Wichita Falls Record-News 9-20-1932
(C. Avis Catalog entry #68)
Mart Roberson, Rider of Range for Half Century, Recalls Great Cattle Drives of Early Days Here
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Pioneer Wichita Couple Typical Typical of First Settlers
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Indian Braves Rode, But Their Squaws Walked
As one who ranged the open cow country of Texas more than a half century ago and who today remains active in the cattle industry, Mart Roberson of Wichita Falls is typical of the pioneers who opened the way for the modern civilization of Texas, experiencing a wide range of romance and history in the making.
Mrs. Roberson has shared in the frontier life of her husband and has the characteristic appearance of the pioneer mother and homemaker, patient, and conscience of experiences which modern civilization brands as early day hardships.
Mrs. Roberson vividly recalls long periods at home, often continuing six months, when the husband and father was riding herd in broad unfenced areas of Texas and Oklahoma.
This Wichita Falls Family of the new scattering figures who blazed the way for today's development of the Southwest and who will be paid a tribute by their descendant during the 50th anniversry celebration here Sept. 26-28.
Mr. Roberson offers the observer an expressive picture of a successful range personality. The swish of sagebrush against horsehide and leather - a state cow pony and saddle-pillowed head as a cowboy takes his bed where nightfall overtakes him - the ringing shouts of range companions, all come to life as Mr. Roberson speaks of his experiences.
Born Near Graham in 1859
Mr. Roberson was born at Eliasville, near Graham, in 1859, a son of pioneers who early prospected the open country the room and freedom of the frontier to rear their families. The family left Eliasville at the close of the Civil war and moved to a point 20 miles south of Ft. Smith, Ark., in the Chactaw Indian area.
Mr. Roberson return to this section in 1878, a youth of 19, and went to work for the H. & N. ranch interest on Salt creek south of Olney.
Four years later, 1882, the year Wichita Falls welcomed the first train and the town lot auction was held, he accompanied Charley Akers to the immediate Wichita area to aid in fencing the Byers pasture. He directed moving in the first herd of cattle to the new pasture from the Archer county area. Mr. Roberson remained with Akers for 2 years.
In 1884 he joined forces with Pat Leonard in a plan to branch out in the Indian territory north of Wichita Falls, trailing a herd of 1000 steers from Live Oak county to the new ranch site near Chickasha, Okla. Later while he was with Mr. Leonard, Mr. Roberson trailed a herd of steers to the Kansas market.
The Oklahoma territory venture proved a bad move - as Mr. Roberson expected it would in the face of a sagebrush and buffalo grass range - and the herd died out and with it his job expired.
Mr. Roberson had recommended that the cattle be allowed to drift back south of Red river to graze, but his boss wanted the herd held above the Washita river and he held them there.
Followed Cattle Across Plains
Texas, at least West Texas, was a wide open unfenced area during this period and Mr. Roberson's range duties carried him hundreds of miles from home during the roundup season. Each winter the cattle drifted south ahead of the cold weather and northers, seeking a range where the grass was unharmed by freezing.
The cowboys left their home ranch headquarters each spring - usually about the middle of March - and remained on the open range month after month until the cattle of each ranch had been cut out and started on the way home under care of other cowboys sent to meet the roundup detachment.
It was on one of these long trips that Mr. Roberson first met Jeff Waggoner, who operated a ranch in this section. Each ranch outfit sent a man along on the roundup to herd cattle on the return trip to the various headquarters. When the herds became large enough the larger ranch outfits would send after them.
The range riders followed their chuck wagon and as a rule returned each night holding the steers in one herd, or several herds, depending on conditions. The cows, with calves also, were taken to the home ranch where the calves were branded. The boys an the range not bothering about branding until all strays were brought in and the roundup completed, Mr. Roberson explained.
These trips frequently took Mr. Roberson and his range associates to Dublin, Texas, old Fort Griffin, and Millett's ranch. Usually the Waggoners, Burnetts or Suggs interests would send out other men to bring the North Texas herds to the home pastures.
Mr. Roberson was married in 1885 to Miss Nora Herring of Henrietta and for a year worked with the Franklin Land and Cattle company in Greer county - then a part of Texas, but now forming several Oklahoma counties. The company was an English firm and bought out Harold and Ikard brothers. Their holdings were known as the Diamond F ranch. The Diamond F cattle were held in the eastern portion of Greer county.
Mr. Roberson remained in the Indian territory for some time with the Foster, Ikard and Phelps interests, working on the company contract to furnish meat to the army units stationed at Fort Sill. The company held a contract to work the range south to the fenced portion at Red river. The Waggoner, Burnett and Suggs ranches presented a 12-mile fenced front on the river an the southern boundary of the Oklahoma range.
After leaving the territory the family moved to the Davis ranch on Turkey creek, where they resided five years. Later they moved, to the L. F. Wilson ranch in Archer county, remaining for 10 years, and still later resided at Texaco.
Marries Henrietta Girl
Mrs. Roberson wan born at Savannah,Tenn., and the family moved to Grayson county, Texas, when she was 4 years old. The Herrings sought additional western territory in 1879, moving to Henrietta where she met Mr. Roberson and later married him.
On the trip west the Herring family traveled from Memphis, Tenn., to Little Rock, Ark., by train. The railroad ended at Little Rock and a wagon train was formed. The emigrants had 17 wagons in the party on the trip to Sherman and the journey passed without mishap although the party was alarmed at one time over threat of a raid by horse thieves.
Mr. and Mrs. Roberson recall the days of their youth with a great deal of pleasure and are much amused at discussions of the "wild frontier days and Indian life" by the representatives of younger generations.
She became accustomed to Indians while a young girl in Grayson county and vividly describes the colorful dress of the native women after a visit to a general store where red calico and other goods were sold in abundance. The tribesmen frequently passed the Herring home near Sherman going to town on horseback - the women walking - and the ponies plodding along in Indian file.
In discussing customs of the pioneer period Mr. Roberson recalls the freedom with which money was handled on the range. Cattle were bought and sold in the open country with "hard" money transported in saddle bags. He never saw a check or currency until he was grown.
Plenty of Food
Locks for doors of homes were unknown and the expression "the latch string is always out," was universally true and pantries were well stocked with food. A traveler or lone cowboy arriving at a home and failing to find the occupants present made himself at home - cooking, eating and sleeping as expected before continuing about his business.
The cowboys and the general public were almost universally armed, but for the ranch hands the six-shooters served as much as company as for protection. The guns were handy during the long winter months for hunting and for contests in shooting for pastime.
Mr. Roberson worked on the range for a salary of $25 per month and secured his money only when it was needed. There was no reason for the frontier cowboy to carry money on long range trips as credit could be secured at any general store for tobacco or other supplies. The bill would be forwarded the ranch headquarters, he said.
The first time Mr. Roberson returned from a slx-month stay on the range after his marriage he was hardly recognized by Mrs. Roberson who recailed her hesitation until her husband reassured her. His appearance had so changed after or he was deeply tanned during the long period in the open that Mrs. Roberson had to be positive before she rushed out to welcome him home, she related.
In preparation for one of the long range trips while residing on the Wilson ranch, supplies were secured from Will Nolan's general store at Holliday. A 100-pound coffee box was secured in which were packed flour, sugar, bacon, beans, and other groceries. Mr. Nolan sold eggs at 5 cents per dozen and Mr. Roberson would assist him in packing them in bran before leaving.
Witnessed Hanging of Bandits
The family was living at Holliday in 1896 when the City National bank was robbed on Feb. 25, and Cashier Frank Dorsey slain. Railroad Agent Ed Perkins at Holliday heard the message go through to Seymour over the railway telegraph, telling about the robbery and told Mr. Roberson.
Mr. Roberson accompanied Will Nolan to Wichita Falls two days later, Feb. 27, when Kid Lewis and Foster Crawford were hanged in front of the bank by a mob. Mr. Roberson stood on a corner south of the bank at Seventh and Indiana while the lynching was in progress. He recalls the gruesome scene and the huge bonfire of goods boxes that made the activity about the telephone-pole scaffold stand out.
The Wichita county courthouse was a plank structure standing near the present location of the Wichita Falls Clinic hospital when Mr. Roberson first came to Wichita Falls. He was conducting a roundup on Millett's ranch, camped on Miller creek at the time. The trip to town was occasioned when one of the ranch horses was located on a farm on Belknap creek doing service as a plow animal and was returned to the ranch by a cowboy.
The farmer resented the return of the horse and filed charges against the cowboy and Mr. Roberson and Jim Avis made his bond.
Mr. and Mrs. Roberson reside at 1653 Pearl at present and have five children living.
The children are Harry Roberson of Durango Colo., Clyde Roberson of Fort Worth, Mrs. R. H. Gracey of Oklahoma City, Mrs. Jake Avis of Wichita Falls and Miss Jennie Roberson, art supervisor in the Wichita Falls schools.
