Times Weekly Column - "Webster on Cattle"

Statement

Times Weekly Column - "Webster on Cattle"

By: Sen. John Cornyn

He went by the name Shanghai, his cattle were called "sea lions" and, by some accounts, his Texas ranch lands in the 1800s were almost as large as his home state of Rhode Island.

Abel Head Pierce was one of the almost larger-than-life personalities from the early years of Texas. Yet, the colorful tales of his life sometimes obscure the initiative and ingenuity that drove his career and helped cement the entrepreneurial reputation of Texas.

The voyage that brought the New England teenager to Texas began when he stowed away on a ship in 1854. Some would say his journey began even earlier when he yearned for the opportunity and success he could not find at home. After five months at sea, he landed at Indianola on the Texas Gulf Coast with 75 cents in his pocket.

Shanghai found work on a ranch as a rail splitter, cowhand and bronc-buster. Soon, he began building his own herd. But Shanghai suffered a setback after taking leave from ranching to serve in the Civil War. He returned home to Texas after the war only to find money owed to him was paid in worthless Confederate dollars.

He started over, partnering with his brother, Jonathan. The Pierce herd began growing as Shanghai claimed unbranded mavericks on the open range, drove them to market and sold them for a profit. They also sold cow hides and tallow. The brothers parlayed their earnings into more cattle and more profits, and began buying land in Wharton County and adjacent Matagorda County on the Gulf Coast.

This marked the start of an empire estimated at a half-million acres and hundreds of thousands of cattle. Because of their unique origin on the Texas coast, Shanghai's cattle became known as "sea lions" or "Shanghai Pierce coasters." His cattle proved they could handle wet conditions. Shanghai often proclaimed, "They're my sea lions. They come right out of the Gulf of Mexico."

Some admired Shanghai as a flamboyant, determined and hard-nosed ranching titan. Critics labeled him as overbearing, underhanded and ruthless. Overall, though, most conceded that he was "King of the Cattlemen" during his heyday.

One observer, quoted by biographer Chris Emmett, called Shanghai "the most widely known cattleman between the Rio Grande and the British possessions. He stood six-feet-four in his stockings, was gaunt and rawboned, and the possessor of a voice, which in ordinary conversation could be distinctly heard across the street."

Shanghai seemed to revel in all of the descriptions and even gave himself the title of "Webster on cattle," in self-recognition of his knowledge of the industry. As with many stories about him, the origin of his nickname, Shanghai, has several versions. But one is more common than others and it has nothing to do with cattle. When this towering, lanky man wore spurs with jangling rowels, some said he looked like a strutting, long-legged Shanghai rooster.

A few years ago, Shanghai Pierce was inducted into the State Fair's Texas Heritage Hall of Honor for his influence on agriculture and ranching. He was one of the biggest shippers of beef from Texas to Kansas on the Chisholm Trail, during a period described as "the greatest migration of livestock in world history." He also identified the Brahman cattle from India as being resistant to ticks and his family helped pioneer the breed's development in America.

While it would be difficult for anyone to duplicate Shanghai's fascinating career, his legacy set the stage for Texas to reign as the land of opportunity for entrepreneurs. In our state, which cultivates and beckons talent, broad horizons await those who seek them. That is a tribute to Shanghai Pierce and all the pioneers who built the foundation of Texas and inspired future generations to pursue a brighter future.

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