Wall, Henry 1973-12-02
Henry Wall discusses his early days as a cowboy and a dowser, or water-witcher. At the end of the second tape, Side 2, he plays several dance tunes on his fiddle.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Henry Wall
Additional Parties Recorded: None
Date: December 02, 1973
Location: Sierra Blanca, Texas
Interviewer: Paul Patterson
Length: 3 hours
Abstract
Tape 1, Side 1: Born: Sonora, Texas (April 7. 1902),
Parents’ backgrounds,
Dowsing or water-witching,
Education,
The Mert School,
Sheep, goat and cattle raising,
Work under W. A. Myers,
Bill Taylor and Bud Newman,
Temple train robbed,
Bill Taylor and Tom Latron,
Silver City, New Mexico.
Tape 1, Side 2: Work for W. T. Johnson (from 1929),
Yates and Byers D Ranch,
Father’s death (1912),
Brother’s death (1906),
Weather and economy (1929),
Work for Bob Martin (1933),
South Texas,
South Texas cowboys,
Wild cattle,
Mexican cowboys,
Spooning cattle,
Rodeo (1916).
Tape 2, Side 1: Rodeos nationwide,
Coconuts,
Largest outfit,
Horses,
Good and bad,
West Pile Cattle Company,
Indio Cattle Co.,
Cowboying,
Baylor and Bell,
In New Mexico,
"Corriente" cattle from Mexico.
Tape 2, Side 2: Depression at TW Ranch,
Mass slaughter of cattle,
Wages during Depression,
Companionship and pastimes on range,
Hydrophobic cattle,
Snakes and horse hair rope,
In France,
World War I,
Marine at Guadalcanal,
World War II (2 years),
Hospitalized,
Dowsing (started in 1928),
Youngest of eleven children,
Plays fiddle until end of tape.
Range Dates: 1902-1945
Bulk Dates: 1916-1945
Access Information
Original Recording Format: open reel audio tape
Recording Format Notes: digitized and burned to Audio CD, February 2018
Transcript: no
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