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Rooster: The Life and Times of the Real Rooster Cogburn
The True Story Behind True Grit
Immortalized in the classic novel and films, the real "Rooster" Cogburn was as bold, brash, and bigger-than-life as the American West itself. Now, in this page-turning account, Cogburn's great-great-grandson reveals the truth behind the fiction--and the man behind the myth. . .
He was born in 1866 in Fancy Hill, Arkansas, the descendant of pioneers and moonshiners. Six foot three, dark eyed, and a dead shot with a rifle, Franklin "Rooster" Cogburn was as hard as the rocky mountain ground his family settled. The only authority the Cogburn clan recognized was God and a gun. And though he never packed a badge, Rooster meted out his own brand of justice--taking on a posse of U.S. deputy marshals in a blazing showdown of gunfire and blood. Now a wanted man, with a $500 reward on his head, Rooster would ultimately have to defend himself before a hanging judge. Proud, stubborn, fearless, and ornery to the bitter end.
A fascinating portrait of a true American icon, Rooster shows us the making of a legend--fashioned by Arkansas newspaperman Charles Portis with bits and pieces of historical figures, including Deputy Reuben M. Fry, one-eyed Deputy Marshal Cal Whitson, Joseph Peppers (Lucky Ned), Joseph Spurling (Mattie Ross's grandfather) and bank robber Frank Chaney (scar-faced Tom Chaney.) Behind it all stood a man named "Rooster," with two good eyes and a tale all his own.
Some folks are just born to tell tall tales. Brett Cogburn was reared in Texas and the mountains of Southeastern Oklahoma. He was fortunate enough for many years to make his living from the back of a horse, where on cold mornings cowboys still straddled frisky broncs and dragged calves to the branding fire on the end of a rope from their saddlehorns. Growing up around ranches, livestock auctions, and backwoods hunting camps filled Brett's head with stories, and he never forgot a one. In his own words: "My grandfather taught me to ride a bucking horse, my mother gave me a love of reading, and my father taught me how to hunt my own meat and shoot straight. Cowboys are just as wild as they ever were, and I've been damn lucky to have known more than a few." The West is still teaching him how to write. His first novel, Panhandle, will be published in November 2012. Brett Cogburn lives in Oklahoma with his family.
Immortalized in the classic novel and films, the real "Rooster" Cogburn was as bold, brash, and bigger-than-life as the American West itself. Now, in this page-turning account, Cogburn's great-great-grandson reveals the truth behind the fiction--and the man behind the myth. . .
He was born in 1866 in Fancy Hill, Arkansas, the descendant of pioneers and moonshiners. Six foot three, dark eyed, and a dead shot with a rifle, Franklin "Rooster" Cogburn was as hard as the rocky mountain ground his family settled. The only authority the Cogburn clan recognized was God and a gun. And though he never packed a badge, Rooster meted out his own brand of justice--taking on a posse of U.S. deputy marshals in a blazing showdown of gunfire and blood. Now a wanted man, with a $500 reward on his head, Rooster would ultimately have to defend himself before a hanging judge. Proud, stubborn, fearless, and ornery to the bitter end.
A fascinating portrait of a true American icon, Rooster shows us the making of a legend--fashioned by Arkansas newspaperman Charles Portis with bits and pieces of historical figures, including Deputy Reuben M. Fry, one-eyed Deputy Marshal Cal Whitson, Joseph Peppers (Lucky Ned), Joseph Spurling (Mattie Ross's grandfather) and bank robber Frank Chaney (scar-faced Tom Chaney.) Behind it all stood a man named "Rooster," with two good eyes and a tale all his own.
Some folks are just born to tell tall tales. Brett Cogburn was reared in Texas and the mountains of Southeastern Oklahoma. He was fortunate enough for many years to make his living from the back of a horse, where on cold mornings cowboys still straddled frisky broncs and dragged calves to the branding fire on the end of a rope from their saddlehorns. Growing up around ranches, livestock auctions, and backwoods hunting camps filled Brett's head with stories, and he never forgot a one. In his own words: "My grandfather taught me to ride a bucking horse, my mother gave me a love of reading, and my father taught me how to hunt my own meat and shoot straight. Cowboys are just as wild as they ever were, and I've been damn lucky to have known more than a few." The West is still teaching him how to write. His first novel, Panhandle, will be published in November 2012. Brett Cogburn lives in Oklahoma with his family.
193 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
232 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 26, 2013
This was fun to read! I haven't read a bio in a long time, and I haven't read anything strictly historical in a long time either, so this was nice and refreshing. Now, this wasn't a high scholarly piece of work or research, but I'm sure it was fun for the author to research his family history and to discover such colorful characters.
Having been raised in a home where my mother is overly infatuated with John Wayne, I knew the Marshall Rooster Cogburn pretty well. I was also one of the many eager to rush into theaters to see the remake in 2010. As a fan of the character in the movies, I was only slightly sad that the real Rooster wasn't a Marshall, but I can't say that I didn't enjoy the real Rooster.
If you are a fan of the wild west, western fiction, or the American expansion into the West, I highly recommend checking this out. I am now able to enjoy the "True Grit" novel and movies a little more now that I have a better understanding of the context and culture of the Fort Smith, Arkansas area.
Having been raised in a home where my mother is overly infatuated with John Wayne, I knew the Marshall Rooster Cogburn pretty well. I was also one of the many eager to rush into theaters to see the remake in 2010. As a fan of the character in the movies, I was only slightly sad that the real Rooster wasn't a Marshall, but I can't say that I didn't enjoy the real Rooster.
If you are a fan of the wild west, western fiction, or the American expansion into the West, I highly recommend checking this out. I am now able to enjoy the "True Grit" novel and movies a little more now that I have a better understanding of the context and culture of the Fort Smith, Arkansas area.
January 16, 2019
AN AUTHENTIC FEEL OF THE WILD WEST.
“Arresting moonshiners was clearly a job for brave men, and a risky venture at best.” (p. 51)
In his family memoir, Rooster: The Life and Times of the Real Rooster Cogburn, the Man Who Inspired True Grit, shoot ‘em up Westerns writer, Brett Cogburn makes plausible arguments that his great-grandfather, John Franklin Cogburn (aka: ‘Rooster’) was the real life inspiration for Charles Portis’s fictional character, Deputy U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn in his novel, True Grit. Whether or not you accept his basic premise, Cogburn’s memoir makes for very interesting, informative and entertaining reading about the old west.
I was particularly pleased at three new terms of the period that I learned reading this tale:
Mountain Feds were Arkansans, primarily from the Ozark and Ouachita mountain regions, who remained loyal to—and fought for—the Union in both conventional and irregular military units during the Civil War.
Galvanized Yankees was a term from the American Civil War denoting former Confederate prisoners of war who swore allegiance to the United States and joined the Union Army.
Bald Knobbers were a group of vigilantes in the Ozark region of southwest Missouri from 1883 to 1889.
Recommendation: An excellent story for an authentic feel of the wild west. You should read it.
“The Union troops gave the Confederates who swapped allegiance the name “Galvanized Yankees,” as their supposed loyalty went no deeper than the blue uniform they donned to get out of lockup.” (p. 69).
Kensington. Kindle Edition, 136 pages.
“Arresting moonshiners was clearly a job for brave men, and a risky venture at best.” (p. 51)
In his family memoir, Rooster: The Life and Times of the Real Rooster Cogburn, the Man Who Inspired True Grit, shoot ‘em up Westerns writer, Brett Cogburn makes plausible arguments that his great-grandfather, John Franklin Cogburn (aka: ‘Rooster’) was the real life inspiration for Charles Portis’s fictional character, Deputy U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn in his novel, True Grit. Whether or not you accept his basic premise, Cogburn’s memoir makes for very interesting, informative and entertaining reading about the old west.
I was particularly pleased at three new terms of the period that I learned reading this tale:
Mountain Feds were Arkansans, primarily from the Ozark and Ouachita mountain regions, who remained loyal to—and fought for—the Union in both conventional and irregular military units during the Civil War.
Galvanized Yankees was a term from the American Civil War denoting former Confederate prisoners of war who swore allegiance to the United States and joined the Union Army.
Bald Knobbers were a group of vigilantes in the Ozark region of southwest Missouri from 1883 to 1889.
Recommendation: An excellent story for an authentic feel of the wild west. You should read it.
“The Union troops gave the Confederates who swapped allegiance the name “Galvanized Yankees,” as their supposed loyalty went no deeper than the blue uniform they donned to get out of lockup.” (p. 69).
Kensington. Kindle Edition, 136 pages.
July 16, 2019
This book was interesting. I have always loved True Grit the original John Wayne movie, and resently I read the book. Portis did such a good job of writing a story that was a one of a kind western classic. When I found this book in my local library I was interested in it right away. The author of this book did a great deal of research, not only on his own family but other lawmen and bandits in the states of Oklahoma and Arkansas. It was interesting to see the similarities that he found in real people lost to history and those characters that I loved reading about in True Grit. If you are a fan or just like to see where an author can get inspiration to write a great story, you should consider this book.
December 3, 2012
This book was interesting filled with all sorts of historical facts. The Cogburns were a huge family and it was a little confusing keeping straight the families. The Civil War material was enlighting in that I did't realize that both the Union and the Confederacy solicted the indians from the Five Civilized Tribes to fight and members of the same tribe became enemies just as families who had men who fought on both sides. I did not know that Stand Watie was the first brigadier General of the First Indian Brigadier Army of the Trans Mississippi. He was the only Native American to achieve the rank in the military history of USA for the Confederacy.
Many people have no knowledge of the part Native Americans played in the war between the states.
The Cogburns played thier own part in the conflict as well. After the war was over, the story takes us through the times and trials of the Cogburns and the story of Franklin "Rooster" Cogburn which had little to do with the Rooster Cogburn of True Grit fame, although that story (fiction) was based on many details of the Cogburn clan. The great-grandson of Franklin Cogburn has done a great job in telling us the story of his truly gritty ancestors. I recomend this book to Civil War and the Indian territory fans. Well worth reading.
Many people have no knowledge of the part Native Americans played in the war between the states.
The Cogburns played thier own part in the conflict as well. After the war was over, the story takes us through the times and trials of the Cogburns and the story of Franklin "Rooster" Cogburn which had little to do with the Rooster Cogburn of True Grit fame, although that story (fiction) was based on many details of the Cogburn clan. The great-grandson of Franklin Cogburn has done a great job in telling us the story of his truly gritty ancestors. I recomend this book to Civil War and the Indian territory fans. Well worth reading.
March 24, 2014
This is a ok little book. Has some entertaining parts. Nothing special, but a good read. Especially if you're into Old West style literature. I think maybe I just expected Rooster Cogburn to have a crazier story. He had his moments... I guess I expected more.
February 25, 2016
An interesting look at the real Rooster Cogburn and his family. Informative and historical, but only slightly like the amalgamation of the character portrayed by John Wayne. The book gives a real insight to the era and what poor mountain men and farmers had to do to survive.
September 19, 2025
Interesting for a Family History
The Franklin “Rooster” Cogburn presented in this book may be gritty, but is not the same character as in “True Grit”. As stated in the Introduction, Charles Portis claimed the Rooster Cogburn in “True Grit” was a composite or collage of many men. The Rooster Cogburn in this book is the authors Grt-Grandfather Franklin “Rooster” Cogburn, a moonshiner and accused murderer of Deputy Marshall John David Trammel. He learned to read and write in prison and became a Baptist preacher. The book touches on a host of interesting historical and regional topics connected South Western Arkansas and Ohio, but is basically the story of his Grt-Grandfather and the Cogburn family. A search in Newspapers.com results in numerous articles mentioning the Cogburn clan and the murder of Trammel. I do Genealogy and I found it, for the most part, very readable and interesting. But, depending on your background and purpose, it may not be for everyone.
The Franklin “Rooster” Cogburn presented in this book may be gritty, but is not the same character as in “True Grit”. As stated in the Introduction, Charles Portis claimed the Rooster Cogburn in “True Grit” was a composite or collage of many men. The Rooster Cogburn in this book is the authors Grt-Grandfather Franklin “Rooster” Cogburn, a moonshiner and accused murderer of Deputy Marshall John David Trammel. He learned to read and write in prison and became a Baptist preacher. The book touches on a host of interesting historical and regional topics connected South Western Arkansas and Ohio, but is basically the story of his Grt-Grandfather and the Cogburn family. A search in Newspapers.com results in numerous articles mentioning the Cogburn clan and the murder of Trammel. I do Genealogy and I found it, for the most part, very readable and interesting. But, depending on your background and purpose, it may not be for everyone.
January 2, 2021
My husband first read this due to him doing genealogy and finding we had Cogburn's in our family.... then when the book incorporated the movie "True Grit" it caught his attention. He read it and told me I would probably like it.
He was correct. Although when you look at the title you would think it would be more of a genealogy type story of just the Cogburn families. But it's not... what I liked the best about the book is it has LOTS of Arkansas History in it. Judge Isaac Parker "The Hanging Judge" and stories about some of his deputies. Just History in general. Stories of back woods Arkansas was like back in the 1800's.
If there are any older children in Middle, Jr High, or High school that needs to write essays on these topics this book would be a neat book to read and get some references from. Or at least get ideas from and they can use the Notes and References section in the back to see where Mr Cogburn got his data.
I enjoyed this book so much I would like to own it
He was correct. Although when you look at the title you would think it would be more of a genealogy type story of just the Cogburn families. But it's not... what I liked the best about the book is it has LOTS of Arkansas History in it. Judge Isaac Parker "The Hanging Judge" and stories about some of his deputies. Just History in general. Stories of back woods Arkansas was like back in the 1800's.
If there are any older children in Middle, Jr High, or High school that needs to write essays on these topics this book would be a neat book to read and get some references from. Or at least get ideas from and they can use the Notes and References section in the back to see where Mr Cogburn got his data.
I enjoyed this book so much I would like to own it
August 20, 2020
This is an excellent companion to True Grit, Charles Portis' great novel, and the source for two films of the same title. I cast a skeptical eye on anyone writing about their family, but this depiction of the life and times of the Cogburn clan in the late 19th century and early 20th century is spot on. Working from both family lore and newspaper and other contemporary sources, Brett Cogburn paints a marvelous picture of the background to Portis' novel. Told well, with great anecdotes, a picture of Arkansas' and America's violent and lawless, and yet very moral, decent, and hard-working past is built. And also, this is a great read, with phrases and small facts that made me chuckle on every page.
July 14, 2017
Yes, I'm a fan of True Grit, so when my friend (thanks, Shalise) lent me this book, I was delighted to read about the life of the real Rooster Cogburn. His life is pretty much nothing like the character created by Charles Portis; however, he still has a great life story, including time spent in Judge Parker's court on trial for a crime he supposedly committed. I also enjoyed one of the final chapters in this book where the author tries his hand at showing real life people other characters could have been based on.
February 29, 2020
I've seen both "True Grit" movies and have the book but it never dawned on me that there was a real Rooster Cogburn. Not that he looked anything like John Wayne or Jeff Bridges or was even a Deputy U.S. Marshal but he was a real Wild West character, a moonshiner in Arkansas. His story is fascinating and his great-grandson ends by showing the similarities in names and actions of many of the characters in the fictional book with those of real life. This is definitely worth a read. Guess I'd better pull out my copy of Charles Portis' book, True Grit, and read it with more attention to the details.
December 14, 2022
An interesting account of real events and people in the post-civil war US that were likely included in Portis's research while writing True Grit. And even if they weren't, the tales the the author tells paint an excellent picture of the kind of men who were lawmen, outlaws, moonshiners, and family men at the time of the frontier.
August 31, 2023
Family Connections
Most family histories are long on supposition and this is no exception. I have traveled this trail also. I expect the author is pleased to be able to fill in some blank spaces in his ancestry, and there is some degree of interest for others to learn something of the pioneer experience.
Most family histories are long on supposition and this is no exception. I have traveled this trail also. I expect the author is pleased to be able to fill in some blank spaces in his ancestry, and there is some degree of interest for others to learn something of the pioneer experience.
October 5, 2023
I am a sucker for a great story and this book did not disappoint. Family lore is far better than any fiction, and you almost feel like you’re sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch listening in. Grab a whiskey and a cigar and soak it in. That’s what I did. A fine book and well worth the read!
July 23, 2019
A look back to a time when most Americans were fiercely independent and violence was still a major method of conflict resolution. While the family history was interesting, my real takeaway, was the portrait of the people and social structure existing at the end of the nineteenth century in the this part of the US. A far cry from todays coddled and subsidized citizens.
December 28, 2023
It really bothers me that someone writing a book about outlaws in the USA West did not take the time to learn the difference between "hanged" and "hung." Makes me wonder what else the writer got wrong.
November 10, 2017
Recommended by Kris, Main Library, Adult Services, Three Stars, November 2017.
September 26, 2018
Definately a history lesson about Montgomery County, AR. More of a family history than a comparison to True Grit.
April 16, 2019
This book had some great and memorable stories of the real west
But in some places it was all over the map
a ok read
But in some places it was all over the map
a ok read
February 19, 2021
Interesting dive into the wild world of post civil war Arkansas and some of the real Cogburns of the day.
March 3, 2021
Nicely put together!
Well written history of the real Cogburn family. It was interesting to read about all the names and similarities from "True Grit."
Well written history of the real Cogburn family. It was interesting to read about all the names and similarities from "True Grit."
May 27, 2021
I was hoping to learn more about the inspiration for True Grit. Maybe you will feel differently. Enjoy!
July 9, 2025
I like true grit better
October 4, 2012
I found Brett Cogburn’s biography of his great grandfather John Franklin Cogburn to be fascinating and interesting. As a youngster he was given the nickname Rooster. To anyone who has read Charles Portis’ book True Grit, or seen either of the movies made from the book, the name Rooster Cogburn should be familiar. Brett Cogburn wrote this book, not to claim that the novel and movies are about his great grandfather, but that Portis, who was born and raised just south of where John Franklin Cogburn was born and raised, had used the name Rooster Cogburn to build the character for his novel. Brett points out names and places that were around his great grandfather that also made it into the novel. I agree with Brett that Portis used his knowledge of local history and local characters to create a composite character that he named Rooster Cogburn. Though the fictional Rooster and the actual Rooster were on different sides of the law, I like to belief the fictional Rooster was not above bending the law a little to get what he wanted. The actual Rooster was protecting his own and his family from encroachment from outsiders.
I also see the book as giving a good view of the so called mountain people or “hillibillies” of the Appalachians and Ozarks. Forget the stereotypes that you have seen about people from these areas. These are people who live in close-knit families and communities. The do not trust outsiders until the outsider proves himself worthy of trust, and that may not come about for a generation or two. As Brett Cogburn points out these were hardworking people who saw no problem in bending the law a little to help their families to get by. If it took selling a little moonshine to raise some hard coinage the so be it and no outsider was going to stop them. The only person really hurt in this story was the one that can be considered a turncoat. They were and are clannish people and may fight amongst themselves but they will come together if one is threatened by an outsider.
I am of this stock and am proud to be a “hillbilly”. I can understand the story of Rooster and the decisions that he made. I see him as a good man and as a great grandfather that Brett can be proud of pointing to and saying I am a descendant of him. Thank you Brett for the introduction to the real Rooster Cogburn.
I also see the book as giving a good view of the so called mountain people or “hillibillies” of the Appalachians and Ozarks. Forget the stereotypes that you have seen about people from these areas. These are people who live in close-knit families and communities. The do not trust outsiders until the outsider proves himself worthy of trust, and that may not come about for a generation or two. As Brett Cogburn points out these were hardworking people who saw no problem in bending the law a little to help their families to get by. If it took selling a little moonshine to raise some hard coinage the so be it and no outsider was going to stop them. The only person really hurt in this story was the one that can be considered a turncoat. They were and are clannish people and may fight amongst themselves but they will come together if one is threatened by an outsider.
I am of this stock and am proud to be a “hillbilly”. I can understand the story of Rooster and the decisions that he made. I see him as a good man and as a great grandfather that Brett can be proud of pointing to and saying I am a descendant of him. Thank you Brett for the introduction to the real Rooster Cogburn.
August 24, 2013
This book might not be for everyone, but it was a great read for me. It was a mix of old-time Saturday Matinée westerns and the feuds of the Hatfields and McCoys. Great-grandson of the real Rooster Cogburn (think True Grit) has done great research seeking out his family story, which is the story of many of us in the Midwest. The nonfiction piece shows white lightning stills in the hills, hangings, shootings, feuding, robberies...well, you name it. I could relate to so much of Brett Cogburn's story including having a grandfather named Claude. His family lived in Arkansas on the Indian Territory border. Mine lived in Missouri on the same border. It must have been such a hard life in the hills and on the plains after the Civil War. As Cogburn's story unfolds, the readers see those trying times where right and wrong were not such simple matters. This is a great edition to the libraries of those who love western stories.
September 30, 2016
"Will the real Rooster Cogburn please stand up!" This fifties game show phrase was on my mind as I read this well-researched account of the memorable character in Charles Portis's novel 'True Grit.' While an indelible image of John Wayne's portrayal continues to dance in my mind, Brett Cogburn (the 'real' Rooster's great-grandson) offers a fascinating and documented historical account of the Arkansas-Oklahoma region's early years and residents.
August 17, 2012
A very, very interesting story about his life and the lives of people in the Old West. Well written and very well researched. A very good family story that dispels a lot of the myths surrounding Roster Cogburn. I enjoyed this little book and would like to read more from this author.
January 28, 2013
This reads like someone's high school genealogy project. The only reason it rates a 2 is because he has a fascinating relative. But contextually it is a mess and what is a wonderful subject is mired in a lack of information and bad trial transcription.
April 2, 2013
A fascinating family history. Definitely not what I was expecting but informative none the less.
Read
May 29, 2013This was good and interesting- but a casualty of too many other things to read; hopefully I'm forced to return to it someday.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews