EL PASO COUNTY TEXAS ? JAMES OLIPHANT NABOURS? OBITUARY

Contributed by:  Michele Holland Mills

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James Oliphant Nabours? obituary

Copy in the possession of Michele Holland Mills, Boerne, Texas

Transcribed 5 January 2004
By Michele Holland Mills
mhmills@email.com

Jim Nabours, Colorful Range Boss and Trail Driver, Heads for Last Round 
Up In Death

	Jim Nabours, Texas pioneer and old Trail Driver, whose name was 
immortalized in Emerson Hough's famous interpretation of moving herds 
from southwestern ranges by the railroad at Abilene, Kansas, died in El 
Paso last week.  He was 81 years old.
	
        Although a real character and a native of Milam county, he was 
fictionized in the book "North of 36" and his role of ranch foreman and
trail boss found its way to the screen from the same book.  Emerson Hough 
was his friend.  On his ranch in New Mexico the famous writer went for 
material for the book.  Jim Nabours told him the story of the Del Sol 
Ranch at Lockhart and of the plight of Texas cattleman, who desperate 
for a market, turned eagerly up the wastes to Abilene with thousands of 
longhorn cattle.

	The men who drove the herds up the trail were as wild and reckless
 lot as ever left their impress on the turbulent years of the state's 
early struggle.  In that county Jim Nabours held his own and more.  In 
the more gentle role of citizen his contribution to the task of civilizing 
the border lands was notable.

	The Del Sol ranch was then many sections of rolling plains at 
Lockhart.  Old man Lockhart died and left his daughter, Tasie, with 
millions of acres and cattle on a thousand hills but no money with which 
to pay her riders.  Jim Nabours was the foreman of the Del Sol.  When news 
came that the railroad, then building across the continent, had reached 
Abilene, the  range boss gathered the first herd from the broad areas of 
the Del Sol and moved them out upon that colorful and romantic trail to 
somewhere North of 36.

	Jim Nabours wanted Taisie to stay at home.  After all it was no 
place for a woman, on the trail.  It was Jim's problem.  He felt 
responsible as only such men could  about this girl who had sobbed in his 
arms when old man Lockhart died, leaving orders to his range boss.  Tasie 
was determined and so was Jim lost his temper as he did a number of times 
on the trail up, once shooting the daylights out of a damn Yankee who said
something "agin the South."   Parental authority was resting heavily 
on this rough man of the plains when he said: "My God, Miss Taisie, ain't 
I yer Ma?"  It did not do any good and Taisie won and went along with the 
herd.

	A mossy old Texas longhorn named "Alamo" by Jim led the herd up 
to Abilene.  When the cattle reached the town they stampeded and old Alamo 
was killed by a train.

	Wild Bill Hikok was city marshal at Abilene.  Some of Jim's riders 
had a run in with Bill and got away with it.  Abilene was then in the bad 
lands.  John Wesley Hardin, Jim Taylor, and Manning and Joe Clements of 
Gonzales were there as were many other desperadoes.  Wyatt Earp, the fastest 
man on the draw in real fiction, along with old Bill Tilghman and Hikok 
finally tamed the wild men of the plains and made Abilene safe for prospering 
Texas cow men.

	Jim Nabours was born in Milam county.  He left here is 1877 and went 
to Lincoln county, New Mexico.  He got mixed up in the famous Lincoln county 
war and was foreman of the grand jury that indicted Billy the Kid.  The Kid 
was never brought to trial.  He was killed by Pat Garrett, noted sheriff.

	Several years ago Jim Nabours moved to El Paso.  He was an uncle of 
Homer Nabours, county clerk, and Mrs. Pearl House, retiring county treasurer.
	Cameron Herald, 1934
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Nabours Genealogy
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mhmills