Jones County Texas Archives - Chisholm Trail - 1926 *********************************************************** Submitted by: Dorman Holub Date: 19 January 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/jones/jonestoc.htm *********************************************************** The Stamford American Thursday, June 3, 1926 Magazine Up the Chisholm Trail with an old-time Cowboy by Joseph B. Cowan Fifty years in the saddle gave to J.P. Robbins, of Wallace Creek, the title, "The Oldest Cowboy in San Saba County." Mr. Robbins was born on Wallace Creek, in San Saba county, 72 years ago, and recalls days when he went up the Chisholm Trail to market-cattle in Kansas and Indian Territory. On the first trip up the trail Mr. Robbins was 20 years old and, at that time, had been a cowboy for several years. Following the Chisholm Trail along the route of Fort Griffin and Doane's Store across the Brazos and Red rivers into the Indian Territory and into Kansas, lengthens that old cattle trail to some 600 miles from its starting point in San Saba County. During this trip, which was made in 1874, from 16-18 men drove more than 2,000 head of cattle to Dodge City, Kansas, where the yearlings were cut out and taken to Cororado City, Colorado. The beef cattle were taken down to Caldwell, Kansas and Caddo Springs, Arkansas, where they were distributed to the Indians at the rate of 50 head per week, being paid for by the govenrment, which was feeding the Indains on the reservation. In the round-up of the 2,000 head, cattle were gathered from San Saba, Llano, Mason and McCulloch counties by the Smith & Elliott company under Foreman Carl Lehmberg, whom the cowboys knew as boss. Trip Up the Trail Three to four months were spent in taking the cattle up the trail; food and bedding for the cowboys were carried in the grub wagon, drawn by two yoke of oxen. From daybreak until an hour before sundown, each day, the herd moved an average of ten miles. Camp was pitched near sundown and the cattle were left to graze for the night. A regular camp cook drove the grub wagon and cooked for the gang. After supper Indians would often come into camp and get something to eat; very few hostile Indians were found along the trail at this time. The daily ration of the cowbodys consisted of bacon, beans, coffee, and flour bread, all of which was loaded in the grub wagon before beginning the trip. Game was plentiful along hte way and prairie chicken, antelope, buffalo and deer were killed for fresh meat. On Pease river, in Texas, there was a wild plum which was delicious and much relished by the cowboys. Mr. Robins says that this plum was as good as any of the improved varieties of today. After leaving Fort Griffin, Tonkaway Indians were encountered along the trail. These Indians were being moved from Fort Griffin, Texas, to the Indian Territory, Oklahoma. They were traveling in groups of 300 to 400. The government was feeding the Indians, but when provisions ran law and game became scarce, the cowboys would share food with the Indians. Injured cattle, or cattle which brok a leg in a stapmford would be hunted for food. One favorite food of Indians was the dry land terrapin, which the Indians would catch alive, put in a fire, and with sticks push them back as they crawled out, until they were well cooked. The Indians would delight in this repast, Mr. Robbins said. Early spring was the usual time to begin trail trips, and after the cattle were all sold, it would probably be the middle of the next winter before the cowboys returned home. Treacherous Quicksands There were dangers and cattle losses sustained during these trips, when rivers or cattle thieves raided, or a night stampede took place which would sometimes injure the cattle. Red and Canadian rivers were from one-half to a mile wide at the crossings and quicksand would often catch the slower moving cattle. Sometimes an animal would drown or bog down in quicksand, but generally the cowboys would lasso and pull out the steer or cow that had fallen into a sinkhole. At night two men kept watch over the herd to prevent stampedes and raids by cattle thieves. Mr. Robbins recalls one night when cattle thieves raided their head and stole over 400 head of cattle. When a stampede would start, the entire gang of cowboys were called on to corral the frightened animals and stop the stampede. Each stampede would result in losses through cripples. Mr. Robbins is the only one of the 18 cowboys now living who tool the head of cattle up the trail in 1874. Two years later, Mr. Robbins made his last trip up the Chisholm trail, but conditions along the route had considerably changed in this short time. Game was more scarce and the Indians had all been gathered into the Indian Territory. More than 3,000 cattle made up the herd. The roundup of these cattle was over a territory of 200 miles in extent, the cowboys going as far south as Hays county. Many of the cattle were three and four years old before a brand or rope had been placed on them. Cattle were plentiful and ranged long distances. Farming the virgin prairie lands had been undertaken now by some of hte early settlers. Fences had to be built to keep the increasing number of cattle off the crops. Indians would kill some of the cows and often steal horses. If an Indian would get in a tight for food, he would as soon eat a horse as a cow, Mr. Robbins said. Two of San Saba's citizens were with Mr. Robbins on this last trip up the trail; they are J.D. Estep, who has the oldest established business in San Saba county, a hardware and harness store at San Saba, and A.R. Hill, retired postmaster and farmer-stockman. Closer Markets Killed Trail Driving These 3,000 cattle wree bought by Smith & Elliott Company under Boss Marg Bagley. Driving cattle over the trail finally languished and was discontinued when closer markets developed. After this last trip, Mr. Robbins settled down to a quiet ranch life on his home on Wallace Creek, where he lives today. His father, T.J. Robbins, fenced the first famm in San Saba county. This fence was an elm rail fence and the farm was located in the forks of the San Saba river and Wallace Creek. During Mr. robbins' boyhood, the nearest trading post was Austin, where there were only two or three stores. E.M. Scarbrough owned one of these stores, and a store is still conducted in Austin, under his name. About 1862 Round rock was established and trading was done in those days, and then only when an annual trip was made to the nearest trading post. Supplies were purchased in large quantities to last the entire year, Mr. Robbins' father was a blacksmith by trade and would make many horseshoes and horshoe nials out of wrought iron and trade these for household necessities. There was hardly any money to speak of. The medium of exchange was very simple, usually deer hides, buffalo hids, and goose quills were traded for food and clothing. Goose quills were always in demand, Mr. Robbins declared, as they were used in place of pens when writing with ink. Trips for supplies and merchandise were made to distant trading posts until the first store was established in San Saba by Tom Ward in 1866. Enter Mr. Farmer In the 1880s farming had become pretty general in San Saba county and much of the cultivated land was fenced. Cattle were still allowed to roam at large on the range. The county brand for San Saba county was the figure 29, on the animal's neck, with the owner's brand on the hip. Companies of State rangers were sent into San Saba and adjoining counties, to maintain peace and stop cattle stealing. Mr. Robbins said the only legel execution ever performed in this county was the hanging of a negro who was charged iwth the murder of his master. The execution was the result of a trial by jury and the hanging was done by a State ranger. Mr. Robbins recalls that before the war between the States negro slaves in San Saba county worked with the ranchmen's cattle. Doctor Hudson, the community doctor, had two or three negro slaves who took care of his ranch. In relating his school days, Mr. Robbins said that the Comanche Indians once tried to capture him and hsi younger brother when they were on their way to school. Mr. Robbins was 12 and his little brother about seven years old. Being mounted on good horses saved the lives of the two boys, as they escaped the Indians by fast riding. Each year many old-time cowboys ride in the San Saba County Fair parade with Mr. Robbins, "The Oldest Cowboy in San Saba County," is a title that still clings to him. The cowboys always ride their favorite moutns in the fair parade, and Mr. Robbins usually heads the parade.