The Land Deal

That sounds momentous doesn't it? Well, to cattle barons and ranchers this is not important but I am thrilled. This morning I signed the papers, along with my brother John, to purchase 70.3 acres of land in Borden county. The land isn't good for farming and we don't plan to run any cattle but are simply reclaiming part of our family history.



The paperwork showed that our small portion of what was once a much larger ranch owned by our maternal grandfather, John Thomas Johnson, was originally deeded in 1892. What we will own is 70.3 acres located in the Southwest part of Section No. 36 in Block 31, Township5-North...Borden County, Texas.

Big Daddy barely eeked out a living on that rough land. Well, sometimes they didn't make it at all which is what sent him to work in the Houston shipyards in the 40's. It is mostly covered by mesquite trees, native grasses, Devil's pin cushions, a few dwarf cedars, and some algerita bushes. There are man made tanks (earthen ponds) where Big Daddy's cattle used to drink and where us kids would go to skip rocks or catch what seemed to us to be the world's largest frogs. Big Daddy did on occasion trap quail which was not exactly legal but I'll never forget him teaching me how to "un-zip" or defeather the small birds. I stood firm in my refusal of wringing the little bird's neck but did gladly partake of the miniature fried quail legs and the prized pulley bones.

Where was I and why wasn't I concerned, involved, and there before they bull-dozed Big Daddy's old house? I was probably off somewhere being a wife, mother, and dedicated employee of some company. I regret that I didn't get to walk through the old house one last time and take a little something...maybe an old almanac hanging on the pantry door, the dipper he kept by the drinking water, or an old horseshoe out on the covered porch.

When Big Daddy passed away in the early 1980's the land passed down to my grandmother, Granny Floss (Flossie Beulah Johnson). She and Big Daddy had been separated for many years but never divorced. After Grandmother passed away in 1995 the land was owned jointly by my Mom and her older sister and younger brother. Although Mom wished (mostly for us kids) to keep the land, her siblings wanted to sell the ranch and her logical mind knew that it was the thing to do. And while Big Daddy had for years promised Mom the 70 acres would be hers, there were reasons that made it impractical to hold onto those acres while selling the bulk of the land.

Brother John kept a glimmer of hope alive by mentioning the ranch land being for sale to a good friend of his. This man decided to purchase the land and assured Johnny that he would always have the option of purchasing the 70 acres. So when he contacted Johnny last year that he was going to sell the ranch, he was true to his word and offered Johnny the 70 acres. Johnny and I had hoped to be able to do this but had never acted on it for financial reasons. But sometimes in life things have a way of working out. Last fall my Dad's older brother passed away and left Johnny some money. At the time that he became a beneficiary, Johnny had assured little sis and I that he would split his inheritance evenly with us. And true to his word, he has done that. So now, though the roots of the ranch come from Mom, it was Dad's side of the family that allowed us to move forward and recapture part of that precious land. I'm so grateful to Big Daddy, Granny Floss, Mom and Dad, Uncle Morris, Brother John and his friend Steve for their contributions to The Land Deal.

The 70.3 acres in Borden County, just Southwest of the small town of Gail will now be known as J&M Ranch. Now it is a part of not only our past but our present and future. I can't wait to take my husband and the kids and grandkids with me to walk our land. Boots will be required!