Ussery, Huling 1982-02-22

Huling Ussery, longtime New Mexico resident, discusses his family and various aspects of ranching in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Huling Ussery

Additional Parties Recorded: None

Date: February 22, 1982

Location: Carlsbad, New Mexico

Interviewer: Richard Mason

Length: 1 hour 55 minutes

Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: General reminiscences, Born: Dewey County, Oklahoma (April 1, 1898), John Green Ussery, father, Mary Elizabeth (Dudley) Ussery, mother, James Monroe Ussery, grandfather, Mary Harmon Ussery, grandmother, Grandfather, Cattle business, Brands, Mexican rustlers, Father, Chico Ranch, Marriage to Mary Dudley, To Carlsbad, New Mexico (c. 1905), Education, Graduated in 1916, Marriage (1923), Lorraine Carpenter, wife, Schoolteacher, Two children, Ranches, Public lands administrator, To Venezuela (1945), Agriculture, Ranching, To Haiti, Ranching, Drought (1951), Death of wife (1958), Sold ranches and retired, Marriage (1973), Frances Etter Forehand, second wife, Culberson County, Texas, Ranchers, ranches, Bob Hall, "Uncle Jim" Daughtery, Roy and Burk Burnett, W. Q. Richards, James Kinney, W. D. Casey, Background, Indian difficulties, Castille Springs, Cimarrones cattle, 3R brand cattle, Bob Murchison, owner, John Green Ussery, buyer, Trails.

Tape 1, Side 2: 3R brand cattle (continued), Jim Bingham, buyer, Cimarrones cattle, round-up stories, Culberson County (again), Ranch land, Water supply, Trail drive to Denver, Colorado (c. 1891), To sell horses and mules, Anecdote: Clay Allison story, Transportation of cattle, Trains (1892-present), By train after 1898, Trail drives (prior to 1898), Trail drive (1912), Food supply, Rabbit killing, Cattle stampede, Spade Ranch.

Tape 2, Side 1: Trail drive (1906), Watering cattle, Stampede, "Thunder" and "Lightning" Dumont, cowboys, Renegade Cimarrones steers, Severe winter (1906), Two Cimarrones escaped and died, Carlsbad, New Mexico stockyards, Location, Gates, Procedure for counting cattle, Seven Rivers area, New Mexico, Holt Land and Livestock Company, Hansford Land and Cattle Company, Cape Willingham, manager, Later became Turkey Track, Larrimore Farm, Black Spring Ranch, Settled in 1884, Ranching, Guadalupe Mountain area, Thayer Ranch, Sheep and cattle ranchers, Acrey brothers, Sheep ranchers, Pasture land, Mesquite, cat claw, Pasture land (continued), Droughts (1950s), Elimination of grasses, Wind, Weeds, grasses, Filaree grass—Texas and California, "Gyp Hills", Blue Grama grass, Mesquite beans, Public lands—Watts.

Tape 2, Side 2: Forest Service, Gophers, Prairie dogs, Eradication, Pecos River, Floods (1904), Public lands—Federal lands, Department of the Interior, Land appraisal, Oil leases, Anecdote: counting W. D. "Bill" Casey’s cattle, Anecdote: John Helms, Droughts, Effects of 1924 drought, Three banks went broke, Cattle shoot (1934), Cattle, Crossbreeds, Beefmaster cattle, Tiger-striped, Feedlots, Moutrie’s, Seven Rivers, Rolly Hinkle’s, Roswell, New Mexico, Clovis, New Mexico.

Range Dates: 1884-1982

Bulk Dates: Late 1890s-Early 1900s

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