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Texas
| Columns
"It's
All Trew"
by Delbert Trew
Appears
in the Amarillo Globe News
Delbert Trew retired from a lifetime of farming and ranching along
with stints as a carpenter, cow trader and 35 years as a "Saturday
night professional musician." He turned to freelance writing because
he was "literally full of it."
E-mail at trewblue@centramedia.net |
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Columns
Putting
up peaches brings back memories 10-23-12
Lawman's
interview provides historical insight 9-25-12
Zane
Grey's novels sparked love of reading 9-11-12
Friends
provide funny tidbits 8-28-12
Phrases,
terms have underlying meaning 8-21-12
Modern
terms' origins intriguing 8-14-12
“American Yesterday,” a 1956 book by Eric Sloane, tells of the origins
of many terms handed down to modern times.
Never
shake hands with a stucco man 8-7-12
If you have ever wondered why so many old houses are still standing,
it’s probably because the sides are coated with a concrete process
called stucco.
Aprons,
bonnets necessary gear for country ladies 8-1-12
Most country people who remember their elders also will remember
the shawls, aprons and slat bonnets worn almost every day of the
year.
Recycling
easy, practical process 7-19-12
Farmers, ranchers and other country people are amazed at this new
interest in a process they have practiced forever. To many, this
one effort has contributed to their survival for more times than
they care to remember.
Time
to exchange years of frugality for quick cash 6-20-12
Being raised during the Dirty Thirties by parents of ultra-conservative
beliefs, “fix it up, use it up and wear it out” was pounded into
my young mind daily.
Buffalo,
bull fight a dud 6-13-12
A contest held in 1907 between a Mexican fighting bull and a buffalo
bull at a bullfighting arena in Juarez, Mexico.
Hard
work keeps ranchers employed 5-22-12
Webster’s Dictionary states:
Work — Something produced or accomplished by effort, exertion
or exercise of will.
No
end to uses for paper, twine 5-8-12
If you are old enough to remember a “twine or string ball,” usually
kept on a pantry shelf, you are probably moving around a bit slow.
Storms,
railroads shape area history 3-6-12
Long before the town of Spearman was born, the settlement of Hansford
became the county seat with the winning votes for the election swung
by “the use of a three-seated hack and liberal doses of Dodge City
tarantula juice.” Their new frame courthouse was nearing completion
in 1891 when a cyclone struck...
Best
western was not always best 2-28-12
Until the driving of The Golden Spike in 1869, signaling the coming
of The Railroad Age, accommodations along the various trails, stage
routes, freight routes and river routes were a tragedy to most travelers.
Gunny
sacks save the day 2-21-12
For a long period of time in the old days, almost everything ordered
from suppliers and hauled on freight wagons either came packed in
a wooden crate, a wooden nail keg, a wooden barrel or a gunny sack.
Once the items reached the frontier, the crate, keg, barrel or sack
became a commodity just like the items packed inside.
Famed
builder's life became caricature 1-24-12
Stephen Wallace Dorsey, the famed builder and owner of the historically
acclaimed Dorsey Mansion at Mountain Spring, N.M., led a glamorous,
honest and successful career until he entered the political arena
in 1872. From that moment on his life was plagued with fraud, conspiracies,
shenanigans, thefts and lawsuits.
Trew
Ranch hosted Rockledge rail site 1-7-12
From 1900 to 1902, Rock Island Railroad built tracks from Oklahoma
to Tucumcari, N.M. From today’s Jericho to Alanreed, the track followed
Old Trail’s Ridge, dividing the Salt Fork of the Red River and McClellan
Creek watersheds. It also was the early day mail route from Old
Clarendon to Mobeetie.
As
sure as fences break, we'll still need barbed wire 12-21-11
Almost as destructive as prairie fires are the damages perpetrated
by wild hogs...
Childhood
home's 'inside plumbing' didn't come easy 12-13-11
I think the year was about 1946. We had harvested our wheat and
were getting ready to plow wheat stubble south of Perryton...
Hauling
grain after Dust Bowl quite a chore 12-6-11
If you have ever spent a long hot day on the end of a No. 10 grain
scoop, scooping wheat out of or into a truck or barn, this column
should trigger a few memories.
Domino
could have been lost, carried in flood 11-29-11
Extremely worn and battered, it appeared old as the hills. The black
dots were barely discernible, as well as the color...
Cowmen
use stock pen logic 11-22-11
Most old cowmen and cowboys have worked in hundreds of corrals during
their lifetimes. Some pens were built with new welded pipe, galvanized
panels and were painted. Others were built of used railroad ties
and landing matts, surplus from World War II. Others were hog wire,
barbed wire or salvaged telephone poles or raw cedar stays cut with
an axe and set in stockade design...
Some
fight mesquite, others find use for it 11-16-11
Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was almost no mesquite
in the Panhandle of Texas...
Barter
way out of shame, curse 11-8-11
Some call it bartering, trading, horse-trading or just plain old
begging. After all is said and done, you tried to buy it cheaper
than it was priced...
Businesses, job workers cope with economy woes 11-2-11
When relating stories about good times and bad, and the many varied
remedies and solutions people offer, I tell the following stories
to illustrate my points...
'Washboarding'
only good for jokes 10-25-11
Among the drawbacks of living out in the country is during extremely
dry times the dirt roads have a tendency to form series of small
ridges on the surface, which I call washboarding...
Dams
make water, wild creatures return10-18-11
Once upon a time, these Panhandle Plains were densely populated
with wild creatures of every description...
Take
some notes, quotes, common sense advice 10-4-11
A long-time scout for the U.S. Cavalry once stated, “We sure did
chase a lot of Indians. When we found them, I never knew whether
we found them or they found us.”
Cowboys
past offer interesting sayings 9-27-11
Few can compare with the old-time cowboys in descriptions and outlandish
sayings...
Every
tub must stand on its own bottom 9-20-11
During research for my articles, I run across many quotes that strike
a chord...
Playing
for dances brings back entertaining memories 9-13-11
"Growing up in a musical family, then later playing professionally
for 35 years..."
Old
towns gone, not forgotten 9-6-11
As I gather information about the past, I am amazed that today’s
towns and communities often had different names in the past...
Early settlers had too much or not enough 8-29-11
In examining the history of the American Dream, especially in the
rural areas of the new nation, the people either had too much of
something or not quite enough to get along and survive...
Quotes
offer glimpse into life in Old West 8-23-11
Louis L’Amour, one of my favorite Western writers, once wrote: “When
a man or woman came West, their past became an unknown and the present
became an open book..."
Raton
Pass toll road tales see no justice 8-16-11
Possibly the most famous toll gate in western history belonged to
Uncle Dick Wooten, located in Raton Pass on the line between the
New Mexico and Colorado territories...
There
will always be change 8-8-11
There is no doubt the Crash of 1929 and the extreme drought of the
1930s contributed to The Great Depression and Dust Bowl. However,
closer study reveals the beleaguered people caught up in this strife
and disaster were caught up in another monumental change as well...
Homemade
remedies got the job done 8-2-11
In days of old, ... old-timers used what was at hand to combat cut
worms, borers, beetles, termites, mites and ticks. Here are a few
remedies I have encountered...
Writers
amazing in their descriptions 7-26-11
The publications and writers continually amaze me with their varied
descriptions and choice of words. Here are a few of note...
Sibley
inventions simple 7-19-11
Although Maj. Henry Hopkins Sibley never reached the war hero level,
he made great contributions to the comfort and survival of his fellow
troops during his career. Graduating from West Point in 1838...
Family:
Weird things and them bones 7-12-11
I'll admit, up front and honest, that my family is a bit weird.
I'll also admit that we probably have more fun than most families.
Here are a few examples.
Animals
adjust to barbed wire 7-5-11
Because of the nature of the subject, a significant chapter of Old
West history - bloody livestock injuries - is often ignored or forgotten.
However, it did happen, and here is the story.
Most
everyone has interesting tidbits to share 6-28-11
Seems almost everyone I meet has a story, joke, old saying or an
interesting tidbit...
Texas
place names describe unique stories of towns 6-21-11
The Place Name Survey of Texas, developed and added to for the past
20 years or more, lists and explains the uniqueness of names in
Texas. Here are a few that caught my eye...
Water
producers, grandmas make miracles 6-14-11
Of all the strange, weird and confusing bits of history, none quite
compare with rain dancers, water witchers and grandmas...
Texans
a bit different, and I'm good with that 6-7-11
The change from rural Texas to big-city California spawned many
interesting experiences...
'Tumbleweeds'
took outlaws to prison 5-31-11
Among the more famous conveyances adapted and used by man were the
"tumbleweed wagons." Actually, they were only common canvas covered
farm wagons put to use hauling captured prisoners being taken to
the Fort Smith prison.
A
comparison of ranching: past and modern days 5-23-11
Firewood
stories abound in history 5-17-11
My favorite firewood story comes from the history of a Colorado
gold mining strike high in the Rocky Mountains.
Grasshoppers'
attacks on region no sci-fi tale 5-10-11
The one disaster that took all and left nothing behind was the grasshopper
plague.
A
stitch in time saved 9 in a girl's hope chest 5-3-11
A suggestion from writer/cousin Jackie Gill, ... I am writing about
embroidery...
In
1880, travel time was quite the trip 4-26-11
A study of the actual mileage exhibited in a map of the Texas Panhandle,
No Man's Land, the Western Indian Territory, the Cherokee Outlet,
the Cherokee Strip and the southwestern section of the State of
Kansas, drawn in the year 1880, bring travel at that time into focus...
There's
a tool for every job 4-19-11
No matter the design, brand, type or cost of a machine or implement,
sooner or later it will break down and need repair. That fact is
as reliable as the sun coming up each morning...
Fairs
gave us info long before TV ads 4-12-11
Once upon a time, long before today's boring, repetitive, loud and
often dumb TV advertisements, armloads of unwanted junk mail and
irritating phone calls, there was a subtle and entertaining form
of advertising called a fair.
New
rock wall piece of history 4-5-11
Recently I built a dry-stacked rock wall in Bull Canyon... I learned
the method while visiting in Nashville, Tenn., years ago where miles
of such rock walls still stand after being built by slaves in the
early 1800s.
Cherokee
outlet, strip not the same 3-29-11
Contrary to popular belief, The Cherokee Outlet and The Cherokee
Strip are not one and the same. Here is the explanation according
to Kansas and Oklahoma history...
Grasslands
rooted in dust 3-22-11
Just how, when and why did the establishment of these "national"
grassland places take place? We have to go back to 1933, the worst
year of The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl and the "First Hundred
Days" of the New Deal of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Farming
machinery most reliable friend 3-1-11
With only me, myself and I to do the work I stay busy at trying
to stay out of a rest home. However, with age creeping up, muscles
and bones not as strong as in the past, I find myself depending
more and more on my best friend Jose Kubota.
Cattle
brands mark originality 2-22-11
Recently I acquired a book, "The Manual of Brands and Marks," published
in 1970 by The University of Oklahoma Press, authored by Manfred
Wolfenstine. If you are interested in the history of brands, this
is the book to study.
Necessity
bred Western dress 2-15-11
In 1872, a Reno, Nev., tailor wrote Levi Strauss that he had been
adding copper rivets to standard issue Levis to add strength to
the most stressed seam corners...
Stories
outlive Texas ghost towns' ambition 2-8-11
Though early towns had avid supporters with ambitious agendas, most
fell by the wayside as progress arrived and highways and railroads
passed them by.
Old
West boots, vests have well-ridden history 2-2-11
Among the myriad of changes occurring in the Old West let us examine
the common boot. Originally built on one last to fit either foot,
the foot gear had wide, flat heels and "stovepipe tops" reaching
almost to the knees. Made for walking or marching the design was
utilitarian...
Western
saloons often 1st business erected in towns 1-25-11
According to the book "Saloons of Denver" by Scott Dial, published
in 1973 by Old Army Press, the word "saloon" was not used in America
until 1841, the year wagon trains began leaving for California...
Longhorn:
Texas' first industry 1-17-11
The book "The Long Trail" by Gardner Sowle, published in 1976 by
McGraw-Hill, tells the real story of early cowboys, longhorns...
boiling fact down to common sense explanations...
Brands
Have Rich History 1-11-11
Currently, there are 32,609 registered brands in Colorado... Retaining
a registered brand in Colorado is not cheap, costing $225 for a
five-year period...
Always
take your come-along along 1-4-11
Though some might look down on the common working man, he is actually
an ingenious person. If you don't believe me search the U.S. Patent
office files and find millions of tools, most invented by a working
man to make his work easier or faster.
Discussing
'original primary Age of the Cowboy' 12-28-10
Most historians agree somewhat, the age of the cowboy began in 1866,
the first full year of peace after the Civil War. The end came in
about 1895
This
is why we dance counter clockwise 12-21-10
As expected, our question of, "why do we dance western dance around
the floor counter clockwise" generated a varied response. The numerous
theories varied from the sublime to the serious to the ridiculous.
Here are a few of the best answers...
Fire,
bricks and early chimneys 12-14-10
Few of the tools needed by man equaled that of fire. He needed it
to cook, heat, make light and to use for making other tools, like
in blacksmithing...
Shotgun
shacks cheap, practical 12-8-10
A memory or two involving the famous "long skinny houses" that graced
the West on both farms and ranches and later on during the many
oil booms and busts.
Western
Dance: Burning Question Counterintuitive 11-30-10
Recently, after enjoying an evening of good western swing music
on a ranch near Quitaque, this question came up. "Why do western
dance participants always dance in a counter-clock wise direction
around the dance floor?"
Early
Texans relied on corn for cakes, livestock 11-23-10
To the early Texas settlers, raising corn was a matter of life or
death.
Did
lost colony in the Okla. Panhandle exist? 11-17-10
Recently while visiting friends in Kenton, Okla., I picked up a
small local history book titled, "The Way I Heard It," by Jennie
Rose Benton, copyright 1996. The contents tell of early history
in the area, which eventually became Beaver County in Oklahoma...
Homesteaders
Act greatest act ever passed 11-9-10
Signed by President Abraham Lincoln, the act offered 160 acres of
land to any qualified homesteader who paid a modest filing fee,
built a home, planted at least 10 acres of crops and remained on
his land for five years...
Is
this really progress? 11-2-10
Flats
make one worn and tired 10-26-10
'The
times, they are a'changing' 10-19-10
Book
spurs memories of ol' saddle houses 10-12-10
Turkeys'
use of old windmill towers a twist 10-5-10
English
filled with nicknames in everyday life 9-28-10
Digging
post holes by hand was hard work 9-21-10
Remembering
old Tascosa 9-14-10
'The
Farmers' Almanac' a good guide for life 9-7-10
Coal
workers suffered 8-31-10
The next time you travel north toward Denver, take a break at the
Ludlow Exit just north of Trinidad, Colo. A good paved road leads
west about two miles to the huge and educational Ludlow Massacre
Monument. I promise an interesting visit.
Frontier
justice followed crime increase 8-24-10
A
place for everything - if I can find it all 8-17-10
Crudity
of travel gives way to progress 8-10-10
Branding
is an old tradition 8-3-10
New
photo, many thanks 7-27-10
Fire
taught difficult lessons on frontier 7-20-10
Inventions
sprung from filling needs 7-13-10
Two
men part of Texas lore - but for different reasons 7-6-10
Known as "the Jinglebob King of the Pecos," John Chisum cast a long
shadow in the early history of cattle ranching... Almost as well
known but standing alone at the opposite end of the spectrum was
Edward Z.C. Judson, alias Ned Buntline...
Porcupines
a source of thorny problems 6-29-10
Area
full of historical tidbits 6-22-10
Photos
serve as reminder of boundaries' importance 6-14-10
'The
West' full of myth, mystery 6-8-10
Justice
often comes with theatrics 6-2-10
Cow
feed, from slab to sack 5-25-10
Winter
scene paves way to ranch memories 5-18-10
Vibrating
'critter' frightens rattlesnake-wary cowboy 5-11-10
Book
offers county tales of the Texas Panhandle 5-4-10
The
past delivers unusual stories 4-27-10
Aging
and exaggerating 4-20-10
Louisiana
Purchase a great deal 4-13-10
The
truth behind 20-Mule Teams 4-6-10
Buffalo
horses and outlaw cattle 3-30-10
Danger
lurked on Texas frontiers during Civil War 3-23-10
Sheep
often taken for granted 3-16-10
Bankers
are remembered for bark, bite 3-9-10
When old-timers gather to visit, the tall tales do fly.
Law
and order used to be so very different by Delbert Trew 3-3-10
Like
Grandpa said, 'Where there's a will, there's a way' 2-23-10
No better examples exist than the problems of the old-time freighter.
Horse
hobbles were a vital tool 2-17-10
It
was burdensome training the beasts 2-9-10
In
terms of description, 'cowboy' has been varied 2-6-10
Before
miracle materials, rawhide ruled 1-26-10
The
do's, don'ts and wonders of having pet turtles 1-19-10
Early-day
ice monster 1-12-10
Farmers
bend to advances in plows 1-5-10
Things
I bet you never knew - and then some 12-29-09
A
whale of a tale? No - try wolves 12-22-09
Bits,
pieces on odds, ends 12-15-09
For
your vocabulary pleasure - Words can have odd origins 12-8-09
Well,
in the past, water was work 12-01-09
With
change came demise of tollgates 11-23-09
Exactly
how narrow does a niche have to be 11-17-09
On
your mark, go ... Big day was all important 11-10-09
Old-timers'
tales - true or not 11-3-09
Dusting
off pages offers up the dirt on Times gone by 10-27-09
Turtle
hunt leaves us shellshocked 10-21-09
For
goodness sakes: Seems I'm done being rattled 10-13-09
Trip
to the Old West as child vivid as ever 10-6-09
Animal
stories and other true, but fowl tales 9-29-09
From
gunslingers to skunks, varmints took toll on Dodge City 9-22-09
Funerals
have changed, but this wedding was old-timey 9-15-09
Water
needed for towns 9-7-09
Myths,
truths about tidbits 9-1-09
The
times, they aren't a-changin' 8-22-09
Horses
enabled Comanches to rule Texas 8-11-09
There's
more to Borax than one might think 8-4-09
Preserving
garden seed important 7-28-09
Old
magazine shows of changing times 7-21-09
Doing
more work has helped us overcome 7-16-09
Americans
moved West on the backs of mules 7-7-09
Younger
generation needs to be more frugal 6-23-09
Parade
honoring mothers-in-law drew thousands 6-16-09
Amarillo
in thick of Dust Bowl 6-9-09
Saloon
doors knew how to swing 6-2-09
Cheap
labor helped build Thompson Park 5-26-09
Whiskey
was common currency 5-19-09
Don't
count out us old folks 5-12-09
What
became of old marker on state line? 5-5-09
Those of us living along Route 66 who research and promote the old
road's history have long pondered the fate of a missing Texas Highway
monument...
Bodark
trees tough as nails 4-28-09
Nothing
beats experience of Western movie 4-20-09
With
all these critters, I never really feel lonesome 4-14-09
DAR's
Collingsworth history good as it gets 4-12-09
Go
see your old people, write it down 3-31-09
History
depends on who's telling 3-24-09
Everyone
was GTT: Gone to Texas 3-17-09
Hair-raising
stories from pioneer days 3-10-09
Washing-up
facilities grew with the wheat 3-3-09
Modern
red tape outgrew family Bibles, tin boxes 2-25-09
Indian
trails full of mysteries 2-17-09
Separating
buffalo fact from fiction 2-10-09
This period, from 1868 to about 1878, is filled with historical
events including fights against the Plains Indians, the demise of
buffalo herds and, lesser known, the demise of a wolf species, the
Great Plains lobo...
Pioneer
Texas railroad system drew snickers 2-3-09
Romans
say take your meds and pray 1-27-09
Short
grasses make tall demand for water 1-20-09
Pair
made a fortune, thanks to steel 1-13-09
Problems
for farmers multiplied during war 1-7-09
Barbed
wire called 'Devil's Rope' for a reason 12-30-08
Old
mining days were hazardous 12-22-08
O,
brother, where art thou? 12-15-08
Dad
had a ball with newfangled electric 12-2-08
Old
blacksmith shop full of stories 11-25-08
Pear
preserves always worth the work 11-19-08
Good
use of newspaper 11-18-08
I've
got some issues with the term 'issues' 11-3-08
Necktie:
Torture device of men's fashion 10-28-08
Scales
revolutionized ranching 10-21-08
'Scrape'
takes on numerous meanings 10-15-08
Bertillion
Method early way to track criminals 10-7-08
Head-rises
wiped out frontier towns 9-30-08
Canadian
River was watery trap 9-30-08
'Big
Ditch' brought river water to gold mines 9-23-08
Camino
Real known as scenic byway 9-16-08
The old road "Camino Real" or Royal Road may not be the oldest road
in America but was completed in 1598, a long time ago... The U.S.
designated it a National Scenic Byway and in November of 2005...
Travelers
forced to siphon 9-9-08
Selling
water never a thought 9-2-08
Moreno
Valley great spot for a vacation 8-26-08
Stetson
led way for modern cowboy hats 8-19-08
XIT
was on cutting edge of ranching 8-12-08
There
were rules in good-old days, too 8-5-08
Deadly
trail tamed by fort's installation 7-29-08
Old
West accounts often fabrications 7-24-08
Vigilantes
were the law in frontier towns 7-14-08
Technology
replacing old ranching ways 7-10-08
Fresh
beef top concern for settlers 7-3-08
Forts
the front line for Texas 6-26-08
Early
Texas rarely let go of land 6-19-08
Early
Texas settlers saw many firsts 6-12-08
Military
posts had top jobs 6-3-08
Hanging
preceded death of a town 5-29-08
Early
settlers threw mega-wedding 5-13-08
Lots
of laughter in Old West 5-8-08
Origins
of land ownership 5-1-08
POW
camp stirs memories 4-24-08
No
journey too far for determined cattlemen 4-17-08
Icons
grow grayer 4-10-08
Wagons
vehicles of West 3-27-08
Voters
hold fiery rally 3-20-08
Tick
trouble takes 30 years to terminate 3-13-08
Locusts
plague settlers 3-6-08
Crude
work: Oil methods fascinating 2-28-08
Horse-to-tractor
switch laborious 2-21-08
Brush
up on the classic products 2-14-08
Dust
Bowl was deadly 2-7-08
Indian
scouts helped end the Indian wars 1-31-08
Horse
had to run its course
Region the birthplace of shopping cart, 'Old Yeller' 1-22-08
Captain
William Coe lived criminal highlife 1-16-08
Orphans
find homes in West 1-8-08
Standardized
wheel widths kept you in a rut 12-26-07
Pop.:
150, minimum 12-18-07
It's
a wonder the Panhandle was ever settled 12-11-07
Patience
a valuable lesson 12-3-07
Military
editions are book rarities 11-27-07
Train
travelers owe much to service pioneer 11-20-07
Old
West fires often impossible to tame 11-13-07
Tobacco
is as American as apple pie and baseball 11-6-07
Survival
rough as the land in Cimarron Country 10-30-07
Old-time
improvisation in branding and jailing 10-23-07
Early
ranchers formed well-organized groups 10-16-07
Bull
Durham tobacco the 'cheapest luxury' 10-10-07
New
Deal art provided hope 10-2-07
Museum
honors horse's gallantry 9-25-07
Surveying,
mother of invention 9-18-07
'Spares'
needed pairs 9-11-07
Myths
of the South Plains 9-5-07
Stables
were cultural hub 8-28-07
How
legends are made 8-21-07
Lamp
chores evolved 8-14-07
Conditioning
a saddle into tiptop quality 8-7-07
Water
supply not to be taken for granted 8-1-07
Annual
pear event preserves the past 7-10-07
Buffalo
slaughter had benefits 7-3-07
Can
you please pass the salt? 6-26-07
Home
canning was a high-pressure job 6-19-07
Country
cures tame pesky farm critters 6-12-07
Measuring
systems of the past 5-29-07
Fascinated
by food facts 5-22-07
Higgins
was stage station 5-14-07
Trail
drivers brought in income, coined phrases 5-6-07
Hungry
cowboys foil pickle plan 5-2-07
History?
It's in the mail 3-30-07
Autograph
book reveals mother's girlhood 2-1-07
My,
how record keeping has changed 1-1-07
Work
continued despite weather conditions 12-15-06
Old
gardeners avoided 'feast or famine' route 12-1-06
Wildfires
top long list of life's hazards 11-14-06
Great
Depression brought many programs 11-1-06
Rationing
reminds of sacrifices for war effort 10-16-06
Some
old-time superstitions prevail 10-3-06
Book
about old-time expressions evokes story 9-26-06
Dirt-moving
methods improve through years 9-19-06
Chance
chats solve history's mysteries 9-13-06
Texas
weather always unpredictable 9-5-06
What
a smoker smokes can reveal personality 8-29-06
Past
can continue to serve the present 8-21-06
Rollaway
bed was favorite for sleeping, hiding 8-15-06
Texas,
Oklahoma line ever-shifting until 1930 8-8-06
Water
- then and now 8-1-06
Right
lubrication greases squeakiest of wheels 7-25-06
Tagging
vehicles has colorful history 7-18-06
Mineral
Wells once a booming health spa 7-10-06
Haphazard
biscuits now memories 7-4-06
Second
income not such a new thing after all 6-27-06
Saving
energy has always been worthwhile 6-20-06
Love,
appreciation for trees go full circle 6-13-06
Deere
was a man farmers could really dig 6-7-06
'Greatest
Generation' kept America together 5-29-06
Evolving
farms grew to look like small towns 5-22-06
Water
defines local historical events 5-17-06
WPA
aided America's health 5-8-06
Being
in hot water actually a luxury 5-3-06
A
look at wash day from early to modern 4-25-06
Crocks:
The Tupperware of their day 4-17-06
A
criminal or a saint? You never know 4-11-06
Reflecting
on traditional meat processing 3-30-06
Brick
chimneys a favorite memory 3-14-06
Ghost
towns aplenty in Texas Panhandle 3-11-06
Daily
chores were priority during childhood 2-27-06
Cowboys:
Stand-up comedians for the Lord 2-21-06
Neighbors
quick to help those in need 2-14-06
Technology
opens many doors 2-7-06
Dipping
into the history of snuff, tobacco 1-31-06
Pederson
Creek offered unique privileges 1-24-06
Canning
remains popular throughout time 1-18-06
Childhood
medications were simple, gave relief 1-12-06
Trewisms:
Hard-earned observations reflect life's lessons 12-13-05
Phillips
66 Service Station 10-1-05
The First Phillips 66 Retail Outlet in Texas – 1928
Encounters
of the outhouse kind make great family reunion tales 9-17-05
Lessons
Learned Riding School Bus Last a Lifetime 8-26-05
Rural
'home office' centered on farmer's almanac 8-7-05
Wash
day on the farm always fell on Monday 7-22-05
Factory-made
horse trailer had its share of problems 7-1-05
A
penny saved is worthless if it's nowhere to be found 6-15-05
Memory
tickled by itch of childhood ailments 6-1-05
Boys
will be boys - and also troublemakers 5-14-05
Domino,
pool parlors were pre-TV entertainment 5-1-05
Point
of view depends on viewing point 4-11-05
Some
cuss words aren't really cuss words 4-5-05
Language
changes a little from generation to generation 3-28-09
Some believe a different language was spoken in the old days? Maybe
so, here are a few examples used by the Trew clan.
War
surplus was godsend to folks at home 3-14-05
"Everyone wanted a jeep. This heroic vehicle had appeared in
every war movie, newsreel and photo sent home from the war."
Quills,
nibs, ink bladders were part of daily life 3-1-05
All
types of things happened when making butter 2-1-05
Dogs
figure in life's fondest memories 1-16-05
Planning
for weather is trying proposition 1-1-05
Fuel
Fires Up Memories 12-15-04
'Waste
not, want not' was law at supper 12-1-04
Once
lowly fare, potatoes enjoy popularity 11-15-04
Home
remedies would cure or kill you 11-1-04
The
Hog, the Whole Hog, Nothin' but the Hog 10-20-04
The
Great Nail Pickup 9-1-04
First
Car Memories 8-17-04
Old
Time Objects Long Gone 8-2-04
Five
gallon buckets were versatile, useful farm equipment 7-7-04
Two addendums to vows help marriage to last 5-26-04
Coal
oil was useful all-purpose home remedy 4-1-04
Unique
Monument 3-24-04
The "TRIBUTE TO BARBED WIRE" The Only Monument in the World dedicated
to Barbed Wire
Got
sweet, skim, sour, butter or scalded milk? 3-19-04
Using
concrete involved search for sand, much hauling 3-19-04
Things
Worthy of Prayer: Baling wire, duct tape, drywall screws and caulking
3-17-04
Quilting
was hub of family, social life 3-14-04
'My
mama's cornbread' discussion gets hot 3-14-04
Biscuits,
even the 'whomp' kind, make world a better place 3-14-04
Bugs
provided hours of entertainment 3-14-04
Smoking
just seemed to go along with pioneer, cowboy life 3-10-04
Mailbox
was rural portal to outside world 3-3-04
Screen
door was faithful fixture 2-26-04
Barbed
Wire Telephones 2-20-04
Harvey
Girls and Juke Quarters
2-6-04
A fact most significant to the history of the West is that approximately
100,000 girls signed up to work for Fred Harvey from 1901 to about
1944.
Linoleum
was family's first sign of prosperity 2-6-04
Dishevelment
is lifelong trait
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Delbert
Trew
Delbert Trew was
born in Ochiltree County in the northern Panhandle of Texas in 1933.
His wife Ruth was also born in the Panhandle on a farm near Follett,
Texas. This was during the darkest days of the Great Depression and
in the heart of the Dustbowl. They are retired and live 65 miles east
of Amarillo on a ranch that's been in the family for 54 years.
Both have suffered personal tragedy. Delbert's first wife and sixteen-year-old
daughter were killed in a car wreck in 1970 and Ruth's first husband,
a Marine helicopter pilot became one of those still missing in Vietnam.
They married, combining their surviving families.
Living through hard times, good times, tragedy and three major wars
gave Delbert boxcar loads of hindsight and experience.
Delbert retired from a lifetime of farming and ranching along with
stints as a carpenter, cow trader and 35 years as a "Saturday night
professional musician." He turned to freelance writing because he
was "literally full of it."
Writing for newspapers, magazines, doing public speaking and now publishing
books, his writing hobby has turned into a full-time job. He doesn't
complain, since it's still better than digging post holes in the hard
Panhandle soil.
He states to all, "I write from a been-there, done-that and seen-it-all
philosophy. Whether I write or speak, and whether the subject is nostalgic,
historical or humorous, I guarantee 'It's All Trew' from start to
finish."
As a disclaimer he sometimes says, "I never let the truth stand in
the way of a good story" and other times he says, "If you've already
heard this story, don't stop me, 'cause I want to hear it again, myself."
Delbert is also a museum curator and supervisor at the Devil's Rope
Barbwire Museum in McLean, Texas. Those traveling old Route 66 would
be hard pressed to find a more qualified Panhandle ambassador.
His time spent as an editor/publisher, plus being "a mite windy" assures
that time spent with his writing or listening to his programs will
be both enjoyable and fun.
His column "It's All Trew" appears weekly in the Amarillo Globe
News. Mr. Trew has graciously agreed to share his column with
our readers providing them a closer look at the Texas
Panhandle - past and present.
February 5, 2004
For books, see Delbert Trew's website: http://delberttrew.com/
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Books by
Delbert Trew
"It's All Trew"
80 weekly news articles as published in the Amarillo Globe-News
Here and Gone:
A Gray County Centennial Edition
The RO Brand:
The Story of Alfred Rowe, founder of McLean, Texas and the RO Ranch.
The McLean
P.O.W. Camp: A WWII installation built at McLean, Texas
Warwire: The
History of Obstacle Wire Used in Warfare
With Bill Russell:
Twice Told
Tales of the Llano Estacado (Illustrated by Al Martin Napoletano)
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