To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day,
Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn’t have too much to say.
No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip,
The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
It was early in the morning when he rode into the town.
He came riding from the south side, slowly looking all around.
“He’s an outlaw loose and running”, came a whisper from each lip
“And he’s here to do some business with a big iron on his hip.
Big iron on his hip.”
In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red.
Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead.
He was vicious and a killer, though a youth of twenty four,
And the notches on his pistol numbered one and nineteen more,
One and nineteen more.
Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around,
Was an Arizonia ranger, wouldn’t be too long in town.
He was here to take an outlaw back alive, or maybe dead,
And he said it didn’t matter that he was after Texas Red,
After Texas Red.
Wasn’t long before this story was relayed to Texas Red,
But the outlaw didn’t worry, men who tried before were dead.
Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip,
Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
Now the morning passed so quickly and it was time for them to meet.
It was twenty past eleven when they rode out in the street.
Folks were watching from their windows,
Every body held their breath,
They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death,
About to meet his death.
There was twenty feet between them
When they stopped to make their play,
And the swiftness of the Ranger is still talked about today.
Texas Red had not cleared leather, when a bullet fairly ripped
And the ranger’s aim was deadly, with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
It was over in a moment and the crowd all gathered around.
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground.
Oh, he might have went on living, but he made one fatal slip
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
Big iron, big iron,
Oh he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
Check out this cool YouTube video tribute from Snooze:
“Mortal man has not the power to draw aside the veil of unborn time to tell the future of his race. That gift belongs of the Divine alone. But it is given to him to closely judge the future by the present, and the past.”
Did you know that Native American tribes could be identified by their moccasins? Shoes made from tanned leather were common to all – but each had their own distinct style! Check out these beautiful examples:
Sacagawea was born in the Idaho area and came from the Shoshone Tribe.
She was the wife of a French-Canadian trapper called Toussaint Charbonneau.
Sacagawea accompanied Merriweather Lewis and William Clark on their expedition across the American west.
This Native American pioneer travelled thousands of miles between 1804-1806.
The journey started in North Dakota and ended at the Pacific Ocean.
Her nickname on the expedition was Janey.
Sacagawea was an invaluable member of the Lewis and Clark team. She interpreted, bartered, and traded with the tribes they encountered on route; foraged, hunted, and cooked; tracked and guided; solved problems; rescued supplies; and supported the men in numerous ways, helping them to survive in unfamiliar territories.
Also, a woman traveling with a group of men, showed the expedition’s friendly intentions.
Sacagawea was a new mother who carried her son for most of the journey. The child was called Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau, and nicknamed Little Pompy or Pompy.
After the expedition the Charbonneau family moved to St. Louis (Missouri) on William Clark’s invitation. Acting in a god-father type role, Clark took responsibility for Jean-Baptiste’s education. He wanted to adopt the child as his own son.
In 1810, Sacagawea had a daughter, Lizette.
There are conflicting stories about Sacagawea’s death. The official account states she died of “putrid fever” in 1812. However, another popular oral legend claims she left her husband, married into the Comanche Tribe, had several more children, and died in Wyoming in 1884.
Sacagawea became a symbol of early “girl power” for the National American Woman Suffrage Association. This organization did much to expand and promote her story of resilience and courage.
Sources:
American Indian Relief Council, “Sacagawea Necklace.” Information card.
