scrub cowboys

[law dawg]

Hey all, I need some help.  I'm trying to base my character on the Florida cowboy, [scrub or palmetto] are the proper titles for him.  I've tried doing some google searches and have come up pretty much empty except for the fact that they produce the majority of the beef for the confederacy and today Florida is the third largest beef production state in the country.  The scrubs dressed differently than their western counterparts, used 10 to 16 foot bull whips instead of rope which is why they were also called cracker cowboys, and rode smaller ponies than the westerners.  Now for the real question,  I've seen some sketches of them on horse back but it's not a clear enough picture to base an outfit.  Is there anyone out there that would know of state run websites that would have archives or whatnot?  I mean most states have the same government run libraries type of things, so any recomendations on how to pursue this research?

[St. George]

Look for both the State Historical Society and those County Historical Societies in regions where those men lived and worked.

By the way - you're mistaken about the idea of 'sameness' in the Library systems - since each area is 'tailored' by those who reside there and not by the Government.

The only 'sameness' is when you're lucky enough to find a Library that also functions as a Government Repository.

'Those' are veritable cornucopias of arcane information - as kept on file by Uncle Sam - but those are in larger cities with denser population bases.

Go to your search engine and type in the name of the State/County Historical Society.

You'll get the email address and website - and you go on from there - either electronically - or prehaps they'll have an 800 number.

At any rate - in my experience - I've found that the folks in those places are proud of their heritage and are glad to help you - and with a request such as yours - they'll be more than helpful.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Major 2]

Law Dawg

I can help, I've studied "Crackers" quite a bit

Have you seen the Remington Painting ?

Books

"Life and Times of Bone Mizell , Florida Cow Hunter" .....Tensley

"Florida Frontiers, The way hit waz"... Mary Ida Bass Barber   Both good reads

" Tales and Trails " (of old Florida)  I'll have to find this one, It's out of print

http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/sgml/moa-idx?notisid=ABK4014-0091-41

Florida Cowman ... Joe Ackerman Jr. (I have not read this one, but I plan to)

Fiction ... Guns of the Palmetto Plains... Rick Tonyan

[law dawg]

Thanks for the tips I'll give that historical site a try, yeah I've seen the Remmington sketch and the rest in that harpers story.  They look the same as any other cowboy except the hat seems to have a wider brim and of course the whip.

[Major 2]

I have a Book with great photo's mostly of Town folk ,but there is a few Crackers. I'll see about scanning the better ones.


I have a source for the hats & bull whips, though I'm not a dealer. I know a local Sutler that carries "Cracker" Items.

Hats are fine palmetto palm woven an shape-able, I really like mine.

[tarheel mac]

History Channel Magazine, in their current issue has an article on the Cracker Cowboys..judging by the photos they dressed pretty much the way regular western cowboys did...and if I remember the article correctly, some did use ropes...they also heavily relied on dogs as well..They drove their cattle down the length of Florida and sent them over to Cuba..PM me with your addy and I will photocopy the article and send it to you..

[law dawg]

History Channel Magazine, in their current issue has an article on the Cracker Cowboys..judging by the photos they dressed pretty much the way regular western cowboys did...and if I remember the article correctly, some did use ropes...they also heavily relied on dogs as well..They drove their cattle down the length of Florida and sent them over to Cuba..PM me with your addy and I will photocopy the article and send it to you..

I don't know if my message went out or not so my email is kebenton@hotmail.com

[Utah Bob]

You can contact Kissimmee River State Park http://www.floridastateparks.org/lakekissimmee/default.cfm
They have been researching the subject for years. There is an authentic cow camp and living history program at the park. They should be able to assist you with your research.

[tarheel mac]

Okay, everyone who asked for copies of the article, sure..but I'm gonna need your snail mail addys to do it.  I don't have a scanner or any quick way of taking care of.  I will have to copy the article (quality is not guarnteed) at the library where I work, and then send them. Just be patient, things are a bit muddled around here at the moment, though.

[Major 2]

Here is another source for a bull whip...
I can say to quality...

www.atlantacutlery.com   

Bull whip #800240  ... $22.95