Ranger Jim's Ramblings for May

Howdy, All,

This month's blog is about two things that have tripped up every writers of Westerns, from Spur and Peacemaker winners to the worst pulp hacks.

I'm talking, or course, about words and objects that weren't in use or yet invented in the time of the old West, but frequently pop up in Western writings. Admit it, you've been shot down by this problem. We all have.

Obviously, there's no way to make this a comprehensive list. That would be a book in itself. Instead, I'll mention some of the things that have caught me, an dhope some of you will leave comments with those which have trapped you. I'm also not going to  bring up most of the more common ones.

First, a few words. The first one that tripped me up was "jeans", or "blue jeans." You'll see this over and over in Westerns; however, denim pants weren't called "jeans" until early in the middle of the 20th century. In fact, the first pants Levi Strauss made were of canvas. Pants were called just that, pants, or trousers. What we call jeans were merely referred to as denims, or denim pants. And overalls were just that, overalls, not dungarees.

Two words which surprised me are "Mom" and "Dad." Again, twentieth century words. In the 1800s, most likely a parent would be called "mother" or "father" "Ma" or "Pa" were less frequently used, and definitely not by the upper classes, who would be more likely to use the Latin "Mater" or "Pater". Even "Momma" and "Poppa" or "Pop" were not in general use.

Of course, most slang in the old West was completely different from what we use today, or what has been used since 1900.

Although most of us know this, it still bears repeating that cattle in a herd were all referred to as "cows."  Steer, bull, heifer, yearling, or cow, it didn't matter. They were all cows. Also, ropes were just that, a rope. Calling a rope a lariat, lasso, or anything else immediately marked the speaker as a tenderfoot.

There were no rodeos in the old West, either. There were informal contests of skill among cowboys, but the first official "rodeo", which is claimed by several towns, didn't take place until the late 1890s..

Also, as there were no breed associations, until the Jockey Club for Thoroughbred Race Horses was established, there were no official breeds of horses. Yes, there were quarter horses, paints/pintos, appaloosas, morgans, and more, but in the context of a western novel, the horse would be a type, not a breed. Therefore, the type of horse should never be capitalized.

Zippers. Most of us know the zipper wasn't invented until the 20th century.
Toilet paper. There's a reason the Farmer's Almanac has that hole in the upper left corner. It was to hang the book in the outhouse and tear off the pages as needed.
Adhesive bandages. No.
Adhesive postage stamps. No

Pre-folded adhesive envelopes. No. A letter would be folded and sealed with wax.
Toothpaste. No
Surprisingly, the telephone, and even electric power, were more common in large Western cities than is generally known. Galveston had a telephone exchange as early as 1878, and electricity not long after.

A couple of things that are incorrect, the first two of which I still use, despite them being in error.

Belt loops for men's pants. Again, a 20th century invention. However, the idea of pants with belts is so ingrained in everyone's mind it just makes sense to use that. Before the belt loop was developed, pants were held up with suspenders, or galluses. They were considered, in much of society, to be underwear, and were not supposed to be seen in public. Who would have guessed.

Hats with turned up brims. Nope, but those old floppy, flat brims just don't convey the same image as the curled brim hat.

High-heeled, pointed tow cowboy boots. Again, not until very late 19th century.

Texas Ranger badges. A HUGE no-no. Yes, you can have your Ranger wear a badge, but the earliest example of a Ranger badges is from the late 1880s-early 1890s, as seen on the cover of my Lone Star Ranger books. And those first badges were not made from Mexican cinco peso coins. The first official, state issued Ranger badge was issued after the Rangers were reorganized and placed under the Texas Department of Public Service, in 1935.

There are many, many more, but I'm out of time and space. Let me know some of yours.

Ranger Jim