J. W. Clampitt

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about J. W. Clampitt, out in Runnels County.

Now, some men's lives read like a catalog of everything Texas could throw at a person, and Clampitt's is one of them. He was reared in Denton County, and by 1883 he had thrown in with his brother-in-law in the ranching business. For three years, from 1883 to 1886, they worked together, and somewhere in that stretch they made a decision that a lot of ambitious men were making in those days.

They moved to Presidio County, what the marker calls "free grass" country, and they ran the Chalk Valley Ranch. Free grass sounds like paradise until you hear the rest of it. Sometimes, to get their cattle to water, they had to drive those animals fifty miles.

Fifty miles. And while they were doing it, Clampitt and his partner carried their food in what the marker calls a pioneer "greasy sack." That right there tells you something about the kind of outfit this was. Lean, tough, and not complaining about it.

Then the drouth of 1885 to 1886 came through and took the herd. Just like that, the cattle were gone. A lesser man might have sat down in the dust and stayed there.

Clampitt headed to Ballinger and went into the hardware business with a man named R. A. Hall.

And that wasn't the last turn in his story either. He went on to serve as the second county sheriff and tax collector, holding that office from 1890 to 1896. Six years keeping order and keeping the books.

He had five children by his first wife, Elizabeth, born a McAuley, and three more by his second wife, Callie, born a Mansker. Pioneer cattleman. Businessman.

Lawman. Father of eight. The marker calls him a pioneer Texas cattleman and law officer, and after hearing it all laid out, well, that's not bragging.

That's just the count.

What the marker says

Pioneer Texas cattleman and law officer. Reared in Denton County, he joined brother-in-law in ranching, 1883-1886. They moved to "free grass" county of Presidio and ran Chalk Valley Ranch. Sometimes had to drive cattle 50 miles to water. On the range, carried their food in typical pioneer "greasy sack". After losing herd in 1885-1886 drouth, Clampitt went into the hardware business with R. A. Hall in Ballinger. Served as second county sheriff-tax collector (1890-1896). By first wife Elizabeth (McAuley), he had 5 children; by second wife Callie (Mansker), 3.