The First Ranchers and Ranches
Most writers leave the impression that ranching began after the Civil War, but in fact, it began a hundred and seventy years earlier in deep East Texas, which included western Louisiana. This important book begins with the very first cattle in America that came from Spain after the conquest of Mexico and how they reached East Texas. This livestock belonged to the first missions who used them for food and as barter with illegal French traders. A little later this was also done at the missions of South Texas around Goliad from which there was at least one great cattle drive along the ancient El Camino Real de los Tejas (the first real cattle trail in Texas) through the Main Street of Nacogdoches to Louisiana to feed the Spanish soldiers who were fighting the British along the Mississippi River in the Revolunitary War, no doubt picking up others along the way. A lively trade developed in illegally rounding up and driving the Spanish King's wild mustangs and longhorns from the piney woods of East Texas (by smugglers and a few Spanish soldiers), which were then driven to the French at Natchitoches where they brought three times their value in Texas. Spanish soldiers rode out from Nacogdoches to intercept these smugglers and occasionally killed a few—the most written about was when they killed Phillip Nolan who was stealing mustangs--Later, Spanish East Texas cowboys drove cattle to Dallas to intersect the Comanche cattle trail that led to the Missouri-Pacific Railroad as it crossed Kansas and Missouri. This book gives the number of livestock brought by each Spanish entrada (entrance) into East Texas. It also describes the early East Texas cowboys with pictures and illustration, including all the cattle trails of Texas and it presents an original map of early Spanish ranches of Nacogdoches County. Also shows the first brands of East Texas. This unusual book is worth anyone's time. Printed on large 8 ½" x 11" paper.

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The First Ranchers and Ranches-- $20.89