TEXAS RANGERS

 Today marks the 190th anniversary of the legendary Texas Rangers.  In 1821, Stephen Austin brought 300 families to the Spanish province which is now known as Texas.  Within two years, there were 600 to 700 people in Texas, living close to the Gulf of Mexico with no regular army to protect them, so Austin organized a group of civilians to provide protection, calling the "Rangers," because their duties compelled them to range over the entire country.   By 1835, a "Permanent Council" was created to run the government; one member, Daniel Parker, offered a resolution on October 17th to create a corps of Texas Rangers -- to consist of 60 men:  25 to range and guard the frontier between the Brazos and the Trinity, 10 to work on the east side of the Trinity, and 25 to patrol between the Brazos and Colorado; these men were assigned to protect against Indians until the Revolution was over.  

On November 1, the "Permanent Council" (which was not permanent) presented to organization for approval, and on the 9th, G. W. Davis was commissioned to raise 20 more men for this new service. The newly formed General Council passed an ordinance providing for three companies on November 24, 1835, 56 men to a company, each commanded by a captain and first and second lieutenants, with a major in overall command.  Again, their writ was to protect settlements from incursions by Indians, while Sam Houston and his army were fighting Santa Anna's troops.  During this time, more companies were added, and through 1840, most of the Rangers' actions were to protect against Indians.

The Reconstruction  period from 1865 to 1873 was a dark time and the Rangers were rebranded as the "State Police" and was charged with the enforcement of the carpetbagging laws.  The citizenry of Texas were not happy.  The carpetbag rule ended in 1873.

In 1874, six companies were reorganized to be stationed strategically over the state.  This service was known as the Frontier Battalion and were given policing powers; previously the service was a semi-military organization.  During this period, the Ranger Service held a position between a military organization and a policing organization, adapting from one to the other, acting as detectives and policemen when faced with outlaws, trains robbers, and highwaymen.  The rangers were not curbed by city or country boundaries and were called in when a case was considered tom great for a local agency.

Today the Texas Ranger Division is a part of the Texas Department of Public Safety.  The Texas Rangers conduct major violent crime, public corruption, cold case and officer-involved shooting investigations and oversee the department's border security and tactical and crisis negotiation programs.  They are a technologically sophisticated operation.

Over the years, the Texas Rangers have become part of the myth of the Old West and has been seen through the lenses of popular fiction, films, and television.  They have been compared with four other world-famous law enforcement operations:  the FBI, Scotland Yard, Interpol, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  Legends have grown about Rangers of the past:  Big Foot Wallace, "Rip" Ford (whose initials stood for "Rest in Peace"), John B. Armstrong (who arrested John Wesley Hardin), Captain Bill McDonald, and Frank Hamer (who opened fire on Bonnie and Clyde) -- some were heroes, some were most likely not, and some probably a mixture of both.  But over the years, the Texas Rangers amassed a reputation for toughness, integrity, and dedication.

Here's Tex Ritter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DuSs_Qzt90

and Marty Robbins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rYBPJBtph8

and Larry Bastian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CaMgoynXE8

and The Blan Scott Band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0MQasrpkF8

and, here's the pilot episode for a suggested series from 1955, The Texas Ranger, starring Dennis Morgan, Harry Shaanon, John Doucette, and Strother Martin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbkNxVjqnSI

and, a very bad joke:  A cowboy wrapped himself in brown paper.  The Texas Rangers arrested him for rustling.