COWBOYS, COURAGE, AND COMMUNITY TOUR
The Historical Commission, Fort Bend County
INTRODUCTION
The Brazos River runs from the Northwest corner of Fort Bend County to the Southeast corner of the county. On the north side of the river sugar was the cash crop of choice for many of the early settlers. However, on the south side of the river, cotton and cattle were king. Although the agricultural products they raised may have been different, the colonists that settled on both sides of the Brazos River depended on a cheap labor source for the success of their farms and ranches. While many of the early settlers in Fort Bend County chose to answer Stephen F. Austin’s call for colonists and put up “Gone to Texas” signs on their former homes in the United States, not all of the newly arrived immigrants came by choice. The amount of cotton that could be harvested depended on the number of people who could labor in the fields. Similarly, before Emancipation, the caring of cows and horses was usually the responsibility of enslaved workers, making African Americans some of the first cowhands of Texas. Many settlers brought a few enslaved people to Texas and worked alongside them to plant and harvest the crop. There were a few wealthy exceptions. Jared Groce, probably the wealthiest of the Old Three Hundred, brought a mile-long wagon train and over 90 enslaved people to Texas in 1822 and settled near Hempstead. This group included skilled carpenters and brick masons who built a house for Groce with a sandstone fireplace in each room. By 1840, there were 572 enslaved people in Fort Bend County and by the end of the Civil War the newly emancipated population of Fort Bend County was more than twice that of their former owners. In post-Civil War Texas, African Americans continued to provide the labor for expanding ranching operations. Although often dangerous and difficult work, cowboys lived socially and economically secure lives. They labored on private ranches and worked trail drives and on the open range. The knowledge of cattle-working continued to be passed down from generation to generation, creating the traditions of black cowboys that continue to be celebrated today. While still subject to the discriminatory laws of Jim Crow that became prevalent throughout Texas following Reconstruction, the Black Cowboys employed on many Fort Bend County ranches were paid the same wages as their white counterparts. Some, such as Robert H. Jones and his son, Y. Union Jones, established their own successful farming and ranching operations. Others used their expert cowboy skills to perform in local rodeos as well as professionally with the Professional Cowboy Rodeo Association. The newly emancipated farm workers had somewhat more limited opportunities. In some cases, the former plantations and farms on which they had been forced to work were subdivided and sold to them in small plots. In other cases, they became “sharecroppers”, renting the land they farmed and paying the owners a share of the crops they produced. Many of the newly emancipated people lived in rural settlements known as “freedom colonies” where they could farm and live without being targeted by hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan. While freedom colonies often had just a church and a school to differentiate them from the surrounding woods and farms, they were self-sufficient. People of every profession from plumbers to boarding house owners provided residents with everything they might need. In Fort Bend, the freedom colony of Kendleton had a post office, three general stores, and two churches by 1896. Immediately after the Civil War, the African American population of Fort Bend County was able to translate its superior numbers into political control. They retained that control until the late 1880’s. With the end of Reconstruction came the rise of the Jaybird Democratic Association and its “whites only” primary and disenfranchisement of the African American people of Fort Bend County. Through the courageous actions and perseverance of Rosenberg and Kendleton residents, Arizona Fleming and Willie Melton, a lawsuit made its way to the United States Supreme Court, and the power of the Jaybirds to exclude black citizens from exercising their right to vote was destroyed in 1953. Today, the town of Kendleton remains a testament to freedom and the importance of community. Another important beacon of the significance of community is the farming and ranching center of Needville. Populated largely by German and Czech immigrants starting in the 1890’s, the small town continued to grow throughout the decades despite facing great adversity in the nature of destructive fires that destroyed significant portions of the town on more than one occasion. Each time the community pulled together and built their town back stronger and better. This example of determination and working together for progress is being preserved today in the iconic water tower that was moved to Needville in 1949 and repurposed to serve the needs of the growing community. The City of Needville bills itself as “The Home of Friendly People: Where Thousands Live the Way Millions Wish They Could”.
THE BLACK COWBOY MUSEUM
The Legacy of Black Cowboys
The Texas Cowboy is a distinctive historical and cultural character, but one whose origins have been shrouded in myth and folklore. Black Cowboys were an important part of that hidden history. Research has shown that one in four cowboys in the American West was African American. They embodied the grit and endurance necessary to settle a wild frontier and keep the ranching industry going throughout the decades.
Some of the first enslaved people that were brought to Texas, like Peter Martin, were put in charge of cattle. These enslaved workers took and used ideas and items that vaqueros, the original cowboys of Texas, were using to wrangle cows, like the lasso and the branding iron. After emancipation, many African Americans kept up the tradition of wrangling cows. These black cowboys were sought after and well employed because of their skills, and many passed the knowledge down in their families leading to legacies of cattle working. While discrimination was still present, black cowboys were paid the same as their white counterparts and treated equally while on cattle drives.
When Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show started to gain popularity, discrimination reared its ugly head. African Americans were not given equal billing and were frequently compared negatively to animals. In response to this, many communities began to hold their own African American rodeos to show off their skills and talents. This tradition of rodeos continues today.
THE BLACK COWBOY MUSEUM
The Black Cowboy Museum was founded in 2017 by Larry Callies to preserve the legacy of America’s Black Cowboy. Guests to the museum will learn more about the lives and legacy of influential African American cowboys like Bass Reeves, Nat Love, and Bill Pickett, who shaped the history of the West and the ones who will shape its future. In addition, Callies wants visitors to learn about Black contributions to the modern cowboy culture, particularly the rodeo.
The museum features photographs, paintings, books, and artifacts such as boots, saddles, and chaps. In addition, the museum has a Hall of Fame for legendary cowboys like Myrtis Dightman and Calvin (Pop) Greely, Jr. Guests from all over the country and the world come to Texas to visit the museum and learn more about the untold story of the Black Cowboy. Callies is looking to expand the museum and has secured grants to help with this project. “It’s going to be a facility that’s going to be three times as big as this because I have more stuff that’s going to be donated to me,” he explained.
Larry Callies comes from a long legacy of Texas cowboys, dating back to the 1850s. He was born in El Campo and grew up in Beaumont, Texas. He began working for the Sloan Williams Cattle Company in Hungerford, one of the largest ranches in Texas, at the young age of ten years old. He also began riding horses, working cows, riding bulls, and attending rodeos every weekend! In 1971, Larry Callies became the second Black Cowboy to make the state finals in high school rodeo. After a brief career as a country musician, Larry focused on sharing the untold story and legacy of the American Black Cowboy and creating a museum to showcase his growing collection of artifacts and memorabilia. In May of 2022, he published his autobiography "Here Comes Cowboy Larry, Stepping Out in Faith," about his life journey and faith.
VISIT:
ADDRESS
1104 3 rd Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471
PHONE
281-787-3308
ADMISSION
Adults: $10
Seniors (62+): $7
Children (ages 5 to 15): $7
Children under 5 are Free
HOURS
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday
Closed on Mondays & Sundays
*Hours subject to change at anytime
FORT BEND COUNTY HERITAGE UNLIMITED MUSEUM
Kendleton: An Example of Community and Courage
People throughout Fort Bend County’s history have faced the challenges of settling a new territory, harnessing the land’s resources, and not only surviving but thriving in the face of adversity. That story of perseverance and courage can be found in the African American history of Fort Bend County. In a community in western Fort Bend County, you can see how independence and opportunity can produce inspiring new beginnings. Kendleton is located on land once belonging to Old 300 settler Elizabeth Powell. In later years, William E. Kendall, who had come to Texas from Virginia on the advice of President Mirabeau Lamar, purchased the land to establish his plantation. With the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Kendall began to subdivide his plantation into small farms near the San Bernard River and sold the tracts to freedmen for $0.50 to $1.50 an acre. At such an affordable price, Kendall hoped to assist newly enfranchised African Americans in starting their own farms and gaining independence. Freedmen came from surrounding counties to purchase land and begin their new lives. The community that developed became known as Kendleton, named in honor of William E. Kendall. It was a thriving community that was given a further boost when the New York, Texas and Mexican Railway was extended through the town in the 1880s. By the turn of the century, the town boasted three general stores and Baptist and Methodist churches. In 1904, Powell Point School was established by Tellie B. Mitchell and would become one of the most prominent schools in the area. Kendleton was incorporated in 1973. In 1953, an extraordinary group of Fort Bend County citizens displayed immense courage and perseverance when they ascended the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. Since 1889, the Jaybird Democratic Association, a political club, had controlled the elections for county offices in Fort Bend. The Jaybird nominee was always the Democratic nominee and won the general election. Due to limitations on Jaybird membership, Black and Latino people had no say in the political process. Led by farmer Willie Melton and businesswoman Arizona Fleming, a group of Black citizens asked to vote in the 1953 Jaybird primary. When the Jaybirds refused, they took the case, Terry v. Adams, to court. The Jaybirds argued that, as a private club, they did not prevent anyone from voting in either the Democratic primary or the actual election. Melton and the other plaintiffs argued that the out-sized influence of the Jaybirds caused their primary to function as the entire electoral process. The judge ruled that the Jaybirds had to let Black people vote in the primary. After an incredibly large turnout of Black voters for the 1953 primary, the Jaybirds appealed the case and won. Melton and Fleming decided to take the case to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that people of all races must be allowed to vote in the Jaybird primary. This was a great victory for civil rights in Fort Bend County. A Texas state historical marker about the Terry v. Adams case can be found on Willie Melton Boulevard, next to the post office in Kendleton. Throughout the years, Kendleton has remained a testament to freedom and community.
The FBC Heritage Unlimited Museum
The FBC Heritage Unlimited Museum is unique. Not only does it provide a wide assortment of historic exhibits and information, but it is the leading organization when it comes to highlighting African American History in Fort Bend County. The FBC Heritage Unlimited Museum has a passion for its visitors that sets it apart from other museums. The Museum has professionally trained staff standing by to take care of your Fort Bend County African American History needs including: tours (by appointments), showcased exhibits, and Family Genealogy. The mission of the FBC Heritage Unlimited Museum is to educate the public and to preserve, promote, and perpetuate the history and contributions of community settlements in this area of South Texas, with an emphasis on the century between 1865 and 1965. The goal of the museum is to educate children, descendants of the community, and the general public about the rich cultural heritage rooted in this geographical vicinity, the cradle of African American history in Fort Bend and surrounding counties. This museum symbolizes the identity and struggle of proud, industrious, and determined people of color whose roots stem from this region.
NEEDVILLE, TEXAS
NEEDVILLE: A COMMUNITY BUILT ON RESILIENCE
Many German and Czech immigrant families moved to Fort Bend in the 1890s when railroads sold small tracts of land along their tracks. Their farms became the start of several communities in western Fort Bend County. The community of Needville started around 1891 when August Schendel, a German immigrant, moved to Texas and started the town of “Schendelville” on a 160 acre plot of land that contained his house and farm, a store, and a cotton gin. In 1894, he applied for a post office using the name “Needmore” because it seemed they always needed more of something. The Postal Service amended the name to “Needville” because Needmore, Texas already existed. By 1898, Schendel had officially platted the town, began selling lots, and Needville was off and running.
In 1914, Needville had three general stores, two cotton gins, a movie theatre, and a population of 100. By 1920, it had telephone service, 12 general stores, four churches, four cotton gins, a train stop, an electric power generating plant and a population of 500. The Fort Bend County Fair was originally held in Needville from 1927 until 1931, when it was discontinued due to the Great Depression. In 1933, a massive fire wiped out eight downtown businesses and two vacant stores. The town was incorporated in 1944. In September 1947, another major fire destroyed 6 buildings and businesses in downtown. In October 1947, the city council approved the investment in a public water supply system. In 1948, the Volunteer Fire Department reorganized and purchased a new pumper truck and built the existing Old Fire House. By 1949, Needville had a new firehouse, a 50,000-gallon water tower, a prison and a well-respected school system.
The Needville Youth Fair began in 1956 and, beginning in 1962, Needville had a weekly newspaper, the Gulf Coast Tribune. The Albert George Library opened in 1974. The community grew from 603 inhabitants in 1950 to 2,199 in 1990. The town had some 189 businesses and 2,609 inhabitants in 2000. The 2020 census showed continued growth, with a population of 3,089.
Needville’s historic water tower is located in downtown Needville, adjacent to the old jail and old firehouse. The water tower was built in the 1930s for the war department and originally located at Camp Bowie in Brownwood, Texas. The water tower was purchased, moved to Needville and operational by June of 1949. At the time of the installation, the water tower represented a significant step for a town the size of Needville — today, it is an enduring symbol of a town that was progressing in the mid-1900s. The Needville Preservation Project exists to spearhead the restoration and preservation of these and other historical treasures.
GEORGE RANCH HISTORICAL PARK
On a ranch originally founded by Henry Jones in 1824, the George Ranch Historical Park tells the story of four generations of a ranching family in Fort Bend County from 1824-1971. Initially a stock farm, Henry Jones grew his operations into a large ranch and plantation. His daughter, Mary Moore “Polly” Jones Ryon, built it into one of the premier ranches in Southeast Texas. All of its land holdings totaled more than 67,000 acres at its largest or over 105 square miles of land. Managed by Polly’s son-in-law J.H.P. Davis, the ranch was inherited by her children and grandchildren upon her death in 1896. Mamie Davis George and her brother Thomas Walter Davis inherited the portion of the sprawling ranch properties that was the home site for the Jones and Ryon families throughout the years and is the present day site of the George Ranch Historical Park. Mamie and her husband Albert P. George moved to the ranch in 1899. There, Albert would create his own legacy of cattle raising, especially known for his work with shorthorn and later Santa Gertrudis cattle, the breed pioneered by the King Ranch. A. P. also created his own breed of cattle, called the Brahorn. In 1947, the Georges created The George Foundation to continue their philanthropic work throughout Fort Bend County.
Samuel M. Williams, member of a prosperous Baltimore merchant family, was Austin's chief administrative deputy. Real money was scarce in colonial Texas, so Austin compensated Williams by deeding him the league that eventually became the core of old Sugar Land. Today's Voss Road marked its approximate northern boundary. The Brazos River beyond University Boulevard was its southern boundary. Its total size was 4,428 acres of prime, fertile land.
The Black Cowboys of the George Ranch
Cowboys on the ranches owned by Henry Jones and his descendants were largely African American. Some of the first enslaved people that were brought to Texas, like Peter Martin, were put in charge of cattle.
Peter Martin was born into slavery in Georgia between 1800 and 1810. In 1824, he accompanied his long-term owner Wyly Martin with 100 head of cattle to settle Wyly’s new land grant in Austin’s colony. Between 1819 and 1829, Peter was permitted to marry Judith who was enslaved by the Jones Family. This marriage bound the destinies of Martin and his descendants with those of the Jones, Ryon and Davis families.
Peter played an active role in the Texas Revolution, carrying supplies to the Texian Army from San Felipe to San Antonio. Peter also proved to be an adept ranch manager and stock hand, taking charge of the stock farm from an often-absentee Martin. Peter also assisted the Jones Family at the Jones Stock Farm when his expertise was needed. By 1835, Wyly began making steps to emancipate Peter in his will. At the time, freed slaves were not allowed to remain in Texas. In 1839, Wyly petitioned the newly formed Texas Congress to allow Peter to stay in Texas after his emancipation.
Willie Thomas represented the new generation of Black cowboys employed by the fourth generation of the Jones family, Mamie and A.P. George. In 1930, Willie Thomas was born to Johnnie & Josephine Thomas who began working for the George family in 1925 picking cotton and were later moved into the George Home as housekeeper and house man. Willie began working for the George family at the age of 9 as a yardman.
Willie’s riding career began early. He was known to jump on the backs of the Ranch’s hogs and attempt to ride. When he was promoted to taking care of the milking cows, he would climb on the fence and jump on the cows’ backs after the milking was done. At the age of 12, one of his cowboy jobs on the ranch was breaking (taming) the horses.
Willie worked 10 to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, as was traditional and was paid $1.00 a day in the 1930s. On his one day off, he would go to Thompson, TX to play baseball. In fact, Willie’s father moved here from Bartley, TX to play baseball.
In 1948, Willie started riding bulls and broncs (horses) at local rodeos. After his first couple of rodeos, he went three whole years without being bucked off. This local experience increased his riding skills and prepared him for his first professional rodeo after entering the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in 1953. His second professional rodeo ended in disappointment, however, when prejudiced judges refused to sound the buzzer on a completed ride, thus denying him a win. After this unfair encounter, Willie took time off the professional circuit, but returned in 1958.
Willie continued working for the George Ranch while traveling the rodeo circuit winning numerous belt buckles and saddles for bull and bronc riding. He received the title of “all-around cowboy” from 1953 through 1969. Willie was very well respected and supported by the George family and his fellow cowboys.
Willie Thomas was inducted into the Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2004 and the National Multicultural Western Heritage Hall of Fame in 2008. And then in May 2021 he was posthumously inducted into the Bullriders Hall of Fame in Fort Worth.
VISIT:
ADDRESS
10215 FM 762 Rd, Richmond, TX
PHONE
(281) 343-0218
ADMISSION
$15 – Adults (ages 13-64)
$12 – Seniors (ages 65+)
$10 – Children (ages 4-12)
Children ages 3 and under are free
HOURS
Open for scheduled tours and field trips Tuesday- Friday and for general admission on Saturdays.
