The Junior Historian, Volume 12, Number 3, December 1951 Page: 24
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T1HE JUNIOR HISTORIAN
DICK BARTON, LIPSCOMB COUNTY
RANCHER
by ELINOR BROYLES
Member-at-Large, Follett, TexasWHEN the residents of Lipscomb
County talk of pioneers, the name
Barton is always prominent for
five of the Barton brothers were pioneers
of that section. Two of the older ones
settled there soon after the Civil War.
The most prominent member of the
family, Dick Barton, was born in Bert-
come, Texas, in 1862. When he was
about eighteen, he and two of his older
brothers moved a herd of cattle into
the vicinity of Dodge City, Kansas. In
1881 Dick Barton came to the Box T
Ranch, which was then located in the
Indian Territory on what is known as
Long Creek, a few miles across the
Texas-Oklahoma line.
In those days no house or ranch camp
was ever locked. Anyone was welcome
to eat, sleep, and feed his horses. A
man was also accepted without questions.
Such questions as where a man was go-
ing or what his business was were not
spoken. Each person was accepted just
as he was. Since the Box T was just
across the state line and in Indian Ter-
ritory, men who were fleeing from the
law frequently stopped here and, ac-
cording to western custom, were accept-
ed. Barton said these men would ride
into camp completely worn-out. Some
would work a while or just idle the
time away with the regular hands until
both men and horses were rested. Then
they would move on, and although there
were always good fat horses in the cor-
rals, not one was ever exchanged in all
the time Barton was foreman there.
While Barton was foreman of the
Box T, the Indian Territory was opened
for settlement, and to him fell the task
of overseeing the removal of the entire
Box T to Lipscomb County.
At one time some Indians stole some
of the Box T horses. Then later for someunknown reason the Indians sent word
that the ranch could have them back if
the hands would come after them. Bar-
ton related that the trip was so long
that they had to spend the night in the
Indian camp. The chief had a tent
pitched for Barton and his companions
next to his. That night must have been
one of the most memorable in Barton's
life, for Indian braves war danced
throughout the night. But the next
morning, the horses were turned over
to the Box T men, and they were allowed
to go home. Barton has said that he
experienced great relief when they got
safely away from the Indian camp.
Also at this time the Box T was
raided by wolves so often that one man
was kept on the payroll to do noth-
ing but hunt wolves.
Dick Barton was a personal friend of
Will Rogers, who spent several round-
up seasons with his friends, Frank
Ewing and Barton on the Box T. At
the Will Rogers dedication in Amarillo
a few years ago Barton rode in the
parade as a guest of Mrs. Rogers.
Dick Barton later gave up his fore-
man job and bought a herd of steers
which he took to Montana and grazed on
the open range. In the spring he went
to work for a large cattle ranch round-
ing up the stock for shipment to market
and at the same time cutting out his own
cattle as they were found. It took the
crew all summer to get the herd together
for sale in the fall. Then Barton re-
turned to Texas and bought more steers
and started over again.
After two years Barton came back to
Lipscomb County in 19O6. He bought
a ranch next to the Box T on the south
and fifty head of registered cows. From
this small start he built up a herd of
[continued on page 30]24
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Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 12, Number 3, December 1951, periodical, December 1951; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391361/m1/26/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.