Oliver Loving
Encyclopedia
Oliver Loving was a cattle
rancher and pioneer of the cattle drive
who with Charles Goodnight
developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail. He was mortally wounded by Indians
while on a cattle drive. Loving County
, the smallest county in the United States in population, is named in his honor.
Loving was born in Hopkins County
, Kentucky
. From 1833 to a decade later, Loving was a farmer in Muhlenburg County
until he, his brother, and his brother-in-law moved their families to the Republic of Texas
, where Loving received 640 acres (2.6 km²) of land in three patents spread through three counties Collin
, Dallas
, and Parker
. He farmed and, to feed his growing family, hauled freight in his early years as a Texan.
By 1855 the Lovings had moved to the future Palo Pinto County, Texas
, where they ran a country store and ranched on Keechi Creek a few miles north of the town of Salesville. In 1857, Loving owned 1,000 acres (4 km²) of land. To market his large herd, Loving drove them out of Texas and in that same year he entrusted his nineteen-year-old son, William, to drive his and his neighbors' cattle to Illinois
up the Shawnee Trail
. The drive made a profit of $36 head and encouraged Loving to repeat the trek successfully the next year with John Durkee.
On August 29, 1860, Loving and John Dawson started a herd of 1,500 toward Denver, Colorado
to feed miners in the area. They crossed the Red River
, traveled to the Arkansas River
, and followed it to Pueblo, Colorado
, where the cattle wintered. In the spring Loving sold his cattle for gold
and tried to leave for Texas; however the American Civil War
had broken out and the Union authorities prevented him from returning to the South until Kit Carson
and others interceded for him.
During the war Loving was commissioned to drive cattle to Confederate
forces along the Mississippi River
. When the war ended, the Confederate government reportedly owed him between $100,000 and $250,000. To make matters worse, the usual cattle markets were inadequate for the available supply.
In 1866, having heard about the probable need for cattle at Fort Sumner, New Mexico
, where some 8,000 Native American Indians
had been settled on a reservation, Loving gathered a herd, combined it with that of Charles Goodnight
, and began a long drive to the fort. Their route later became known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail, although it had been used by other cattlemen. The two cattlemen sold beef to the army for $12,000 in gold, and then Loving drove the stock cattle on to Colorado
and sold them near Denver, while Goodnight returned to Weatherford, Texas
with the gold and also for a second herd. The two men were reunited in southern New Mexico
, where they went into partnership with John Chisum
at his ranch in the Bosque Grande, about forty miles south of Fort Sumner.(Chisum's sister Nancy was married to Loving's cousin, B.F. Bourland and had known Chisum for many years) They spent the winter of 1866-67 there and supplied cattle from the ranch to Fort Sumner and Santa Fe
.
In the spring of 1867 Loving and Goodnight returned to Texas, ready to start a new drive. This third drive was slowed by heavy rains and Native American threats. Loving went ahead of the herd for contract bidding, taking only Bill Wilson, a trusted scout, with him. Although he told Goodnight that he would travel at night through Native American Indian country, Loving became impatient and pushed ahead during the day. His careless action brought a Comanche
attack in which he was seriously wounded. The weakened Loving sent Wilson back to the herd, eluded the Native American Indians, and, with the aid of Mexican traders, reached Fort Sumner, only to die there of gangrene
. Before he died Goodnight assured him that his wish to be buried in Texas would be carried out. After a temporary burial at Fort Sumner, while Goodnight drove the herd on to Colorado, Goodnight had Loving's body exhumed and carried back to Texas. Stories differ as to who accompanied the body back to Weatherford, but he was reburied there in Greenwood Cemetery on March 4, 1868. As a member of Phoenix Lodge No. 275 at Weatherford, Loving was buried with Masonic
honors.
Loving has been inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
. Loving County, Texas
and Loving, New Mexico
, are named in his honor.
for his Pulitzer Prize
-winning novel Lonesome Dove
. In the book, Augustus "Gus" McCrae is injured by Indian arrows and sends his companion Pea Eye Parker
to retrieve Woodrow F. Call
. McCrae makes it to Miles City, but dies of blood poisoning, despite having one of his legs amputated. Call, like Goodnight, brings him back to Texas to bury him.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
rancher and pioneer of the cattle drive
Cattle drive
For the 1951 film, see Cattle Drive .A cattle drive is the process of moving a herd of cattle from one place to another, usually moved and herded by cowboys on horses.-Australia:Australia is noted for long drives...
who with Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight, also known as Charlie Goodnight , was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the best known rancher in Texas. He is sometimes known as the "father of the Texas Panhandle." Essayist and historian J...
developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail. He was mortally wounded by Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
while on a cattle drive. Loving County
Loving County, Texas
US Census 2000Of the 67 residents, 60 were White, 6 of "some other race", and 1 person of two or more races. There were 7 residents who were Hispanic or Latino of any race...
, the smallest county in the United States in population, is named in his honor.
Loving was born in Hopkins County
Hopkins County, Kentucky
Hopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. From 1833 to a decade later, Loving was a farmer in Muhlenburg County
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
Muhlenberg County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 31,499. The county is named for Peter Muhlenberg. Its county seat is Greenville....
until he, his brother, and his brother-in-law moved their families to the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
, where Loving received 640 acres (2.6 km²) of land in three patents spread through three counties Collin
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
, Dallas
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
, and Parker
Parker County, Texas
As of the census of 2003, there were 98,495 people, 31,131 households, and 24,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile . There were 34,084 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
. He farmed and, to feed his growing family, hauled freight in his early years as a Texan.
By 1855 the Lovings had moved to the future Palo Pinto County, Texas
Palo Pinto County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,026 people, 10,594 households, and 7,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile . There were 14,102 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
, where they ran a country store and ranched on Keechi Creek a few miles north of the town of Salesville. In 1857, Loving owned 1,000 acres (4 km²) of land. To market his large herd, Loving drove them out of Texas and in that same year he entrusted his nineteen-year-old son, William, to drive his and his neighbors' cattle to Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
up the Shawnee Trail
Shawnee Trail
Shawnee Trail may refer to:* Shawnee Trail , a portion of the larger Great Indian Warpath or Seneca Trail* Texas Road, a pioneer cattle trail, once known as Shawnee Trail...
. The drive made a profit of $36 head and encouraged Loving to repeat the trek successfully the next year with John Durkee.
On August 29, 1860, Loving and John Dawson started a herd of 1,500 toward Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
to feed miners in the area. They crossed the Red River
Red River (Mississippi watershed)
The Red River, or sometimes the Red River of the South, is a major tributary of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers in the southern United States of America. The river gains its name from the red-bed country of its watershed. It is one of several rivers with that name...
, traveled to the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
, and followed it to Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
, where the cattle wintered. In the spring Loving sold his cattle for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and tried to leave for Texas; however the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
had broken out and the Union authorities prevented him from returning to the South until Kit Carson
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
and others interceded for him.
During the war Loving was commissioned to drive cattle to Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces along the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. When the war ended, the Confederate government reportedly owed him between $100,000 and $250,000. To make matters worse, the usual cattle markets were inadequate for the available supply.
In 1866, having heard about the probable need for cattle at Fort Sumner, New Mexico
Fort Sumner, New Mexico
Fort Sumner is a village in De Baca County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,249 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of De Baca County...
, where some 8,000 Native American Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
had been settled on a reservation, Loving gathered a herd, combined it with that of Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight, also known as Charlie Goodnight , was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the best known rancher in Texas. He is sometimes known as the "father of the Texas Panhandle." Essayist and historian J...
, and began a long drive to the fort. Their route later became known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail, although it had been used by other cattlemen. The two cattlemen sold beef to the army for $12,000 in gold, and then Loving drove the stock cattle on to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and sold them near Denver, while Goodnight returned to Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford, Texas
Weatherford is a city in Parker County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 19,000 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Parker County and is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.-Geography:...
with the gold and also for a second herd. The two men were reunited in southern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, where they went into partnership with John Chisum
John Chisum
John Simpson Chisum was a wealthy cattle baron in the American West in the mid-to-late 19th century. Born in Hardeman County, Tennessee, Chisum's family moved to Texas in 1837, with Chisum finding work as a building contractor...
at his ranch in the Bosque Grande, about forty miles south of Fort Sumner.(Chisum's sister Nancy was married to Loving's cousin, B.F. Bourland and had known Chisum for many years) They spent the winter of 1866-67 there and supplied cattle from the ranch to Fort Sumner and Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
.
In the spring of 1867 Loving and Goodnight returned to Texas, ready to start a new drive. This third drive was slowed by heavy rains and Native American threats. Loving went ahead of the herd for contract bidding, taking only Bill Wilson, a trusted scout, with him. Although he told Goodnight that he would travel at night through Native American Indian country, Loving became impatient and pushed ahead during the day. His careless action brought a Comanche
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
attack in which he was seriously wounded. The weakened Loving sent Wilson back to the herd, eluded the Native American Indians, and, with the aid of Mexican traders, reached Fort Sumner, only to die there of gangrene
Gangrene
Gangrene is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies . This may occur after an injury or infection, or in people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation. The primary cause of gangrene is reduced blood...
. Before he died Goodnight assured him that his wish to be buried in Texas would be carried out. After a temporary burial at Fort Sumner, while Goodnight drove the herd on to Colorado, Goodnight had Loving's body exhumed and carried back to Texas. Stories differ as to who accompanied the body back to Weatherford, but he was reburied there in Greenwood Cemetery on March 4, 1868. As a member of Phoenix Lodge No. 275 at Weatherford, Loving was buried with Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
honors.
Loving has been inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of American rodeo, photographs, barbed wire, saddlery, and early rodeo trophies...
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. Loving County, Texas
Loving County, Texas
US Census 2000Of the 67 residents, 60 were White, 6 of "some other race", and 1 person of two or more races. There were 7 residents who were Hispanic or Latino of any race...
and Loving, New Mexico
Loving, New Mexico
Loving is a village in Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,326.Loving was named to honor pioneer rancher Oliver Loving.-Geography:Loving is located at ....
, are named in his honor.
In literature
The manner of Loving's death and burial was borrowed by novelist Larry McMurtryLarry McMurtry
Larry Jeff McMurtry is an American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter whose work is predominantly set in either the old West or in contemporary Texas...
for his Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning novel Lonesome Dove
Lonesome Dove
Lonesome Dove is a 1985 Pulitzer Prize–winning western novel written by Larry McMurtry. It is the first published book of the Lonesome Dove series, but the third installment in the series chronologically...
. In the book, Augustus "Gus" McCrae is injured by Indian arrows and sends his companion Pea Eye Parker
Pea Eye Parker
Pea Eye Parker is a fictional Texas Ranger appearing in three books in Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove series.-Comanche Moon:Pea Eye is played by Troy Baker in the film version of Comanche Moon. In this volume, he, Gus McCrae, Woodrow F...
to retrieve Woodrow F. Call
Woodrow F. Call
Woodrow F. Call is a fictional, Scottish-born Texas Ranger who appears in all four books of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove series. Much of the books revolve around his relationship with his Ranger partner Augustus McCrae...
. McCrae makes it to Miles City, but dies of blood poisoning, despite having one of his legs amputated. Call, like Goodnight, brings him back to Texas to bury him.