Author Archives: Mustang

Who do we associate most with the Chisholm Trail?  John S. Chisum?  John Wayne?  We’ve allowed ourselves to become a bit confused about this period of history and I think it’s time we sorted it out. Here we go. The … Continue reading →

People change their names for all kinds of reasons.  In the old west, it was more likely that a man or woman was running away from something, a result of having something to hide, or possibly as simple as not … Continue reading →

This article is about the First and Second Battle of Sabine, Texas in 1862 and 1863. But first, some background  The United States declared its independence from the United Kingdom in 1776.  It was a bold move, not simply because … Continue reading →

David Colbert McCanles (the family name was later changed to McCandless) was born in 1828 in North Carolina.  He was the son of James M. McCanles and Rachel Alexander.  It has been said that before moving his family west, he … Continue reading →

(Continued from last week) American Civil War  Between 1850 and 1861, the lower portion of the New Mexico Territory was largely neglected by the federal government and the territorial government in Santa Fe.  As a result of this neglect, and … Continue reading →

There no place on Earth without an interesting story, and there is no story about any of 19 present-day states of the United States that doesn’t begin with the Spanish Empire as a backdrop.  The story of New Mexico is … Continue reading →

Lamar’s Folly Mirabeau Lama served as the second president of the Republic of Texas.  He had a vision that one day, Texas would extend from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Coast —a somewhat linear projection not unlike the … Continue reading →

We’ve all seen the Hollywood recreations of the old west cattle drive.  In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, moving cattle was part of a major industry in the United States.  The films depict cowboys moving thousands of cattle several … Continue reading →

Born on 19 March 1848, he was named Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp in honor of his father’s commanding officer during the Mexican American War.  He was the fourth child of Nicholas Porter Earp and his second wife, Virginia Ann Cooksey.  … Continue reading →

The Patriarchs Walter Earp (born in 1787) grew up to marry Martha Ann Early (born in 1790).  Together, they had a son whom they named Nicholas.  By the time Nicolas was born, Walter and Martha were living in Lincoln County, … Continue reading →