It is my pleasure to know the
great-grandson of William (Will, Bill) Pickett, a legendary Texas cowboy and wild-west
show performer of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Pickett was a combination of
African-American and Native American, son of former slaves. At an early age he
had developed greats skills as a cowboy and went on to a career as a performer.
His skills at bulldogging (he contributed to the creation of the term) included
biting the lower lip of the steer for greater control.
He died in
1932 from being kicked in the head by a horse. Will Rogers, the famous radio and
screen personality announced the death of his friend on his radio show.
Pickett’s fascinating life is summed up on the Famous Texans website.
For several
years, his great-grandson, Richard Bell, lived in our condominium building. On
a Sunday afternoon entertainment get-together, Richard presented the life of
his famous kinsman. It was a most wonderful experience. Richard married not
long after that and moved away. We still miss him.
One never
knows what delightful bit of history may be waiting nearby, does one?
“It is easier to get an actor to be a cowboy than to get a
cowboy to be an actor”. - John Ford
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| Richard Smith's great-grandfather |
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