Ike Blasingame (1882–1962)

Ike dictated to his wife these memories of his life as a cowboy in the Indian Territory which is now South Dakota. His specialty was bronc buster and rider who could handle randy horses. While he describes life as a cowboy, he also gives many details about how the industry was organized and who were the important owners and managers. His explanation how roundups were organized and how the various cattle companies cooperated in passing on cattle that had wandered onto other company's territory clarified for me how managing herds of 1000's of head was achieved..

His description of the bitter winter of 1905-06 brings to the reader the difficulty of trying to move starving and freezing cattle to protection and limited food. I can't imagine riding a horse in the conditions he describes and not freezing feet and hands.

There was not much of the gun fighting life we associate with cowboys but there were a few moments when he faced an angry man. He describes how the code of the cowboy handle theft from other working men or abuse of women.

Very readable.… (plus d'informations)

This is just a superb primary source. Ike Blasingame was a cowboy in the last years that the big drives still occurred, and he had a fantastic memory. Recalling events and the details to his wife, who recorded his narrative, he was able to relate such minutiae as where the coffee grinder was on the chuck wagon, and what sort of 'prize' used to come in the cans of coffee.

I found the book well written and absolutely engrossing. And I highly recommend it to anyone interesting the daily lives of cowboys, and frontier life in the early 1900's.

Pam T.… (plus d'informations)