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Early Days in Texas: A Trip to Hell and Heaven
Gentleman, reprobate, killer, lawman--Jim McIntire was all of these, and more. Born in Ohio in 1854, McIntire went west and grew up with the country. By the 1870s he was a regular fixture in the life of such wide-open Texas towns as Fort Griffin, Jacksboro, Fort Belknap, and Mobeetie. The handsome young man soon built a quick-gun reputation that in the 1880s led him into city law enforcement in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and later branded him an outlaw.
In his own plain, unvarnished style McIntire writes of a life packed with action and excitement. He tells of violent times and brutal people in a calm, matter-of-fact way that unashamedly relates his own involvement in sometimes gory, sometimes comical, but always fascinating events.
A host of notable frontier figures parades through the early Texas rancher James C. Loving; military men Henry O. Flipper and Albert J. Fountain; legendary lawmen Pat Garrett, John W. Poe, and Wyatt Earp; and an assortment of outlaws and gunfighters including Sam Bass, Dave Rudabaugh, Billy the Kid, Jim Courtright, and "Mysterious Dave" Mather.
A near-death experience in 1901 prompted a nevertheless unrepentant McIntire to pen his life story. Rich with detail, his narrative chronicles the attitudes of late-nineteenth-century frontier folk toward bigotry, cruelty to humans and animals, law, and law enforcement. As he recounts his experiences, McIntire also illuminates the little-known personal side of buffalo hunting, cowpunching, and operating boomtown saloons and gambling houses of the day.
Robert K. DeArment's careful editing and extensive annotations enhance McIntire's account of his adventures on both sides of the law. Through his vigorous scholarship, DeArment corrects the author's errors of fact, chronology, and omission. Now made available for the first time since its original publication in 1902, Early Days in Texas takes its place among the important firsthand accounts of life on the rough edge of the Texas and New Mexico frontier.
In his own plain, unvarnished style McIntire writes of a life packed with action and excitement. He tells of violent times and brutal people in a calm, matter-of-fact way that unashamedly relates his own involvement in sometimes gory, sometimes comical, but always fascinating events.
A host of notable frontier figures parades through the early Texas rancher James C. Loving; military men Henry O. Flipper and Albert J. Fountain; legendary lawmen Pat Garrett, John W. Poe, and Wyatt Earp; and an assortment of outlaws and gunfighters including Sam Bass, Dave Rudabaugh, Billy the Kid, Jim Courtright, and "Mysterious Dave" Mather.
A near-death experience in 1901 prompted a nevertheless unrepentant McIntire to pen his life story. Rich with detail, his narrative chronicles the attitudes of late-nineteenth-century frontier folk toward bigotry, cruelty to humans and animals, law, and law enforcement. As he recounts his experiences, McIntire also illuminates the little-known personal side of buffalo hunting, cowpunching, and operating boomtown saloons and gambling houses of the day.
Robert K. DeArment's careful editing and extensive annotations enhance McIntire's account of his adventures on both sides of the law. Through his vigorous scholarship, DeArment corrects the author's errors of fact, chronology, and omission. Now made available for the first time since its original publication in 1902, Early Days in Texas takes its place among the important firsthand accounts of life on the rough edge of the Texas and New Mexico frontier.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1992
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 15, 2014
This book interested me because I love reading about the history of early Texans, especially from Northeast Texas. McIntire shares some wild tales about his experiences; some seem a little overly exaggerated. However, even if there is some shred of truth to them, they give insight into how rough this part of the country was back in the early days. I was particularly intrigued by his vivid accounts of encounters with Native Americans. McIntire was a lawman, a Texas Ranger, an entrepreneur, a gambler, and, ultimately, an outlaw. Was his experience typical of many men in the Old West? If you enjoy reading "true" stories about the lives of men in early Texas, you will like this book.
I need to add that McIntire includes a chapter at the end of the book about his near death experience in which he describes a visit to hell and heaven and back to life. The experience leads him to believe in God and he says writing down his story grew out of his need to share what happened to him while he was unconscious and nearly died. It's inspiring that this man, with his rough and rowdy background, wanted to share what he learned so that other men like him could come to know God, too.
I need to add that McIntire includes a chapter at the end of the book about his near death experience in which he describes a visit to hell and heaven and back to life. The experience leads him to believe in God and he says writing down his story grew out of his need to share what happened to him while he was unconscious and nearly died. It's inspiring that this man, with his rough and rowdy background, wanted to share what he learned so that other men like him could come to know God, too.
November 10, 2014
"Early Days In Texas: A Trip to Hell and Heaven" by Jim McIntire and edited by Robert K. DeArment (published in 1992, 184 pages) is a autobiography of this interesting Texan as he relates his life and adventures in the mid to late 1800's in Texas and other frontier states.
The editor quickly warns the reader that Jim McIntire enjoyed telling "tall tales" of his life and experiences and to take his autobiography with "a grain of salt". Jim McIntire was born in Ohio but as a youth traveled to Texas to experience the frontier and cowboy life he read about in 10 cent novels. As a youth in Ohio, McIntire became a leader of a black "minstrel show" that travelled through Ohio and had some funny yet dangerous adventures. After being bored with this, he traveled to Texas where he became a cattle driver, Indian fighter, Texas Ranger, saloon keeper, gambler, card dealer, an outlaw, and many more occupations. His descriptions of fighting the Comanches and Kiowas is a thrilling adventure and gruesome. Having no love for the Indians, Hispanics (he calls them greasers), and blacks (liberally using the "n" word), that are in Texas and he shows no mercy or understanding when they are breaking the law, according to McIntire.
His stories of dealing with notorious Sam Bass, meeting Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and other famous western figures make a great read. Eventually, McIntire would run afoul of the law and became a notorious outlaw himself, bragging about the men he had killed along the way. His description of frontier Texas gives an excellent window into the frontier life of Texas small towns and ranches.
Jim McIntire did a lot in his life, and it is amazing (if true) that he survived any of the encounters and circumstances that he was in. As Larry D. Ball (Professor of History at Arkansas State University) says on the back cover, "The representation of this little volume constitutes a very worthwhile service to the readership in frontier studies. While Jim McIntire is not always honest with his readers, he provides entree into the shadowy frontier underworld and the calloused and brutal nature of the Indian wars." The editor's annotations are very full and informative and give a truthful version of the circumstances that McIntire described. Jim Mcintire was the kind of cowboy that would be great to listen to at a campfire and being captivated by his stories. You wouldn't know which stories are true or not, however, one thing you wouldn't want to do is call him out on his stories and say he was a "liar". Jim McIntire was good with a gun and would probably shoot you between the eyes, or thrash you to within an inch of your life for calling him out. I would enjoy listening to his stories of being an outlaw, saloon keeper, and Texas Ranger, but always wonder which ones were true, which stories were exaggerated, or which stores are just tall tales.
All in all this is a good read about early frontier Texas and is enjoyable to read and think about how life in frontier Texas was tough, and made the Lone Star state truly a unique and distinct place to live. Recommended read!
The editor quickly warns the reader that Jim McIntire enjoyed telling "tall tales" of his life and experiences and to take his autobiography with "a grain of salt". Jim McIntire was born in Ohio but as a youth traveled to Texas to experience the frontier and cowboy life he read about in 10 cent novels. As a youth in Ohio, McIntire became a leader of a black "minstrel show" that travelled through Ohio and had some funny yet dangerous adventures. After being bored with this, he traveled to Texas where he became a cattle driver, Indian fighter, Texas Ranger, saloon keeper, gambler, card dealer, an outlaw, and many more occupations. His descriptions of fighting the Comanches and Kiowas is a thrilling adventure and gruesome. Having no love for the Indians, Hispanics (he calls them greasers), and blacks (liberally using the "n" word), that are in Texas and he shows no mercy or understanding when they are breaking the law, according to McIntire.
His stories of dealing with notorious Sam Bass, meeting Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and other famous western figures make a great read. Eventually, McIntire would run afoul of the law and became a notorious outlaw himself, bragging about the men he had killed along the way. His description of frontier Texas gives an excellent window into the frontier life of Texas small towns and ranches.
Jim McIntire did a lot in his life, and it is amazing (if true) that he survived any of the encounters and circumstances that he was in. As Larry D. Ball (Professor of History at Arkansas State University) says on the back cover, "The representation of this little volume constitutes a very worthwhile service to the readership in frontier studies. While Jim McIntire is not always honest with his readers, he provides entree into the shadowy frontier underworld and the calloused and brutal nature of the Indian wars." The editor's annotations are very full and informative and give a truthful version of the circumstances that McIntire described. Jim Mcintire was the kind of cowboy that would be great to listen to at a campfire and being captivated by his stories. You wouldn't know which stories are true or not, however, one thing you wouldn't want to do is call him out on his stories and say he was a "liar". Jim McIntire was good with a gun and would probably shoot you between the eyes, or thrash you to within an inch of your life for calling him out. I would enjoy listening to his stories of being an outlaw, saloon keeper, and Texas Ranger, but always wonder which ones were true, which stories were exaggerated, or which stores are just tall tales.
All in all this is a good read about early frontier Texas and is enjoyable to read and think about how life in frontier Texas was tough, and made the Lone Star state truly a unique and distinct place to live. Recommended read!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews