World War I Veteran J. L. Davis, known as "Bill", was born October 28, 1894 in Waxahachie, Texas. His parents were the J. W. Davises. As a young man Bill began working as a cowboy and this was his life. In 1910 at age 16, he worked for Col. C. C. Slaughter on the Long S Ranch for a salary of $30 a month. He slept in the two story half dugout at Whiteface camp which was moved to Lubbock in 1971 to Ranch Headquarters Museum on Texas Tech Campus.Bill worked for a number of West Texas ranches, another being the 06. In 1917 he hired on for three months with the Swenson Ranch near Spur and worked for them 31 years except for 14 months when he was in W. W. I. Swensons gave him three months pay when he went into the Army and $200 in Liberty bonds when he got back.
Bill married Dulaney Ellis of Spur October 28, 1924. They were married in a Model T Ford by Dickens County Judge Brummett.
Dulaney was born June 30, 1896 at Arlie, Texas. She was one of six children born to Jennie Dodson and W. W. Ellis. Her brothers and sisters were Rachel Bingham, Harry and Yell Ellis of Spur, Agatha Locke and Dudley Ellis.
The Ellises farmed in Kent County and the children attended the Ellis school. In 1920 Dulaney went to Draughons Business School in Amarillo and worked before she and Bill married. In 1936 the Ellis family moved to Spur.
Now at 81 years, Dulaney has been known all her life as "the lady with the fiddle." Her musical career began as a young child when she showed interest in music as her father played; he was an accomplished fiddler and harpist. At age seven, her parents bought her first musical instrument, a mandolin, from Montgomery Ward. She and her father formed a duet, him playing the fiddle, her accompanying on the guitar. Their talent was known by all in the area, and they played for all the surrounding ranches for dances and social occasions. They played at the first annual picnic held in Post in 1909 when the cornerstone for the city of Post was laid. The family drove the hack and wagon filled with bedding and supplies and stayed the duration of the three or four day affair.
After she married, Dulaney organized a band and played professionally for rodeos and other affairs.
Bill retired from Swensons in 1948, and they moved to Jolly, near Wichita Falls, later to Clarendon, then the Robertsons ranch near Slaton and finally to Ralls where Dulaney could care for her mother again. She and Bill had a small business in Ralls with her sister.
J. L. Davis died in Ralls, February 4, 1974 at age 78. He is buried in Spur cemetery. Dulaney continues living in Ralls, where she attends First United Methodist Church and sings in the choir. They had no children.
Source: Dickens County History...its Land and People © Dickens Historical Commission; Printer: Craftsman Inc. Lubbock, Texas 1986
Transcribed by Cheryl McDonald
RALLS (Special) — Services for J.L. "Bill" Davis, 79 - an oldtime cowboy who often told of "sleeping on the ground and covering with the sky" back when the South Plains was mostly cattle empires - will be 2 p.m. today in the Ralls First United Methodist Church.
Officiating will be the Rev. Vernon O´Kelly, pastor. Burial will be in the Spur Cemetery under the direction of Carter Funeral Home.
Davis, who hired out to Col. C.C. Slaughter´s Long S brand at 16 and worked 31 years for the Swenson SMS, died 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Crosbyton Hospital following a lengthy illness.
The Ellis County native only had to furnish a saddle and his own clothes in 1910 when he gathered, penned and drove cattle on open Long S range near Whiteface. He was issued four horses for his own use and given "grass horses" in care for while gathering cattle. He slept where night caught him, cooked his own food over an open campfire and "didn´t take a bath all winter."
The two-story half-dugout he slept in sometimes when he drove cattle to the Whiteface camp has been restored at Ranch Headquarters Museum. His memoirs of the life and times of the building are included in the story of the dugout.
He slept most of the time on the ground, protected from the elements and stampedes only by the tarp that turned wind and water as well as furnished protection from flying hooves when he was caught in the bedroll when cattle ran.
In 1917, Davis hired out to the SMS after working for many brands in West Texas and New Mexico when "you worked for a ranch if you wanted to eat." Taking off 14 months for World War I service, he stayed there until 1948 when he retired and moved to Ralls.
He loved the cowboy life, especially the all night dances where he met his wife, Dulaney, who was fiddler for most of the gatherings.
Return of the oldtime fiddler contests around the area over the past decade Davis an opportunity to swap cowboy yarns while Mrs. Davis played or judged.
Survivors include his wife; a brother, Jim of Lubbock; and four sisters, Mrs. Curtis Lamb of Big Spring, Mrs. Allen Scott of Buffalo Gap, Mrs. Welby Arandall of Azle, and Mrs. Dozie Gilmore of Waco.
©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, February 2, 1974
From the scrapbook of Thelma Kimmel Scott transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
Services for Mrs. Dulaney Davis, 92, Ralls were held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, June 12, 1989 in the Ralls First United Methodist Church with Rev. Vernon O´Kelly, pastor of the Dimmitt First United Methodist church officiating.
Graveside services were held at 2:00 p.m. in the Spur Cemetery under direction of Carter-Adams Funeral Home, Ralls.
Mrs. Davis died at 5:50 a.m. Saturday in the Crosbyton Clinic Hospital following a lengthy illness. She was born June 30, 1896 to W. W. and Jennie Dodson Ellis in Arlie, Collinsworth County, Texas. In 1904 her family moved to Kent County to establish the Rocking Chair Ranch. She attended Ellis School in Kent County and in 1920 she attended Draughon´s Business School in Amarillo and worked for awhile before her marriage.
At the early age of 7, Dulaney showed promise of having musical talent and at that time her parents gave her her first instrument, a mandolin, bought from Montgomery Ward. As a young girl Dulaney accompanied her father in playing for ranch dances across West Texas, as well as community gatherings. They also played in competition, usually placing first or second.
They played at the first annual picnic held in Post in 1909 when the cornerstone for the city of Post was laid, Dulaney married J. L. "Bill" Davis October 28, 1924 in Dickens County. They were married by Dickens County Judge Brummett while setting in a Model T. Ford.
After they married, and while working on West Texas ranches, Dulaney established a band and continued her love for playing. Although she was accomplished on several instruments, she was best known for her first love, the fiddle and earned the endearing title of "Fiddler Davis." She played professionally for rodeos and other affairs and in 1942, while playing for the Snyder Rodeo, was branded "The Lady Who Plays the Fiddle."
Dulaney and Bill worked on the SMS Swenson Ranch until 1946 when they moved to Jolly near Wichita Falls and later to Clarendon. They lived on the Robertson Ranch near Slaton, then in 1948 moved to Ralls where Dulaney could help care for her aging mother. She and Bill went into a small grocery store and filling station business with Dulaney´s sister.
Dulaney continued on with her musical career and played all the well known cities in this part of Texas -- Floydada, Matador, Lorenzo, Lubbock, Odessa, Ralls, Childress, Wichita Falls, Mineral Wells, Spur, Crosbyton and many others. In later years her love for music lead her to direct the Old Timers Fiddle Contests in the West Texas area. She began attending the Crosby County Old Settlers Reunion in the 1920´s and was accepted immediately as a lifetime member.
After her move to Ralls in 1948, she inherited the Old Settlers program and has been its staunch promoter ever since. In August of 1970, the Old Settlers Reunion was dedicated to Dulaney. On the program cover she was recognized as A Pioneer West Texas Woman Known as "The Lady Who Plays the Fiddle" and has brought the heritage of early day music down to the present day.
She was a member of the Ralls First Methodist Church where she was an active choir member of 27 years. Her husband, Bill, preceded her in death, February 4, 1974. She was also preceded in death by her parents, W. W. and Jennie Ellis; three sisters, Agatha Locke, Miami, TX; Rachel Bingham, Spur; and Zell Ellis, San Angelo; and one brother, Harry Ellis, Spur.
Survivors include one brother, Dudley Ellis, Truscott, TX; five nieces: Agatha Young, Houston; Jane Duncan, Truscott; Dona Stone, Portales, NM; Grace Bingham, Houston; Sue Neal, Novota, CA; one nephew, Ellis Locke, Miami, TX; several great nieces and nephews.
The family suggests memorials to the Spur Cemetery Association.
©The Texas Spur, June 28, 1989
From the records of Lillian Grace Nay transcribed by Linda Fox Hughes
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