DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Now, picture this: 1876, and a man is moving his whole world across the land. His name was Casimiro Romero — a Castilian Spaniard by birth, born in 1833 — and when he came to Texas from New Mexico, he didn't come quiet.
His wife and two children rode in a coach. Behind them rolled fourteen wagons carrying goods. And somewhere in that procession, six thousand sheep kicked up dust across the horizon.
Six thousand. You don't move six thousand sheep without knowing exactly who you are and where you're going. Romero knew both.
He was the chief of the pastores — the sheep herders — and they weren't just passing through. Those pastores built eleven haciendas and plazas along the Canadian River area. Eleven.
They were putting down roots in the valley, and the valley knew it. Now, you don't plant that kind of flag without drawing attention. Along came cattle rancher Charles Goodnight, and in late 1876 — same year Romero arrived — the two men made a pact.
Goodnight would respect the right of the pastores to the valley of the Canadian River. A handshake between two men who understood power, and that's no small thing. But the land had other plans.
Come the 1880s, railroads and cattle ranches started cutting into sheep lands. The valley that once belonged to the pastores began to narrow, and narrow, and narrow some more. By 1897, Casimiro Romero — born 1833, a man who had moved his world once before — sold his Texas lands and returned to New Mexico.
He died in 1912. And yet, three and a half miles southwest of where you're sitting right now, there is a town. It carries his name.
Romero. Some men leave behind monuments. Casimiro Romero left behind a place on the map, and out here in Hartley County, that might just be the same thing.
What the marker says
(1833 - 1912) Moved to Texas, 1876, from New Mexico-- wife and two children in a coach, goods in 14 wagons. Owned 6,000 sheep. A Castilian Spaniard by birth, Romero spoke for pastores (sheep herders), who built eleven haciendas and plazas in Canadian River area. Cattle rancher Chas. Goodnight in late 1876 made a pact with Romero to respect right of the pastores to valley of Canadian River. But, railroads and cattle ranches in 1880s cut into sheep lands. Romero returned to New Mexico, selling Texas lands, 1897. He is memorialized in this area by town of Romero (3.5 mi. SW of here). (1970)