In 1845, Charles Goodnight (1836-1929) and his family traveled 800 miles from his birthplace in Illinois to central Texas. He was nine years old and rode bareback on a mare named Blaze, a symbolic beginning to his long career as a cowboy and cattle rancher. When he was twenty, Goodnight and his stepbrother made a deal with the neighboring CV Ranch to care for 430 cattle. The men kept every fourth calf born as their payment, accumulating 180 cattle of their own and taking advantage of the opportunity to learn all they could about cattle ranching.
Goodnight and the Texas Rangers
At the start of the American Civil War the men were forced to abandon their cattle. Goodnight served as a scout and guide with the Texas Rangers in their battles against the Kiowas and Comanches. When the war ended, Goodnight and his stepbrother gathered their herd, which had grown remarkably to 5000 head. They bought the rest of the CV cattle and roped in a few strays, and their herd grew to 8000. When his stepbrother married, Goodnight assumed all responsibilities for the cattle.
Blazing the Goodnight-Loving Trail
Unfortunately, all Texas herds expanded during the war, glutting the market. Instead of taking his cattle to Kansas with the rest of the ranchers, Goodnight decided to head north toward Colorado to ensure a higher profit. In 1866 he teamed up with the more experienced Oliver Loving and formed a solid friendship. Goodnight built the first chuckwagon from an old Studebaker army wagon then he and Loving and their 18 hired cowhands hit the trail with 2000 cattle. They traveled southwest to avoid trouble with the Comanches, then north through Fort Sumner, New Mexico and into Denver. The trip was highly profitable and they made history along the way by establishing the now famous Goodnight-Loving Trail.
Bringing Oliver Loving Home to Texas
Goodnight returned to Texas for another herd while Loving rode ahead to secure government contracts for the next drive. As he crossed the prairies, Loving was attacked by Commanches and seriously injured. He crawled off in the night and found a wagon to take him to the nearest town, but by the time Goodnight arrived, Loving was near death. Goodnight promised to return Loving’s body to Texas just before Loving died. He and his men built a casket of tin cans to surround the wooden casket then covered Loving’s body with charcoal and transported him to Texas for burial.
Success and Failure in Colorado
In 1870, Goodnight built the Rock Canon Ranch five miles west of Pueblo, Colorado then married his long-time sweetheart Mary Ann Dyer. They lived in Rock Canon for six years, herding cattle and selling apples from their large orchard. Goodnight quickly became one of the wealthiest cattle ranchers in Colorado, but still paid an exorbitant amount of interest on loans, so he co-founded the Stock Growers Bank of Pueblo. Unfortunately, this move did him little good as he lost most of his holdings that same year in the panic of 1873.
Cattle Baron of the Texas Panhandle
In 1876, Goodnight moved his cattle to the Texas Panhandle where he chose Palo Duro Canyon for the site of his next ranch. He made deals with outlaws and local tribes to keep his ranch and cattle safe. He used his expert negotiating skills to secure foreign financing from Irish entrepreneurs John and Cornelia Adair. His shrewd land investments made his second cattle venture even more successful. His herd soon numbered 100,000 and his ranch grew to a community of 50 houses. He experimented with breeding bison and Angus cattle, called “cattalo,” and raised elk and antelope. In 1880, he organized the Panhandle Stock Association and served as its first president. He died in 1929. Charles Goodnight was voted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma in 1958.
Resources
“Charles Goodnight.” The Handbook of Texas Online.
"Charles Goodnight." PBS-The West.
Greene, Lee “et al.” The Old West: The Cowboys. Time Life Books. Canada: 1974.
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