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Black traildriver born into slavery
On this day in 1850, George Glenn, black traildriver, was born into
slavery, probably in Colorado County, Texas. He was raised on the ranch
of Robert B. Johnson of Columbus and trained in ranching skills and as a
trail cook. After the Civil War and emancipation, Glenn evidently
continued at the Johnson ranch as a cowhand. In the spring of 1870 he
accompanied Johnson on a cattle drive to Abilene, Kansas. At the Red
River, when a fresh group of cowhands displaced the original ones,
Johnson and Glenn continued with the new group to Abilene, where they
sold the herd. Johnson fell ill and died at age thirty-six in Abilene in
July 1870. Glenn had his employer embalmed and buried in a metal casket
in the area. The following September he decided to bring Johnson's body
back to Texas for burial and had the casket disinterred and placed in a
wagon. Reportedly, Glenn traveled alone with Johnson's body for
forty-two days across three states, arriving in Columbus in November
1871. He did not continue as a cowhand but maintained a lifelong
friendship with his former employer's nephew, Texas Ranger and cattleman
John Edwards Folts. Glenn died in 1931; his death certificate lists his
occupation as "laborer." He was honored as one of the handful of black
members of the Old Trail Drivers Association at the 1924 and 1926 annual
meetings.
- Links to Related Handbook of Texas Online Articles
- GLENN, GEORGE
- BLACK COWBOYS
- CATTLE TRAILING
- Other Texas Day by Day Articles for This Date
- Birthday of the "Paul Revere of the Texas Revolution" (1798)
- Creuzbaur's brave plans for Sea King (1862)
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