Old West Thanksgiving

Next week is Thanksgiving!!! An Old West Story of Thankfulness.......


This is a brief story of Mrs. Hulda Esther Thorpe-and her reason to be thankful!



A Close Call

In 1938, Mrs. Hulda Esther Thorpe remembers the dangers that settlers faced on the prairie in the 1800s, and the many reasons settlers had for giving thanks:

One of the best Thanksgiving dinners we ever knew of was when a family of settlers had their nice wild turkey dinner taken by the Indians, who came in silently and just shoved the folks back and eat it up. They did not harm the white people though and after they were gone the women made a big corn bread and with what few things the Indians left, they had a feast, the best as the daughter tells, that she ever eat. This was because they were so happy and thankful that the Indians spared them. This is one of many stories Mrs. Thorpe remembers from her pioneer childhood. To read more, in American Life Histories, 1936-1940, search on Hulda Esther Thorpe to find the document entitled, "Mrs. Hulda Esther Thorpe."

The Cowpuncher's Thanksgiving Rhymes of the Range

By L. Maynard Dixon

Sunset Magazine, November, 1903

Yearlin's

Now swing your rope—and swing 'er wide! It's brandin' time,—and it's time, you bet


To swing a big loop and to take yer ride,— Thank God, there's cows in the country yet!


Cut out that yearlin' and take a chance;— Show how you can ride. Bets up! I say


He'll burn the earth and he'll burn your pants. (We must have some sport Thanksgiving Day!)He's risin' high and he's landin' hard,— Stay with him, Bill! or it's gals good night!


If you can't stick him, a sure thing, pard, You'll land on the only rock in sight!


Now ride straight up—you must ride him fair. He's risin' high and he's landin' far!


Bet I can ride 'im and not pull hair,— Fer that's the kind of boy I are!




Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable 
Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
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Harvey Girls of the Old West

 

Harvey Girls Movie

When you think of the Wild West what comes to mind??? Cowboys, gunfights, saloon fights, lawlessness, gunslingers, and Harvey Girls???  And I am not referring to Judy Garland in the 1946 musical, "The Harvey Girls". 

A Harvey Girl was a waitress at the Harvey House restaurants in the American old west. These Harvey girls raised the bar on dinning and civilities in a time not necessarily know for either.

If you were traveling west by the railroad your only option for food along the way was at the roadhouses located by the railroads water stops. There you could find a meal of rancid meat, cold beans, and week-old coffee. Not necessarily appetizing. The need for the Harvey Houses was clear. 

The Harvey House chain of restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality industry businesses were owned by the Fred Harvey Company. The Harvey House's were situated alongside the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railways. Harvey opened his first depot restaurant in Topeka, Kansas. This first restaurant was so well received by the rail passengers, that the officials of the railroad allowed Harvey to build his eating establishments along the entire route. By the late 1880's, there was a Fred Harvey restaurant located every 100 miles along the Santa Fe line. Fred Harvey is credited with creating the first restaurant chain in the United States.

The success of the Harvey Houses was due to the strict standards for high quality food and first class service, by his Harvey Girls. Harvey was able to serve fresh quality food due to the Santa Fe Railroad agreeing to transport fresh meat and produce free of charge to any Harvey House on the railway line. The meals were not only fresh but were served in large portions on fine china with Irish linens. The prices for these delicious meals were quite reasonable, it has been suggested that the Harvey Houses originated the "blue-plate special". This was a daily low-priced meal served on a blue- patterned china plate. Along with the quality food, the Harvey Houses maintained a high level of custom service.

Through a series of signals between the Harvey Houses and the railroad the dinning room staff was able to feed an entire train in just thirty minutes. This dining staff included the waitresses called "Harvey Girls". 
 

The Harvey Girls were comprised of single, white, females that were well mannered, and educated. Harvey placed ads in the newspapers throughout the east coast and Midwest for "white, young women, 18 to 30 years of age, of good character, attractive and intelligent". The Harvey Girls were paid $17.50 a month plus room and board and tips. The recognizable black and white uniform was starched and consisted of a skirt that hung no more than eight inches off the floor. The uniform also consisted of an "Elsie" collar, opaque black stockings, and black shoes. The girls had their hair restrained in a net and tied with a regulation white ribbon. The Harvey Girls were not allowed to wear makeup or chew gum while working. The Harvey Girls strict dress code and conduct followed over to their personal lives.

Fred Harvey passed down this strict code of conduct. The Harvey Girls were expected to adhere to this code of conduct 24 hours a day. The girls were told what time to go to bed, whom to date, and even what to wear, including jewelry and makeup. Yet with all these restrictions, by the late 1950's over 100,000 girls had been hired.

The Harvey Houses and their Harvey Girls were a mainstay along the Santa Fe Railway. They brought a little civility and decorum to a harsh Old West.

Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable 
Quality American made leather horse tack....Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
Visit Our Unique Store Today  
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How to Video by Richard Winters and the Buckaroo Loping Hackamore

How To Video on the Buckaroo Leather Loping Hackamore 

by Richard Winters of Richard Winters Horsemanship

Thank you to Richard Winters for this great video!!! 
Richard Winters of  Richard Winters Horsemanship demonstrates  the Bitless Loping Hackamore from Buckaroo Leather.

Horseman and Clinician Richard Winters has been helping people through training, clinics, horse expos and horse training DVD’s and videos for over thirty years. Richard is a performance horse trainer with a natural horsemanship touch. From reined cow horses to jumping and dressage, Richard’s horsemanship is universal. 

Loping Soft Nose Hackamore

This is our quality AMERICAN made western Hermann oak leather hackamore Loping soft nose bridle you hear about from the cutters, reiners, natural horsemanship trainers, all wanting some relief for their horses from the bit! We are honored that world known clinicians Richard Winters (www.wintersranch.com) and Mark Rashid (www.markrashid.com) uses this bridle on their own horses during clinics. This bridle is a must have for anyone wanting to use a bitless bridle for some bit relief. With many horse riders using this hackamore full time!
This is a round soft nose rope caveson hackamore designed to give relief from the bit and around your horse's nose and, because it is round, it works like a sidepull/hackamore combo. The rein and caveson are all one piece of marine yacht rope with a leather wrap under the chin binding it all together. It Does not slip or tighten under the chin!! 
You can also choose to add the Rawhide or soft chap leather to the nose for a firmer feel and control. The rein is a split rein 8' long with leather poppers.  or long LOOP one-piece rein.
The bridle features our working 5/8" harness leather double cheek adjustment headstall with a hand braided fiador (throat latch), which is adjustable to hold the hack in the proper position. Reins are 5/8"- 8' Nylon marine yacht rope with leather poppers.
- See more at: http://buckarooleather.com/shop/bosals,-hackamores-rawhide-gear/a-loping-soft-nose-hackamore-detail#sthash.Rv8fb91x.dpuf

This is our quality AMERICAN made western Hermann oak leather hackamore Loping soft nose bridle you hear about from the cutters, reiners, natural horsemanship trainers, all wanting some relief for their horses from the bit! We are honored that world known clinicians Richard Winters (www.wintersranch.com) and Mark Rashid (www.markrashid.com) uses this bridle on their own horses during clinics. This bridle is a must have for anyone wanting to use a bitless bridle for some bit relief. With many horse riders using this hackamore full time!

See more here and purchase

This is our quality AMERICAN made western Hermann oak leather hackamore Loping soft nose bridle you hear about from the cutters, reiners, natural horsemanship trainers, all wanting some relief for their horses from the bit! We are honored that world known clinicians Richard Winters (www.wintersranch.com) and Mark Rashid (www.markrashid.com) uses this bridle on their own horses during clinics. This bridle is a must have for anyone wanting to use a bitless bridle for some bit relief. With many horse riders using this hackamore full time!
This is a round soft nose rope caveson hackamore designed to give relief from the bit and around your horse's nose and, because it is round, it works like a sidepull/hackamore combo. The rein and caveson are all one piece of marine yacht rope with a leather wrap under the chin binding it all together. It Does not slip or tighten under the chin!! 
You can also choose to add the Rawhide or soft chap leather to the nose for a firmer feel and control. The rein is a split rein 8' long with leather poppers.  or long LOOP one-piece rein.
The bridle features our working 5/8" harness leather double cheek adjustment headstall with a hand braided fiador (throat latch), which is adjustable to hold the hack in the proper position. Reins are 5/8"- 8' Nylon marine yacht rope with leather poppers.
- See more at: http://buckarooleather.com/shop/bosals,-hackamores-rawhide-gear/a-loping-soft-nose-hackamore-detail#sthash.Rv8fb91x.dpu

Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable 
Quality American made leather horse tack...Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
Visit Our Unique Store Today 
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Old West Ghost Stories

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned Ghost Story??

I found some ghost stories about the cowboys, outlaws and towns of the old west, including Tombstone, Deadwood, and Jesse James. One of the towns, Virginia City, I have visited myself- and you can feel the history of the town as you walk thru!!

Tombstone

The Spirit of Marshal Fred White is reported to haunt the streets of Tombstone. Marshall White was accidentally shot by Cowboy faction leader, Curly Bill Brocius on October 28, 1880.

 
White, the first marshal of Tombstone, had gained the respect of the Clanton Gang, and in fact, had arrested "Cowboy” members on a number of occasions, rarely having any problems when doing so. In the early morning of October 28th, Curly Bill and several of his cohorts were making sport by shooting up the town.
 

When White went to disarm the gunman, a shot was accidentally fired, hitting White in the groin. Though, it was thought that he would make a full recovery, two days later he died. Today, he is said to haunt the street in front of the shooting site, which was an empty lot where the Bird Cage Theater was built a year later.

Deadwood

1876 saw the arrival of Seth Bullock and Sol Star to Deadwood, South Dakota. Moving their hardware store from Helena, Montana.

 According to dozens of reports, Seth Bullock still continues to play host at his beloved hotel. All manner of strange occurrences have happened at the historic hotel according to both staff and guests. Reports include feelings of a strong paranormal presence inside several of the rooms and in the hallways of the second and third floors, as well as in Bully’s restaurant, and in Seth's Cellar.

Others have reported actually seeing the tall ghostly figure of Bullock in various areas of the hotel, including the restaurant and the basement. Apparently Seth’s ghost wants to ensure that the staff is working hard, as paranormal events tend to increase when staff members stand idle, whistle or hum a tune. Plates and glasses have been known to shake and take flight in the restaurant, lights and appliances turn on and off by themselves and items are inexplicably moved by unseen hands.

Many guests have reported hearing their name called out by a male voice when no one is present, or have been tapped on the shoulder by unseen hands. Others have heard whistling and many report the sounds of footsteps in the hallways when no one is there.

In both the second and third floor rooms, guests have reported a number of strange occurrences including photographs that produce strange anomalies, alarm clocks that go off, even when they are unplugged, televisions that seemingly operate with unseen hands, cloudy figures seen in rooms and hallways, and even an antique clock, that hasn't functioned in years, that chimes of its own accord.

Bodie, California

Legends about Bodie abound, including the Bodie Curse. Supposedly, if visitors take anything from this old ghost town – even a pebble, they will be cursed with bad luck. Misfortune and tragedy are heaped upon the victim until the stolen item is returned.

According to Park Rangers, many who have taken things eventually return them to the park to rid themselves of this curse. Purportedly, the park maintains a logbook of pages and pages of returned items.


In the museum, you can see the letters from people who have returned items to the park. The curse is supposedly perpetuated by the ghosts of Bodie who guard against thieves and protect its treasures. Some believe that the "curse” is nothing more than a superstition perpetuated by the Park Rangers to preserve Bodie as a historic site.




 

Other ghostly legends have seemingly occurred in this ghost town. The J.S. Cain house is said to be haunted by the ghost of a Chinese maid. Families of Park Rangers, who have occupied the house, describe the spirit, as not liking adults, but loves children.


Adults sleeping in the house have said that they will awake in the night to find the "heavy set” Chinese woman sitting on them. Feeling suffocated, one woman fought so hard that she ended up on the floor. Others have reported seeing the bedroom door opening and closing on its own.

The Gregory House is also said to be haunted by the ghost of an old woman. Guests and staff have reported seeing her sitting in a rocking chair, knitting an afghan. At other times, the rocking chair has been seen rocking on its own accord.

Jesse James

It should come as no surprise that the Jesse James Farm in Kearney, Missouri is said to be haunted. Given the violent temperament of some of its inhabitants, the untimely death of Jesse James, the violence that occurred on the property, and the tragic death of Jesse’s younger half-brother Archie.


Both Jesse and Frank James were raised in this house by their mother Zerelda, who was married to three different husbands and bore eight children. It was here that Jesse James was whipped as a teenager by Union militia who strung up his stepfather and burned nearby farms.


It was also here that Zerelda watched as her son Archie was murdered by Pinkerton detectives in an attack where she lost her right hand. After Jesse was killed, he was buried here, where she could protect the grave from trespassers or souvenir hunters. Later, his body was re-interred at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Kearney.


The James Family Farm has said to have been haunted for more than a century. Evidently home to a number of lingering spirits, lights are said to move about both inside and outside of the property buildings. Others report hearing the sounds of pounding hooves, muffled shots and cries that are reminiscent of the area history, dating back to events of the Civil War.

Today, wide arrays of mysterious happenings occur in the house. Reports are frequent that lights are seen inside the building long after it has been locked up for the evening and movements are often seen which are never registered on a security monitoring system. Staff reports that feelings of a presence within the home are extremely intense. Others report that on foggy mornings, hushed voices and the sounds of restless horses can be heard from the nearby woods. However, when they follow up, there are no signs of a disturbance or tracks within the trees.









 

Virginia City, Nevada

Old Washoe Club


The Old Washoe Club is said to be the most haunted location in Virginia City. A saloon occupies the lower level and has for many years. The second floor used to be The Millionaire's Club. The third floor was previously used as a brothel.
 

Ghosts known to haunt this location include a man dressed in black, a lady dressed in blue, and a small child. There is also the ghost known as Lena, who has been experienced all over the building. The Old Washoe Club has been featured on different TV shows including Ghosts Hunters.



Silver Queen Hotel and Casino


The story of the ghost at the Silver Queen Hotel and Casino is a sad one. A female spirit from the 1800's still lingers on there. The story goes that she was pregnant and waiting for her boyfriend to come back, but he never returned. She was so upset, that she committed suicide.

 

Virginia City Visitor's Center
 

The Virginia City Visitor's Center, located on C Street, across the street from the Ponderosa Saloon and Mine, was once a two story, dried goods stores. It is currently the home of the spirit of a little girl. The identity of the little girl is unknown.



The Chapin Boarding House


Originally built in 1862 by Samuel Chapin, the Chapin Boarding House was one of the finest boarding houses in all of Nevada. Today it sits vacant, for sale. People who enter the building complain of an uneasy feeling.


Gold Hill Hotel


Built in 1859, the Gold Hill Hotel is the oldest operating hotel and saloon in the state of Nevada. It is located just outside of Virginia City. Visitors arriving to Virginia City from either the Lake Tahoe or Reno areas pass by this small town en route to Virginia City. It is also a stop on the 35 minute train tour of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad tour.

At least two ghosts are said to reside here. First, there is William, a firefighter who died in the Yellow Jacket fire. Guests at the hotel have been known to smell his pipe tobacco. He particularly hangs out in room # 5 and has repeatedly awakened guests at 3:00 o'clock in the morning by shaking the bed.


There is also the ghost of Rosie. Rosie is believed to be a previous housekeeper who enjoys moving guests' keys around. A visitor can know when Rosie is present by the smell of old fashioned rose petals.

Just about all of the old, historical buildings have a ghost or two, which is why Virginia City is considered the most haunted city in Nevada. 







Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable 
QualityAmerican made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
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Equestrian Acts of the Old West Circus

Circuses were an important part of the old west culture in the 1800s.

Cowboys coming from the dusty cow trails, frontier men after a long work week and miners who were looking to forget there long hard day in the mine came to town looking for excitement and entertainment.

Circuses provided much needed entertainment for all. They had acts like wild animal menageries, clowns, acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, brass bands, performing elephants and equestrians who could stand on horseback as they galloped around a center ring.

The circuses date back to Mexican times when shows based on European models came up from the South into California and the southwest around the middle of the 19th century. Circus troupes from the East began to reach settlements in the more accessible regions of Kansas and Nebraska. They traveled in horse drawn wagons over atrocious roads.

By 1880s when railroads had eased the difficulties of transportation, the circus came into its own as the greatest show in the West.

One of those shows was the John Rowe & Co. Pioneer Circus. Here is an excerpt from an article written about the show-

(From the book-“Men of the West-Life on the American Frontier” by Cathy Luchetti)

“ by far the most extensive and elegant organized equestriene establishment that ever appeared in CA…Traveling through the state at an expense of fifteen thousand dollars a month as an added incentive, the seats are carpeted, and attentive and gentlemanly ushers to wait on ladies and family."


The John Rowe & Co. Pioneer Circus was based in San Francisco, Ca and traveled extensively throughout California. As mentioned before, one of the circus acts was the equestrians who could do acrobatics on horseback.

Below is a glimpse into a typical equestrian performance at the Pioneer Circus.

The main acts of the Pioneer Circus were the equestrian events. At show time the audience was treated to all the spectacle and finery the troupe could provide. One of these spectacles was Miss Mary Ann Whittaker, the first female equestrian artist in America. She was ranked among the best in ballet and pantomime. She would ride out into the sawdust-covered ring standing on her milk white horse in pink tights and ruffles with stars and spangles. Then to the amazement of the crowd as she neared a ribbon held in her path 12 feet high by two colorful clowns, she would leap up off the horse and over the ribbon and then land gracefully onto the horses back all while it was speeding around the circus ring. The applause was thunderous and it continued through the evening. Other riders rode in pyramids on two horses with three riders stacked neatly on top of one another while still others did forward and backward flips through rings of fire.

For these amazing acts to work the horses and riders went through hours of rigorous training some of which is not what you would expect. While the horses went through their paces the grooms would carelessly kick cans about the ring, fire guns, and even tie five-gallon cans to the horse's tail! This was all done in training to teach the horse not to sway from its paces for anyone but its trainer. Timing was everything in the ring. An acrobatic rider doing a back somersault would not like it much if he came down from his leap only to find the horse spooked by a child with a firecracker and not be in his appointed spot.

The Circuses not only used their horses for entertainment, but for hauling all the equipment, animals, and performers in wagons. The travel was hard and taxing on all. Between the roads, or lack of, and the weather it made getting from one town to the next very eventful.

Usually the circus would only be able to cover two or three miles in an hour. Many of the stops were 10 to 15 miles apart and a rider would go ahead and mark the forks in the road with a rail so the caravan would go the right way.

Perhaps the worst occurrence would be after getting little or no sleep, fighting their way through a drenching rainstorm, pulling out and repairing wagons, and then hearing the word "lost." This of course meant retracing steps and going through all the problems again.

Rowe's Pioneer Circus played the mountain camps and towns until August when due to expenses they were forced to return to San Francisco. Before leaving they had played Yankee Jim, Iowa Hill, Illinois Town, Dutch Flats, Red Dog, Grass Valley, Rough and Ready, Nevada, Orleans Flat, Oroville, Horsetown, Marysville, Monk Hill, Railroad Flat, West Point, Chinese cap and Columbia.

I can just imagine the excitement of the circus coming to these prairie towns and watching the thrilling acts of the equestrian acrobatics.








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Horses at Disneyland

 The Disneyland Monorail 1959

“If there’s anything to this reincarnation stuff, I’d like to come back to Disneyland as a horse someday!”…this is a quote from an officer from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals who had just finished an inspection at Disneyland. (taken from the Western Horseman magazine)



While cleaning out a closet, I came across some old Western Horseman magazines and one in particular caught my eye. It was the issue from September 1957. 

There was a fascinating article about the horses at Disneyland.

 I took a few photos of some of the pictures in the article and decided to write a quick blog about them. 

The stagecoach (pictured below) was one of many ways a visitor could ride around the Rainbow Desert in Frontier Land. 

They could also choose to ride a Conestoga Wagon or the pack mule train. (below)

In 1957 Disneyland maintained about 200 head of horses. The horses and the ponies were kept in individual toe stalls. The mules and burros had their own corrals and lots. The animals at Disneyland worked no more than 4 hours a day six days a week.

Disneyland also had a full time Farrier by the name of Charles Heumphreus on hand. To oversee the horse operations, Disney hired Mr and Mrs Owen Pope. They manufactured and repaired all the harnesses and horse tack for the horses. Owen was widely known for trailers he manufactured in Ft. Worth.

This is a great photo (below) of the horses all dressed up for the Easter Parade. Disneyland ordered 10 new Easter bonnets especially made for the horses at a total cost of $150.

 
Here is a close up of the Disneyland Horse and the decorative bridle. This picture is from 1959.

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New Light Weight Saddle at Buckaroo Leather

This Saddle has a new option of the Slick Fork Wade Style 

(like the above photo) 

or the All Around Style (like the photos below)

Are you looking for a light weight quality ranch saddle that will not break your wallet???

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This ranch saddle uses a new Kevlar Tree. This innovative tree is made from foam and E-Glass creating a light weight and Extremely strong Tree! What is Kevlar? Kevlar fibers are 43 percent lighter than typical fiberglass, 10-times stronger than aluminum, and literally five-times stronger than steel.

All the trees have a ground seat built into the tree making the seats consistent and comfortable!

These saddles are assembled in China but the quality and lightness of this saddle are great for the horseman or women who want an affordable Wade Saddle. Skilled American craftsman helped them all through the production of these saddles.

The cost of this saddle is $1075.

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Gullet: Quarter Horse 6 1/2" wide x 7 1/2" high
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Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable 
Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
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The Pinkerton Detective Agency

I think we all know the great western movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with Robert Redford and Paul Newman.

The famous line from the movie, " Who are those guys"?

Well who "were those guys"? They were the Pinkertons' chasing down the "Kid" and Butch Cassidy for the railroad company.

The Pinkerton Detective Agency was hired by the railroads to catch not only Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid but also Jesse James.

The History behind The Pinkerton Detective Agency and its founders is truly fascinating. Below is that history-

 
Allan Pinkerton (25 August 1819 – 1 July 1884) was a Scottish American detective and spy, best known for creating the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, the first detective agency of the United States.

Pinkerton was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to William Pinkerton and his wife, Isabell in 1819. The location of the house where he was born is now occupied by the Glasgow Central Mosque. A cooper by trade, he was active in the British Chartist movement as a young man. Pinkerton married Joan Carfrae (a singer) secretly before moving to America. Disillusioned by the failure to win suffrage, Pinkerton emigrated to the United States in 1842, at the age of 23.

In 1849 Pinkerton was appointed as the first detective in Chicago. In the 1850s, he partnered with Chicago attorney Edward Rucker in forming the North-Western Police Agency, later known as the Pinkerton National Detective Agency which is still running (but has been renamed) as a subsidiary of Securitas AB. Pinkerton's business insignia was a wide open eye with the caption "We never sleep." As the United States expanded in territory, rail transportation increased. Pinkerton's agency solved a series of train robberies during the 1850s, first bringing Pinkerton into contact with George McClellan and Abraham Lincoln.

Prior to his service with the Union Army, he developed several investigative techniques that are still used today. Among them are "shadowing" (surveillance of a suspect) and "assuming a role" (undercover work). Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Pinkerton served as head of the Union Intelligence Service in 1861–62 and foiled an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland, while guarding Abraham Lincoln on his way to his inauguration. His agents often worked undercover as Confederate soldiers and sympathizers, in an effort to gather military intelligence. Pinkerton served in several undercover missions under the alias of Major E.J. Allen. Pinkerton was succeeded as Intelligence Service chief by Lafayette Baker. The Intelligence Service was the forerunner of the U.S. Secret Service. He arrested Rose O'Neal Greenhow, an actress/Confederate spy, by looking through her window.

Following Pinkerton's service with the Union Army, he continued his pursuit of train robbers, such as the Reno Gang and the famous outlaw Jesse James. He was originally hired by the railroad express companies to track down James, but after failing to capture him, the railroad withdrew their financial support and Pinkerton continued to track James on his own dime. After James captured and killed one of Pinkerton's young undercover agents, who was foolish enough to attempt to gain employment at the James farmstead, he finally gave up the chase. Some consider this failure Pinkerton's biggest defeat. He also sought to oppose labor unions. In 1872, the Spanish Government hired Pinkerton to help suppress a revolution in Cuba which intended to end slavery and give citizens the right to vote.

In late June 1884 he slipped on a pavement in Chicago, biting his tongue as he did so. He didn't seek treatment and the tongue became infected, leading to his death on 1 July 1884. At the time of his death, he was working on a system that would centralize all criminal identification records, a database now maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Pinkerton is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago. He is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.

After his death, the agency continued to operate and soon became a major force against the young labor movement developing in the United States and Canada. This effort tarnished the image of the Pinkertons for years. They were involved in numerous activities against labor during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including:
▪ The Homestead Strike (1891)
▪ The Pullman Strike (1894)
▪ The Wild Bunch Gang (1896)
▪ The Ludlow Massacre (1914)
▪ The La Follette Committee (1933-1937)

Many labor sympathizers accused the Pinkertons of inciting riots in order to discredit unions and justify police crackdowns. The Pinkertons' reputation was harmed by their protection of replacement workers ("scabs") and the business property of the major industrialists, including Andrew Carnegie.

Pinkerton was so famous that for decades after his death, his surname was a slang term for a private eye. Due to the Pinkerton Agency's conflicts with labor unions, the word Pinkerton remains in the vocabulary of labor organizers and union members as a derogatory reference to authority figures who side with management.

Pinkerton's exploits were in part the inspiration of the 1961 NBC western television series, Whispering Smith, starring Audie Murphy and Guy Mitchell.

Pinkerton produced numerous popular detective books, ostensibly based on his own exploits and those of his agents. Some were published after his death, and they are considered to have been more motivated by a desire to promote his detective agency than a literary endeavor. Most historians believe that Allan Pinkerton hired ghostwriters, but the books nonetheless bear his name and no doubt reflect his own views.









Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality 
American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand 
Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

The How and Why of Sidepull Headstalls

The Majestic Collection Sidepull

Side Pull Headstalls are used without a bit, and are very popular in the training arena and for the experienced trail horse and rider.

Many trainers have found the side pull headstall great for horses who do not except a bit very well and are fussy and tense and unable to relax and learn.

SidePull Bitless Headstall Old West Silver

It is also excellent for horses that have mouth injuries or are sensitive due to harsh training conditions.

The side pull is fast becoming the choice in early stages of ground driving and teaching the basics of turning and stopping.

A Quality leather side pull headstall or bridle is designed for the reins to connect to the rings on each side of the horses cheeks allowing the rider to communicate very clearly left and right.

Different nosebands are available depending on how much pressure you want to excerpt on their nose. The single lariat rope nose gives the most in a narrow area across the nose. 

Rolled Nose Sidepull Bitless Bridle

The double rope spreads the pressure out. 

The flat leather nose gives the least amount of pressure for the more trained and experienced horse.

Buckaroo Pro SidePull-Stainless

Trainers in the natural horsemanship arenas have been using different types of side pull headstalls for a long time.

Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the 
Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand 
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Rodeo Women of the 1800's

Most women of the 1800's learned to ride out of necessity from helping on the ranch and practicing the skills of the range. From an early age, women could stay in the saddle, break a bronc and rope a steer.

In the late 1800's, the younger horsewomen began competing against males in a yearly gathering of herds -which progressed into participating in rodeo's.
 
The first rodeos began in the mid-1800 when thousands of cattle and horses were driven to town for the yearly round-up. The cowboys were eager for relaxation and would compete in tests of skills like roping, breaking horses, branding cattle and racing.
 
Women of the 1800, however, were not recognized in the arena until 1885. The most famous cowgirl was Phoebe Ann Moses or Annie Oakley (pictured here).

Here are two stories of women who also helped start the movement of women in Rodeo's (Stories are from the book "Daughters of the West" by Anne Seagraves.)

In 1897, Bertha Kaelpernick Blancett (pictured above) rode over 100 miles to enter a horse race in Cheyenne's Frontier Days and she was allowed to enter only because the arena was so muddy the cowboys refused to participate. Bertha was coerced into riding a bucking horse to keep the crowd from leaving. Once upon the animal, the petite girl had the ride of her life. Part of the time the horse was up in the air on his hind feet and once he fell backwards, but gutsy Bertha skillfully slid to his side and hung on. Although it was said at that time, that Bertha was a terrible bucker, she had managed to remain in the saddle, putting the cowboys to shame.

Later in 1904 Bertha became a star performer in Claude William's show and was a four time winner in Roman Racing at Pendleton. Bertha rode under men's rules, was seldom defeated and often beat such cowboys as Ben Corbett and Hoot Gibson.

Four years later Prairie Rose Henderson, an exuberant and talented daughter of a Wyoming rancher, rode to Cheyenne to enter a bronc busting contest. When the lady arrived, she was told, much to her chagrin that women were not permitted to ride. When Rose demanded to see the rules, she found there was no clause forbidding women to compete, and the officials were forced to let her participate. Her entrance into the arena created a sensation. Women had always been spectators, not competitors, and Miss Henderson was a colorful person. She came dashing out of the chute hanging on with all her strength and promptly lost the race. Prairie Rose, however, was really a winner, for she had opened the door to rodeo for other women to follow.
 
Later, Rose went on to victory in other rodeos and became one of the most flamboyant cowgirls of her era. In 1918, she entered the Gordon Nebraska rodeo wearing ostrich plumes over her bloomers and a blouse covered with bright sequins she had carefully sewn herself.
 
Rose eventually married a rancher and one cloudy day in 1932, Rose rode off to her last competition. This time, she faced her greatest fear, a storm, and lost her life during a blizzard. Prairie Rose's body was discovered nine years later and identified only by her champion belt buckle.




Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand 
Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand 
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A Well Know Character...Little Jo Monaghan

In 1904, the Boise City Capital News reported the death of Jo Monaghan, "a well-known character" who had worked, ranched and ridden roundups in Idaho for more than thirty years.

Deemed like able, if a little odd, by his neighbors, Jo had never given anyone reason to suspect that he was actually a woman. He had even enjoyed such exclusively male privileges as voting and serving on juries.

Jo Monaghan arrived in Owyhee County, Ruby City, Idaho in 1867. This city was Idaho's latest center for the gold rush fever. Jo was only 5ft tall in his cowboy boots. He was slight and and had a high pitched voice. His nick name became "Little Joe".

Jo Monaghan lived in Ruby City, in a little shack for 10 years. He tried his skill at mining
(but was unsuccessful) and sheep herding. He also raised chickens and hogs, and made money by keeping a cow and selling the milk to the miners. 

He took a job as a sheepherder and spent 3 years, alone with just his horse and dog watching over the sheep. Jo fended off wolves through the long snowy winters.

Jo also worked on cattle drives or wrangling and shearing sheep for local ranchers. He never bathed or bunked with the other cow hands and laid his bedroll outside. He also had no interest in bars and dance halls.

Little Joe had only one close friend, an older mine superintendent. He entrusted him with all his hard earned money for safe keeping. The superintendent disappeared one day with all of Joe's savings, 2 decades worth. Joe and his neighbors formed a posse and chased after the thief, but never found him or the money.

Little Joe was a natural on horseback He took to breaking wild horses for a living-he became known throughout the Owyhee's as a superior horseman.

In early 1880's little Joe moved to Rockville, along the Idaho and Oregon border, and started a homestead. 21 citizens lived in Rockville-Joe loved the little city. He was well liked by all there and before long he had a dozen head of his own cattle and horses.

Joe continued to take jobs on other ranches. Through these ranchers- it was suggested that Little Joe try out for a Wild West Show. The other ranchers arranged a meeting between Little Joe and Andrew Whaylen. Andrew Whaylen was a former member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show who was starting his own show.

Whaylen's Wild West Show hired Little Joe and featured him as "Cowboy Joe" and offered $25 to any man who could bring in a bronc that Joe could not ride. Little Joe was able to ride any bucking horse with ease and even horses that had thrown all the other local riders.

Whaylen saw an article for Vitagraph Film Co. They touted themselves as the next big thing-"moving pictures". Whaylen wrote to the film co. and suggested they film his Wild West Show.

Albert Smith of Vitagraph eagerly accepted-it would be the first Western movie to be filmed west of the Mississippi. The shows star performance was Cowboy Joe Monaghan. He was filmed on a bucking bronc.

After the Wild West show closed for the season, Joe returned home to his ranch. In 1903 Joe was driving his cattle to pasture near the Boise river, when he took ill. He was taken to the Malloy Ranch for care. He died there on January 1904.


During the burial preparations, Joe's long held secret was revealed. Joe was actually a woman. There was further evidence found in Joe's home. The neighbors were going through Joe's things and found letters written by Joe's sister.

The letters told about a debutante from Buffalo New York, Josephine Monaghan, who had a child out of wedlock. She was disowned by her wealthy family. Her son's name was Laddie. She was a desperate mother trying to make a living by working as a waitress at a restaurant in New York City. Laddie was born in 1866 and her and the child were abandoned by the father. At one point Joe was forced to put, Laddie in an asylum. All this became to much for Josephine (Joe) and she left her child with her sister.

 Laddie eventually graduated from Columbia Law School and entered the New York State Bar Association.

 Josephine (Jo) Monaghan's amazing story was made into a movie called "The Ballad of Little Joe".

Information for this story came from the books-
"Cowgirls" by candace savage
"More Than Petticoats:Remarkable Idaho Women" by Lynn E Bragg



Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand Visit Our Unique Store Today Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Who are Those Guys???....Who is that Girl????

"They're beginning to get on my nerves. Who are those guys?"...A quote from Butch Cassidy played by Paul Newman in the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

This is a classic quote from a movie about two "infamous" outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker (Butch Cassidy) and Harry Alonzo Longabaugh (Sundance Kid). Both were well known members of the gang "The Wild Bunch". But what of the young women we see with Butch Cassidy and Sundance? Who was she?

                                      

Etta Place

Her name was Etta Place or maybe it was really Ethel, Eva, Rita or Ethel Bishop. There have been many theories on the true identity of Etta Place. Some say she was Ethel Bishop a young music teacher who lived in San Antonio, Texas. Another theory suggests that she was really a cattle rustler named Ann Bassett. Whatever her true identity, Etta was always described as having classic good looks.
 
Those who met Etta claimed the first thing they noticed about her was her striking beauty. She had a nice smile, brown hair, and was always cordial and refined. They also claimed she was an excellent shot with a rifle. That may be why she was reportedly only one of 5 women to have ever been allowed into the Wild Bunch hideout at Robbers Roost in southern Utah.

Etta was the companion of the Wild Bunch gang for many years. It is not know exactly how she became apart of the gang. Some believe she met the gang in a brothel and started dating Parker. But, then became involved with Longabaugh later. Rumors said she married Longabaugh, before traveling with he and Parker on their "adventures" to New York City, Argentina, and Chile but nothing was ever proven. She was spotted many times with both men throughout this time, but it was her disappearance that created the biggest sensation.

  Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid

Little is really known about what really happened to Etta Place.  Some say she was tired of running from the law and left Longabaugh and the gang to head back to the United States to teach.  Others suggest she died either by her own hand or someone else's in Argentina. To this day, rumors and speculations still surround the disappearance of Etta Place. Many authors and historians have tried to solve the mystery but have failed.

Maybe we should all be asking, "Who was that girl Etta Place?"



Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality American made leather horse tack....... Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand Visit Our Unique Store Today Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site