Harris, Leta 1970
Mrs. Harris, daughter of [Jim?] Cook who was a section foreman on the XIT Ranch, relates stories told her by her father of early days on that ranch. She also tells many anecdotes about mineral prospecting and trapping in the Northwest.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Leta Harris (Mrs. W. E.)
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: c. 1970
Location: San Saba, Texas
Interviewer: Fred Carpenter
Length: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Searching for Spanish rock,
Dry pond prospecting,
Some advice for prospectors,
Great-grandfather’s career as a physician,
Civil War service,
Returning home,
Medical practice,
Experiences in the West,
Indian scare,
Death of the younger son,
Mrs. Harris’ father moves cattle,
Career as a Postmaster,
Mrs. Harris’ uncle travels from San Francisco.
Tape 1, Side 2: Uncle leaves mining town and returns to cattle ranching,
Transporting horses to China,
Uncles’ career with railroad companies,
Mrs. Harris encounters rattlesnakes,
Construction of the Texas Capitol,
Babcock resigns from the job,
Farwell brothers buy XIT land holdings,
Six-gun law,
Father kills a man,
The trial—held in the pasture,
Arresting two men for suspicion of cattle rustling,
Letting them go—non-support by John Farwell,
The Boyce-Sneed feud,
Mrs. Harris’ schooling in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Tape 2, Side 1: Early schooling—near the ranch,
Al Boyce asks Mr. Cook for a job,
Three meetings held toward end of XIT business,
Ancestors were Aztec Indians,
Leta’s experiences as a trapper,
Trapping in Idaho and Utah,
Humorous incident with bobcat,
Man on the dodge,
Ethics in prospecting,
Examples of ethical ideas,
Seeking gold in a tree.
Tape 2, Side 2: O. J. Wiren Russian cattleman,
The John Bell yearling,
Leaving the Two Circle Bar S Ranch,
Visiting John S. Chisum,
More prospecting,
Frank Yearwood Division of XIT,
Father takes stories with him,
Scandalous John McCandless,
Oregon and Slick,
Questions J. Evetts Haley’s comment about coyotes,
Prospectors and the Lord,
Leta comments on pony’s actions.
Range Dates: 1880s-1970
Bulk Dates: 1880s-early 1900s
Access Information
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Recording Format Notes:
Transcript:
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