TX BIOS:  Forest Clark
   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
   
   Page one
   
   RANGE-LORE
   
   Forest Clark was born in the state of Georgia in 1876 and came with
   his parents to Ft. Worth, Texas, when just an infant. When he was five
   years old the family moved to Runnels County and a few years later
   settled across the Colorado river from Bronte. He tells the following
   story:
   
   "When we moved from Ft. Worth to Runnels County, I rode a horse most
   of the way and helped to drive our small herd of ninety-eight cattle.
   I was only five years old at that time.
   
   "There was lots of wild stuff in the country then-everything but
   buffalo; they had been killed out. My grandfather and uncle used to
   come out this way in the sixties and shoot buffalo and sell their
   hides. They made good money and thought it great sport. When we came
   there was lots of deer, antelope, wild turkey, beaver, coyote, lobo
   wolves, wildcats and some Mexican lions. Rattlesnakes were plentiful,
   too.
   
     NOTE: C12 - 2/11/41 - Texas
     
   00022
   
   "We landed on the Wylie ranch that fall. But it came a blizzard in the
   month of February that held on for several days. It was the worst I've
   ever seen. It was dry, too, and grass was hard to find, so of course
   the cattle were in poor shape for the hard winter. The men rode day
   and night, trying to find shelter and a little something for the herds
   to eat. My father had only eighteen head of cattle left, when spring
   came.
   
   "When we moved to Live Oak my father had bought more cattle, a few
   horses and 375 goats and started in the stock business in earnest, but
   after the drouth of '86 and '87 he sold his remaining cattle for a
   mere pittance and after that only tried to raise a few goats. He was a
   physician though, and did not depend altogether on ranching for a
   living. As a country doctor, he had a large territory to cover. He was
   called as far north as Ft. Chadbourne, west to Robert Lee, east to
   Maverick and as far south as Eden, and he always rode horseback.
   
   "I remember encountering a few Indians, but they were friendly. I have
   heard my mother tell about Indian troubles. She said when she was
   small, one time when the men were all away from home, some Indians
   came to the house and poked their hands under the door and wiggled
   their fingers but the door was barred. They came three nights 00033in
   succession, but her mother didn't open the door and they finally gave
   up and left without harming anything.
   
   "In 1877, my uncle Sam Weaver, and another man were moving a herd of
   cattle, some horses and furniture from California to Texas, with the
   intention of starting a ranch. When they were crossing New Mexico they
   were attacked by a band of Indians and two or three Mexicans. The
   Indians made off with everything they had except one wagon and team.
   But the folks finally reached Tom Green County and they felt pretty
   lucky, too, although they were broke.
   
   "Besides having drouths to contend with, the early settlers sometimes
   had serious floods, the same as we do today. I remember one spring,
   old Oak Creek got on a big rise after heavy rains. I rode with my
   father to see it. It was a great sight to me. The water reached back
   to the hill, about one and one-half miles. Bob Castlebury lost his
   barn, fence and some hogs. Kickapoo Creek got up that spring, too. And
   the land where Bronte is now, was all under water. Crops were damaged
   and many cattle lost in that flood.
   
   "On one of my rides, I happened up on a Mexican lion. He was lying
   quietly under a bush and didn't move until I threw a stick at him. I
   thought he might be wounded but he jumped up and I lit out. I didn't
   have a gun with me and it was time to be moving. 00044"I believe
   Clarence Jones was the best rider I knew. He worked for the Blocker
   outfit a long time. He could ride 'em bucking, backward, forward,
   upside down or any way. Bob Harwell was a good rider and cowman, too.
   If every cowhand wasn't pretty good then, well, he just didn't last
   long on a ranch.
   
   "We had a great time during the big round-ups. Each outfit would have
   riders and a chuck wagon. All the nesters were there too, to help and
   get their stuff. The range boss would direct the man where to start,
   scattering the riders so as to cover thoroughly the designated area.
   Then they would drive all the stuff to a certain place and cut and
   brand. Each outfit took care of their cattle. Then they'd hold them
   until all the territory had been covered. The ones for marketing were
   driven away and the others turned loose."
   
   *******
   
   REFERENCES
   
   Forest Clark, Bronte, Texas.

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