Not long after Joe’s early sheep camp days in about 1924 his father remarried and Daddy found ways to stay with his uncles, out of reach of his father’s hand and his stepmother, Belle’s, tongue. Stories told to me, describe her as a hateful, whiny women who took her wrath out on the younger children.
Joe started working part time on neighboring ranches with cattle and sheep. He helped at brandings, moving cattle, and learned to rope and soon could ride with the best of them. He learned quickly and proved himself to be a good worker, always volunteering for any job, whether it was shoveling manure, doing the daily milking or doctoring sheep with hoof rot. The long hours made it difficult to keep up with the older, more experienced cowhands, but he never quit until the horses were unsaddled, rubbed down, curried and fed. He was the last “ranch hand” to wash up, before heading to the cook shack for supper and then to the bunkhouse to fall into bed.
A local cattle ranch hired ranch hands in the spring, Joe signed on. Horseback riding came easy to him and he appeared to be at home in the saddle. Now his riding skills improved even more, seated in the saddle, straight as a poker, moving with the horse as they became one. His love of horses grew as he unsaddled the working horse each night, breathed in the smells of the horse, as it nuzzled his hands and neck in appreciation of the care it received. He brushed and curried it with loving hands. He liked the challenge of staying in the saddle of a bucking horse and began entering rodeos, trying all the events, except bull riding. His expertise was in bronc busting; both bare back and saddle bronc. He often made extra money riding in the small local rodeos and traveled from Utah to Pendleton, Oregon, one time, to ride in the famed “Pendleton Roundup”. A broken shoulder, after being thrown from a bucking horse, ended his rodeo career in the early thirties.
Joe learned to smoke and drink at a young age, probably aided by his older uncles and the cowboys he patterned his life after. Alcohol gave him the courage to climb on yet another horse and take chances in the rodeo arena. It also relaxed him, so the ground seemed softer, when he landed, after the horse bucked him off. Cigarettes, easily hand made or cheap to buy, put them within reach for anyone who wanted to smoke. Smoking became very popular and soon even women smoked cigarettes in public places. The addictive properties of nicotine were unknown or ignored at the time.
The “Prohibition Era” started in 1919 and ended in 1933. The people who fought for prohibition in 1919 believed it would help reduce crime and decrease poverty. However crime only increased and soon many organizations that had supported prohibition began a campaign for its repeal. In 1933 thus ended one of the most colorful periods of history, where homemade stills and bathtub gin were common in every community. to be continued... Hugs To all...OWAV:)
photos are few for this part of Joe's life,,,below are a few if his family. In yesterdays post, the photo of the sheep camp, my mom, Blanche had written on the back of it, "Joe."
Top left is Idella Eastman Ashton (Joes Mother).
Idella's parents and siblings make up the rest of the photo.
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