My Favorite Cowboy

My Favorite Cowboy

Grandpa Jess Baldwin

Jess Baldwin was born March 28, 1898 in Eliasville, Young County, Texas.  His parents were Allen and Mary (Stewart) Baldwin.  When Jess was about 15 years old, his parents moved up into Oklahoma - near Mountain Park, Kiowa County, Oklahoma.  It was in Oklahoma that he met a young lady named Mabel Leffel.  Mabel had also been born in Young County, Texas.  Her parents had moved to Oklahoma in 1904. 

Jess and Mabel married on Christmas Day 1917.  They were the parents of fourteen children and grandparents of 46 (50 including step-grandchildren) and great-grandparents of about 89.  In 1934, the Jess and Mabel Baldwin family moved from Oklahoma and eventually ended up living in Colorado, where a lot of the family still resides.

Grandpa was a stockman and spent most of his life buying and selling livestock.  He was especially good with horses and always knew a good horse when he saw one. He worked at the Cortez Sale Barn and later ran a Sale Barn in Montrose, Colorado.

Below are a few pictures of Jess Baldwin and his horses.

Grandpa bought the above horse (name unknown) and saddle when he lived in California.  The saddle and bridle, decorated with silver conchos, are amazing!

Grandpa and Joker

The pinto horse in the above photo was called Joker. Grandpa took him from Montrose, Colorado to Long Beach, California. Then Grandpa sold Joker to a man who used him in the movies.

Grandpa and Amber

The above horse was called Amber. Grandpa had him when he lived on South Market Street in Cortez, Colorado. He gave the horse to his daughter Verna, but as soon as he had a buyer for the horse he sold her.

Grandpa and Angel

The picture above is of Grandpa and Angel. Grandpa, who was living in Montrose, Colorado, traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah to buy Angel.  Below is another photo of Angel. 

  

 

In the photo below, Grandpa is with a horse, name unknown. Photo probably taken in Cortez, Colorado.  Below that is a photo of Grandpa riding.  

In the photos below, Grandpa Jess is roping.  Not sure what horse he is on.  Both photos appear to be taken on the same day from different cameras.  

And finally our Cowboy rides away...
Last image of Grandpa Jess on a horse - It is a carving from his headstone.
Jesse William Baldwin died on 8 March 1972 in Montrose, Colorado.

If anyone has any stories about the horses shown here or other pictures of Grandpa with his horses, please contact me in comments. Thanks.

To see colorized versions of above photos, click here 

Related Posts:
Jess Baldwin at the Cortez Sale Barn
Jess & Mabel married Christmas Day 1917
Jess and Mabel Baldwin
Jess and Mabel Baldwin Family
Jess Baldwin and Dyslexia
Hats Off to the Cowboy
Baldwin Family Tree
Allen Baldwin Family

My Favorite Cowboy Colorized

If you have an Ancestry.com membership you can view the BALDWIN STEWART FAMILY TREE.   If not, contact me for a free invite.