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This is an original photo made in 1931 of W.W. Sterling. He was a Texas Ranger, Captain Of the Texas Rangers, and Adjutant General of Texas. He is holding what he called his "Sunday Gun". It is a fancy Colt SAA that was given to him by the people of Laredo, Texas. It originally cost $300.00 at that time. I guess this was before the term "barbecue gun" was used. His name was engraved on the back-strap. I am trying to find out more information about the SAA now. This photo was taken in Austin.
This is a print of a more familiar pose.
Here is a copy of one of his Warrant of Authority and Descriptive List
Here is a photo of the display for him in the "Texas Ranger Hall Of Fame" in Waco.
He also wrote a book titled "Trails and Trials of a Texas Ranger" in 1959. I have a first edition.
This is a great find for me. You will not believe where I found it, France! It was sent there for a newspaper article. I thought y'all might want to see it. It is not published in any book that I know of.
Last edited by rangerider7 on Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I find this to be just A-Aright !! Thanks for all the short history info .
I have not only enjoyed these , but have learned a lot that I didn't know.
Thanks again.................Mutt
rangerider - Congratulations on a great find. One thing that you've demonstrated here on this post, and in many others in which you've shared your finds, is how much research a good collector will do. Who'd have thought that you'd find a photograph of that quality in ... France ?
Thanks for letting us all in on these terrific finds of yours. - DixieBoy
When the People Fear Their Government There is Tyranny; When the Government Fears the People There is Liberty.
At 6 feet 3 inches, he would have been a big 'un for that time period.
"...In this present crisis, government isn't the solution to the problem; government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
"...all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Declaration of Independence
According to the little plaque under the second picture, he was born in 1891 and enlisted in the Texas Rangers in 1915. That would have made him 14-years old when he joined the Rangers. Can that be correct? Not trying to find fault with the info/pictures provided -- always good and appreciated. Just curious.
Texas Ranger Captains W.W. Sterling and Tom Hickman both rode and judged in many rodeos in the U.S.A. and around the world. Both loved to be photographed. In the thirties high riding heels were in. I wouldn't doubt "The General" might have ordered his a little higher to make him stand out even more that his 6'3" frame already did. The second photo was taken at the "Cotton Bowl" in 1936 at the Texas Centennial Rodeo. This is a photo of Captain Tom Hickman inside the arena at the Fort Worth Collisim in the now "Historical Fort Worth Stockyards". It was taken about the same time.
Ah yes...W.W.Sterling. About 1960 I checked out a copy of his book from the Brownsville Public Library and it was on the kitchen table when my Grandfather (a lawyer) walked in from work. He saw it and wanted to know what it was doing on a table in his house. I told him the story. He open the kitchen door to spit outside and say that Sterling was a liar, a perjurer and a disgrace to the badge and the Rangers. Seems like Grandad and Sterling has crossed paths several times over the years in various courtrooms.
He told me I could read the book if I wanted to, but to remember that books written by liars often contained lies. He never would discuss the particulars of the issue.
My Grandad was a cowboy, cable tool oil well driller, lawyer and judge. He served in WWI and WWII and rose from private to Colonel. He was an astute judge of human beings and I always trusted his judgment. He would give you the shirt off his back and was honest to a fault. But, he did call em the way he saw em and was not a man who could be insulted or disrespected. I once saw him grab an Assistant District Attorney by the collar and drag him across the counsel table whereupon he shook him like a terrier with a rat. This was done in open court and no charges were pressed. Everybody knew better than insult Col Mathews in court or anywhere else.
John Wayne played salty heroes in movies, but my Grandad was the real deal. Lordy but I miss than old man!
Sterling definitely told the story of the Rangers with his slant. In the book he tells the story of the two men he shot that it was all in self defense but others told a different story. During the "Bandit Wars" a lot of atrocities were made by both sides. Lawsuits are still going on. I read all history books on the Texas Rangers with an open mind. He said, she said, they said, seems to be in the eyes of the beholder. I can understand why your Granddad felt the way he did living in Brownsville. Lies were told to cover up plenty of murders. To bad we all weren't there to know what really happened during those times. I have always been told to take Sterling's book with a grain of salt. "Lone Wolf" told me that himself.
Hobie... I had the good fortune to come from a long line ( 6 generations) of Texas ranchers, Peace Officers, Lawyers and Judges. They were all strong willed, agressive men. They stomped their way through life, leaving big tracks as they went. They were not always right, but were on the right side. In today's parlance they were all colorful people.
My Grandad once told me.."Son, if you don't want to make waves, then don't ever say nothing, don't ever do nothing and don't ever be nothing." Going along to get along was not part of my families creado.
I am but a pale reflection of my ancestors, but even that pale shade has not always been appreciated. I chose a profession where agression and strong will are not traits held in high esteem. I have attempted to moderate these traits, but without much sucess. Viva DNA!
Rangerider.. I am also a student of Ranger history as my GGFather ranged with Callahan, Ford and Pitts against the Comanche before the Civil War. I grew up with Ranger lore and history. I have a nice collection of Ranger history books, but I think your collection probably is greater. For all of their bigger than life image, Rangers were for all of that, just human beings. They came in all kinds and flavors.
YOu are of course correct about some of the bad stuff that took place down here in deep South Texas. The border has always been a place where cultures and ambitions came in conflict. There is plenty of blame to go around. Still, lots of the older Mexican folks speak with great distain of the pinche Rinches.
Myself like most Anglos have a love/hate relationship with the Borderlands. Maybe before I die I will figure out which it is. But a good indicator, is I have left instructions that I be buried either in Trickham Texas (Coleman Counth) or in the Pitts Cemetary (private family) just out of San Marcos. I want to be buried in a casket and not a taco shell.
Charles, my ancestry also came from ranchers, lawmen, farmers, blacksmiths, trail drivers, cowboys,and soldiers of the Civil War. W.C. McGough, on my mothers side, was with Sul Ross when he took back Cynthia Ann Parker. I agree with all you said. I don't know if I have read more on the Texas Rangers but have done my fair share. Walter Prescott Webb in his book "Texas Rangers", I think, Call Frank Hamer "the greatest Ranger of the modern era". He was one tough man but I doubt if he got some of the stories from fellow Rangers that I heard first hand from Rangers that work under him, not to say Frank wasn't; but Webb may have thought about it a little more. The new authors writing about the Rangers like Cox, Harris & Sadler, and Utley are putting a new perspective of thought in their books. At this late date all I have to say is "it was a different place and time" than it is today. The way things are going though, it might be coming around again soon. I enjoyed the discussion Charles.
Charles wrote:Hobie... I had the good fortune to come from a long line ( 6 generations) of Texas ranchers, Peace Officers, Lawyers and Judges. They were all strong willed, agressive men. They stomped their way through life, leaving big tracks as they went. They were not always right, but were on the right side. In today's parlance they were all colorful people.
Sounds like the makings of a great book!
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Rangerider... There is nothing I enjoy more than discussing "old time" Texas with another Texan who understands the unique culture and people that made this state what is is today.
One of my most prized possession is a 1st. Edition of Webb's book. When he was doing research for the book, he interviewed my Grandfather about his father's exploits with Ford in 1859 when they chases the Comanche all the way out of Texas and engaged in a big fight where Chief Iron Jacket was killed. Iron Jacket was the father of Nacona who was the father of Quanah. Anyway, when the book was published Webb sent an inscribed copy to my Grandfather to thank him for the interview.
As a Lawyer and "Officer of the Court" it used to bother me greatly that the Rangers ignored the law and violated the rights of people on a regular basis. Many folks pass this off as ignorance of the law, but it really wasn't.
Joaquin Jackson was the first to explain it to me where it made sense. The Rangers stood for Law and Order, but Order came first. In situations where there was no law, the law was corrupt or overwhelmed by the bad guys, the restoration of civil order came first. Sometimes that was at the expense of the letter of the law. My "justice bone" has ceased to ach, since I saw the truth in what Joaquin said.
I don't know what the future hold for the Borderlands. Our future is bound to the future of Mexico whether we like it or not. Today, there is neither law nor order in Mexico. President Calderon has good intentions, but he has no effective police, military or judicial system to carry out his intentions. The corruption, ineptitude and ignorance of their social institutions is almost beyond belief.
With notable exceptions, the police and judicial system on our side of the Border is also corrupt and ineffective. To a lesser degree than Mexico, but still not working for the good of the people. The amount of drug money sloshing around is enought to corrupt just about anybody. Customs, Border Patrol, local LEOs and even DPS officers have been caught with their hands dusted with cocaine.
With the 24 hour news cycle, the ACLU and other left wing watchdogs, I doubt if the Rangers or anybody else could get away with putting order before law. Pity! So we just keep our powder dry and our eyes open.
With all of the politics and political correctness tieing the hands of our military, we have been bogged down in Iraq and Afganistan for going on ten years, with no real end in sight. There is no way we could invade Mexico and turn that country around. We have neither the funds nor the will to do what that would take.
I haven't sen a pic of Cp'n Tom in a long time, he was counted as a friend of my Great grand father and grand father, ggdad serve in the War of Southern Aggression on the wining side an serve time in POW camp in the south, but never held hate toward any of them, gdad serve for a time during WW-1 in Texas as a stock Dick and all ways spoke highly of the Rangers dealings and their "right" atititude toward bad guys in general.
The grand fathers all ways said the same thing Range, different times,, I wish I had the picuters of those long ago, but as I have said before fire does more then destory things it fades memories as well.
