TX BIOS:  Floyd Bridges
   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
   
   Range-lore
   
   Annie McAulay
   
   Maverick, Texas Interview
   
   Page one Tales - Brief Life Anecdote
   
   RANGE-LORE
   
   Floyd Bridges was born in Llano County in 1893. He moved to Coke
   County in 1910.
   
   Mr. Bridges says: "I began riding quite young. I remember very clearly
   the first round-up I helped with. My father and uncle were with the
   outfit, in Llano County, and they were camped on the river about
   twelve miles from our home. My uncle came by our house the first
   morning after father had gone and persuaded my mother to let me go
   with them. He told her he would look after me and that they wouldn't
   be gone more than two or three days. I was only seven years old. They
   caught me a big gray mount and I rode off with them, feeling bigger
   than the biggest man there.
   
   "They had a negro cook with them. Negroes were scarce in the west at
   that time, and I hadn't seen many. I asked my uncle how he could make
   white biscuits with his black hands.
   
     NOTE: C12 - 2/[11?]/41 - [Texas?]
     
   00022"After the outfit had rounded up, cut and branded all the stuff,
   they had to hold the herd they wished to ship for five days on the
   river. For some reason there was a shortage of cars at Llano, the
   nearest shipping point, and the men had to wait until more cars could
   be brought in before they could load and ship their stuff out. I was
   plenty tired when we finally got home. And I'll tell the world I
   didn't want any more cattle working for awhile.
   
   Unlike my grandfather, who wanted my father to be an educated
   gentleman, my dad wanted me to learn to ride and like stock. He used
   to take me out with him when I wasn't much more than walking, put me
   straddle of a horse and tell me to follow him. He believed boys ought
   to learn to ride young- said it would make 'em tough. And I do like
   stock but I don't care about living with them all the time."
   0003Range-lore
   
   Annie McAulay
   
   Maverick, Texas
   
   BIBLIOGRAPHY
   
   Floyd Bridges, Bronte, Texas, interviewed March 30, 1938. 00041Beliefs
   and customs - Occupational lore
   
   Annie McAulay
   
   Maverick Texas
   
   Runnels County
   
   Page One [dup?]
   
   COWBOY LORE
   
   FLOYD BRIDGES was born inLanno County in 1893. He moved to Coke [DEL:
   ounty :DEL] County [DEL: and Bronte :DEL] in 1910. [DEL: He was
   married in 1917 to Miss Leona Grimes of Bronte. At the present time he
   is in the furniture business at Bronte. He also owns a little farm and
   ranch across the Colorado river south of Bronte. His father A. L.
   Bridges a former cattleman and Pioneer citizen of West Texas; also
   makes his home in Bronte. :DEL]
   
   Mr. Bridges says; "I began riding quite young. I remember [DEL: quite
   :DEL] very clearly the first roundup I helped with, [DEL: or thought I
   was helping :DEL] . My father and uncle were with the outfit , [DEL:
   that was having the round-up. It was :DEL] in Llano County , and [DEL:
   the :DEL] they [DEL: outfit :DEL] [DEL: [?] :DEL] [were?] camped on
   the river about twelve miles from our home.
   
   My Uncle came by our house the [DEL: firsyt :DEL] first morning [DEL:
   of the round-up :DEL] after father had gone [DEL: , :DEL] and
   persuaded my mother to let me go with them. He told her he would look
   after me and that they wouldn't be gone more then two or [DEL: htree
   :DEL] three days. I was only seven years old. They [DEL: caughrt :DEL]
   caught me a big gray mount and I rode off with them , felling bigger
   than the biggest man there. [DEL: I remember the outfit :DEL] they had
   a negro cook with [DEL: 'em :DEL] them. [DEL: Negros :DEL] Negroes
   were scarce in the West at that time, and I [DEL: hadNSt :DEL] hadNt
   seen many. I [DEL: ask :DEL] asked my Uncle how he could make white
   biscuits with [DEL: them :DEL] his black hands. " After the outfit had
   rounded up , [DEL: and :DEL] cut and branded [DEL: the :DEL]
   
     NOTE: C12 - Texas
     
   00052all the stuff. / / They had to hold the herd they wished to ship
   for five days on the river. For some reason there was a shortage of
   cars at Llano , the nearest shipping point , and the men had to wait
   until more cars could be brought in before [DEL: [?] :DEL] they could
   load and ship their stuff out. I was plenty tired when we [DEL:
   finnally :DEL] finally got home. And I'll tell the world I didn't want
   any / more cattle working for awhile , [DEL: either :DEL] [DEL: I
   worked for J. [?]. [?] at Rotan for awhile. I did the ordinary work of
   a regular cowhand. His was a pretty big outfit, but not like working
   on the open range. I never knew anything about that except what I've
   heard my father tell. My father worked in the Big Bend and Alpine
   country fifty years ago. It was all open range country then. He was
   connected for a time with The MCAulay and Clampitt outfit of Concho
   and Tom Green counties. I've heard other men say my father was a real
   cowhand and bronc rider. My father is helpless now from paralysis and
   rheumitism, caused no doubt, from exposure to the wether and from
   riding so many wild horses. The men out there at that time lived with
   their wagon. They ate and slept outdoors the year around. My
   Grandfather said he sent my father to school one morning when he was
   seventeen years old, the next he heard from him he was working in the
   Big Bend country. My father always liked stock. He never cared for any
   other kind of work. :DEL] 00063Unlike my / Grandfather, who wanted my
   father to be an educated / Gentleman, / My dad wanted me to learn to
   ride and like stock. He [DEL: use :DEL] used to take me out with him
   when I wasn't much more than walking, put me straddle of a horse and
   tell me to follow him. He believed boys ought to learn to ride young,
   / Said it would make ' em tough. And I do like stock. [DEL: I'm crazy
   about my little ranch, :DEL] but I don't car about living with them
   all the time. " [DEL: I like my other business to. :DEL]
   
   Bibliography.
   
   Floyd Bridges - Old Cowhand and citizen of Bronte Texas. Interviewed
   March 30, L938.

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