El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-11-24
The old Family ALbnnl

.-uuuuu.--u-.u-u--u BY C. A.
/ JOSEPH HENRY NATIONS, Of whom
} the accompanying picture IS a like
ness at the age Of 20 years. is a native
Texan. EI Paso has no better loved
citizen than Uncle Joe" Nations
Born in Gonzales. or pioneer par
ents. he has grown up and developed
{ with his native state. AS early as 10
I years OF age he was buying cattle for
/ himself and the cattle business has
been the business OF his life.
He paid $3.50 per head for his
{ first yeariinEs- Today the hide Of
one f. worth around so.
He herded cattle for himself and
Z for his father when the range COW
/ cred everything from Gonzales TO the
gulf Of Mexico and when the animals,
when fat, had TO be driven al the way
] 20 Dodge City or Abilene, kanS.. 10
he sold a herd could only be moved
at the rate Of about ten miles a day
and it took a long time to drive a
herd to market and get back home.
His father, Ell Nations, was a pros
porous farmer whose ancestors came
from Mississippi to Texas. His moth
er, Eliza Austin woodruff was born
in Austin, Texas. when 10 was mere
settlement Her father. Rev John
M 0UQEALLs came 10 LgAaa rs a MIS-
/ si0narT from Lexington, KY, preach
ing throughout the state. Thus JOS
eph H. Nations is from sturdy, pio-
neer stock
Mr.. Nations and his sister. Mrs. 7.
G. Hendricks OF Odessa, Texas, are
the only survivors OF a family Of
seven children.
while a small lad. Mr.. Nations was
educated in the country schools near
his fathers farm, where he worked
at chores as hundreds OF other Amer
lean farm lads have worked. but he
loved horses and cattle and made
them his friends, and always said he
would be a cattleman when he grew
TO manhood After his turn In pub
lie schools. he attended a business col
leEe at AIoulton. Texas.
In 1883, with the building OF the G. II.
railroad westward from san Antonio.
Mr. Nations came 10 Fort Davis and
fulfilled the ambition Of his youth by
becoming the owner OF a ranch he
was his own foreman, as he knew the
He ate at the chuck wagon, slept at
night on the ground, the earth for
pillow. the stars for a cover, helped
with the branding and did all the
work that he asked his cowboys to ]
do, in fact, he made himself one OF Z
them and they always loved him Old 4
timers all say this He is familiar I
with every foot OF the west Texas /
cow country and has herded cat /
tie over almost all Of IL from the gulf /
OF Mexico on the south and the Rio I
Grande on the west 10 the Missouri I
on the north and east
While at MOulton. Texas. young Ma I
tons met Miss Ida Hicks and they I
were married before he came west I
Mrs Nations accompanied him west I
and has been his constant advisor 4
and companion A woman friend OF /
the family recently said Il know
you have always been a good hus-
band. 1Ir. NaIoue, because your vile 1
always looks so happy and youthful"
To them were born four girls, three
Of whom are still living Osephine,
Catherine and Mary. now MIS- Jose
phine Morfit, lIrs. Nelson Studebaker
Riley and Mrs J. Mason Pollard
lIr. Nations f. a BAPTIST and
somewhat Of q philosopher. 81 can
read the hearts OF men fairly well,p
said he 4amd my association VITA .
cattle has helped me in this respect.
Cattle and people are much alike n
You study them You can't bull
doze a COW nor a horse but by
kindness, you can do anything
with them. Occasionally there are
exceptions, but they are few. Peo--
pie are the same way. Treat them
kindly and you get out OF them the
best that IS in dhem.1
People often ask ne why T smile
that there IS no hatred OF revenge in
ny soul You cant hate people and
be happy yourself ] get happiness
put OF forgiving those who wrong me
and I count al men my friends. I
nave always extended a helping hand
10 the unfortunate where ] could In
ny zeal 70 help. the unworthy have
sometimes benefited. at my expense,
but even so, I do not want 10 com
plain. 7 love boys and young men
and I take an interest IN them and
heir work and their problems.
This latter assertion IS amply at
.ested In the work, both personally
md financially. that Mr.. Nations has
he American and Mexican branches.
he has been president Of the FL Paso
institution for IA years
Although born IN Texas. Mr.. Va
lions Is independent in politics and
has not always voted the Democratic
ticket. Il am proud to say he
replied when asked 81 he had always
been n Democrat, fsthnt I was n
Grover Cleveland Democrat and n
Mckinley Republican and a great
ndmirer OF Theodore Roosevelt
For recreation. lrr. Nations rides
lorseback- He does not care for
uniting or fishing, but he always
leeps a good saddle horse and rides
horseback frequently. Last summer
le rode horseback every day for three
months he likes horseback riding
or the exercise il gives him and be-
.ause he loves a horse he prefers e !
% the family Packard any day, but !
dmits that the Packard is often nee
.ssary in these days Of strenuousity
md rapidity OF movement and ac-
ion.
what Is your advice 10 a young
nan. Lr- Nations was asked. ~out
4 your ripe experience in life"
I'D say said he In reply, emecf
all men on an equal plame-the
banker, the merchant. the states
man and the humbIeHt. Money Z
and station Co not make the
man. A man is what his heart e..