A Texas Cowboy
After the war, Jack heard about the great ranches in Texas, with their
wealthy owners, and decided that this was the place for him! Starting
out by ship, he reached New Orleans, but from thence the ship encountered
a storm and he became shipwrecked on the west coast of Florida. Jack
stayed there and hunted and taught school. He struck out again
for Texas, but this time on horseback.
Jack stopped at a ranch owned by a man named Taylor, and was hired
on as a cowboy. He soon became head of the ranch, which was said to be
the
largest in Texas. Not long after his employment there, Jack, by chance,
learned of a conspiracy, planned by a gang of seven men to kidnap for
ransom a local woman named Mrs. Sophie Elgin. Arranging a little "surprise
party" for them, it was Jack who awaited the kidnappers at her house,
and his rifle took care of them when they tried to break down the door
with a ram. A very grateful Mrs. Elgin was, after that, a staunch friend
of Jack's.
Jack soon commenced to make considerable money driving cattle from Texas
to Nebraska and Missouri, and it is unknown just how many times he followed
the famous Chisholm Trail to Abeline, Kansas and its railroad heading
east. One day, he came upon a pioneer home which had recently been ransacked
by hostile Indians. Although the father and mother had been slain, Jack
found a four or five year old boy hiding under the floorboards. Jack
took the boy to Fort Worth, where he was placed in good hands. This boy
went on in later life to be a showman in his own right, and used the
name "Texas Jack Jr." in homage to his rescuer. While Texas Jack Jr.
was touring with his Wild West show in South Africa, he happened to hire
a young man by the name of Will Rogers. Texas Jack Jr. taught him how
to do lasso tricks, and Will Rogers later regarded his assocation with
Texas Jack, Jr., as one of the most important periods of his life.
It was during that period of time in the late 1860's, that there occurred
a terrible drought in the state of Tennessee. Many people were starving,
and because of almost negligible transportation facilities, supplies
were virtually impossible to get. Hearing of this situation, Jack decided
that he could do something to help alleviate the problems for the people
of Tennessee, and at the same time, make some money for himself.
He rounded up a large herd of cattle, enlisted a contingent of cowboys,
and investing all his available capital in the venture, set off for Tennessee.
The route, which went through rugged wilderness, was a very difficult
and dangerous one. During the trip, several bands of hostile Indians
were encountered, and in one surprise attack, seven of his cowboys were
killed and many head of cattle were lost.
Within weeks however, the inhabitants of a small town in Tennessee
were very happily surprised when they learned that a herd of cattle was
being driven their way. Their appreciation was expressed by a rousing
welcome for the drivers. Asking who was in charge of the cattle, the
town officials were surprised to see a pleasant young man approaching.
"Where ya from?" asked one.
"From Texas, sir," came the reply.
"What's the name," called out another.
"Jack, sir," was the only answer .
"Texas Jack, eh?" came a rejoinder from one of the crowd,
only to be caught up by loud cheers from the townspeople: "Hurrah
for Texas Jack!"
Thus does a newspaper account at the time of his death, record how J.B.
Omohundro came by the nickname of "Texas Jack"—a name
that was to follow him the rest of his life.
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