Old photos of "American West" ancestors!

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:40 am

The first one is my wife's grandfather. It was taken in De Leon, Texas after he came back from a 900 mile trail drive from Hereford to Alpine, Texas in 1898. His name was Walter "Waddie" Chambers. Waddie was a nickname given to cowboys in the early days. Her dad told me many stories about him. One that I remember best was when he and his dad Waddie were traveling on a hot day in Texas in their model T. He told his dad he was thirsty, so his dad pulled over and walked him down to a tank near the road, pulled off his Stetson dipped it in the water and gave him a long drink. Dub, his son, said that was the best drink of water he ever tasted. My grand father was a horse trader . He lived in Gustine Texas. He helped learn me to shoot a rifle at a very young age in Comanche, Texas. My other grandfather was a blacksmith and trapper in Throckmorton county Texas. He is the one without the hat. We hunted together many many times along with my uncle, the burr headed one in the middle. These are great memories. Let us see yours!

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:45 am

rangerider7,

Only one picture showed up.

I notice Walter came from the Elmer Keith cigar school of thought.

Joe

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:51 am

J Miller wrote:I notice Walter came from the Elmer Keith cigar school of thought.

Used to be that many farms grew their own tobacco and made cigars. Old cigar molds are fairly common. This was pre-cigarettes and of course you have your reactionaries who wouldn't adapt...

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:00 am

Sorry, I had a problem with the other two photos. I think I got it right this time. By the way that's my mother to the right of my uncle. Ain't she cute. I guess she did not want to have her picture taken. Lets see some of yours.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:08 am

Lets see some of yours. Very Happy

I really wish I had some to share. To my knowledge ALL of my ancestors immigrated from Europe very late in the 1890s or so. None of them made it any further west than Missouri.

Joe

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:06 pm

Joe, not to worry, youre a Western original Sir!

I've got an older one but can't locate it right now. This is much of the Cash Clan in West/Central Texas about 1914. This is either Knox co. or Clay County. They all farmed and ranched there, having come to Texas about 1880 from Eastern Tennessee. My Grandfather is seated(arms folded) in lower right, flanked by his twin brothers, and parents seated directly above. The Dad of the older men pictured here came down and fought in the War with Mexico in 1847-8, and then fought as a Confederate Cavalryman in the 5th Tenn. Cav(McKenzie's) throughout the Civil War.

45-70- · Post by **45-70-** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:26 pm

I will try and get the old family photo album from my folks. Lots of "characters" in it.

Here is the grave of my great grandfather on my mothers side. Everyone knew him as "Tac" Durr. They said they found out his real name after he died. Not sure if I have a picture of him or not.

I know we have some photos of the family moonshiners in their fancy suits and cars.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgarvin/bios/ ... ander.html

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 5:27 pm

I would love to see the moonshiners. My grandfather the blacksmith would make a little moonshine in his day.

ohwin94_61 · Post by **ohwin94_61** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:06 pm

Tried posting picture just wont

don Tomás · Post by **don Tomás** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:07 pm

Hobie wrote:
J Miller wrote:I notice Walter came from the Elmer Keith cigar school of thought.
Used to be that many farms grew their own tobacco and made cigars. Old cigar molds are fairly common. This was pre-cigarettes and of course you have your reactionaries who wouldn't adapt...

Hobie,
Mi abuelo (my grandpa) once told me that back in his day, any man who would smoke store bought cigarettes was just showing off his slothfulness...

Tom

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:17 pm

My grandfather's smoked Bull Durham, role your own, and the other a pipe with Prince Albert in the can or Velvet. They both had Winchester 30-30s and Colt SAA 45s.

Comal Forge · Post by **Comal Forge** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:30 pm

The one above is my ancestor Jessie Alexander Pate, Jr. - he was born in 1864. His wife Artimicia Hollis Pate is standing behind him. His father, Jessie Sr, is the one I referenced in the other post as having lived through the Civil War and killed a couple of outlaws shortly thereafter. We don't have a picture of him that is scanned.

The following one shows my grandmother several times removed - Mary Jane Heal (Bear Heel), a Cherokee woman who married my ancestor, William Melton Wooldridge. He lived from 1813 until 1885, she was born in 1826 and died in 1891. William is the one seated on the left with the child in his lap (my great-great grandfather, Joel Tennessee Wooldridge, born in 1866). Mary is seated to his left and holding an infant. All of the people in the picture except William are her children. Her firstborn happened when she was 19 and she had her last at age 45.

20cows · Post by **20cows** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:33 pm

The man holding the dog is my wife's grandfather not long before he went to France for WWI. The older gentleman is his father and I think the young man is a nephew.

I'm guessing this picture is from about the same time. The ranch was near Sanderson, Texas.

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:53 am

Cool photos fellas! You guys have some real treasures.

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:58 am

+ C. Cash

Just to add to my last post: I see the pipe and think of my grandfather on my mother's side. He smoked "Velvet" in his pipe. I would find the empty cans all over the house and in the old burn barrel and play with them when I was little. My other grandfather smoked "Bull Durham" roll your own. In his later days he would burn little holes all in his black pants. My mother would throw them away and my dad would go buy him a new pair. He could not understand where the old ones had disappeared too. She would also throw out his old coffee grounds. He would just put more grounds in his pot each day and float some egg shells to settle them down. You could stand a spoon in his coffee after he poured it. He would always say your are ruining my coffee pot when she washed it out good. I know this is not related to levers, even though they both had them, but is feels good to read about the old ways and see the photos.

Rod WMG · Post by **Rod WMG** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 1:40 pm

20cows, I sure like the hat on the older relative.

All great photos, everyone.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:26 pm

Thanks To All for the pictures and the stories. I just love Family history. most All of us have some stories to Tell. Jim.

ohwin94_61 · Post by **ohwin94_61** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 10:52 am