| |
| | "It's
All Trew" by Delbert TrewAppears
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 |
Columns
(Weekly)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 return< 10-18-11
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 5-23-11Firewood
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 1895This
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 9-28-10Digging
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 6-22-10Photos
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 2-6-10Before
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 12-15-09For
your vocabulary pleasure - Words can have odd origins 12-8-09Well,
in the past, water was work 12-01-09With
change came demise of tollgates 11-23-09Exactly
how narrow does a niche have to be 11-17-09On
your mark, go ... Big day was all important 11-10-09Old-timers'
tales - true or not 11-3-09Dusting
off pages offers up the dirt on Times gone by 10-27-09Turtle
hunt leaves us shellshocked 10-21-09For
goodness sakes: Seems I'm done being rattled 10-13-09Trip
to the Old West as child vivid as ever 10-6-09Animal
stories and other true, but fowl tales 9-29-09From
gunslingers to skunks, varmints took toll on Dodge City 9-22-09Funerals
have changed, but this wedding was old-timey 9-15-09Water
needed for towns 9-7-09Myths,
truths about tidbits 9-1-09The
times, they aren't a-changin' 8-22-09Horses
enabled Comanches to rule Texas 8-11-09There's
more to Borax than one might think 8-4-09
Preserving
garden seed important 7-28-09Old
magazine shows of changing times 7-21-09Doing
more work has helped us overcome 7-16-09Americans
moved West on the backs of mules 7-7-09Younger
generation needs to be more frugal 6-23-09Parade
honoring mothers-in-law drew thousands 6-16-09Amarillo
in thick of Dust Bowl 6-9-09Saloon
doors knew how to swing 6-2-09Cheap
labor helped build Thompson Park 5-26-09Whiskey
was common currency 5-19-09Don't
count out us old folks 5-12-09What
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 4-28-09Nothing
beats experience of Western movie 4-20-09With
all these critters, I never really feel lonesome 4-14-09DAR's
Collingsworth history good as it gets 4-12-09Go
see your old people, write it down 3-31-09History
depends on who's telling 3-24-09Everyone
was GTT: Gone to Texas 3-17-09Hair-raising
stories from pioneer days 3-10-09Washing-up
facilities grew with the wheat 3-3-09Modern
red tape outgrew family Bibles, tin boxes 2-25-09Indian
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 2-3-09Romans
say take your meds and pray 1-27-09Short
grasses make tall demand for water 1-20-09Pair
made a fortune, thanks to steel 1-13-09Problems
for farmers multiplied during war 1-7-09Barbed
wire called 'Devil's Rope' for a reason 12-30-08Old
mining days were hazardous 12-22-08O,
brother, where art thou? 12-15-08Dad
had a ball with newfangled electric 12-2-08Old
blacksmith shop full of stories 11-25-08Pear
preserves always worth the work 11-19-08Good
use of newspaper 11-18-08I've
got some issues with the term 'issues' 11-3-08Necktie:
Torture device of men's fashion 10-28-08Scales
revolutionized ranching 10-21-08'Scrape'
takes on numerous meanings 10-15-08Bertillion
Method early way to track criminals 10-7-08Head-rises
wiped out frontier towns 9-30-08Canadian
River was watery trap 9-30-08'Big
Ditch' brought river water to gold mines 9-23-08Camino
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 9-9-08Selling
water never a thought 9-2-08Moreno
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 8-5-08Deadly
trail tamed by fort's installation 7-29-08Old
West accounts often fabrications 7-24-08
Vigilantes were the law
in frontier towns 7-14-08Technology
replacing old ranching ways 7-10-08Fresh
beef top concern for settlers 7-3-08Forts
the front line for Texas 6-26-08Early
Texas rarely let go of land 6-19-08Early
Texas settlers saw many firsts 6-12-08Military
posts had top jobs 6-3-08Hanging
preceded death of a town 5-29-08Early
settlers threw mega-wedding 5-13-08Lots
of laughter in Old West 5-8-08Origins
of land ownership 5-1-08POW
camp stirs memories 4-24-08No
journey too far for determined cattlemen 4-17-08Icons
grow grayer 4-10-08Wagons
vehicles of West 3-27-08Voters
hold fiery rally 3-20-08Tick
trouble takes 30 years to terminate 3-13-08Locusts
plague settlers 3-6-08Crude
work: Oil methods fascinating 2-28-08Horse-to-tractor
switch laborious 2-21-08Brush
up on the classic products 2-14-08Dust
Bowl was deadly 2-7-08Indian
scouts helped end the Indian wars 1-31-08Horse
had to run its course
Region the birthplace of shopping cart, 'Old Yeller'
1-22-08Captain
William Coe lived criminal highlife 1-16-08Orphans
find homes in West 1-8-08Standardized
wheel widths kept you in a rut 12-26-07Pop.:
150, minimum 12-18-07It's
a wonder the Panhandle was ever settled 12-11-07Patience
a valuable lesson 12-3-07Military
editions are book rarities 11-27-07Train
travelers owe much to service pioneer 11-20-07Old
West fires often impossible to tame 11-13-07Tobacco
is as American as apple pie and baseball 11-6-07Survival
rough as the land in Cimarron Country 10-30-07Old-time
improvisation in branding and jailing 10-23-07Early
ranchers formed well-organized groups 10-16-07Bull
Durham tobacco the 'cheapest luxury' 10-10-07New
Deal art provided hope 10-2-07Museum
honors horse's gallantry 9-25-07Surveying,
mother of invention 9-18-07'Spares'
needed pairs 9-11-07Myths
of the South Plains 9-5-07Stables
were cultural hub 8-28-07How
legends are made 8-21-07Lamp
chores evolved 8-14-07Conditioning
a saddle into tiptop quality 8-7-07Water
supply not to be taken for granted 8-1-07Annual
pear event preserves the past 7-10-07Buffalo
slaughter had benefits 7-3-07Can
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 5-6-07Hungry
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 5-26-04Coal
oil was useful all-purpose home remedy 4-1-04Unique
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? 3-19-04Using
concrete involved search for sand, much hauling 3-19-04Things
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 3-14-04Biscuits,
even the 'whomp' kind, make world a better place 3-14-04Bugs
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 |
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/
|
Books by Delbert
TrewDelbert
Trew - Book Order Form "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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