Thomas J. Dyer was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 20, 1857. He moved to Chautaugua County, Kansas, in 1870, where he grew to young manhood. He came west to Barber County, Kansas, in the early 1880s, where he became identified with the cattle industry and for some time was an employee on the OE Ranch of Gregory, Eldred and Company. During that period, he was married at the Eldred ranch house to Nina Canema Cummins, daughter of the late Scott Cummins, "The Pilgrim Bard".This list comprises the names of cowboys he knew who worked either in Barber or Comanche Counties in Kansas or on the various cattle pools of the old Cherokee Outlet.
(Roster alphabetized by Jim Barker.) Axtell, Frank
Beals, Bob
Benson, Mart
Blair, Billy
Blair, John A.
Boatman, Zach
Bowers, Jeff
Bowers, Joe
Boyle, J.B.
Bradley, Lee
Bridges, Jim
Bunton, Clark
Burgess, Bobby
Burnham, Howard
Burris, Oakley
Burston, Joe
Carter, Harry
Calhrens, Shorty
Cavanaugh, Mike (He rode for the Comanche Pool)
Chestnut, G.P.
Charless, John
Clark, Roll
Colcord, Charley
Court, John
Court, Mel
Cowan, Wiley
Crew, Bert
Crew, Clate
Crew, Cliff
Crewston, Jack
Crouch, Jim
Cuddy, Jim
Cuddy, John
Donelson, Walker
Doran, Tom
Dyer, Bird
Dyer, Hi
Dyer, T.J.
Eaton, John W.
Ellis, J.I.R. (?)
Elliot, Harve
Elmore, Lee
Evans, Fatty
Ewell, O.P.T. (Print)
Farris, L.C.
Fling, Sam
Florer, Al
Florer, Charley
Floyd, Coon
Franklin, Aleck
Franklin, Ben
Franklin, Steve
Friedley, George
Fulton, George
Fulton, Henry
Fulton, S.P. (Price)
Fulton, Walter
Gaskill, Lige
Gibler, Chas.
Graham, Harve
Gregg, John
Hale, Jim
Hames, Sam
Hamilton, Bob
Hamilton, Fatty
Happy Jack Don't know if I ever knew his real name, but he worked for the Comanche Pool. He was a happy-go-lucky fellow, which gave him his name.
Heaton, Jake
Hinton, Ed
Holmes, Jim
Hopkins, Al
Harney, George
Hough, Henry
Hudson, Jim
Hudson, John
Hudspeth, Crate
Ishmael, Sam
Jack Rabbit A cook for the Comanche Pool. I have forgotten his real name, but his folks lived some 3-4 miles west of Harper City, Harper Co., Kans.
Johnson, I. --
Johnson, Johnny
Jones, Jim H.
Jones, Mack
Justice, Crate
Kelley, Bill
King, Cleve
King, Frank
Kiser, Ike
Landaris, Loupe (Mexican)
Lane, N.J. (Nat)
Larkin, Jack
Larkin, Par
Lowrey, Pat
Luke, John This old boy was never called by his real name, as he always went by the name Jack of Clubs. His folks lived near El Dorado, Butler Co., Kans.
Marshall, Bob
Mason, Bud
McAlister, Frank P.
McConnell, Jim
McCord, Lee
McCracken, Bud
McCracken, Tip
McFadden, John
McKinney, Aleck
McKinney, Wayne
Metzley, Al
Middleton, Jack
Mills, Frank
Mills, Jeff
Mills, Tank
Moore, Bud
Moore, Charley
More, Will
Murdock, Lynn
Murley, Dan
Musset, Ben
Musset, Frank
Musset, Ike
Negro Bill
Nelson, Charley
Noah, Frank
O'Brian, Hank
O'Conner, Barney
Orr, Si
Overocker, Whitie
Pardee, A.E. (Gene)
Parker, Lew
Parker, Webb
Pas, Louis (Mexican)
Potts, John
Quinn, Johnny
Reiber, Clem
Ringer, Joe
Rhinerd, John
Also see:
Roundup in Barber County, 1894., a captioned photograph of 26 cowboys courtesy of Mary Lou (Elsea) Hinz.
Evansville, Comanche County, Kansas Headquarters of the Comanche Pool.
Comanche Pool, Comanche County, Kansas
Perils of the Plains An account of pioneer life as experienced by Will and Hattie Wimmer, how they met, married, and lived within the boundaries of the vast Comanche Cattle Pool of South Central Kansas in the late nineteenth century. Written by Hattie Pierce Wimmer in 1929.
Story of a Blizzard by a Comanche Pool Cowboy From PIONEER HISTORY OF KANSAS, by Adolph Roenigk, CHAPTER VIII - A TALE ILLUSTRATING THE VAGARIES OF KANSAS WEATHER, By Guy W. Von Shriltz, Coldwater, Kansas. (This story is about a blizzard described by "Old Ike", who may have been either Ike Kiser or Ike Musset, both mentioned on the above list of cowboys.)
Ranches in Barber & Comanche Counties by Wilbur Olson.
Thanks to Phyllis Scherich for contributing the above news article to this web site!