Those who made our nation had grit and stamina
Looking back at our past always leaves me a bit amazed at the stamina and grit that was a part of the men and women as they developed our nation. They were tough, body, mind, and soul. They were creative and resourceful as they made decisions that literally affected their lives. They were survivors.
Solid evidence of this is found throughout history and we see it as Texas formed the cattle drive era and situations brought about methods and ways to get Texas cattle to the northeastern markets. Stories, legends, and songs spring up as a result and places like the Chisholm Trail came to prominence. This is a thumbnail sketch of that famous western icon.
One thing that was plentiful in Texas after the War of Northern Aggression, was wild unkept cattle. The state was bankrupt and impoverished, the land was neglected, and the people were devastated. But the cattle left to their own had become wild, multiplied, and spread across the land.
These animals were readily available to any and all that could muster up the stamina and grit to gather them. This story, as do many stories, began on a multitude of fronts.
First, the cattle were plentiful and free for the taking, but what to do with them?
Second, the north and east developed an appetite for beef. Third, innovative and creative men, like Joseph McCoy, began to put together a plan with the railroads that would be advantageous to all concerned. And fourth, men coming home from the war needed something to do, a way to make a living.
In 1867, O.W. Wheeler developed a partnership and they bought 2,400 steers near San Antonio planning to winter them on free grass on the high plains and maybe drive them on to California. Earlier, around 1838, Jessie Chisholm, a Scottish/Cherokee fur trader and merchant, scouted and developed a trades trail from Kansas to Texas.
This trail would become known as The Chisholm Trail on which thousands of cattle would travel, though Jessie Chisholm died before the heyday of the great cattle drives. In 1868, O.W. Wheeler’s company stumbled across wagon tracks left by Chisholm’s freight wagons and followed them toward Kansas where through the efforts of men like Joseph McCoy convinced the railroads to have sidings where massive herds of cattle could be held and loaded on railcars for the journey to slaughter houses in the mid-west, who in turn would supply the growing demand for beef in the east. Thus, the beginning of an era of the great cattle drives from South Texas to the railheads in Kansas to supply this hunger and demand for beef in the northeast. Americana folk lore flourished during this era with tales of daring do and hardships, stories about bravery and heroes, both man and beast, evolved with each adventurous cattle drive.
These drives that saw courageous young men, many of which were mere lads, find opportunities to excel in various facts of life. Fortunes were won and lost, stories were built, poems were spawned, music made and immortalized. The worst and the best, combined to mesmerize Americana through the dime novel and word of mouth tales that grew with each telling.
This era is thought to have begun in 1867 and continued through 1884, but during this time, over five million head of cattle and more than a million head of horses would use the Chisholm Trail. An era that was short lived, but filled an important gap in American History.
Cattle Drive
Waving grass filled this land so vast,
Where the wild cattle run,
An’ the men coming home at last,
Expert with knife an’ gun.
Yet home to what? As life had changed,
Hopes blown away like dust,
All the many miles they had ranged,
Now cope with this, they must
The American dream stands tall,
With vision soon to see,
Thus fate for some would soon befall,
Throughout all history.
This vast land stretched out before them,
Adventure filled their eyes,
Where opportunity would stem,
Life was filled with surprise.
A resilience would persevere,
Tho facin’ the unknown,
Each filled with no quit an’ no fear,
Failure they’d not condone.
For their strength came from God,
They bowed their head in prayer,
Each prayed for the tough trails they’d trod,
That life would treat them fair.
Now with their herd they headed north
Through sweat an’ dust an’ pain,
Wagon ruts kept them going forth,
Kansas railhead to gain.
They pushed on with determined aim.
Through tough times an’ hard miles,
But each of these they overcame,
They faced up to these trials.
The railhead loomed through clouded skies,
Their goal lay straight ahead,
Victory just over the rise,
An’ relief for this Texas spread!
The sights an’ sounds of men an’ beast
Their dust a tattletale,
To satisfy demand back east,
By way of Chisholm Trail!
© Ol’ Jim Cathey
Join us Sunday morning at First Baptist Church Marlin to worship our Lord and Savior, And consider being a part of the Easter Celebration as the community comes together for a Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023, worship opportunity at First Baptist Church of Marlin that will include Sunday School at 9:45 and an outside worship service at 11, followed by Easter Egg Hunt with lots of eggs and Hotdog fellowship that will please your tummy!.
Come as you are,
sit out in a chair,
or stay in your car,
we hope to see you there!
God bless each of you and God Bless America!