Tom Green County, TX - Bios:  W. H. Martin

TX BIOS:  W. H. Martin
   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
   
   Ruby Mosley
   
   San Angelo, Texas.
   
   Page one
   
   RANGE-LORE
   
   "I've been a cowboy ever since I was a kid," says Mr. W. H. Martin of
   San Angelo, Texas.
   
   "I was born near Austin 80 years ago, my father died before I was born
   but I had a mighty fine stepfather who was a rancher.
   
   "Only a few weeks ago I was working out on a ranch; I ride and do most
   any thing the usual cowhand does but had to be brought in sick, guess
   I'm gettin' a little old for it now.
   
     NOTE: C12 - 2/11/41 - Texas
     
   00022"When I was 17 years old I worked for a company in Karr County
   that was formed by these ranchmen: Howard and Mack Henderson, Rufe and
   Will Peril, Dick Turknett, Bill Blevens and Sam Knott. They paid me
   $75.00 per month. I was to cut out everything that didn't have the
   trail brand. Tom [Homesly?] owned a heap of trail herds and was the
   most outstanding to pass our way.
   
   "Me and my step-brother would always miss some of the calves in the
   fall round-up and didn't get to brand them. Every one missed some on
   the range it was so large and wooded. The first one out in the spring
   could get the strays, round 'em and brand 'em. So this step-brother
   and me went out early to round-up some strays; we rode up on a hill to
   look around and saw a bunch of men and horses, then we saw two Indians
   ride off, leaving the other gang. We knew they were going to cut us
   off, so we loped off as fast as our corn fed horses could go and left
   them behind. They didn't get us nor did we get them.
   
   "My brother was an overgrown boy fifteen years old but a man's size.
   He was scalped, I wont say by Indians. He was kinda hid out and the
   old Jay Hawkers were in after him to make him go to war. I think these
   Jay Hawkers scalped him. I never will think Indians did it. When my
   brother was caught and killed he had our dog with him. A little later
   these scouters came and spent the night at 00033our house and one of
   them recognized our dog that snarled and hated them. So we always
   thought they were guilty.
   
   "I wandered around a bit, got married and in 1880 went to work for W.
   L. Gatlin, who had about 15,000 steers and handled them from this
   country to the Indian Territory. When they got real fat they were
   taken to Chicago or St. Louis. I never went on any of the trips. I
   broke horses; they never got too wild for me. I had as good a cuttin'
   horse as I ever rode. I named him West Dick; old man Gatlin paid
   $100.00 for him when an ordinary horse wold for $20.00 or $30.00.
   
   "I went from here to Brownfield- Singleton Ranch (The Saucer Box) [?]
   was the brand. My horse here was Brown Dick, and old turkey track
   horse. He was as good as any on the plains. One of Singleton's boys
   challenged me on his cutting horse to see whose was the best. We rode
   out to a big herd and I let him pick the cow. I went in with old Brown
   Dick and got him. I put that cow out against two of the men. So he
   gave in that Brown Dick ranked first in cuttin'.
   
   "In 1900 I leased Tuscon Livestock Company in Nolan County and ran it
   myself six years. While I was there I took part in all livestock shows
   and Fairs. I always attended the Fat Stock Shows in Fort Worth. One
   time a bronc buster from Kansas was a-ridin' a mighty wild horse. He
   was thrown and killed. Old Booger Red 00044said, "Make up a purse and
   I'll ride him.' The men made up 35.00 and old Booger Red mounted the
   horse with his face to the horse's tail. He rode him; that was some of
   the prettiest ridin' I ever saw. Booger Red gave the $35.00 to pay on
   the funeral expenses of the Kansas man. Another time I saw a beautiful
   ride when old Booger Red rode the wildest bronc that was brought to
   Fort Worth. He rode as the oldest woman rider from the San Angelo
   Country. He was clad in a woman's clothes and held a United States
   flag in each hand and balanced himself with these flags as the horse
   pawed the air. The crowd was going frantic as this was the most
   wonderful ride that any of them had ever seen. As the "old woman" got
   off the bronc, the rustles and bustles fell off. Then to every one's
   surprise the beautiful old lady was old Booger Red, known as the
   ugliest and toughest man of the west." 0005Range-lore
   
   Ruby Mosley
   
   San Angelo, Texas.
   
   BIBLIOGRAPHY
   
   Mr. W. H. Martin, San Angelo, Texas, interviewed, January 19, 1938.

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