The Self-Made Cattle Baron

If there is one man that better symbolizes the American West and the American Dream simultaneously than A. B. Robertson, I have yet to read about them. From rags to riches, this man learned the ways of the cowboy before blazing a trail in Texas history as one of the preeminent cattlemen of the era. Yes, "Sug" Robertson, as he is more commonly called, lead a charmed and exciting life, but it didn't begin that way.

A. B. "Sug" Robertson

A.B. (Andrew Briggs) was born on January 14, 1855 as the sixth of eight children.  He was known to
his friends and family as "Sug" because as an infant that had yet to cut any teeth, he allegedly bore a close resemblance to a superannuated country doctor also lacking his pearly whites known as "Dr. Sug." His father, also named A.B., was a doctor who moved the family frequently, leaving A. B's birthplace of Indiana for Mississippi and eventually Arkansas just prior to the Civil War. A native Virginian, Dr. A.B. enlisted in 1863 as a Confederate surgeon in that great conflict.  Arkansas in the early 1860's saw a great deal of chaos as a slow-moving Union Army crossed the state foraging and requisitioning supplies along the way. A channel of devastation lay behind them that quickly filled with bushwackers, bandits, and citizens reeling from the total war policy implemented by the Union troops. In a time the state was already seeing a mass exodus of citizens, Dr. A. B. sent word to have his family moved to live with relatives in Texas until his return. Leaving their home yet again, the family traveled southwest in a covered spring wagon to Hood County, TX on the Brazos River.

The war would end two years later, and accounts vary on the fate of Dr. A. B. Some have him returning home and continuing his practice after the war before moving to Louisiana.  However, more reliable sources (and genealogical records) point to him never returning home from the Civil War. His family had not received word from him from several years, nor did they receive any notification that he had died in service. It was some time before Dr. A. B. would surface in Louisiana with a new wife and family.

Regardless of what happened to A.B. Sr, it still leaves Sug in Texas at the tender age of 10 by the end of the Civil War. Thousands of returning and displaced soldiers flowed into Texas and brought about the birth of the cattle industry in the state. The demand for beef had increased back East thanks to a growing economy - courtesy of an Industrial boom and the beginning of a huge influx of immigrants that would continue through the turn of the century. Until it busted in the 1880s cattle was king and it gave rise to much of the romantic imagery we have today of cowboys, cattle drives, and life on the prairie. Sug was at the heart of it when it all started.

He took his first job in 1865 as a cowhand for R.K. Wylie at a wage sources cite as anywhere from $7.50 to $10/month. He was given a cow pony and learned how to operate a ranch by seeing and doing it firsthand. The boy was a natural. Sug was no stranger to learning on his own volition. With only 6 months of school under his belt, he taught himself to read using newspapers by the light of the campfires, and practiced his writing on his own boots with only the ranch's bills of sale as models. It was a life that few grown men undertook, let alone a young man, but Sug was no ordinary boy and his life was full of adventure.

His aptitude was noticed quickly by Mr. Wylie and within a year Sug had been sent to neighboring Coleman county to assist in starting another ranch. With knowledge and skills that continued to grow, by 1873 at the age of 18, he was considered by many to be a "top hand." This reputation afforded him an opportunity to lead his own trail drive of 1,000 head from Coleman County up the Chisholm trail to Coffeyville, KS with a crew of eight men. The drive went off without a hitch and the young man's star continued to rise. Sources differ on the exact year, but give or take a year from his 18th birthday, Sug took his first step from cowhand to cattleman. He purchased a heard of 5,000 head of cattle from Wylie. The partnership lasted for five years before Sug would sell that ranch back to Wylie, and begin a long chain of acquisitions and sales, that by 1882 would result in the sale of the Robertson TX Ranch for $50,000. Just several years earlier he had married Emma Lenora Smith, and one can be certain that she was extremely pleased with her husband's business savvy.

The boldness he displayed in his business dealings were matched perhaps only by his exploits on the plains. As a hand, interactions with Native Americans were frequent, though his final  experiences with them date to 1875. One story states that he was out with an acquaintance hunting for bison. Now bison were an even larger problem than Native Americans for ranchers. While the Native Americans could steal horses and threaten lives, the bison could scatter an entire herd and destroy grazing lands for miles in any direction. Sug and his friend had hitched their horses in a creek bed, crept slowly up a ravine, and silently came within range of some bison grazing on a ridge. As they closed on their quarry, Sug looked back and saw five Native Americans beyond the creek bed riding on a beeline for their horses. Undetected, both the hunters rushed back to their mounts and charged the would-be horse thieves. The pursuit continued for two miles before the chased men dismounted their rides and escaped into a thicket. With that the two men took the newly riderless horses back to their ranch, found they had once belonged to their neighbors, and returned them.

Undoubtedly still stinging from their last experience, the Native Americans visited the ranch four or five days later and raided it of every last horse. In a risky and dangerous gamble, Sug and another hand set off on foot to track the band and recover their horses. It was only several miles before they encountered a pair of jaded horses that had been left behind. They snatched the unlikely opportunity, and now pursued the thieves on bare horseback. The culprits again eluded capture, but the two young men did come across five horses that had escaped and so led them back to the ranch. The bareback ride being quite uncomfortable, Sug had a mind to fix that situation as well. It wasn't long before the men and their regained horses came across a herd of bison. Sug dismounted, "hitched" his horse by standing on the end of a rope he had tied to it, and shot a bison. Right there the two skinned and dressed the beast and used its hide to improvise a saddle and saddle blanket that the two then used to return home.

Though perhaps both of those accounts pale in comparison to the way Sug dealt with cattle rustlers. White thieves were much more prevalent than the Native Americans, so in 1874 after Sug had purchased a herd of 3,000 at Horse Head Crossing of the Pecos, he quickly set in his mind to nip the problem in the bud. He set out on his own to confront the leader of the rustling ring that was the source of a headache for many a rancher in the territory. He would wait until nightfall to approach their camp, and the story is best recounted as such,

"Soon after arriving (at the ranch) he located the headquarters of the rustlers in a secluded spot in a bend of the Pecos River. Mounting his horse and armed with a rifle and revolver he rode into the camp (where) half a dozen of the ugliest men as one would meet in a year on the frontier, sprang to their feet and threw their rifles down on him."

He then dismounted his horse "with no haste whatsoever."

"Robertson was not long in making known the object of his call. He sat down on his haunches before the fire and delivered himself of two sentences:  'I'm telling you boys,' he said, 'that there'll be no mavericking of calves out of my herd. Anybody that cares to try, I'll guarantee will go to hell on a shutter, pronto.'

The astonished leader of the gang invited Robertson to stay the night and share some beef.  The invitation was accepted and in the morning when Robertson rode away he had a pledge that was never broken that his animals would be as safe as babes in cribs."

One may have questioned Sug's wisdom in such an action, but no one ever questioned his grit. Stories such as these surround the young man. He met John S. Chisholm in 1871, founder of the legendary Chisholm Trail, and once helped him prevent a disastrous stampede, forging a lifelong friendship. He has documented correspondence with Theodore Roosevelt.  By age 21 he was foreman of one of the largest ranches in Texas.  In 1882 he moved to Colorado City, and by 1889 he was the President of the bank there (and also a silent partner of the local saloon). Once there he continued to conduct business with cattle and shipping, with one source stating that, "within the last ten or twelve years has bought and shipped more cattle to Northern markets than any other man, in the same time, in Texas."

The move to Colorado City is far from the pinnacle of Robertson's career, in fact, it could be argued as the beginning of its next level. It was in that fine city that he met Mr. Winfield Scott of Fort Worth and the two became partners in many business ventures. Scott provided much of the capitol, especially in the earliest ventures, while Sug provided the knowledge and experience. Their first venture was a ranch in New Mexico renamed by them as the Hat Ranch due to its brand of a semicircle with a bar underneath it that closely resembled a bowler hat. It was 100,000 acres, employed nearly 100 men, spanned two states, and after several expansions and acquisitions, gave the Hat Ranch brand instant recognition in every significant cattle market in the country.

After the pair sold their interest in New Mexico, Sug bought 35,000 acres from the St. Louis Cattle Company in Yellow House Canyon. Known as the RH Ranch, Robertson again set his powers of reorganization to work, just as he had done at the Hat Ranch. He renamed it the "V" and stocked it with Hereford cattle, a breed he vigorously advocated. The ranch specialized in the breed and eventually the bloodlines from his ranch were considered a premium.  The ranch and his newly constructed 2-story brick house known as "Stockland" were run with the most up-to-date methods and modern conveniences.

Sug set up the V to be the land he would settle down on. After establishing it, it received almost his entire attention, though he did continue his work and lifelong friendship with Winfield Scott until Scott's passing in 1911. The two were so close that Sug was named to head his three million dollar estate without any bond.

Sug was the face and pioneer of the West Texas cattle industry. He was leader that served on the boards of numerous organizations including banks, the Texas Cattleman's Association, the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas, and even the National Livestock Association.  He was asked numerous times to run for public office such as the state senate and governor. The man was also an interesting personality. Characterized as: honest, quick to criticism & praise, a fantastic storyteller, shrewd, and generous. His forthright nature and strong will may have turned some people off, but largely the man was respected and admired.  He was not social outside of his family, but his reputation of generosity still lives.

"In one case a man bought a quarter section of land from him and could not make good on it, so instead of just reclaiming the land as was his legal right, Sug returned the man's $600 to help him get by until he could get situated elsewhere."

He had also donated to found a local church, donated land to developers to help build up his city of Slaton, and helped establish its first bank, literally helping found the town. The V Ranch would be the last home Sug would own. After falling ill in early 1921, doctors recommended he move to a "lower climate" so he moved to Abilene and continued to run his business. Unfortunately, one evening after dinner with his wife at one of his children's house, he moved to the parlor to sit and read the paper when he suffered an attack of "acute indigestion."  Medical staff were summoned, but by the time they arrived the pioneering cattleman had passed.

Sug Robertson lived the American Dream. He wrote his own story through hard work, determination, honed skill, bravery, a love for education, and a fire inside him that wouldn't be extinguished. From a 10-year old cowboy to a business mogul, he worked hard to get the results he wanted. He had chased Indians on foot his entire life. Both he and the industry experienced their early years, growth, and incredible success as if they were one and the same.

The photos of the revolver that have permeated this story are those of a Colt Single Action Army that once belonged to Sug. It was a single gun shipment in 1917, factory engraved by none other than Cuno Helfricht in a Colt's "Style 2." The master engraver's work remains crisp and deep. The revolver is in all original condition, including its 99% nickel finish. The pearl grips glow and glint attractive iridescent hues of pink and teal. It has only been fired during its factory test, and has remained in the family its entire life. They have lovingly referred to as the "Unicorn" thanks to its one-of-a-kind nature. The beauty of this Colt alone would be enough to send collectors scrambling, but its rich Texas history and direct provenance to one of the 19th century's most prominent cattleman only sweetens its appeal.

Sug would approve of the determination that will be required to own his stunning six shooter.

---

-Written by Joel R. Kolander








Sources:

Cox, James. Historical and Biographical Record of the Cattle Industry and the Cattlemen of Texas and Adjacent Territory. Saint Louis: Woodward & Tiernan Print., 1895. Print.

Farber, James, Those, Texans, Unidentified Newspaper Clipping. Collection of Martha Robertson

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth316709/m1/1/zoom/

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fro22

Wells Fargo's Shotgun Messenger, "Hold the Fort" Aaron Ross

Note: This week's article comes to us from Seth Isaacson, a Describer here at Rock Island Auction Company.

The history of the American West is perhaps the most mythologized aspect of our nation’s past. The very mention of “the West” conjures up images of idealized outlaws like Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, and Billy the Kid running wild robbing the trains, stage coaches, and banks; stealing horses and cattle; and hiding out in canyons and secluded reaches of the untamed West. The lawmen and posses who chased these men down have equally been romanticized. Men like Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp, and Wild Bill Hickock are remembered as larger than life for their tremendous collective efforts to tame the West, increase spread of “civilization,” and bring about the end of an “lawless” era. It is a period of American history often associated with prospecting for gold, towns bustling with saloons full of cheap whiskey and loose women, gambling, and violence from both sides of the law. In many of the best Western movies these legendary gunslingers somehow reform themselves, often via a local woman who is not intimidated by their rough past, and find their way back to society. In reality, most of these true outlaws and some of the lawmen met an untimely end at the muzzle of a Colt Single Action Army, 1873 Winchester, or a Parker double barrel shotgun, and other times from the end of a rope.

From time to time, we get the pleasure of offering firearms tied directly to the mythic American West. We have sold firearms and historic items related to many of the West’s most famous heroes and villains. Over time, their stories grew to exaggerated tales. A well-known example is Billy the Kid, who is said to have killed twenty-one men in some versions of his life story, “one for every year of his life.” The reality is likely much closer to four. Despite the mythologizing and romanticizing of the West, there were men whose lives were full of adventure, intrigue, and who lived by the gun. One such man was Aaron Y. Ross. In our upcoming 2015 April Premiere Firearms Auction we have the pleasure of offering a Wells Fargo marked Parker Brothers double barrel shotgun inscribed to Aaron Ross for defending an express car while outnumbered and surrounded by seven robbers.

Ross was born in Maine in 1829, and like many men in his day went west searching for opportunity. He headed to California to mine for gold, found no success, and headed north where he again failed to strike big. Recognizing that prospecting and laboring in the mines of other men was far from the guaranteed path to riches promised by advertisements and stories he had read back east, Ross found work as a stagecoach messenger for Wells Fargo in 1867.

In August that same year, Ross was involved in defending a Wells Fargo stagecoach in a battle that could have been torn straight from John Ford’s landmark western Stagecoach. As the horses sped the coach along the road during the night, a group of approximately twenty-five Native American raiders on horseback surrounded them. The driver did his best to keep the horses galloping at full speed while Ross poured lead from the passenger seat using his shotgun and revolver in the fight for their lives. The high speed battle of several miles must have felt like days until finally the attackers retreated to gather their wounded. Ross had given better than he had received. Unwounded, he had taken fire from 25 bandits, but had killed as many as five of the attackers.

Here, famed Western stuntman Yakima Canutt makes a jump for John Wayne in 1939's "Stagecoach."

In another instance Ross was confronted at Silver Star by the Stinking Water River, this time by an outlaw named Baker who already had multiple robberies under his belt. Attacking after nightfall, Baker’s gang found Ross’ stage to be less than an easy target when instead of throwing up his hands, Ross brought up the barrel of his scattergun and sent the villains fleeing for their lives. Ross then was transferred to Nevada where he was confronted by another outlaw: Andrew Jackon “Big Jack” Davis. When Davis attacked the stage Ross guarded, he was not as lucky as Baker, and paid for his crime with his life.

Lot 306: Historic Wells Fargo Marked Parker Bros. Under Lifter Double Barrel Shotgun with Presentation Plaque Inscribed to Express Messenger Aaron "Hold the Fort" Ross For Heroism with Research

Perhaps the most exciting story from Ross’ time in the West occurred on January 23, 1883. At 53 years of age, Ross was the lone guard in an express car headed east from San Francisco. Aside from the Wells Fargo assets, the train carried $80,000 in gold bullion (worth $2 million or more adjusted for inflation). Another source lists the cargo as $600 in Wells Fargo assets in the express car with Ross and $500,000 in other currency in the postal car. At Montello, Nevada, a group of seven outlaws forced the conductor to stop the train. They tried to convince Ross to leave the car and surrender, but he instead tried to buy some time while fortifying himself in the car using the freight. The robbers threatened to burn him out of the car and murder him if he did not surrender, to which he fired a few rounds through the side of the car at his assailants. They surrounded the car and returned fire from all sides. Three of the bullets found their mark, but Ross was not going to give up despite injuries to his finger, hip, and chest. He fired multiple shots towards the end of the car and then heard one of them on the roof. He calculated the villain’s location by sound as best he could, and with a well-placed shot, dropped the ambitious and unfortunate outlaw.

Wounded, he silently bided his time while the gang planned its next move. They tried to gain entry using coal picks and fired in upon him to cover their actions. Ross managed to stay safe and kept quiet. The robbers found the picks were no use and came up with a plan to open the doors using the other train cars. They ordered the engineer to ram the express car and the doors flung open a few times, but Ross was able to secure them again. When the robbers discovered another train would arrive within a half hour, they decided to gather their losses and flee. For their efforts they lost one of their men and only rode away with $10 stolen from the wallet of the conductor.

In return for his effort “Hold the Fort Aaron’s” medical bills were paid for, he received multiple handsome cash rewards, and the Wells Fargo Superintendent, John J. Valentine, sent him a letter, a check for $1,000, an inscribed gold watch worth $650, and its own gold chain. Matched for inflation, these rewards would be worth over $40,000 today.  After being shot three times, and not prone to exuberance, Ross asked for, “a day off.”

The letter read: “Dear Sir - Supplementing my letter of February 5 relating to your intrepid conduct at Montello, Nev. January 23, in successfully resisting the attack of seven highway robbers on your car, and, in fact, having practically protected the lives and property of the passengers of the train, I herewith inclose (sic) you a check for $1,000, as a substantial tribute this company, and, also as a mark of especial recognition and possibly more enduring testimony, a gold watch, chain, and seal, engraved as follows: ‘From Wells, Fargo & Company TO MESSENGER Aaron Y. Ross. In token of his courageous and successful defense of the EXPRESS CAR against Highway Robbers at Montello, Nev. JANUARY 23, 1883.’ I never doubted, from previous knowledge of your bravery, that in such an emergency as that which occurred at Montello, your heroism would be manifested; but its sturdy exhibition could not and cannot be otherwise than inspiring to all fellow employees and persons holding places of trust, stimulating them to emulate such an example of fidelity and valor. With all good wishes for you and yours I am very truly, JOHN J VALENTINE General Superintendent”

Though not mentioned in the April 1883 letter, Ross was also rewarded with the Parker Bros. shotgun he used during the defense. The inscription plaque and the watch are engraved in nearly identical hands.  It may have been given to him prior to the watch as only the plaque needed to be made and affixed whereas the watch had to be custom made and sent to him.  Another possibility to be considered after viewing the photographs of Ross holding a double barrel later in life, is that the shotgun was given to him upon retirement. He would have likely had used it for many years and become fond of it. Wells Fargo continued to show him favor even after his retirement by inviting him to various company events. Photographs of Ross and other famous messengers were even put in a display as part of the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. Ross himself took part in the “California Fair” as late as 1917.

The shotgun was manufactured in 1878 and has “WELLS FARGO & Co. EXPRESS” marked on the barrel rib. The shotgun has an inscription shield marked in matching script to the watch: “TO/MESSENGER A.Y. Ross PARKER SHOTGUN used in your heroic and successful defence of the EXPRESS CAR against Train Robbers at Montello, Nev. W.F.&Co. January 23, 1883.” The shotgun was likely not mentioned in the news articles as it was a trifle in value at the time compared to the watch and monetary reward. Many images of express guards, including multiple of Ross, show them carrying double barreled shotguns of various makes. These men were regularly referred to as “shotgun messengers” in period literature and their position on the stages is the origin of the concept of “riding shotgun.” Period sources note that agents were armed with locally purchased weapons and were generally given one or more revolvers, a shotgun, and a rifle. Most would have turned the firearms back to the office.

Unlike most gunslingers, Ross later retired with a Wells Fargo pension and died surrounded by his family at the ripe old age of 93 at his daughter’s home in Ogden, Utah, the very same destination as the train in his story. He would be remembered by history as a prospector, Indian fighter, stage coach guard, and a bandit-killer and was detailed as such in his New York Times obituary.

Lot 306: Historic Wells Fargo Marked Parker Bros. Under Lifter Double Barrel Shotgun with Presentation Plaque Inscribed to Express Messenger Aaron "Hold the Fort" Ross For Heroism with Research

Sources:

Express Transportation. The Express Gazette 46-47 (January 1921): 160-161.

"Four Wells Fargo Generations." Wells Fargo Messenger, Vols. 5-6 Nov. 1917: 55. Web.

http://blogs.wellsfargo.com/guidedbyhistory/2008/01/presentation-watches-for-brave/

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9804E2D91039E133A2575AC0A9619C946395D6CF

Hume, James B., John N. Thacker. Edited by R. Michael Wilson. Wells, Fargo & Co. Stagecoach and Train Robberies, 1870-1884: The Corporate Report of 1885 with Additional Facts about the Crimes and Their Perpetrators. Jefferson: McFarland and Co., 2010.

“Passing of ‘Dad’ Ross, Stage Coach Guard and Indian Fighter Dies at 93.” New York Times Tribute. July 9, 1922.

Wells Fargo. “Presentation Watches for Bravery.” Guided by History Blog. (January 4, 2008).

Guns Close to Buffalo Bill

Few names conjure up images of the Wild West quicker than that of Buffalo Bill Cody.  Born less than 30 miles from where I sit,  Buffalo Bill needs no introduction to those familiar with the history of the Old West.  The Union scout, Pony Express rider, Civil War soldier, Medal of Honor recipient, and buffalo hunter, turned showman in 1883, founding his "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" show and taking it on tour across the country and even into Britain and Europe on several occasions.  It is speculated by several historians that he was one of, if not the most, recognizable celebrity at the end of very end of the 1800s.

At his shows he brought all the romance and violence of the West to life.  There were horsemen from numerous cultures, shooters of incomparable skill such as Annie Oakley, riding roping, races, and reenactments of scenes depicting the Pony Express, stagecoach robberies, and Indian attacks on a pioneer's cabin.  Other big names helped draw the crowds too, such as Sitting Bull and around 20 of his braves.  All of these activities were performed by people with real skills and to audiences in urban environments, it must have seemed as if the West had come to life right before their eyes.  When it was all said and done, Buffalo Bill  owned a massive ranch in Nebraska with an 18-room mansion, had performed for royalty of several nations and in the Roman amphitheater, helped found the city of Cody, Wyoming, supported the rights of women and Native Americans, and eventually had a football team named after him.  Not too shabby.


With a man so associated with hunting, scouting, the plains, the Old West, Native Americans, sharp shots, and the Civil War, it should come as no surprise that there were more than few guns in the man's life and in the lives of those around him.  In fact, the book "The Peacemakers" by R.L. Wilson is dedicated to detailing Cody's collection.  Guns of Buffalo Bill and one of his performers are coming up for auction in Rock Island Auction Company's December 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction.  Here's a look at what will be crossing the auction block.

Documented "National Treasure" Factory Engraved and Inscribed Savage Model 1907 Semi-Automatic Pistol Presented To Buffalo Bill Cody By The Factory

Given to Cody in 1911, this Special Grade M1907 Savage in .32 caliber is certainly a switch from the high-use, rough and tumble revolver one may have pictured Buffalo Bill using.  However, much publicity was gained by Savage thanks to Cody's endorsement and praise of the little shooter.  In fact, Cody went on to purchase several more of the pistols engraved and gave them as gifts.  The pistol's provenance is well-known and can be impeccably traced all the way back to its 1911 Savage factory ledger.  It has been featured in numerous publications and was once on loan to the Buffalo Bill Museum inside the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming.  Given Buffalo Bill's place in American history, one would expect to find any gun with his association to be on exhibit.  Finding one available for public sale, just may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The pistol, like most of Buffalo Bill's guns, shows some signs of wear and use, but they are minuscule compared to some of his other firearms which saw hard use.  It still wears 95% of its original factory blue finish and still shows signs of bright casehardening on the trigger.  The engraving, which Wilson calls, "superbly done," is crisp and sharp, as is the ever important inscription on the backstrap that reads, "COL. W.F. CODY."  Setting this gun even further apart are the mother-of-pearl grips that still glimmer with iridescence.

The historical significance of this pistol is difficult to overestimate.  First of all, Buffalo Bill Cody is a staple of American history and folk lore.  He introduced literally millions of Americans and Europeans to the adventure and hardships of the West through his showmanship, talent, and hard work.  Also, as mentioned earlier, most firearms owned by Buffalo Bill have found their way into museums and are not available on the private market.  Furthermore, even those pistols that are in museums, R.L. Wilson in his post-examination letter writes, "...Cody owned very few automatic pistols, and Savage no. 33177 is the only one known to the writer in any collection or museum."  Add to those rarities, its excellent condition, and you have a combination of traits that sends collectors scrambling: rarity, originality, historical significance, and high condition.

Two Sequentially Numbered Smith & Wesson Victory Model Double Action Revolvers with Ken Maynard Inscriptions, Belt, and Holsters 

One man that was featured in "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" show was Ken Maynard.  His career started as a young man working in circuses and carnivals training to become a horseman.  It wouldn't take long for his skill to receive notice.  Soon he was working in rodeos, becoming a rodeo champion, and eventually earning a spot performing horse riding tricks and feats that were a staple of the Buffalo Bill shows.  Horse riders from a vast array of cultures would often parade to start each show showing their uniforms and weapons, and giving audiences a taste of some "exotic" customs.  Trick riding and racing were also important parts of the show, so a man of Maynard's talents would have been a valuable addition.  Look at the following posters for Buffalo Bill's Wild West to whether or not horsemanship would have been critical to the show and to audiences.

Maynard's career would then take him to Hollywood to be a "singing cowboy," earn him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and return to him work at circuses, state fairs, and rodeos before alcoholism shortened his career and ruined his finances.

The revolvers are a pair of consecutively numbered Smith & Wesson Victory Model DA revolvers.  The Victory models are the 5-screw variety and they have been highly customized.  Perhaps most noticeably are the jeweled polish applied to the hammer and trigger.  Also distinct are the added raised ribs with their checkerboard engraving and blade front sights, the smooth grips, a small "P" stamped into the left side of the frame between the cylinder and the hammer, and of course the inscriptions of "KEN - MAYNARD" on each butt.

The pair of revolvers also come with an exceptional holster rig made by G.S. Garcia Company, one of most notable leather shops in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Guadalupe S. Garcia was a master saddler, leather carver, silversmith, and engraver.  His vision of quality involved him at all stages of the business and creative processes.  Even as a burgeoning business man at the age of 19, he quickly gained a reputation as a master craftsman, in part thanks to his previous apprenticeships.

Business would grow and expand as demand for his beautiful and quality products increased.  Eventually Garcia would hire on only the most talented of craftsmen to help make his saddles, spurs, bridles, bits and mouthpieces, chaps, rope, and other assorted leather and horse hair goods.  In 1904 Garcia made a masterpiece saddle for the World's Fair in St. Louis.  It was unimaginable and hands down took the gold medal.  That same year, it was placed in the Lewis & Clark Exposition in Portland, OR, where it won its second gold medal - a feat never before accomplished or matched since.  It is best described in the words of Howard Hickson,

"He decided to craft a saddle to take to the World's Fair. He and his workers assembled the finest saddle ever made. Using flawless leather, they dyed it black, carved in American Beauty roses, and then adorned it with gold, silver, and diamonds. It was truly a leather throne.  Across the rear of the fork were several $20 gold pieces with likenesses of President Theodore Roosevelt and two governors of Nevada, John Sparks and William Nye. Other gold pieces were carved with the famous three fairy horses with diamonds set in their eyes. An engraved eagle was set into the back of the cantle. It was a leather masterpiece and it lived up to its creator's expectation by winning two gold medals. It was the best in world."

Does his quality, craftsmanship, skill, and artistic touch need any further endorsement?  The man was a master and this holster rig is no exception to his work.

The rig has space for twelve cartridges and carries two highly decorated "Mexican loop" holsters.  Also bearing Maynard's name, "KEN" has been tooled into the leather on the belt above each of one of the holsters.  This is some beautiful leatherwork that is just begging to be worn again.




There you have it friends. Each item is an exciting collectible in its own right and associated to someone considered "the best of the best" at what they do.  Both also have ties to William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, one of the most recognizable figures of the Old West and a international symbol of the era.  If items like this get your heart pumping be sure to search the rest of our catalog for all sorts of fascinating, historic, beautiful, and expertly created firearms, bladed weapons, and much more.  It can be found at www.rockislandauction.com




-Written by Joel Kolander









SOURCES:

http://www.gbcnv.edu/hickson/Garcia.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0562770/bio

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/63/lid/1064

http://www.rockislandauction.com/viewitem/aid/63/lid/3504

Wild Days in Hell's Half Acre

Lots of people and places of the Old West get spun into tales of "Pecos Bill" size proportions.  One minute someone is a trying to make a living as a Marshal, the next they're riding tornadoes across the Texas plains.  Timothy Isaiah Courtright's (a.k.a. "Longhair Jim") tales since his death may not have gotten quite that large, but it might be safe to say that he was more feared after death than during his life.  Rock Island Auction Company has some mementos attributed to the late Western gunfighter in our upcoming July Regional Firearms Auction and after reading about the man's history we thought you might like to know it as well.

Longhair Jim Courtright

Tim Courtright was born in 1845 in Sangamon County, Illinois though even the earliest of these details are disputed, with birth dates ranging from 1845-1848 and some sources stating his birth took place in neighboring Iowa.  Though everyone seems to agree he was born in the spring.

Courtright's early life is even less documented than the rest of his life, though it is known that he was raised in Iowa, had four older sisters, a younger brother, and there is evidence that he enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War.  He served under Gen. John  "Blackjack" A. Logan, also from Illinois, who would eventually serve as an Illinois state senator, a U.S. congressman, and a U.S. senator.  Both men served together, but their futures could not have been more different.  Logan in addition to his political service, also ran unsuccessfully as the Vice President with James Blaine (losing to Grover Cleveland in 1884), is widely considered one of the most influential people in establishing Decoration Day (now known as Memorial Day) as an official U.S. holiday, and is only one of three people mentioned in the Illinois state song.  Courtright on the other hand... well, we'll get to that.

Knowing that Logan began his career with the Union army as a Colonel of the 31st Illinois Volunteers, which he also organized, one might think that is where the two men's paths crossed, but instead they both served together in the Seventh Iowa Infantry  In his Civil War service is where Timothy Courtright became "Jim," a mistake for Tim.  It is said that Courtright earned Logan's favor by taking a bullet for the future statesman.  However, after the Civil War there is no documented contact between the two men even though several legends say otherwise.  Logan resumed his political career after switching to the Republican party and Jim resumed looking for something to do.

Jim started his search in Fort Worth, where his long hair, twin revolvers, and reputation as a fast gun provided him many opportunities.  He tried farming in 1873, but after two years he couldn't make it work so he moved into town and found work as a Ft. Worth city jailer.  Ol' Jim must've been good at it since by 1875 he was hired as a Deputy City Marshal and the very next year he was elected as the City Marshal of Fort Worth.  In his personal life Jim had done pretty well for himself too.  Some sources state he had gotten married in 1870 to a Sarah Elizabeth "Betty" Weeks and had 2 to "at least three" children, though most stories rarely account for his family.  Wife, kids, respectable job, Jim was living the good life, even if his job required him to take care of an area within Fort Worth called Hell's Half Acre.

Serving as the town's red-light district, Hell's Half Acre had more than earned its name with the usual assortment of dangerous vices that plagued burgeoning towns in the Old West: murder, gambling, muggings, stabbings, prostitution, fights, over served citizens, and about any crime you could think to commit.  Fort Worth was given a mixed blessing from its position on the Chisholm Trail, the superhighway of its time for cattle drives as well as one of the westernmost train stops for cattle shipments.  This meant that Ft. Worth needed stockyards, ranches, railways, and train stations.  The little town that almost went under during the Reconstruction was booming.  Unfortunately, its position on the Chisholm trail also made it one of the last pieces of humanity cowboys would see until they arrived in Dodge City, and one of the first they would see on the way back.  It resulted in no shortage of cowboys looking to dump their loot into any number of Fort Worth's ample saloons, bordellos, bars, dance halls, and gambling dens.  As the city enjoyed its rapid growth, so did Hell's Half Acre.

Map of Hell's Half Acre courtesy of Pete Charlton at
http://fortworthgazette.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html

Normally in an Old West story this is where you'd hear all about our hero's exploits and how he cleaned up this den of vipers with a mix of grit, fairness, swift justice, and some hot, flying lead.  Courtright had other plans.  He decided to play their game.

Some say he had to kill a few troublemakers to get the respect of Fort Worth's criminal element while others say that Jim never was in but one gunfight in his entire life and instead used his badge to apply pressure where he needed it.  However he went about his business, it's difficult to find a source that doesn't mention Jim running some sort of protection racket possibly that may or may not have involved the town mayor.   If Jim took part in shootings in his life, this is certainly where they would happen.  You don't get to extort the vile underbelly of a notorious town without someone trying to kill you.

If Courtright killed anyone, it could have been in the name of the law against known criminals in self defense or it could have been the ultimate shakedown tactic used against someone who wouldn't ante up the protection money.  A badge and a bloodlust would have proved an intimidating combination for even the staunchest of holdouts.  Courtright must have been up to the task because his life's story doesn't end there.  His career is another matter.

When your job requires you to maintain a popular vote, then extorting money from your constituents is not exactly the best way to hold your office.  It was inevitable that Courtright was not re-elected as City Marshal in 1879, losing to S.M. Farmer, even though he had (allegedly) cut Fort Worth's murder rate significantly.  This sounds like an impressive accomplishment as well, until one realizes that the rampant and often violent crime in Fort Worth resumed after he left office.  Courtright wasn't in the business of cleaning up the town, after all, he was part of the problem. His job was to stem the flow of blood on the streets so that the population and the ever present string of cowboys wouldn't be afraid to spend their money.  Fort Worth having already lost Deputy Marshal Columbus Fitzgerald to a gunshot while trying to break up a street fight in 1877, showed no signs of slowing its bloody ways. After Jim lost his office Deputy Marshal George White was gunned down by a suspected horse thief in 1879 and Deputy W.T. Wise was killed in Oxford, Mississippi in pursuit of several murder suspects on the lam.

Jim's known whereabouts for the next several years are clouded at best.  His current career cut short, some sources say found employment as a U.S. Deputy Marshal, other sources state he hung about Ft. Worth unwilling to give up his protection racket and opened a detective agency as a front for the operation.  There are also those that state was invited to New Mexico, possibly to be a hired gun or foreman on the ranch of his old buddy Gen. John Logan.  More extreme stories paint him as a no-nonsense lawman who cleaned up the mining town of Lake Valley, NM with the barrel of his gun, pressuring key players until they were forced to act and then shooting them down when the did.  None or all of those could be true, but we do know that Courtright ended up in New Mexico at some point because he ended up with that area's law enforcement on his tail for murder.

Was this murder rap just Jim being too zealous in his duties of running off rustlers?  Was he resorting to his old protection racket tricks that had worked so well in Ft. Worth?  Was he framed?  What ever the circumstances were, without the badge people were much less understanding and so Jim high tailed it back to Ft. Worth to try and resume some semblance of this old life by starting the T.I. Courtright Commercial Detective Agency.  It didn't take long for the New Mexico law to catch up with Jim at his old stomping grounds, and with the help of some some Texas Rangers, they took him into custody.  Going back to Ft. Worth may have been a good decision for Jim; after he was arrested he was able to escape with the help of some old acquaintances (another great story in itself).  Now on the flip side of the law, Jim ran (sources site his destinations as varying as Canada and South America), but eventually turned himself in and was extradited to New Mexico once tempers had cooled and witnesses could not be retrieved.  All charges were dropped and Jim eventually returned to Ft. Worth to resume the detective front of his protection racket.  Clearly, it was a reliable, though not particularly profitable, line of work for him to resort to it on three separate occasions.  It may have provided some income to the wolf in lawman's clothing, but it would eventually be his downfall.

Luke Short

Enter Luke Short: a man who had tried to make a living as a gambler, but who had also made forays as a whiskey seller, Army Scout, cowboy, and saloon owner.  Despite the professional indecision in his early life, Short happened through Dodge City in the very late 1870s and became associated with many of that town's famous personalities such as Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson.  Not spending long there, he soon moved to Tombstone, a boomtown that could offer him a healthy supply of saloons, gambling halls, and newly wealthy inhabitants on which to ply his gambling trade.  His reputation of being a good gambler and excellent with a gun caused Wyatt Earp to telegraph him in June 1880 to offer him a job as a faro dealer in Leadville, Colorado.  As the picture shows, he also had a reputation as being somewhat of a dandy.  Short could often be found donning a silk top hat, long top coat, cane, and a fine mustache.  Allegedly, he wasn't just lucky in his gambling, but also with the ladies.

One of Short's more well-known gun fights took place in Tombstone on Feb 28, 1881 (some sources say Feb 25) with another well-known gambler/gunfighter Charlie Storms.  A few words were being exchanged by the two men, but Bat Masterson, a mutual friend to both parties, quickly cooled their tempers and sent them on their ways... or so he thought.  It wasn't long before Storms returned to seek out Short.  Sure enough, as soon as Short exited the Oriental Hotel, Storms grabbed Short as he was walking along the sidewalk, snatched him into the street, and pulled a cut-off Colt .45 revolver on him.  However, Short was quicker and shot Storms twice before he hit the ground at a range close enough to set the unlucky assailant's shirt on fire. Short was arrested, but it was quickly dismissed as a case of self-defense.  Either way, Short decided to move to Dodge City after that and in 1883 he bought an interest in the famous Long Branch Saloon, but later that year sold it after the mayor and his associates made the environment unfavorable for "undesirables."  He moved to Ft. Worth and it wouldn't take long for him to meet  Jim Courtright.

Short likely caught Courtright's eye quicker than most after moving into town and buying an immediate interest in the White Elephant Saloon, probably using the sale money from his interest in the Long Branch Saloon.  Almost certainly, Courtright took it upon himself to offer his "protection" to the new wealthy denizen.  Jim not knowing about Short's reputation seems unlikely given the way word would travel about gunfighters, especially wealthy ones who have a stake in well-known businesses, but at the very least he certainly underestimated Short's abilities.  Short however made no such mistake and declined Jim's protection in ways that various sources retell in various tones of hostility:  sometimes it is recounted as a casual conversation to less cordial versions including Short telling Courtright to "Go to hell!"  Regardless the tone of the conversation, Courtright wasn't pleased.  In fact, one person standing up to his protection racket could cause others to do the same, ending his livelihood and maybe even his life.  Courtright was in a bit of a corner and he knew he had to make an example of this newcomer before word got out to the rest of Fort Worth.

Short appears in this photo of the "Dodge City Peace Commission" in June of 1883.
L to R (Top): W.H. Harris, Luke Short, Bat Masterson, W.F. Petillon
(Bottom): Charlie Bassett, Wyatt Earp, Frank McLain, and Neal Brown

The Gunfight

February 8, 1887.  These two men have come to an impasse.  Each one has killed at least one man and likely several more.  They are both confident in their ability with a six shooter and both have their livelihoods on the line.  That night Courtright has allegedly been drinking, but stops by the White Elephant Saloon to send word for Short to come out for a talk.  Dressed, as always, in fine clothes Short came out and the two began to walk down the sidewalk talking.  About a block away the pair stopped in front of brothel owner Ella Blackwell's shooting gallery to talk quietly. Courtright eventually expressed concern that Short was armed.  The two men were facing each other and Short assured Courtright he had no gun, which was a lie, but then made a movement to prove it.  Some say his thumbs were in his fancy vest and he dropped his hands to open his coat, others maintain Short went to open his vest as he was walking toward ol' Jim.  Whatever the action, Jim loudly yelled, "Don't you pull a gun on me!" and quickly drew one of his own.  Unfortunately for Jim, he barrel allegedly caught on his watch chain for a split second, allowing Short to draw in time to fire one of the luckiest shots one could imagine - one that removed the thumb of his opponent.  In the days of single action revolvers, this was a fatal twist of fortune for Courtight.  Shot once, Jim allegedly tried the "border shift" of switching the gun to his other hand, but such an action was futile when faced with such an equally talented opponent (It also seems an unlikely action since Jim is alleged to have carried two guns.  Why not just draw the second?  Or both at once?).  Short fired three to four more shots, leaving the lawman-turned-tormentor dead where he fell.  It would become one of the very few face-to-face "showdowns" that Hollywood depicts so frequently and would leave Luke Short known as "The King of the Fort Worth Gamblers," though with little time to enjoy his new found infamy. His hard life as a gambler, drinker, and saloon investor would cause him to die of 'dropsy' (Edema) on September 8, 1893.

Where the duel actually took place.
Map Credit: Pete Charlton from http://fortworthgazette.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html

Courtright would be more remembered for his effectiveness against crime than his extortion and his funeral procession would stretch for 6 blocks with hundreds of mourners.  Short did not suffer for killing such a popular man and again had the charges against him dismissed as self-defense.  It seems like very little consequences would be had by anyone except for Jim.  However the very next week a prostitute known only as "Sally" would be found murdered and nailed to an outhouse door in Hell's Half Acre.  This event combined with Courtright's death would result in another crime reform campaign from the Fort Worth mayor's office in cooperation with the county attorney.  This campaign would be more effective than most by utilizing the first prohibition in Texas, but ultimately it would take a the martial law of a nearby WWI military camp (Camp Bowie) before the Acre would be cleansed from Fort Worth.

The photo of his headstone at Fort Worth's Oakwood Cemetery reads,
"Jim 'Longhaired' Courtright
1845 - 1887
U.S. Army Scout, U.S. Marshall, Frontiersman, Pioneer.
Representative of a class of men now passing from Texas
who whatever their faults were type of that brave courageous
manhood which commands respect and admiration.
Erected 1953
In memory of Jim by his descendants"

The item attributed to Timothy Isaiah Courtright, to be auctioned by Rock Island Auction Company, is what upon first glance appears to be a gamblers kit, until one realizes there are none of the cards, dice, or chips that typically comprise such sets.  After looking at the contents of this small chest, one would be more inclined to call it a "fightin' kit."

The box in and of itself is impressive.  Hardwood bears brass hardware and two plaques, one on top of the lid and the other on the front.  The top plaque reads "T.I. Courtright / Ft. Worth Texas" and the frontmost plaque reads "T.I.C. Commercial Agency" - the name from one of Jim's "detective agencies."  Pulling open the top lid of bottom drawer with open them both simultaneously and reveal the contents of a man living life on the edge in the Old West.

Contained within are all manner of instruments bearing the monogram of the late marshal.  First up, an engraved First Generation Colt Single Action Army revolver with antique ivory grips and the inscription of his full name, "Timothy I. Courtright" on the backstrap,

The next piece in the kit is a knife from M. Price (San Francisco) that measures 10 3/8" long and has T.I.C. carved into the handle.

And of course, what desktop valet would be complete without its hip flask?  This particular hip flask is glass with its top half protected by a leather sheath with a viewing window and its bottom half protected by a metal cup engraved "T.I.C."  Removing the metal cup to use it exposes the glass flask, a far cry from any flasks manufactured today.  The bottom drawer housed up to 38 individual cartridges plus one box of ammunition, as shown in the first picture.

We would be remiss if we did not mention that Rock Island Auction company has received no documented provenance for this piece other than the inscription and engraved initials on the pieces themselves.

This inscribed set is one of the numerous items appearing in Rock Island Auction Company's July 2014 Regional Firearms Auction.  To be held July 11, 12 & 13, there will be nearly 7,000 items in over 3,000 lots sold in just three days!  We'll have great collectibles like the one in this week's article, but also an extremely high number of modern pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns from a who's who of firearm manufacturers.  To find out more about this auction (and to grab a sneak peak of our warehouse), you should click right here as well as stay tuned to our social media channels which are sure to post more pictures, stories, and updates every day!

Please follow us on any of the following sites!  We promise to keep it interesting!

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Blogger

Google+

Reddit

Pinterest

SOURCES:

DeArment, Robert K. Jim Courtright of Fort Worth: His Life and Legend. Fort Worth: TCU, 2004. Print.

http://fortworthgazette.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html

http://tchj.com/2013/11/08/oakwood-cemetery/

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=23380

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fcoaa