LIFE STORIES TALES OF YESTERYEAR: "Wild Ranch Horses and Boys", A family treasure.

Sabinal, Texas taken April 6, 2011

Sabinal photo taken in 1912

Recently I took a trip to Sabinal, Texas with my father Don Norwood. Dad and I had planned a day of fishing but mechanical problems on my boat forced us to make other plans. I have always wanted to see the ranch lands that our ancestors settled on when they came to Texas and especially the ranch that my great grandfather Rollie grew up on. Many of the stories that I have chronicled in this blog took place on that land. I asked Dad if he would go with me to Sabinal and see if we could contact the present owners of the land and get permission to go on the property and see it. When I was a high school boy back in the 70’s my grandmother Pearl Davenport and I went up there to try and see the property. We were able to get right up to the gate but alas we could only look over to the land but not gain entry. Grandmother’s memory at that time was not sharp so she was unsure if we were truly at the right location. Dad only had a vague idea of where the ranch was supposed to be so we had to do some investigation work when we arrived at Sabinal. He knew the name of the present owners of the Land, which was a great help, and after a little investigation work we were able to get a name and a phone number. I called the number, left a message on a voice mail and the rest I will leave to my next Blog entry, which will tell about that day I finally set foot on the old Davenport Ranch.

In 1975 Florence Fenley published a book called Heart Full of Horses. She passed away while the book was still in manuscript form but her daughter Belle Fenley Edwards completed the book in her honor. The book was a compilation of old Stories from old timers that had been ranchers and pioneers of the southwest. One of the interviews that she conducted in gathering material for her writings was an interview with my great grandfather Rollie Davenport. The result was a chapter in her book that she Entitled “Wild Ranch Horses and Boys”. I so value this book because it is like sitting down and listening to my grandfather tell of his days growing up on the Davenport Ranch in a time before Texas was fenced. A time before millionaire playboy “ranchers” buy land, fence it up and use it for a playground. It recalls a time in Texas when ranching was about cattle instead of hunting exotic African antelope.

I have reproduced for your enjoyment “Wild Ranch Horses and Boys”. Take a moment and let your mind go back to a time in Texas when the land was open and free and young boys found excitement in catching wild Mustangs instead of playing with computers , cell phones, and video games.

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