I seem to remember a few of those guys around Leakey.

There was a guy from Leakey who would bring a a load of posts to Pearsall and park at Ross's Cafe on a regular basis. I believe his name was Eddie Cade, but my memory is fuzzy.

One-Eyed Fat Man said:

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There was a guy from Leakey who would bring a a load of posts to Pearsall and park at Ross's Cafe on a regular basis. I believe his name was Eddie Cade, but my memory is fuzzy.

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Ed Tom or his son, Eddie.

I've done some work in that area this summer. Spicewood Springs Rd crosses Bull Creek in multiple spots. It's still mostly spread out, there are still some property owners who probably will never sell. I went on several properties that were sold to current owners/families in the 40s-60s.

I can't imagine how hard it was clearing cedar in that area. Just walking in the area and up some of the hills, I wanted to tap out in this heat.

I've whacked plenty of cedar but I guess it was never enough to make me a real cedar chopper. I got the crap beat out of me by some real ones in a bar in Leakey.

I prefer a skid steer with AC nowadays.

SanAntoneAg said:

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I found this article a brief, interesting read. I had heard about Hill Country cedar choppers but this put things into a new perspective. Wonder how many descendents still reside in central Texas. Or frequent this board.

https://www.texascooppower.com/texas-stories/history/another-culture

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My old man still talks about cedar choppers at the home place around Lake Buchanan when he was a kid. Said they were on the place working for over 20 years.

Said he had several in his class at Burnet all the way through high school, although many dropped out to cut cedar with their families.

Says some also helped treat screw worms back in the 50's before eradication of that pest.

Damn thick cedar breaks around the lake to this day as nothing grew under those damn things but seed ticks.

_89

Mark Fairchild said:

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Old Army Ag here, in my Corps outfit from 66-70 we had a bunch of guys from smaller towns, Mason, Llano and others in Central Texas. To be called a 'Cedar Chopper' was a good natured jab between those from that area. Being from Dallas, had never heard of that before then.

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Mark, my dad, '62, still calls me and son, '17, that from time to time when he deems it appropriate. I always laugh.

Hewey Calloway said:

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I got the crap beat out of me by some real ones in a bar in Leakey.

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I have always heard about how rough those folks were and how they'd fight just for entertainment. Were you just given the outsiders special?

I don't know how smart those guys were, but I bet if they ever messed with some of our friends from south of the border they learned just how sharp a knife can be.

Johnny Paycheck's 'Colorado Cool-Aid' song comes to mind, although it was set in a bar in Houston and not one in the hill country.