TX BIOS  Calvin Robertson, Coke, Milam and Runnels CO. TX

   Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.
   
   Washington, 1994.
   
   Preceding element provides place and date of transcription only.
   
   This transcription intended to be 99.95% accurate.
   
   For more information about this text and this American Memory
   collection, refer to accompanying matter.
   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   00011
   
   Beliefs and customs - Occupational lore
   
   Range-lore,
   
   FEC written by Elizabeth
   
   Doyle, from Continuity submitted
   
   by Mrs. Annie McAulay,
   
   Maverick, Texas.
   
   Page one Two versions
   
   RANGE-LORE
   
   Born in Milam County in 1884, Calvin Roberson moved from there to the
   Indian Territory when only five years of age. In 1905 his parents
   brought their family to Runnels County where they made their future
   home. Most of Mr. Roberson's life has been spent on the ranch but he
   has not made an active hand for the last several years, having served
   as night watchman in Ballinger since leaving the ranch and is a
   candidate for sheriff of Runnels County in the 1938 election.
   
   "I was only fifteen years of age," says Mr. Roberson, "when my work as
   a cowhand began. I went with my uncle to the Indian Territory in 1889
   and went to work on the Todd ranch near Chickasha. I was just a
   general cowhand helping with the branding or what ever come up to be
   done. Rustlers gave us our worst trouble, stealing the cattle and
   burning the brands. Any cattle found without brands were taken by them
   and given their own brand.
   
     NOTE: C12 - 2/11/41 - Texas
     
   00022A few people believed that the Indians were doing this but most
   of the settlers knew that the worst Indians of that section were a
   credit to the class of rustlers that caused so much trouble among the
   cowmen there. The Indians that we knew were fairly well civilized and
   seemed to want to be friendly. I was there six years working on the
   same ranch the whole time and it was a tough place alright but the
   gamblers and desperadoes who came through the country crooking every
   one they could was what made it so tough. The Indians were easier
   swindled out of their cattle than the white men were and that was one
   cause of the rough element coming to the Territory in such great
   numbers.
   
   "The one woman cook I knew while I worked there was said to be part
   Indian and was known to everyone as "Flapjack Sally". She was some
   bean slinger and wasn't afraid of hard work. I have heard that she
   could dress a wound or set a broken bone as well as any M. D. She was
   a great story teller and the Indian stories she could tell would make
   the hair rise up on a feller's head and stay up. Her skill with cards
   made her a match for any gambler that came her way. Gambling was her
   hobby and no tin horn gambler ever beat her out of anything.
   
   "Of course the tenderfoot didn't make good hands at first and they
   didn't fail to suffer the consequences. They couldn't ride much and
   were always put on the worst horses. 00033Yellowjackets were put in
   their beds and cockleburs in their boots. They would leg 'em, get 'em
   drunk and duck 'em but never really hurt 'em. That was their idea of
   fun and if a guy come through without too much kickin' he was called
   good and soon became one of the boys.
   
   "Speakin' of ridin', I knew some good ones, in fact they had to be
   good to make the grade them days, but the best I ever knew was old
   Booger Red. He rode 'em all with an ease that I never saw equaled.
   
   "My next work was for Bob Hewitt on the March Ranch in Coke County. I
   worked there a number of years and it was one of the biggest outfits
   in this part of the country. The day of big cattle drives were over by
   that time as most of the cattle were shipped from San Angelo to
   northern markets. Our drives to San Angelo was about all the drivin'
   we did then. One spring after we'd had our general roundup and cut out
   the ones we were going to drive to market and was holdin' them in a
   ravine, a storm come up just after dark and threw cows, punchers, and
   all into a panic and the cattle scattered all over the ranch in spite
   of all we could do. We lost the whole dad blame mess of them and had
   our roundin' up and cuttin' all to do over again.
   
   "I guess my ranch days are over but Boy, how I enjoyed them good old
   days. The old time dances and fiddle times won't ever be beat for the
   cowpunchers. Our work was hard but we was young and strong, had plenty
   to eat and didn't 00044know what it was to worry, so I believe most of
   [?] old boys would say with me, 'Them was the good old days.!"
   0005Range-lore
   
   Annie McAulay
   
   BIBLIOGRAPHY
   
   Calvin Roberson, Ballinger, Texas, interviewed, February 18, 1938.
   00061Beliefs and customs - Occupational lore
   
   Mrs. Annie McAulay
   
   Maverick Texas
   
   Runnels County [Continuity?]
   
   Page one
   
   COWBOY LORE
   
   CALVIN ROBERSON was born in Milam county in 1884. He moved from there
   to The Indian Territory in 1889. He with his parents, moved to Runnels
   County in 1905. Since that time most of his life has been spent in
   that county. He was married to Miss Maude McAulay in 1906. There were
   seven children in the family.
   
   Mr. Roberson says, "I began riding and working cattle when only
   fifteen years of age. I went with an uncle from Milam county to The
   Commanche Territory in Oklahoma in 1889. I went to work as a range
   hand on the Todd Ranch near Chickasee. I worked as a general cowhand.
   Helped with branding or whatever work there was to do on a ranch.
   
   I remember we had quite a bit of trouble with rustlers. They'd steal
   the cattle outright sometimes, changing the brand. And if they found
   cows or calves without brands, they'd brand those of course. Some
   folks thought it was the Indians but most didn't. The Indians seemed
   pretty friendly and civized in them parts at that time.
   
   I worked in The Territory for about six years. Sure was a pretty tough
   country sometimes then. Not so thickly settled where I was at that
   time, except for the Indians. Quite a few gamblers came through and
   they'd sometimes crook the Indians out of cash or cattle and so on.
   
     NOTE: C.12 - 2/11/41 - Texas
     
   00072I knew one woman cook in the territory. They said she was part
   Indian. But she was a good cook and didn't mind hard work. She cooked
   on -I believe it was The Old Omega Ranch not so many miles from where
   I worked. She was married but was known by everyone as flapjack Sally.
   They say she could set a broken bone or dress a wound as good as any
   M. D. She was shore some talker as well ass a hashslinger. She could
   tell Indian and other stories that would make the hair rise on a
   fellers head and stay that way. I never saw her play but they say she
   was pretty slick with cards. She never gambled for much, but it was
   her hobby and no tinhorn gambler or roving cowboy ever beat her out of
   anything.
   
   They'd certainly razz the tenderfoot in them parts. They wasn't
   usually good hands at first. Couldn't ride much and couldn't stand
   some of the hardships. The boys would make it pretty tough for them.
   Work them into riding the toughest horses, put yellow jackets in their
   bunks, cockleburs in their boots, leg 'em, get 'em drunk That their
   Idea of fun. Never really hurt 'em you might say.
   
   I knew some pretty good riders. In fact in the early days they all had
   to be good riders. I reckon Old Booger Red was the best Bronc rider I
   ever knew.
   
   Soon after I moved to Runnels county in 1905, I moved to The Collins
   Ranch in Coke county. I only lived there a short time until I went to
   work for Bob Hewitt, On The March Ranch, [?] in Coke county. I worked
   on that ranch for a number of 00083It was one of the biggest outfits
   in this part of the country. There was some pretty good riders with
   that outfit too. They didn't make any long cattle drives then. Most of
   the cattle were driven to San Angelo and shipped to northern markets
   from there.
   
   I remember one spring we'd had our general round up; we had cut the
   cattle we were going to drive to market from the general herd and was
   holding them in a ravine on the ranch. A storm came up the night
   before the drive, and threw them into a panic-and us too- In spite of
   all we could do they got away from us and scattered all over that
   ranch. We lost whole dadblame business of 'em and had our job of
   roundin up and cutting them out do all over again.
   
   I haven't worked on a ranch in a good many years, but we use to have
   some good times. Boy how I liked them ole time dances and fiddle
   tunes. Our work was usually hard but what of it. We were young and
   strong. Had plenty to eat and never worried. Them was good old days.
   
   Mr. Roberson has served as night watchman in Ballinger for a good long
   time. He is a canidate for sheriff of Runnels county in 1938 election.
   0009Bibligraphy.
   
   Calvin Roberson, Ballinger Texas. Early settler in Runnels Co.
   Interviewed Feb. 18, 1938.

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