Poets, Bards & Liars - Charlie Russell

POETS, BARDS & LIARS

Charles Marion Russell

In 1880, and at the age of sixteen, Charlie Russell left his home in St. Louis and traveled by train to Utah, and then by stage to Montana Territory following a vision of open and wild country. His first two years were spent herding sheep, cooking and fraternizing with trappers and hunters. He then began working for cow outfits and preferred to wrangle horses and stand guard over the herd, so he would have more time to sketch or model a piece of wax he always carried in his pocket. Russell remained a cowboy until his marriage in 1896 when his wife put him to work with a brush and easel.

In 1886 Russell was working for the "Bar R," owned by Stadler and Kaufman, which ran about 5,000 head in the Judith Basin. The foreman was Jesse Phelps, who also owned and lived on his own ranch, the "OH." The winter of 1886-87 was severe, starting in mid November and continuing relentlessly until the end of February, with snow piled high and impassable. The cattle were not fed but were left to graze the range in winter, and due to the deep and lasting snow, cattle died by the thousands with some herds being completely wiped out. Kaufman, an absentee owner, wrote to Phelps and inquired about the condition and well being of his herd, but Phelps did not know how to relate the harshness of the situation in words and asked Russell for advice. Russell decided to draw a picture to send along with Phelps reply and the next morning painted an old cow seen from a ranch house window. Russell named the picture "Waiting For A Chinook," but someone down the trail dubbed it as "The Last Of 5,000." The latter is probably the most used caption even though it is incorrect.

To have talent is not credit to its owner; any man that can make a living doing what he likes is lucky, and I'm that. Any time I cash in now, I win. ..................Charlie Russell