LAMBSHEAD

1849 – Randolph Marcy stops near Paint Crossing, now on Lambshead, on his return

from leading a group of “49ers” as far as Santa Fe.

 

1854 – Jesse Stem settles at what is now the Valley pasture of Lambshead to set up

agency for trading with native tribes.

 

1854 – Thomas Lambshead farming on the Clear Fork, receives patent on section in

Paint Pasture 1859

 

1855 Comanches move into Reservation established on the Clear Fork of the Brazos

 

1856 Early January, Old Camp Cooper I ("Camp Cooper I") established by Lt. Col. Albert Sydney Johnston

 

1856 Capt. Newton Curd Givens builds Stone Ranch house on Walnut Creek

 

1858 Spring, Camp Cooper moved from its old location near the Indian agency and Indian camps to the

Bake Oven Flat site, Paint Pasture ("Camp Cooper II"). This site was occupied through June, 1859.

 

1858 – 1861 Butterfield Overland Mail stage line crosses what is now Lambshead Ranch

 

1859 July 31, the 1112 Indians on the Comanche reservation removed to the valley of the Washita, in

Indian Territory

 

1858 – Joseph Beck Matthews (age 35) come with family from Alabama through

Louisiana to Stephens County, Texas, some 25 miles from Lambshead.

 

1859 – B.W. Reynolds (age 40) moves with family from Alabama to Texas. George

Reynolds, his oldest son, rides for Pony Express from Weatherford to Palo Pinto

 

1866 - 1867 BW Reynolds family lives at Stone Ranch.

 

1867 – George Reynolds wounded by arrow; arrowhead removed 16 years later in

Kansas

           

1872 – J.A. Matthews Trail Boss on trail drive from Colorado through Wyoming and

Utah to Nevada

 

1874 – George and Will form Reynolds Brothers partnership, move to Colorado

 

1875 – George and Will move cattle business back to Texas

 

1876 – Barber Watkins Reynolds builds house at Reynolds Bend

 

1876 – John Alexander Matthews and Sallie Ann Reynolds marry at Reynolds Bend

 

1877 – House is built on Clear Fork below Reynolds Bend

 

late 1870’s – J.A. and Sallie Matthews begin acquiring land along Clear Fork

 

1880 – Reynolds and Matthews Company formed

 

1885 – Reynolds and Matthews Company amicably dissolved, with J.A. Matthews

receiving 25,000 acres at Stone Ranch as part of his consideration

 

1890 – Son of B.W. Reynolds sells house at Reynolds Bend

 

1894 – J.A. Matthews purchases 20,000 acre Lower Ranch, which adjoins his father’s

Pleasant View Ranch

 

1897 – Camp established at present day Lambshead Ranch HQ. First phase of ranch

house, bunkhouse built. Lower Ranch is sold to Charlie Cauble.

 

1898 – J.A. and Sallie Matthews purchase Camp Cooper Ranch (former site of Camp

Cooper)

 

1899 – Last child of J.A. and Sallie Matthews, Watkins (Watt) Reynolds Matthews, born

 

1906 – Camp on Lambshead Creek becomes Ranch HQ. Addition to ranch house.

            Camp Cooper Ranch sold, at Sallie’s urging

 

1907 – HQ Barn built

 

1913 – First gas well drilled by the Texas Company

 

1919 – Addition to ranch house

 

1923 – Headquarters Cookshack built

 

1928? – George Reynolds gives interview for Trail Drivers of Texas

 

1930 – Picket fences replace wire fences around houses at HQ

 

1936 – Interwoven published

 

1941 – Watt Matthews and sister sister, Lucile Matthews Brittingham (re-)purchase Reynolds Bend

property

 

1943 – Tile bunkhouse built

            Barber Watkins Reynolds House at Reynolds Bend rehabilitated by Watt

            Watt begins care of family cemetery at Reynolds Bend

 

1944 – 1950 Research and Management Project for the native wild turkey by

Lambshead Ranch and Texas Parks and Wildlife. Lambshead turkey poults trapped for restocking ranches in 3 states.

 

1946 – Barn is built at Reynolds Bend

 

1948 – Sheds for historic vehicles used in the Fort Griffin Fandangle built at Reynolds Bend

 

1950 – Buffalo are brought back to Lambshead, given by the Reynolds Cattle Company

from their herd on the Long X Ranch. Mule (Gaines) Stover delivers the buffalo calves in the back seat of his Buick sedan.

 

1950s – Rural electricity arrives HQ

 

1951 – Nathan L. Bartholomew House at Reynolds Bend is rehabilitated;

Barn at Reynolds Bend is converted to cookshack

 

1952 – Rock cabin at Reynolds Bend is reconstructed

 

1955-56 – Rock house at Bartholomew’s in Reynolds Bend is built

 

1956 – Sheds for historic vehicles used in Fandangle built at Reynolds Bend

 

1960s – City water line arrives HQ; ranch house air conditioned

 

1966 – Cedar house at Bartholomew’s in Reynolds Bend is built

 

1973 – Reconstruction of 1888 school house at Reynolds Bend

House dugout in William Reynolds Pasture is rehabilitated by Watt Matthews

 

1975 – Picket house at HQ built

 

1976 – Butterfield Trail at Butterfield Gap and Relay station at Old Clear Fork Crossing,

both established in 1858, are marked with limestone slabs

 

1978 – record flood on Clear Fork

 

1980 – John Burns’ board and batten house built; Sallie Matthews Judd’s board and

batten house built; Lambshead shop built

 

1983 – Stone Ranch reconstructed by Watt Matthews

 

1990s – 1897 Headquarters bunkhouse demolished, new bunkhouse built

 

2008-9 – Headquarters 1948 sheds demolished, new sheds built