape, extending out for about a mile.
   At the outter entrance of the two wires the distance would be about a
   mile wide. On the wire we placed pieces of cloth at intervals of 15 to
   20 feet. The mustangs knew nothing about wire. If one built a strong
   trap fence, of three or more wires [?] strans, the horse would fight
   the 001112wire and cut themselves till they would be incapaciated.
   But, one wire with cloth at intervals would keep the animals away from
   the wires because the cloth was conspicious and strange to them. Thus,
   the mustang could be groven into the corral and once started towards
   it and between the two lines of wire.
   
   "We would have the corral and wire arrangement completed by the time
   the herd returned back to their home range. After finishing our work,
   we would ride away so the mustangs would not see us. When we
   calculated the animals were settled and satisfied no one was around,
   five or six riders would encircle a harem and herd the herd towards
   the outer part of our strung wire. From this point we would crowd the
   animals into the corral. Once the animals [DEL: [?] :DEL] were between
   the wires, the rest of the work was done easily, because they were shy
   of the cloth and would travel forward in their attempt to evade us.
   When the animals were inside of the corral, we then did our roping and
   tying.
   
   Generally we corralled about 25 to 50 at a time. These we roped,
   placed a hackamore on them and tyed five or six together. Three or
   four tyed bunches were attached to a broken animal and three or four
   of these broken horses would lead by one mounted man to the market.
   
   "A part of our crew did the trailing to the market while the rest did
   the corralling. We corralled until we had all the mustangs of a region
   and then we would move to another section.
   
   "While working at catching the wild horses we lived in camp style.
   001213The trailers packed chuck to us from town and we took turns at
   cooking.
   
   "I continued the mustang catching business until the later part of
   1913. After the U. S. declared war against Germany, I enlisted in the
   army and served until the termination of the War. Returning from the
   Army I then went to [?] in the Southwestern States.
   
   "While traveling from place to another through the Southwest, I met
   many old rawhides, who had worked on the Texas ranges during the
   period when the whole State of Texas was about one open range.
   
   "These old timers refused to live where the country was thick-settled
   and [??] Westward as their former locations became settled. When they
   became too old to work on the range, they engaged in prospecting,
   trapping or some kindred occupation.
   
   "They did not need much cash to supply their needs. They lived on
   natures produce. The edible game was their main food supply, and this,
   some of them, supplemented from a small garden. Meal, flour, tea,
   coffee, spices and a few clothes were all the things they bought.
   These old fellows were contended, healthy and lived to a very old age.
   
   "I stopped at a cabin to inquire about the way one evening. On the
   steps an old fellow was sitting, whiteling nonchantly. His hair was
   long and white. His skin was tanned and wrinkled, evedencing it had
   been subjected to the weather of many summers and winters.
   
   "'Friend, can you direct me on the way to [Duro?] Gap?" "I inquired.
   
   "'Never heard of her, stranger, but I'll ask pappy. Hey! pappy
   001314come heyah. A stranger wants some directions,'" He called.
   
   "In a few seconds an old rawhide appeared. He seemed hale and spry,
   but more wrinkled and dried than his son. When informed of my query,
   he said:
   
   "'Don' know as I ever heard tell of the place. I'll ask my pappy.'"
   
   "'Your pappy!'" I exclaimed. Say fellow, don't folks ever die out
   here?'"
   
   "'Not exactly, they sort off get inactive and dry up. That's the way
   my grandpappy did. We have him hanging in the lean-to and we are using
   him for a razor strap.'"
   
   "Facts are that the dry atmosphere of the Southwest is conducive to
   preventing decomposition. I saw evidence of this in Arizona. It was
   demostrated during an epidmic of pinkeys affecting the cattle. The
   cattle would lose their sense of sight and would stop feeding. In this
   state of condition, it was not long till they died. While prospecting,
   I saw thousands of carcasses lying along drift fences, but no order
   was noticable. The flesh dust dried and sort of osified.
   
   "I spent a couple years prospecting and then went to Los Angles where
   I worked on the Police Department for a few years. I left Calif., and
   came to Texas where I have since remained.

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