Caprock Chronicles: Thanksgiving 1893 on the Texas Plains

Editor’s Note: Jack Becker is the editor of Caprock Chronicles and is a Librarian Emeritus from Texas Tech University. He can be reached at jack.becker@ttu.edu. Today’s article about Thanksgiving on the Texas Plains 1893 is by frequent contributor Chuck Lanehart, Lubbock attorney and award-winning history writer.

“Thanksgiving Day, 1893, dawned clear and bright after a night that was cold enough to freeze a quarter inch of ice over the water bucket on the back bench.”

In 1937, Olive Dixon published her delightful account of an 1893 Thanksgiving celebration in the Texas Panhandle. It is not clear whether the short article was Olive’s personal recollection of the events, but she certainly could have attended the festivities, as she was an early pioneer of the Texas plains.

In 1873, she was born Olive King in Virginia. After the death of her father, a Civil War veteran, she followed her ranch-hand brothers to the Texas Panhandle and took a job as a schoolteacher in about 1893. William “Billy” Dixon courted her, and in 1894, the two were married at his Adobe Walls homestead on the Turkey Track Ranch, Hutchinson County.

“The home of a Portuguese family named Lewis on Reynolds Creek in Hutchinson County, was the scene of quiet activity. To their home had been invited the entire citizenship of the County at that time, about 30 persons in all, to partake in a Thanksgiving dinner of wild turkey.”

Olive’s husband Billy was famous in his lifetime as the hero of the 1874 Second Battle of Adobe Walls. From almost a mile away, Billy fired his Sharps “Big 50” rifle and felled a Comanche warrior, forcing the Native Americans to retreat. Billy won the US Medal of Honor for heroism in the Indian Wars.

“The Lewis home was a three room cedar picket house covered with dirt. The family consisted of Joe Lewis, a bachelor, John Lewis and his wife and five year old son, John, Jr. Mrs. Lewis was a wonderful cook and besides the monster turkey which held the place of prominence on the long improvised table, there were platters of deer, quail and other game. The dinner was not served in courses; everything was placed on the table.”

Olive and Billy lived at Adobe Walls until 1902 and raised seven children. Before Billy’s death in 1913, Olive recorded his memories as a buffalo hunter and scout, later published in an important source of Texas plains history, “The Life of Billy Dixon.”

“By noon the meal was ready and cowboys from the Turkey Track Ranch and other guests sat down to enjoy the feast. Mr. Lewis being a devout Catholic returned thanks and asked the blessing of God on all present and those in need the world over.”

Olive’s mention of the Turkey Track Ranch is noteworthy. Known as the “Prize of the Panhandle,” it boasts great natural resources and the sites of the two Battles of Adobe Walls. With beginnings in 1878, the 80,000-acre ranch was recently offered for sale for $200 million.

“There was considerable talk about conditions of the country at that time. Several at the table who read the Dallas Semi-Weekly News, felt they were posted on current events, predicted the country would begin to recover from the panic and the government's gold reserve would rise above the danger point. Faith in President Grover Cleveland was strong and according to Uncle Jake Quick, who had recently returned from the Kansas City markets, conditions all over the country were much improved.”

The Panic of 1893 Olive described was a devastating nation-wide economic depression which did not end until 1897. Faith in President Cleveland was short-lived.

“After dinner the holiday crowd left the Lewis home, headed for Old Parnell by horseback, buggy, and buckboard, where an old fashioned dance was to be staged. Parnell, in Roberts County, on the South side of the Canadian River, served as the County seat for Roberts, Hutchinson, and Gray Counties. T.M. Cunningham, who died in Amarillo a short time ago, was a County Judge at that time. Here they were joined by scores of persons from Miami, Mobeetie, and Canadian, and to the music of violin and banjo the happy crowd danced in the courtroom of the two story frame courthouse. Dancing started as soon as anyone arrived and lasted until sun-up. The music was furnished by Jake Walstad, a talented violinist and banjo player from Medicine Lodge, Kansas.”

The trek from Hutchinson County to Parnell was about 30 miles, so it would have taken a solid day to ride horseback — longer by buggy — to the big holiday party.

The town of Parnell — in central Roberts County — was founded in 1888. Miami and Parnell battled over the county seat, and Texas Rangers were summoned to keep the peace. Miami won the final election in 1898, and Parnell returned to ranchland.

"The only intermission during the dance was at 12 o'clock when time was taken off for a midnight lunch which consisted of roast turkey, light bread, pies and black coffee.

“At daybreak they started homeward — a typical Thanksgiving on the Plains observed.”

In 1929, Olive moved to Amarillo and worked for Amarillo newspapers until her death in 1956.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Caprock Chronicles: Thanksgiving 1893 on the Texas Plains