February Cowboy

"Windfield McGraw"

In his younger days, Windfield McGraw served in the Texas Rangers rising to the rank of Captain. After years of fighting Indians and outlaws, and watching the city of Houston grow from a frontier settlement into a “civilized” town, McGraw and a small group of fellow rangers headed to a small Texas town called Prairie Hawk near the Calamity River. Prairie Hawk was not much of a town, consisting of only a few buildings. Captain McGraw and his small crew lived on the edge of town on a small ranch. They made there living by crossing into Mexico and making off with a few head of cattle and horses the found “wandering” around and taking them to sell in Houston. Life in Prairie Hawk lacked the excitement of the Texas Rangers, but it was better than being confined in the growing, crowded city.

Every night Captain McGraw would take his pipe and rifle and head to the edge of the river near their ranch. He would stand on the edge of the river keeping watch for any sign of the Mexicans who would cross into Texas to gather stray cows and horses that seemed to wander away from their ranches in Mexico.

Does not come painted