1865 Texas Stock Directory & Brand Book

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AUTHOR: W. H. Jackson and S. A. Long

TITLE: The Texas Stock Directory, or Book of Marks and Brands in a series of volumes designed to embrace the whole state.

PUBLICATION DATA: c1950. privately printed by the Book Farm in New Braunfels, facsimile of the 1865 edition.

Condition report:

Blue cloth covers show little wear, save two stray ink marks to the bottom corner of the front cover. 402pp + 50pp of ads. Binding is sound.

Why It Matters:

This as the first Texas brand book, and only the second American brand book. The original was printed in San Antonio at the tail end of the Civil War, and it's a wonder it ever made it to press. Though the title page calls this "Volume One," there was no other volume issued. Not only did the Civil War help derail the project's future, it had severely delayed the appearance of this volume. Co-editor Samuel Long died of cholera in 1866 as he and Jackson were preparing the second volume of brands, and Jackson made the decision to shelve the project.

It contains brands from across the state of Texas, plus a section of ads at the back. One of the ads, by author W. H. Jackson who was a stockraiser from Bexar County read as follows, and demonstrates the need that was filled by this book: "During the past few years, I have had several horses taken from me (generally after the hour than an honest and God-loving man would be supposed to have said his prayers and retired to his peaceful couch) - all being branded as in the margin. Never having sold or donated a horse wearing the above brand, I claim them as my property, wherever they may be found, and will largely thank and liberally reward any person who will assist me in recovering animals thus mysteriously 'spirited' away."

Texas was on the cusp of the first big cattle drives and injecting cowboy lore into the American bloodstream when this was first published. We've never seen a first edition (and likely never will) and have only seen this example of the reprint.