Nat Love
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Nat Love (1854 - 1921), pronounced as Nate Love, was an African American cowboy following the American Civil War. In 1907, Love wrote his autobiography, "Life and Adventures of Nat Love." In his autobiography, Nat Love explains that his father was a slave foreman in the fields, and his mother managed the kitchen. Love also had an older brother Jordan and an older sister Sally.
Love was born a slave on the plantation of Robert Love in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 1854. Despite slavery era statutes that outlawed black literacy he learned to read and write as a child with the help of his father, Sampson Love. When slavery ended, Sampson attempted to start a family farm to raise tobacco and corn, but he died shortly after the second crop was planted. Nat then took a second job working on a local farm to help ends meet. After a few years of working odd jobs, he won a horse in a raffle. He sold the horse for one hundred dollars and gave half to his mother, and he used the other half to leave town. He went west to Dodge City, Kansas, to find work as a cowboy. In Dodge City, he joined the cowboys from the Duval Ranch which was stationed in Texas. Because of his excellent horse riding skills, the Duval Ranch cowboys gave Nat the nickname "Red River Dick." Once he joined the Duval cowboys he left Dodge City and returned with them to the home ranch in the Texas Panhandle. Nat Love's autobiography tells of many adventures fighting against cattle rustlers and inclement weather. His many years of experience made him an expert marksman and cowboy. He entered a rodeo in Deadwood, South Dakota on the 4th of July in 1876. He won the rope, throw, tie, bridle, saddle and bronco riding contests. It was at this contest that the fans gave him the nickname "Deadwood Dick."[1] In October 1877, he was captured by a band of Akimel O'odham (Pima) while rounding up stray cattle near the Gila River in Arizona. Love reported that his life was spared because the Indians respected his fighting ability. A while after being captured, Love stole a pony and managed to escape into West Texas.
Love spent the latter part of his life working as a Pullman porter. He died in Los Angeles at age 67 in 1921.
[edit] References
- ^ Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience P.175
[edit] External links
- Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country as "Deadwood Dick," by Himself. Los Angeles, Cal.: s.n., 1907.
