Dozens of Dead Horses in Clements, California

I live in the Sierra Nevada foothills in a tiny berg with a population of about 189, at an elevation of 2750 depending on where you're standing. Over the last 24 years of being here, I've learned that it's a pretty friendly place. Yes, I can say that this place is mostly made up of good folks. And that's actually a lot of praise for this area, especially since most people in Calaveras County look at the area where I live as being "Outlaw Country."

Of course, that's understandable since every once in a while, even in a place as sparse as where I live, you'll find bad people. As you know, wherever you live there are people who you wish lived somewhere else. And yes, even in small towns, or those bergs on a Highway like where I live, you'll find some folks who really spoil the goodness of a place. That's sort of what's going on in Clements, California.

Down in the valley about 45 minutes down the road from me is the town of Clements. While the berg that I live in only has a Post Office and an American Legion hall where our local drunks hang out, there's a lot more to Clements than meets the eye as you're passing by. 

It used to have Lay's Roadhouse which was a great place to grab a meal. Now the restaurant is gone. The building was sold to some folks who turned it into a convenience store. But not to worry, Clements still has a pretty good burger place, The Old Corner Saloon, a church, a rodeo arena that the Clements Buckaroos call home, and the Ricotti Saddle Company. 

As for the burger joint, the folks there are nice and the burgers are great. The Old Corner Saloon is a local watering hole with some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. I haven't been to the church up the road, but it looks like it does well. I haven't dealt with the folks over at the rodeo arena in at least 20 years. They were as cliquish as the day is long, and not a welcoming group at all considering they were horse folks. 

As for the Ricottis Saddle, they make custom high-end high-quality saddles. They specialize in old-style craftsmanship, custom saddles and tack, fancy show tack, and training equipment. They have been around for what seems like forever, always dedicated to serving Western horse people and their horses. I have friends who are really into the California Cowhorse and Vaquero traditions. Ricotti's is the place if someone is looking for saddles, mecates, romal reins, silver bits, and spurs. and more that's durable, functional, and has that artistic craftsmanship that reflects the old-style Vaquero traditions.

Clements is rural America at its best with a population of about 900. Its farmland elevation with an elevation of about 140ft. It's all about farming, orchards, vineyards, cattle ranches, and horses. It sits in San Joaquin County on Highway 12/ Highway 88. 

I know it well because I used to help a few ranchers in the area during gatherings and branding. I can remember a lot of early mornings trailering my horse down the hill to Clements. I'd stop at Lay's for a last cup of coffee and meet others before going out to work cattle for the day. Most of those ranchers got old or have passed away. Of course, that doesn't stop me from thinking about them and those days as I drive down to that area every couple of weeks when I get down that way to buy hay in the town of Lockeford which is just past Clements. 

I wanted you to know a little about the area before we talk about what was discovered a few days ago. I wanted you to know that what's happened there is completely out of the ordinary. The people who live there are farmers and ranchers, basically good-hearted rural Americans. And yes, many who live there are horse people. 

That's why I was shocked when I read the report from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office which read:

27 Horses Found Dead In Clements, California

"Today, January 22, 2025, deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office along with our Animal Services officers executed a search warrant in Clements, CA, in regards to an ongoing animal neglect investigation.

Multiple properties were searched. During the operation, several malnourished horses were discovered on the premises with limited access to any food or water, and approximately 27 deceased horses were located.

 
Our Animal Services Officers, along with veterinarians who were at the scene, immediately began to triage and evaluate the condition of the horses. After thorough assessments, 16 horses were rescued and are now in the care of professionals at the Oakdale Equine Rescue who will ensure they receive proper nutrition, medical attention, and rehabilitation. 

Unfortunately, 4 horses and 1 Bull had to be euthanized due to their extreme neglect. Animal services officers and veterinarians are still currently evaluating additional horses and animals due to the size of the property.

Jan Johnson of Clement’s was arrested and booked into the San Joaquin County jail for the following charges:
Cruelty to an animal
Threatening a public official
Criminal threats
Possession of a short-barrel shotgun

We are committed to protecting the welfare of all animals in our community and will continue to investigate this matter. If you have any information related to this case, please contact our office.
Thank you to our Deputies and Animal Services team for their dedication and swift action in addressing this situation. We would also like to thank Oakdale Equine Rescue for their incredible support in assisting us with this rescue." 

This information is from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office report which they posted online. 

So now, after reading what the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office reported, here is what CBS News out of Sacramento reported about what took place:

Number of Horses Found Dead Surpasses 50 in San Joaquin Animal Neglect Investigation

Story by Madisen Keavy
January 24, 2025

CLEMENTS — Volunteers spent two days rescuing dozens of horses and animals at the center of an animal abuse investigation in San Joaquin County after dozens of dead or malnourished horses were discovered.

According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, 90 horses, five donkeys, and three alpacas were rescued while 53 horses, one cow, and one dog were found dead. Thirteen horses, one donkey, and one bull had to be euthanized. These numbers are subject to change, according to authorities, as the investigation is still active and ongoing.

"In this amount of numbers, yes, this one is one of the worst we've seen in this kind of abuse and there was no excuse for it," said Chantel Tieman with Hold Your Horses Livestock Evacuation and Rescue.

Tieman said her team of around 12-14 volunteers works with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office on emergency and disaster evacuation cases. They spent most of Wednesday rescuing 47 horses from the main property, taking them to Oakdale Equine Rescue, another volunteer group taking care of the animals now.

"Heartbroken. Absolutely heartbroken. This should have never happened. These animals should have never suffered. There's no reason for it," Tieman said.

Volunteers echoed the same sentiment: it's going to take community support to nurse the surviving animals back to health. The animals are part of the investigation but are being treated by the rescue as the legal process goes on.

 
Rooster Fight Alerts Authorities: Warrants Reveal Horrors

The sheriff's office said law enforcement officials first made contact with suspect Jan Johnson, who is facing multiple charges including cruelty to an animal, in August 2024 after reports of neglect. At that visit, she allegedly threatened deputies.

Then, on January 4, officers responded to a report of a rooster fight at one of Johnson's three properties near Clements — this one on North Atkins Road. Officers discovered 30 dead roosters and 65 that were alive.

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told CBS13 that Johnson was not associated with the rooster fight and was not at the home at the time, but because she was the owner of the property, authorities were able to get warrants to search her primary home and others.

In this search, they found the horses, with 27 initially being reported as found dead, and other animals. Johnson was arrested.

"It's so easy to give them a second chance"

Volunteers spent hours rescuing animals from Johnson's property and are now responsible for their recovery.

"It's so easy to give them a second chance," Tieman said. "You can join the team, help with rescues, help with evacuations during fires and disasters, sponsor, or foster — anything to give them a second chance. We're all nonprofits, all volunteers. None of us get paid. It costs us to do this, but we need the public's help to save them."

Tieman urges the public to see this story as a reminder of what can be done:

"See something, say something. If you don't say something, these animals cannot get the help they need. We hear excuses all the time: 'I don't want to get involved. They know me. I don't want my name out there.' If you don't step up, these animals won't get help. Tips are not enough. Going to Animal Control is not enough. You have to be willing to make a report, and you have to be willing to testify. I don't care who you are. If it was my own family, I would testify against them if someone was hurting an animal. These animals are innocent creatures. They have the right to at least the bare minimum—food, shelter, and healthcare. We all owe it to them to speak up and say something."

Oakdale Equine Rescue is fundraising to help pay for medical expenses for animal recovery.

-- end of CBS News story. 

The story of Jan Johnson who was arrested after 27 horses were found dead across multiple properties made national news. Deputies confirmed that Jan Johnson, of Clements, had been arrested and booked into the San Joaquin County jail and was now facing charges including cruelty to an animal and threatening a public official. Yes, she's also charged with criminal threats and possession of a short-barrel shotgun. So in total, she is being charged with 1) animal cruelty, 2) threatening a public official, 3) criminal threats, and 4) possession of a short-barrel shotgun.

First reports said that 27 dead horses were found and the live horses had "limited access to any food or water." Those reports said 16 live horses and a bull were taken. Of those, 4 horses and the bull were euthanized "due to their extreme neglect."

What is being reported as of January 29th, 2025, is incredible and completely inexcusable. CBS is now reporting that more than 100 horses were found dead or rescued from farms in San Joaquin County, California. According to that updated report:

• 90 horses, five donkeys, and three alpacas were rescued
• 53 horses, one cow, and one dog were found dead
• 13 horses, one donkey, and one bull were euthanized

The investigation into the abuse is ongoing. Also, while the rescued horses are being treated at Oakdale Equine Rescue, that volunteer organization is raising funds to pay for medical expenses. 

This whole thing is about a horse hoarder who couldn't feed and maintain the animals in her care. As for the exact numbers of how many horses and other animals were found dead and alive, I'm really hoping to find out the exact numbers. Frankly, I don't know how anyone could have a herd of well over 140 horses and their malnourished condition go unnoticed by someone in that area. And because I know some of the folks who live down there, I know they would have turned her into Animal Control for neglect in a New York minute.  

As for the numbers of how many horses, donkeys, cattle, and so on are involved, this story has me a little baffled. I cannot understand how 27 or more dead horses, especially as many as 53 dead horses, supposedly went unnoticed. 

Also, it was reported that this isn't Jan Johnson's first run-in with the law. In 2006, she was arrested on suspicion of 42 felony charges of financial elder abuse and accused of stealing over $150,000 from a woman to buy horses and ranching equipment. She was sentenced to eight months in jail following the arrest. And yes, there's more about her ...

Jan Johnson Tied To Investigation of Arson of Her Restaurant LaStrada 88

Here's something more. Back on September 9th, 2014, a fire broke out at Jan Johnson's restaurant The LaStada 88. At the time, KCRA News reported the following:

A fire that burned down the popular La Strada 88 restaurant was so unusually hot that investigators are calling it suspicious in origin. The La Strada 88 restaurant is fittingly on Highway 88 and located directly across the street from the Clements Fire Department. And even though firefighters raced to the scene, there was little they could do to save the building.

"In my heart of hearts, I know it was arson," restaurant owner Jan Johnson said. "It started on the roof. There was not even an air-conditioning unit going at that time." When asked why someone would want to torch her building, Johnson said, "Who knows. There's jealousy, there's greed."

Johnson continued, "It's a cowardly act that someone could do such a thing to any building and possibly risk the lives of human beings, much less animals that were in the building."  -- end of KCRA report. 

As for the fire, I remember talking to locals at the time who called it "suspicious." And yes, some called it "arson." As for the death of those horses that Johnson owned, a lot of this doesn't make sense and leads to more questions. 

Tom Correa 

 

The Story Of A Famous Feud -- A Story By Elmo Scott Watson (1936)

The Pleasant Valley War, sometimes called the Tewksbury-Graham Feud, was a range war fought in Pleasant Valley, Arizona, from 1882 to 1892. It was an extremely deadly conflict in the Old West that has been written about for many years. Yes, including by my friend Terry McGahey who wrote about it here The Pleasant Valley War.

In addition to the two feuding families, the Grahams and Tewksburys, several people were involved. It was a very bloody feud between two families, ranchers versus sheepmen, people who took their war to the extreme. Of course, while the Lincoln County War is probably better known because Billy The Kid was involved, the Pleasant Valley War had the highest number of fatalities of any range war in American history. It is believed that close to 50 people were killed during that range war.

While some want to point to troubles in Tombstone as the reason that Arizona statehood was stalled, many believe it was because of the level of violence involved during the Pleasant Valley War that gave the Arizona Territory a reputation of being a badland not ready for statehood. 

As I said a minute ago, many books and articles were written about the feud years after it ended. During my research of period newspapers, I found the story below written by Elmo Scott Watson. Between 1920 and 1951, Elmo Watson was, among other things, a photographer, journalist, Western historian, and journalism teacher. His story below was sent out by syndicated telegraph by the Western Newspaper Union. If you've read about the Pleasant Valley War, you should read what Watson has to say about some of the main characters in that deadly drama. 

It was published by the Plumas Independent newspaper on October 8, 1936.

The Story Of A Famous Feud 

By Elmo Scott Watson (1936)

Speak of a feud and one naturally thinks of those fierce family vendettas that have made notorious certain sections of the mountain country in West Virginia, Tennessee or Kentucky. Yet the soil of the trans-Missouri West as well as that of the East in times past has been dyed red with some of the bitterest feuds in American history.

In the West most of these feuds were "range wars" fights between two factions for control of desirable grazing country for their herds or flocks rather than internecine family conflicts. Outstanding among them were the Lincoln County War in New Mexico in the early eighties, and the Johnson County War, or so-called "Rustler War" in Wyoming in 1892. But to Arizona goes the distinction of having a civil conflict in which was combined both a family vendetta as fierce as any ever carried on among the mountaineers of the East and a" "range war" as bloody as any ever staged on the plains or in the mountains of the West. And, of all places, this feud was carried on in a locality known as Pleasant Valley!

If you have ever read Zane Grey's "To the Last Man" or Dane Coolidge's "The Man Killer!," you have caught glimpses of the Pleasant Valley War even though neither novel follows the feud in detail nor pretends to give an historically accurate account of it. But the war has its historian Earle R. Forrest, whose book "Arizona's Dark and Bloody Ground," published recently by the Caxton Printers, Ltd. of Caldwell, Idaho, is the first attempt to tell the whole story of that dark page in the annals of the Southwest. 

In the preface, Mr. Forrest says: "The Pleasant Valley vendetta that swept through the Tonto Basin country in Central Ariuna during the latter 1880's was one of the most sanguinary and bitter range feuds the old West ever knew. Its ferocity and hatreds were rivaled only by the bloody battles and assassinations of the Lincoln County War in New Mexico ten years before, but it is doubtful, even with all its terrorism, if the number of killed there equaled the casualties in Pleasant Valley. Both were born of blood feuds, and both were fought in defiance of the law of the land until they burned themselves out after most of the participants had either been killed or had grown weary of strife. Even the well-known Hatfield - McCoy feud that held the West Virginia and Kentucky mountains under a reign of terror for almost twenty years did not surpass the lifelong hatreds born of the Pleasant Valley War." 

The family element in this feud is furnished by the Tewksburys and the Grahams, the chief opponents in the war. But others were drawn into it, some by choice and some by force of circumstances over which they had no control. For in this conflict, there were no neutrals.

Among the others who were dragged into it or voluntarily took up arms were several men already noted, or soon to be notorious, in the annals of the Wild West. There was Tom Pickett, who had been a "warrior" with Billy the Kid in the Lincoln County War in New Mexico but who was then a cowboy in the famous Hash Knife outfit. There was Charley Duchet, a frontiersman and a gunfighter in the wild days of Dodge City, Kansas. And there was the famous Tom Horn, scout and packer in the Apache campaigns, later a stock detective on the Wyoming ranges and destined to be the central figure in one of the most baffling murder mysteries in the history of the West. 

A Wild West Sheriff

Among the law officers who tried unsuccessfully to quell the feud was the famous Commodore Perry Owens, the long-haired sheriff of Apache County, a bizarre figure who might have stepped out of the pages of a dime novel "thriller," and who during the course of the feud was the survivor of one of the most amazing gunfights in the history of the Old West. 

And these were only a few of the antagonists in a war waged with a ferocity and ruthlessness almost unparalleled in the history of the West. Before it was ended, one family, the Grahams, was completely wiped out and of their allies, the Blevans, there was only one survivor among the father and five sons. Of the three Tewksbury brothers, one was killed during the war, one died a natural death and the third, who stood trial for the murder of the last Graham, lived on to become known as the hero of Zane Grey's novel and the "Last man of the Pleasant Valley War." 

Three Half-Breed Sons. 

The fierceness of the vendetta may be attributed in part to the character of one of the families involved in it. For the Tewksburys were "half-white and half-Indian," the sons of John D. Tewksbury, Sr, a native of Boston who went to California in the days of the gold rushes, settled in Humboldt County and there married an Indian woman. She became the mother of three sons, John, James, and Edwin, who had grown to young manhood when the elder Tewksbury settled in Pleasant Valley, Arizona, in 1880. 

As for the other proponents in this bloody conflict, Tom and John Graham, they were born on a farm near Boone, Iowa, went to California in the seventies and in 1882 located in Pleasant Valley. 

"Tom was the oldest and because of the personal enmity that later developed between the Grahams and the Tewksburys, he became the acknowledged leader around whom the cattlemen rallied when sheep invaded the valley. Tom Graham is pictured in fiction of the vendetta as the leader of the rustlers that swarmed through the mountains, a ruffian and killer of the worst type. Nothing could be further from the truth; for he was a quiet, peaceful man and honest in all his dealings. Even after the invasion of sheep made war certain he refused to take human life; and his restraining hand held his followers in check until the first blood spilled by the Tewksbury forces made further restraint impossible. But he has been held responsible all these years for the acts of others." 

A "Short Trigger Man." 

Chief among these others were the allies of the Grahams, the Blevans, who was known in Arizona as Andy Cooper, mainly because a sheriff back in Texas, where the Blevans came from, was looking for him. Cooper, or Blevans, was noted as a "short trigger man," a killer by instinct, and he soon became the leader of the rustlers who preyed upon the cattle herds in that part of Arizona. 

The origins of the feud are wrapped in mystery. Various reasons have been given for the hatred which existed between the Tewksburys and the Grahams but none of them have ever been substantiated. One story says that a woman was at the bottom of it, that the attentions of a man in one of the factions for the wife of a man in the other faction started it.  Another says that the Grahams and the Tewksburys were partners in rustling operations, then fell out over the division of the spoils. There may be some element of truth in both stories but the fact remains that the hostility between the two factions which slowly developed might not have burst into the flame of open warfare if It had not been for an event that took place just 50 years ago this autumn. 

Forrest records it thus.

"The Tewksburys are driving sheep over the rim of the Mogollons!"

"From mouth to mouth, from ranch to ranch throughout all Pleasant Valley this message was carried by dashing young cowboys in Paul Revere style. The effect was like an electric shock and more dangerous than a charge of dynamite. For years the cattlemen of this little valley in the wilderness of central Arizona had successfully held their range against the encroachments of sheepmen from the north who were only too eager to scatter their flocks over the luxuriant grass of this beautiful land. 

Hastily those cattlemen and their cowboys saddled their horses and rode out to investigate. Perhaps it was only a rumor after all; but with their own eyes, they could see them in the distance like a great mass of maggots rolling down over the trail from the rim and swarming out over the valley at the foot of the Mogollons like a plague of locusts, greedily devouring the grass, tearing it out by the roots; and already a cloud of dust drifted up in the lazy morning air from the desert they left behind. 

"The die was cast. The Tewksburys wanted war. Well, they would get it; all they wanted and more than they had bargained for." 

Cattlemen vs. Sheepmen. 

So the cattlemen and rustlers forgot their own differences and joined forces to resist the invasion of their common enemy, the sheepmen. 

Daggs Brothers of Flagstaff, at that time the leading sheep men in northern Arizona, needed a new range for their "woolies." They had heard of the trouble between the Grahams and the Tewksburys and decided to turn it to their advantage by breaking the united ranks of the cattlemen in Pleasant Valley and open that rich grazing land for their sheep. So they made a deal with the Tewksburys to send a band of sheep into Pleasant Valley under the protection of the Tewksbury guns and share profits with them. 

The cattlemen immediately rallied to defend their grazing lands and Andy Cooper, the "short trigger man," proposed to lead a party of armed men to wipe out the sheep and their herders. But Tom Graham held him in check, hoping to be able to scare off the sheepmen without loss of life or destruction of property. However, the reckless cowboys soon got out of hand and in February 1887, they drew first blood by killing a Navajo Indian sheepherder. Soon afterwards the sheep. were withdrawn from the valley but the peace which came to Pleasant Valley was a short-lived one. 

Then "Old Man" Blevans, father of the Blevans boys, allies of the Grahams, disappeared and was never again heard from.

In August, his son, Hampton Blevans, accompanied by four Hash Knife cowboys and three from the Graham ranch started in search for him. They stopped at the Middleton ranch where they found Jim and Ed Tewksbury and some of their adherents. 

Hot words between the two parties were followed immediately by blazing six-shooters and when the - fighting was over Hampton Blevans and another cowboy were dead and two others of their party wounded. This was the first white man's blood spilled in the Pleasant Valley War, but it was only the beginning. 

Next Jim Houck, a Tewksbury man, killed young Billy Graham and in revenge for that Tom Graham led a party of cattlemen to attack the Tewksbury ranch. In the siege and battle which followed John Tewksbury, Jr., and one of his followers was killed before the attack of the cowboys was beaten off.

From that time on it was a war to the death. Forrest's book is filled with the details of the various gunfights, ambushes, lynchings, and assassinations that marked the progress of the war during the next two years. It is a record of almost unbelievable ferocity and cruelty, yet its dark pages are relieved at times by the chronicle of deeds of high courage and loyal devotion on the part of both men and women as the wives of some of the clansmen also played a prominent part in the war. 

By the end of 1888, the war was virtually over. Jim Tewksbury had died of tuberculosis. John Graham and Charley Blevans had been killed in a fight with a posse headed by Sheriff Mulvenon of Yavapai County. 

Sheriff Commodore Owens of Apache County had had his famous gun duel in Holbrook in which Andy Cooper (Blevans), Sam Houston Blevans, and their brother-in-law, Mose Roberts, had been killed and John Blevans was in jail. 

Triumph of the Tewksburys. 

In the meantime, Tom Graham had married and his young bride had at last prevailed upon him to take up farming near Tempe. Ed Tewksbury and a few followers were left to enjoy their hollow triumph as winners of the war. But they had learned their lesson and they made no further attempts to bring sheep over the rim of the Mogollons. 

Apparently, the feud was over. Then as suddenly it burst into flame again. On August 2, 1892, Tom Graham, while hauling grain from his ranch, was shot from ambush near the Double Butte schoolhouse. Ed Tewksbury and John Rhodes were accused of the murder and placed under arrest. 

During the preliminary hearing of the accusation against Rhodes in justice court, the old feud spirit flared up again when Mrs. Tom Graham tried to shoot Rhodes down in the courtroom but failed in the attempt. Rhodes was discharged from custody. 

Then the long battle to convict Tewksbury began. Found guilty of the murder, Tewksbury obtained a new trial on a technicality and in the second trial in 1899, the Jury disagreed. 

After the passing of another year, the prosecution, evidently believing that a conviction would now be impossible, filed a motion to dismiss the charge. When this was granted on March 18, 1896, the curtain fell on the last act of the bitterest blood feud in the history of the Old West, a story that has become a legend of old Arizona's cattleland." 

Western Newspaper Union 

As published in the Plumas Independent newspaper, Volume 43, Number 4, 8 October 1936.

The Hashknife Ranch -- An Historic Texas Ranch

Story by: H. Allen Anderson

Published: 1952
Updated: 1995

The Hashknife Ranch was begun in 1875 by J. R. Couts and John N. Simpson when they drove a herd of longhorn cattle from Weatherford to Elm Creek in Taylor County near the site of present Abilene. The ranch established its headquarters in a dugout on the creek bank near a high hill. It was named for the peculiar brand, which resembled a hash knife, a common kitchen tool used to chop meat and vegetables. 

Couts was said to have originated the brand as early as 1872, and when he formed his partnership with Simpson, who married his niece, they chose that brand. By 1879 a more comfortable wooden cabin had replaced the dugout headquarters on Elm Creek. 

The Hashknife range was gradually extended west into Nolan County, and in 1880 additional free rangeland was acquired on the southwest bank of the Pecos River; the range ran from the New Mexico line 100 miles downstream to Grand Falls and twenty-five to thirty miles out from that river. Charles W. Buster, another investor, was put in charge of this range, which branded 10,000 calves annually for the next five years. Each spring, some 5,000 Hashknife steer yearlings were trailed north to Montana. 

By 1885 the Pecos range was running over 34,000 cattle. That summer Buster and the Hashknife owners sold the herd to Henry Warren, manager of the Aztec Land and Cattle Company. Warren trailed these longhorns to his ranch, which he had established the year before, between Holbrook and Flagstaff, Arizona. 

This was the "Hashknife Outfit," immortalized in the novels of Zane Grey, whose employees became involved, to some extent, in the Graham-Tewksbury feud during the 1880s and 1890s. Later, in 1901, this ranch was sold to the Babbitt brothers of Flagstaff.

In the meantime, Simpson and the Buster brothers had formed the Continental Land and Cattle Company of St. Louis, Missouri, with William E. Hughes, who had bought out Couts's interests in 1881. 

They immediately purchased the Miller Creek outfit, in Baylor County, from the Millett brothers and added it to the Hashknife holdings. This gave the Hashknife a total of 50,000 cattle. 

When the Texas and Pacific Railway began building into West Texas, Simpson arranged to meet with the railroad officials at the Hashknife headquarters and was influential in getting the line routed through Taylor County. As a result, the town of Abilene developed just southwest of the headquarters. After the completion of the railroad in 1882, the former Millett spread in Baylor County became the center of the Hashknife Ranch operations. 

Hashknife cattle were also run on choice grazing land along the forks of the Concho in Tom Green County during 1883–84; it was for this ranch that Sam Isaacs worked briefly as an "outside man." 

After the sale of the Pecos range cattle to the Aztec Company in 1885, the Continental Cattle Company purchased the W Ranch on the northeast bank of the Pecos and used it for Hashknife stock, under C. W. Buster's management, until 1893 when they sold it to the Johnson brothers.

By 1889 the Continental Cattle Company had disposed of the Hashknife Ranch in Baylor County and moved its cattle to the Mill Iron range in the lower Panhandle. At that time the old Hashknife brand was discontinued, but beginning in 1882, E. C. Sterling and Sons used an inverted form of the brand on about 8,000 cattle, which they ran on 80,000 acres in Baylor and Throckmorton counties until 1906. 

From 1906 to 1917 the brand was run by the Knox brothers, from 1917 to 1926 by J. W. Stevens and sons, from 1926 to 1928 by J. W. Knox, and from 1928 to 1950 by E. W. Hunt of Olney. Ernest Hunt inherited the ranch from his father in 1950 and ran it until 1993, when his son Ernest W. Hunt, Jr., and daughter K. Ann Hunt Schriver took over. 

The site of the old Hashknife headquarters in Taylor County is now a part of the campus of Abilene Christian University, which was established in 1927.

TSHA is a proud affiliate of the University of Texas at Austin

Victor Davis Hanson: Trump Has Destroyed Biden, Bush & Obama

Here is this video's description: 

In this exclusive interview with GB News, renowned historian Victor Davis Hanson shares his insights on Donald Trump's inauguration and the transformative vision he brings to the presidency. 

Victor Davis Hanson discusses why President Trump is at the peak of his power, likening him to historic figures such as JFK and Teddy Roosevelt for his ambitious projects on space exploration and the revival of America's sense of manifest destiny. 

Victor Davis Hanson critiques Joe Biden's presidency, describing it as ending in corruption with a tarnished legacy. He contrasts this with Donald Trump's unifying inaugural address and outlines the bold policies he expects President Trump to pursue, including securing the borders, deporting millions of illegal immigrants, and boosting the U.S. economy. 

Victor Davis Hanson also highlights how President Trump has redefined the Republican Party by attracting new voters, particularly young people, and minorities, thanks to his affable and likable demeanor.

Just so everyone knows, I've been a huge fan of Victor Davis Hanson for years. He is a well-respected scholar and professor associated with Stanford University. But don't hold that against him because he's also a farmer and not out of touch with the concerns of Americans as many intellectuals seem to be. 

He understands the day-to-day problems that we face today and why the last four years under the Biden-Harris Administration have been such a horrible experiment in Socialism for Americans. He also understands, and frankly relates it to people in a way that I wish I could, the reasons for us to have hope that Donald Trump will make our lives better and make America great again.

Tom Correa

The Agenda I'd Like To See President Trump Enact

Below is part of President Trump's actual agenda. Below also has elements of the agenda that I would like to see him enact. 

1.  On day one, I'd like President Trump to send the U.S. Army on a humanitarian mission to provide real federal government help in the way of road building and temporary housing to aid those who endured the destruction of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

The Biden Administration's pathetic response was weak and shameful and there are still Americans living in tents in freezing Winter weather that's now hitting that area. There is no reason for our people to suffer considering Joe Biden gave Billions of American taxpayer dollars to all sorts of foreign countries to help their people live better. 

January 21, 2025, President Trump announced that he's going to North Carolina to inspect what needs to be done after the Biden-Harris administration abandoned those folks.

2.  On day one, let's secure the border and stop the Illegal Alien invasion. Bring back common-sense Immigration Policies that work for legal immigrants. Stop outsourcing, and turn the United States into a Manufacturing Superpower. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to Secure the Border by declaring a National Emeregency on the Border!  

3.  Within the first few months of 2025, carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. Deport the criminals, the gangs, the Drug Cartels, the child sex traffickers, and the people who were released from foreign prisons. Focus on deporting the criminals when deporting everyone who came across the border "illegally." 

The people Democrats allowed to freely enter the United States while bypassing our Immigration System should be put at the end of the Immigration Line. Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders.

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to designate the Cartels as International Terrorists and to start the Deportation of Illegals.  

4.  Prosecute and imprison thieves, robbers, those who assault others, those who would steal and scam others, rapists, arsonists, murderers, and terrorists. Bring back consequences for one's criminal behavior. Make criminal activity crimes again and persecute the criminals.  Make it so criminals are brought to justice and made to pay for their crimes. Support law enforcement. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to support law enforcement and prosecute criminals. 

5.  Rebuild our cities, including Washington DC, making them safe, clean, and beautiful again. Many cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Portland are rat-infested cities.

6.  End the weaponization of government against the American people. Prosecute the traitors who tried to weaponize the Department of Justice, the EPA, the IRS, and other agencies. They have overstepped their authority and have criminally persecuted working Americans for violating agency regulations that were not laws. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to End the Weaponization of Federal Government Agencies. 

7.  End inflation, and make homes, groceries, goods, services, and gas affordable again. Make America an affordable place to live again.

8.  Eliminate the over-regulation of Farmers and Ranchers, food producers, American agriculture, manufacturing, and businesses big and small. Our industrial base is critical to ensuring good jobs for our people, as well as the reliable production of vital Defense platforms and supplies. Our Policy must be to revive America's Industrial Base with a priority on Defense-critical industries. 

Equipment and parts critical to American Security must be MADE IN THE USA. Let's "Buy American and Hire American." Let's ban foreign companies from doing business with the Federal Government. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to rescind all burdensome regulations created by the Biden-Harris Administration. 

And while we are at it, let's rebuild family farms instead of driving them into poverty. Let's bring back President Trump's Deregulation policies, they saved Americans $11,000 per household and ended Democrats’ regulatory onslaught that disproportionately harms working Americans.

9.  Reenstate the Trump policies that make America the dominant energy producer in the world. This alone will bring down transportation and manufacturing costs.

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to "Drill Baby Drill!" 

10.  End the "Green New Deal," cancel the electric vehicle mandate, and eliminate costly and burdensome regulations on manufacturing so that the cost of products comes down.

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to end the oppression caused by the "Green New Deal" and he canceled the Biden-Harris Administration's electric vehicle mandate.  

11. End the support for the Climate Change Hoax. Stop overtaxing Americans and giving our taxpayer dollars to other countries. Americans are in need and don't need to be overtaxed. 

If the Federal Government has enough money that it can give Trillions of American taxpayer dollars to foreign countries for Climate Change and other political reasons, then we are being overtaxed. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order for the United States to exit the Paris Climate Change Agreement which will instantly safe American's ONE TRILLION DOLLARS!  

12.  Create tax cuts for working Americans. End Income Tax, Inheritance Death Tax, and Seniors paying taxes.. Besides stopping tax on tips, stop taxing Americans into poverty to fund Socialist/Communist programs. 

13.  Defend our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms.

14.  Prevent World War Three, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East, and build a great Iron Dome Missile Defense shield over the entire United States -- all made in America.

15.  Rebuild and strengthen our military with a masculine warrior ethos, eliminate CRT and DEI, and make it without question the strongest and most powerful in the world. Before that can happen, we need to stop the Left's social experimentation within our military. 

Also, as a matter of national defense, we must be concerned with critical supply chains that return to the United States. These chains ensure National Security and economic stability while also creating jobs and raising wages for American workers. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to end DEI in all Federal Government departments, including our military.  

16.  Keep the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency. Place heavy Tariffs on cheap goods and equipment coming from China where slave labor is used in manufacturing. Let's stop bringing in China's poor-quality metals and other items.

17.  Fight for and protect social security and Medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age. Restrict Illegal Aliens from receiving government benefits. 

Let's understand that Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Americans. Of course, that hasn't stopped corrupt politicians from robbing Social Security to fund their pet projects. We need to restore Economic Stability to ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security, as well as strengthen and protect Medicare’s finances from being financially crushed by the Democrat plan to add tens of millions of Illegal Aliens to the rolls of Medicare. 

18.  Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory (CRT), radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.

Let's ensure K-12 schools are safe learning environments free from political meddling. We need to restore Parental Rights and promote American Values while preparing students for successful lives and well-paying jobs. But we need teachers who want to teach instead of show up to indoctrinate children in Leftist Ideology. 

19.  Disband and rebuild the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and other corrupt government agencies from the ground up. Let's eliminate any existing political partisanship and corruption. 

Ingrained corruption and a culture of criminal activity, and that's what it is when government agencies spy on American citizens without warrants or just cause, needs to be eliminated and we need to start fresh with officials being held to a code of conduct that can result in prison time for violations. 

Americans should not have a "Deep State" of covert operators doing what they want to sabotage the working of our elected government. Partisan Americans should not condone the actions of a rogue FBI agent colluding with others to go after the President of the United States, just as it should be criminal for the former FBI Director to secretly orchestrate "leaks" to newspapers with the motive of perpetuating the Russian Collusion Hoax. 

20.  Keep men out of Women's Sports. Support Women's Rights by getting Gay men out of Women's Sports competitions. Gay men do not belong in Women's Sports. We can keep men out of Women’s Sports by banning American taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and we can stop taxpayer-funded schools from promoting gender transition. We need to reverse Joe Biden's radical rewrite of Title IX Education Regulations and restore protections for women and girls.

We need to educate young people that it is scientifically impossible for someone with an XY chromosome to transition into having XX chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have X and Y chromosomes in their cells. That can't be changed and thus the term "Trans" is a political term used by the Left. It is not a scientific term. 

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order designating that the United States only has to sexes, Male and Female.  

21.  Deport pro-hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again. Arrest and deport violent protestors of every sort who are here on Student Visas. 

Please understand that we should all condemn anti-Semitism and support revoking Visas of Foreign Nationals who support terrorism and jihadism. While there are a lot of folks who focus on supporting this Race of people over that Race of people, we need to hold accountable those who perpetrate violence against the Jewish Race. 

22.  We need to ensure Election Integrity. We should exercise our duty to vote in secure same-day elections. We need to institute voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship for everyone who votes. We also need to have stiffer penalties for fraud. 

23.  We should try to have Congressional Term Limits instituted to stop politicians from staying in office too long. Joe Biden got rich over a 50-year span in government which should not have taken place.  No one should spend that much time in government or get rich off of public service.

24.  We must defend the First Amendment Right to Religious Liberty. It protects the Right not only to Worship according to the dictates of Conscience, but also to act by those Beliefs, not just in places of Worship, but in everyday life. Republican ranks include men and women from every Faith and Tradition, and we respect the Right of every American to follow his or her deeply held Beliefs.

To protect Religious Liberty, Republicans support a new Federal Task Force on Fighting Anti-Christian Bias that will investigate all forms of illegal discrimination, harassment, and persecution against Christians in America.

On Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to Defend our Freedom of Speech and end government censorship. He did all of the above in one day.  

25.   Encourage American Patriotism starting in grade schools as it once was in America. Americans need Donald Trump's 1776 Commission Republicans reinstated to promote Fair and Patriotic Civics Education. We must support schools that teach America’s Founding Principles and Western Civilization.

Tom Correa

Biden's Farewell Address To Nation -- A Delusional Attempt To Rewrite His History

Biden whistles to get the attention of the press during a briefing on the federal response to the Los Angeles wildfires in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 10, 2025.

Hello Friends,

I sat through Joe Biden's farewell address to the nation and could not believe what I was hearing. The man has been known as a liar throughout his career. And today, January 15, 2025, in an address to the nation, Joe Biden sat there and read his teleprompter as well as he could -- all the while, he lied to the American people. Below is my critique of his address in red type. I didn't take on everything he said, just the lies that irked me when hearing him say it. 

The worst lie was his use of "Mirror Politics" when he "warned" us of an oligarchy -- all while knowing that an oligarchy made up of Democrats, a covert government run by a handful of powerful people, the same people who forced Biden not to run for reelection, has been secretly running the United States government since Joe Biden was elected. 

Below is Joe Biden's Farewell Address to the Nation (in black type) with my critique (in red type with source links)

January 15, 2025
President Joe Biden

My fellow Americans, I'm speaking to you tonight from the Oval Office. Before I begin, let me speak to important news from earlier today. After eight months of nonstop negotiation, my administration — by my administration — a cease-fire and a hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas, the elements of which I laid out in great detail in May of this year.

This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and it will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. That's why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed. Because that's how it should be: Working together as Americans. 

This will be my final address to you, the American people, from the Oval Office, from this desk, as president. And I've been thinking a lot about who we are and, maybe more importantly, who we should be.

Long ago, in New York Harbor, an ironworker installed beam after beam, day after day. He was joined by steel workers, stonemasons, engineers. They built not just a single structure, but a beacon of freedom. The very idea of America was so big, we felt the entire world needed to see the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France after our Civil War. Like the very idea of America, it was built not by one person but by many people, from every background, and from around the world.

Like America, the Statue of Liberty is not standing still. Her foot literally steps forward atop a broken chain of human bondage. She's on the march. And she literally moves. She was built to sway back and forth to withstand the fury of stormy weather, to stand the test of time because storms are always coming. She sways a few inches, but she never falls into the current below. An engineering marvel.

The Statue of Liberty is also an enduring symbol of the soul of our nation, a soul shaped by forces that bring us together and by forces that pull us apart. And yet, through good times and tough times, we have withstood it all. A nation of pioneers and explorers, of dreamers and doers, of ancestors native to this land, of ancestors who came by force. A nation of immigrants who came to build a better life. A nation holding the torch of the most powerful idea ever in the history of the world: that all of us, all of us are created equal. That all of us deserve to be treated with dignity, justice and fairness. That democracy must defend, and be defined, and be imposed, moved in every way possible: Our rights, our freedoms, our dreams. But we know the idea of America, our institution, our people, our values that uphold it, are constantly being tested.

Ongoing debates about power and the exercise of power. About whether we lead by the example of our power or the power of our example. Whether we show the courage to stand up to the abuse of power, or we yield to it. 

This is very ironic coming from a sitting president who consciously weaponized agencies of the Federal Government to create illegal mandates and draconian regulations, to demanding how Americans live from what we can drive to what appliances we can use in our homes, to prosecuting political opponents.

After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society — the presidency, the Congress, the courts, a free and independent press. Institutions that are rooted — not just reflect the timeless words, but they — they echo the words of the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident." Rooted in the timeless words of the Constitution: "We the People." Our system of separation of powers, checks and balances — it may not be perfect, but it's maintained our democracy for nearly 250 years, longer than any other nation in history that's ever tried such a bold experiment.

If he felt this way, why did he threaten the Supreme Court with "Court Packing" and attack Americans' Right to Freedom of Speech? Here's just one example where the courts had to stop Biden from attacking Americans' Right to Free Speech: Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey Obtains Court Order Blocking the Biden Administration from Violating First Amendment

In the past four years, our democracy has held strong. And every day, I've kept my commitment to be president for all Americans, through one of the toughest periods in our nation's history. 

For all Americans? What about his divisive hate-filled rhetoric toward Republicans -- especially Trump supporters? Why did Biden attack half of the American population who were Trump supporters by calling MAGA Americans "a threat to democracy" and "semi-fascists"? 

Here's just one example of Biden's divisive rhetoric while in office: Biden attacks Trump, MAGA Republicans as a threat to democracy in blistering speech

I've had a great partner in Vice President Kamala Harris. It's been the honor of my life to see the resilience of essential workers getting us through a once-in-a-century pandemic, the heroism of service members and first responders keeping us safe, the determination of advocates standing up for our rights and our freedoms.

Biden wants Americans to forget about his COVID Mandates? Americans remember when Biden attacked millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated. Remember this: Sweeping New Vaccine Mandates for 100 Million Americans

Biden said, "We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us." He went on to say that those of us who refused to get the jab "can cause a lot of damage, and they are." How about in October 2024 when the Biden-Harris administration's new mandates threatened a mass shutdown of nursing homes and senior care across the country. I guess Biden thinks we've forgotten about his acting like a "dictator" and issuing edicts to set illegal mandates that were un-Constitutional. 

Instead of losing their jobs to an economic crisis that we inherited, millions of Americans now have the dignity of work. Millions of entrepreneurs and companies, creating new businesses and industries, hiring American workers, using American products. And together, we have launched a new era of American possibilities: one of the greatest modernizations of infrastructure in our entire history, from new roads, bridges, clean water, affordable high-speed internet for every American.

Actually, according to the Heritage Foundation and other sources, only 5% of the 2.25 Trillion dollars in Biden's Infrastructure Bill was assigned to what can be traditionally defined as "infrastructure projects," the other 95% has gone to Democrat politicians, their family members and friends, donors, to funding CRT and DEI programs in government, businesses, and school, and the Democrat Party implementing their Socialist Dream "The Green New Deal" which was trying to force Americans to accept their energy "solutions" which Americans don't want. 

We invented the semiconductor, smaller than the tip of my little finger, and now is bringing those chip factories and those jobs back to America where they belong, creating thousands of jobs. Finally giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for millions of seniors. And finally doing something to protect our children and our families by passing the most significant gun safety law in 30 years. And bringing violent crime to a 50-year low.

If Americans allow Biden to use old data then he's right, but the FBI's revised data doesn't agree with Biden. See this article: FBI quietly updates crime data to show big jump in violence under Biden-Harris admin: 'Shocking'

Also, Biden neglects to take responsibility for the rape, arson, murder, and terrorism that he has unleashed on Americans through his Open Border policy which has enabled rapists, arsonists, murderers, terrorists, Drug Cartels, Child Sex Traffickers, and Criminal Gangs from several countries to enter the United States unimpeded. 

Meeting our sacred obligation to over one million veterans so far who were exposed to toxic materials, and to their families, providing medical care and education benefits and more for their families.

You know, it will take time to feel the full impact of all we've done together. But the seeds are planted, and they'll grow, and they'll bloom for decades to come. At home, we have created nearly 17 million new jobs, more than any other single administration in a single term. 

Biden's lie is his taking credit for 25,000,000 Americans returning to work after the Pandemic's initial onslaught is not "Job Creation." The only job creation he has been successful at is having his son Hunter sell his artwork to Chinese and other foreign officials for millions of dollars.

More people have health care than ever before. And overseas, we have strengthened NATO. Ukraine is still free. And we've pulled ahead in our competition with China. And so much more. I'm so proud of how much we've accomplished together for the American people, and I wish the incoming administration success. Because I want America to succeed.

If he really wanted "America to succeed" as he said today, then why did he attack American Manufacturing with business-killing regulations? Why did he attack American Oil companies, swear to end our use of "Fossil Fuels," and push to revert America back to being an "energy dependant" nation, and putting thousands of Americans out of work? Why did he do all of that while at the same time increasing the cost of transportation of goods and services, increase the burden on farmers and ranchers, and distributors, businesses, in an effort to make it miserable on Americans to live and afford gas and groceries, all while flooding the United States with "Illegal Aliens" with an Open Border" program? 

He did that. And yes, he's lying when he said he has wanted America to succeed.   

That's why I've upheld my duty to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power to ensure we lead by the power of our example. I have no doubt that America is in a position to continue to succeed.

We are in a position to succeed because Americans have elected President Donald J. Trump who puts the cares and concerns of Americans first. Biden emboldened China and showed the world that we did not have an Americans President making decisions for the last 4 years.

That's why my farewell address tonight, I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is a dangerous — and that's the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultrawealthy people, and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. We see the consequences all across America. And we've seen it before.

The Biden-Harris Oligarchy (2021-2025) has already happened. It has been a period when President Joe Biden was a puppet in the White House and an inept Vice President Kamala Harris could not lead the country. It has been a time when a small group of powerful Democrats, including billionaires George Soros and others, secretly controlled the United States Government. 

Please understand, no one other than those inside the Biden-Harris Administration and a small group of powerful people knows exactly how decisions were made with Joe Biden being as cognitively impaired as he has been for the last 4 years. The oligarchy that has been running this country in lieu of us having a president is the biggest scandal in American History. And yes, I agree with those who say that the Democrat-controlled Mainstream Media has conspired to cover up what was going on. 

More than a century ago, the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts. They didn't punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had. Workers want rights to earn their fair share. You know, they were dealt into the deal, and it helped put us on the path to building the largest middle class, the most prosperous century any nation the world has ever seen. We've got to do that again.

The last four years, that is exactly what we have done. People should be able to make as much as they can, but pay — play by the same rules, pay their fair share in taxes. So much is at stake. Right now, the existential threat of climate change has never been clearer. Just look across the country, from California to North Carolina. That's why I signed the most significant climate and clean energy law ever, ever in the history of the world.

Biden keeps saying, "The existential threat of climate change has never been clearer." But he, himself, has been "the biggest existential threat to the world" since he has been purposely pushing the world closer to World War III and a Nuclear War with Russia and China. Biden has ignored the fact that a Nuclear War is a threat to the existence of people and the planet. 

And the rest of the world is trying to model it now. It's working, creating jobs and industries of the future. Now we have proven we don't have to choose between protecting the environment and growing the economy. We're doing both. But powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we've taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interests for power and profit. We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren. We must keep pushing forward, and push faster. There is no time to waste. It is also clear that American leadership in technology is unparalleled, an unparalleled source of innovation that can transform lives. We see the same dangers in the concentration of technology, power and wealth.

You know, in his farewell address, President Eisenhower spoke of the dangers of the military-industrial complex. He warned us that about, and I quote, "The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power." Six days — six decades later, I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well.

Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power.

Let's be clear. The Biden Admin, and those in charge, have waged a war on Free Speech in America by using the tried and true tactic to say something to the effect, "Information may be harmful to the security of the United States." But it is not the job of the Federal Government to censor speech or limit what information Americans receive. It is our right to hear and read and disseminate information. 

This is why Biden's attempt to censor information was shot down when his "Disinformation Governance Board (DGB)" was shut down after only being in effect for less than 4 months. Biden's DGB was part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), from April 27, 2022 to August 24, 2022. The board's stated function was "To protect national security by disseminating guidance to DHS agencies on combating misinformation, malinformation, and disinformation that threatens the security of the homeland." Because it violated the U.S. Constitution, it was disbanded. It was an attempt to censor Americans, and impede the information that we recieve to protect us from an all powerful government with overreach. 

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time, perhaps of all time.

Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy, and our security, our society. For humanity. Artificial intelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call to end cancer as we know it. But unless safeguards are in place, A.I. could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work, and how we protect our nation. We must make sure A.I. is safe and trustworthy and good for all humankind.

In the age of A.I., it's more important than ever that the people must govern. And as the Land of Liberty, America — not China — must lead the world in the development of A.I.

You know, in the years ahead, it's going to be up to the president, the presidency, the Congress, the courts, the free press, and the American people to confront these powerful forces. We must reform the tax code. Not by giving the biggest tax cuts to billionaires, but by making them begin to pay their fair share.

We need to get dark money — that's that hidden funding behind too many campaign contributions — we need to get it out of our politics. We need to enact an 18-year time limit, term limit, time and term, for the strongest ethics — and the strongest ethics reforms for our Supreme Court. We need to ban members of Congress from trading stock while they are in the Congress. We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. The president's power is not limit — it is not absolute. And it shouldn't be.

He failed to call out Nancy Pelosi's inside trading deals while in office. And while saying that the Supreme Court needs term limits, he fails to say that Congress needs term limits to stop people like him from being in government for 50 years.

And in a democracy, there is another danger — that the concentration of power and wealth. It erodes a sense of unity and common purpose. It causes distrust and division. Participating in our democracy becomes exhausting and even disillusioning, and people don't feel like they have a fair shot. We have to stay engaged in the process. I know it's frustrating. A fair shot is what makes America America. Everyone is entitled to a fair shot, not a guarantee, just a fair shot, an even playing field. Going as far as your hard work and talent can take you.

We can never lose that essential truth to remain who we are. I've always believed, and I told other world leaders, America will be defined by one word: possibilities. Only in America do we believe anything is possible. Like a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, sitting behind this desk in the Oval Office as president of the United States.

That is the magic of America. It's all around us. Upstairs in the residence of the White House, I've walked by a painting of a Statue of Liberty I don't how many times. In the painting there are several workers climbing on the outstretched arm of the statue that holds the torch. It reminds me every day I pass it of the story and soul of our nation, and the power of the American people.

There is a story of a veteran — a veteran, a son of an immigrant, whose job was to climb that torch and polish the amber panes so rays of light could reach out as far as possible. He was known as the keeper of the flame. He once said of the Statue of Liberty, "Speaks a silent, universal language, one of hope that anyone who seeks and speaks freedom can understand."

Yes, we sway back and forth to withstand the fury of the storm, to stand the test of time, a constant struggle, constant struggle. A short distance between peril and possibility. But what I believe is the America of our dreams is always closer than we think. And it's up to us to make our dreams come true.

Let me close by stating my gratitude to so many people. To the members of my administration, as well as public service and first responders across the country and around the world, thank you for stepping up to serve. To our service members and their families, it has been the highest honor of my life to lead you as commander in chief.

And of course, to Kamala and her incredible partner. A historic vice president. She and Doug have become like family. And to me, family is everything.

My deepest appreciation to our amazing first lady who is with me in the Oval today. For our entire family. You are the love of my life and the life of my love.

My eternal thanks to you, the American people. After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands — a nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it's your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it, too.

God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor. 

____

As if we have not lived through the last horrible four years, Joe Biden's farewell address to the nation was his delusional attempt to highlight his so-called achievements while neglecting to mention the misery that he brought to the American people. His speech was a terrible attempt to rewrite the history of his administration and ignore the evils that he has tried to do to us. From cutting jobs and ending our energy independence on day one when entering office to commuting the death sentence of convicted murderers and attempting to escalate a war with Russia in the last months in office, he failed to be the dictator that he tried to be. His is a failed presidency.

No matter how he and others will try to rewrite what he and his oligarchy have done over the last four years, credit has to go to the American people for stopping him at the November 2024 Election. We the people stopped the Biden Administration's tyranny on the American people.

And yes, that's the way I see it.

Tom Correa

Old West Treatment For Colds & Flu -- Rock & Rye Whiskey

So, let's talk about my Grandfather. He was a great believer in whiskey as a remedy for Colds and the Flu. He was especially a fan of Rock & Rye Whiskey for what ails you. He used to say that you should only buy the Rock & Rye Whiskey that had the piece of orange in the bottle. 

So what is Rock & Rye Whiskey? It is a blend of rye whiskey and rock candy (crystallized sugar) with added citrus. It's all very medicinal -- at least that's what people have been saying for more than 150 years. 

According to a website that professes to know everything about Rock & Rye Whiskey, Everything You Need to Know About Rock and Rye, they report:

Oddly enough, rock and rye's first role was as medicine. By the late 1870s, virtually every pharmacy in the nation was stocking their shelves with some proprietary recipe, often promoted as a sort of cough syrup. As a medicine, rock and rye was taxed at a lower rate than liquor, adding to the potential profit. In 1883, the drink was finally reclassified as a distilled spirit. According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau definition, rock and rye has a minimum 25.5% alcohol by volume, must be made with rye, straight rye, or whiskey distilled from a rye mash, and contain either rock candy or sugar syrup. The addition of fruit, fruit juices, or other natural flavoring is allowed, but optional.

Even after it became classified as a distilled spirit, rock and rye's pursuit of pharmacopeia persisted. An 1891 advertisement for Tolu rock and rye in Chicago promoted its use "for coughs, colds, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, consumption and all diseases of the throat, chest and lungs." In some cases, "women's issues" and cancer were added for good measure. To prop up such outlandish proclamations, a cornucopia of exotic ingredients made its way into rock and ryes at the turn of the century. Additives like cloves, balsam, and horehound were meant to evoke medicinal properties. While its medicinal claims were dubious at best, the sweet and potent amalgamation earned devotees.

So, was my Grandpa right? Well, there's no doubt that my Grandpa's attitude about Rock & Rye Whiskey being the cure-all for what ails you may have been a holdover from years past. But, I have to tell you that it wasn't just his opinion back in the day. 

Yes, I, myself, witnessed several men visiting my Grandpa's bar and taking a shot or two of Rock & Rye Whiskey to kill the Cold and Flu bug. I remember them walking out feeling better than they walked in. Of course, some had to take a little more of the cure than others. But really, that goes along with anything.

Did it work? Well, none of them died. So yes, I gather it must have.

Tom Correa

The 6666 Ranch

The Four Sixes Ranch

Story by: H. Allen Anderson

Published: 1952
Updated: 2019
Source: Texas State Historical Association

The Four Sixes (6666) brand was established by Samuel Burk Burnett in the early 1870s. 

Although legend persists that Burnett's brand was devised to honor a winning poker hand of four sixes that he once held, sources indicate that Burnett, after successfully completing his first drive to Kansas as trail boss for his father's herd in 1867, saved his earnings and in 1871 used them to buy 100 cattle bearing the Four Sixes brand from Frank Crowley in Denton County. 

Burnett's brother Bruce used the brand in reverse (9999) for his ranching operation, which he moved to Knox County in 1889. 

In 1874, Burnett moved his cattle to the region of the Wichita River, bought land, and established his ranch headquarters near the site of present Wichita Falls. Due to the drought of 1881, Burnett was forced to drive his cattle to the Red River to survive. He subsequently leased 300,000 acres of Comanche-Kiowa reservation land. 

In 1893 he began the process of purchasing the Old Eight Ranch, 140,000 acres and 1,500 head of stock, from the Louisville Land and Cattle Company of Kentucky. The purchase was finalized in 1900, and Burnett moved his 6666 Ranch headquarters to King County.

By 1900, when the government opened the Kiowa-Comanche reservation for settlement and ordered the cattlemen to vacate their leases, Burnett obtained from President Theodore Roosevelt a two-year extension to enable him and his fellow cattlemen to move out and dispose of their herds in an orderly fashion. 

In 1902, Burnett bought 107,520 acres in Carson and Hutchinson counties from the British-owned White Deer Lands for $2.65 per acre. This choice Panhandle range, which had previously been leased to Al Popham and J. L. Harrison, was located along Dixon Creek and contained abundant water. It became known as the Burnett-Dixon Creek-6666 Ranch. Over the next few years, Burnett acquired sufficient adjoining range land to constitute an operation totaling almost a third of a million acres.

On his Four Six ranges, Burnett began improving his cattle by careful culling of cows and importation of purebred Hereford and Durham bulls. The resultant offspring soon became consistent winners as feeder cattle in livestock shows nationwide. 

The Dixon Creek Division, sometimes known as the Stocker Ranch, was set up to receive calves produced on the other Burnett properties. Gradually, the Four Sixes became a strictly Hereford operation, and Burnett's cattle were among the first to be spayed to better fatten them prior to slaughter. 

The Four Sixes acquired its first cow horses from Burnett's father-in-law, Col. M. B. Lloyd of Fort Worth; since then all horses on the ranch have been branded with the letter L on the left shoulder. Burnett's purebred Quarter Horses likewise became well-known throughout the Southwest. 

Outstanding Four Six employees during its early years, some of whom had worked for the Eight Ranch before Burnett bought it, included John Humphreys, Jim Gibson, Sid Williams, Charlie Hart, Joe Crystal, and Oak (Coley) Owens. Bud Arnett was retained as the first foreman. 

The Four Sixes brand was used on the Burnett properties in Wichita County, headquartered at Iowa Park, until 1910, when Burnett leased them to his son Thomas L. Burnett, who subsequently adopted Colonel Lloyd's Triangle brand as his own.

Although Burk Burnett at first utilized the Old Eight Camp as his headquarters in King County, he later moved it west to the county seat of Guthrie and in 1917 built his magnificent $100,000 stone ranch house on a hill overlooking the town. Barns, corrals, a bunkhouse, and other outbuildings were erected around it. 

In 1918, a severe Panhandle blizzard wiped out 2,000 cattle on the Dixon Creek Division, but the losses were practically forgotten in 1921, when the first seven of Carson County's oil and gas wells, including Eugene S. Blasdel's Gulf No. 1 and No. 2, were drilled on the ranch.

After Burnett's death in 1922, the Four Sixes was inherited by his granddaughter, Anne Burnett Tandy. 

Known affectionately among the ranch people as "Miss Anne," she became nationally famous as a judge and breeder of horses; among the well-known champion racers and show horses acquired by or bred on the Four Sixes were Grey Badger II and Hollywood Gold. 

The ranch and its overseers were prime movers in the organization of the American Quarter Horse Association. When Bud Arnett retired as foreman in 1930, his son-in-law filled the position for two years and then was succeeded by a second-generation Four Sixes cowhand, George P. Humphreys. 

By 1936, around 20,000 Hereford cattle stocked the Four Six ranges, ably run by the S. B. Burnett Estate in Fort Worth, of which John C. Burns served as trustee for many years. In 1961 John Boyce (Jay) Humphrey III was appointed as trustee and general manager; he held the position until 1980.

The Four Sixes Ranch, which occupies some 208,000 acres, continues to be the primary economic mainstay of King County. The imposing ranch house, occupied by the foreman and his family, stands at the end of a paved driveway just off U.S. Highway 82. 

A rock water tower stands behind it, and other ranch facilities, including barns and corrals, a dining room, and a bunkhouse for single employees, cover about eighteen acres. Four line camps, the South, North, Old Eight, and Taylor are located on the ranch. Each camp is run by an overseer, who looks after an allotted number of acres and cattle. Living quarters are furnished for him and his family. 

The wagon boss and other married ranch employees reside with their families in Guthrie, in furnished, rent-free housing. 

The town's high school and nondenominational church are supported by tax money from the ranch, and the Four Sixes Supply Store is another well-known landmark. The ranch continues to use the old horse-drawn chuckwagon, where cowboys and visitors are welcome to a Western-style meal out on the range at roundup time. 

The Dixon Creek Division (108,000 acres) in Carson and Hutchinson counties contains several producing oil and gas wells and a spacious stone headquarters house, which is easily spotted from State Highway 207 north of Panhandle.

After Miss Anne's death in 1980, the Four Sixes was passed on to her daughter Anne V. (Little Anne) Windfohr Sowell and granddaughter Windi Phillips. George Humphreys, known in later years as the "Little Sheriff" of King County, remained as foreman until his retirement in 1970. His successor was another second-generation employee, James J. Gibson, Jr. 

In addition to conducting an extensive brush-control project, Gibson's main contribution in recent years has been the introduction and crossbreeding of Brangus cattle with ranch Herefords to produce the Black Baldie, a hardy breed more resilient to cedar flies, a common pest in the cedar brakes of West Texas. 

Champion Quarter Horses continue to reap profits for the Four Sixes. George (Coon) Jeffers became foreman of the Dixon Creek Division in 1949. In the 1980s, Gibson became general manager of the ranch. Mike Gibson was the foreman in 1994.

In addition to its high-grade livestock, the Four Sixes has won fame as a setting for several Marlboro cigarette television ads during the 1960s, with certain ranch employees posing as the "Marlboro Man."

Portions of the movie Mackintosh and T. J., which starred Roy Rogers, were filmed at the Old Eight Camp in 1975. The ranch has likewise been a favorite subject for paintings by area artists such as Tom Ryan and Mondel Rogers. One of the original red Four Sixes barns, which was for years a prominent landmark in Guthrie, is now on the grounds of the Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock.

Source: Texas State Historical Association

Update:

In December 2020, the ranch was being sold in accordance with the Will of owner Anne Burnett Marion, who had died in February of that year. The ranch was listed on the market for a total of $347.7 million.

In May 2021, a buyer group represented by Hollywood screenwriter/actor Taylor Sheridan purchased the Four Sixes Ranch located at 1102 Dash for Cash Rd, Guthrie, Texas, 79236. Sheridan is noted for being part of the cast in the ultra-violent crime drama television series Sons of Anarchy and as one of the creators of the neo-Western television series Yellowstone.