Chapter 108

Crow Ridge September 1, 1896

“Come on in, Ezra. Your dad and I wanted to talk to you before you head back to Crow Valley,” Rose told her son. Jefferson was sitting up in bed with the covers pulled to his waist.

“Dad, are you feeling any better?” Ezra asked as he walked over to sit at his bedside and lay his hand on top Jefferson’s right hand.

“I feel better today, Son. This has actually been one of my better days in the past few months.

“Dad, I suppose I’ve always taken for granted that you would be here forever, even after we were all grown and started raising families. When Momma first told me of your illness, I cried for days and tried to keep it to myself. I finally had to tell my brother, Eli, about you just so I’d have someone to talk to about this. He swore that he’d never tell the others, though we were to never have secrets between us.”

“Ezra, my time is drawing near. Your mother and I have made our peace with each other, with our lives, and with this earth. We already have our wills in place.

“I’m proud to tell you that you and Karly Jo have given me the fondest memories of my life. I have watched you become a man, I’ve watched you take a wife, and bear sons and daughters. I’ve seen you take on the responsibilities of owning and operating a ranch and farming operation twice the size of Crow Ridge Cattle Company. In my eyes you have been a man for most of your life.

“Now, as you near your twenty-first birthday, I sincerely hope that I will be there to see Judge Parker swear you in as Deputy United States Marshal.”

“I want you to be there with me, Dad. I need you to be there; it means so much to me.”

“Then whatever it takes, I will live for that one day in my life ... to see my son inherit his legacy and become Deputy United States Marshal Ezra Crow. That alone would be an ultimate honor for me.”

“Thanks, Dad, I love you.”

“I love you too, Son. Now you put all of this behind you. You have a beautiful young wife, two handsome young sons and two beautiful daughter downstairs. They will all need your full attention for the rest of your years. Never let a day pass, that you don’t tell Samantha, Ynez, Kell, Ansel, Ava and Raven Lizbeth that you love them and show them how much you appreciate them.”

“I’ve told Sam and Ynez that I love them each and every day we’ve been married. We have so much fun together, even when it’s just us and Ynez alone with our four kids. I never knew being married and having sons and daughters would be this much fun.

“Sam will be having our third baby next spring. Grandmother told Sam it would be a girl. I wasn’t supposed to tell either of you yet, but I wanted you to know...”

“Oh Ezra, I’m so proud of you and Samantha,” Rose said as she pulled her son to his feet and hugged him as she cried.

“Momma ... uh, let Sam tell you about the baby. I promised her that I wouldn’t say anything yet, but I wanted Dad to know. I mean, well you know...”

“We’ll be surprised when she tells us, Ezra, and we understand why you told us tonight. I also know how important it is for a woman to make the announcement herself that she is with child.”

“Thanks, Momma,” Ezra said and hugged his mother.

“Ezra, I’m going to ask you not to tell my brother about your dad’s terminal illness just yet. There’s no way he could handle this with your birthdays coming up and all of you being sworn in as deputy marshals in just three weeks. We’ll decide how to tell him about Jefferson’s illness after all of you are sworn in,” Rose said as she and Ezra stood beside Jefferson’s bed.

“Momma, I’ll leave that up to you and Dad. I’m not even sure I could tell him anyway.”

Fort Smith, Arkansas
Judge Isaac Parker’s Residence
September 21, 1896

Judge Parker had been confined to his home by failing health for some months. Yet on this day, he was dressed in his black robe and seated at a table in his living room with his wife, awaiting the arrival of his friends. Standing to one side in the small room were two Deputy United States Marshals who would bear witness to, and sign the six affidavits being sworn to.

When they heard the knock, Mary Parker opened the door and welcomed the men from Tulsa into their home.

Eli, Jefferson, Duncan, Moses, Jon David and Joe filed in, followed by the six Young Bucks.

The Young Bucks were officially twenty-one years old as of today; according to the affidavit Judge Parker signed and swore to, though Micah’s and Caleb’s birthday wasn’t until tomorrow and Pike’s was six months away in March of ‘97.

“Eli, it sure is good to see all of you again.

“Jon David, I’m hearing a lot of good things about you in the political arena lately. I always knew you’d make your name known. Now, let’s make this ceremony official.

“These young men have grown even more since I performed their wedding ceremonies four years ago.”

“Good to see you again too, and thank you, Your Honor. We appreciate this special time for our Young Bucks and they wanted it to be you who swore them in as Deputy Marshals,” Jon David answered.

“Then let us get on with this, my health is fading and I’m afraid that I’m unable to stay out of bed for long periods at a time.

“You six young men stand here before me and each of you put your left hand on the Bible in front of you. Raise your right hand and recite your oath, stating your name in the oath as we begin.

On the table before them, six Bibles lay spaced out. Judge Parker was presenting each of them a copy of the Bible with their name imprinted in gold on the cover. A Deputy U.S. Marshal’s silver star lay next to each bible.

“I know you young men have already memorized the oath. If you will, recite the oath now. I’m afraid I won’t be able to lead you in this,” Judge Parker told them.

As Judge Parker looked up from his chair at the six young men before him, he watched as they turned to form a circle. As the others in the room looked on, the Young Bucks raised their fists and chanted six times, “We Are One!”

Facing the table and Judge Parker once more, they placed their right hands on the Bibles and recited, in unison, the oath of allegiance that would bind them to uphold the laws of the land as Deputy United States Marshals.

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute all lawful precepts directed to the marshal of the Northern District of Oklahoma Territory under the authority of the United States of America, and true returns make; and in all things well and truly, and without malice or partiality, perform the duties of the office of Deputy United States Marshal of the Northern District of Oklahoma Territory during my continuance in said office, and take only my lawful fees; and that I will defend and support the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely and without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of which I am about to enter. So help me God”

The six Young Bucks recited the official U.S. Marshal’s oath from memory, having had a copy for some time now, thanks to Jon David. Each of them picked up a big silver star with their left hand, turned to face each other as they reached out to bump fists once more, and then faced Judge Parker to see him smiling at their Blood-Brother bonding. They reached across the table to shake hands with him as he sat in his wheelchair.

“This is a glorious day that will stand forever in the annals of Oklahoma history. A day that I have anticipated for many years. You young men have done your fathers’ legacies proud and you have given me hope for the future of this great nation.

“These affidavits that I have signed for each of you, of which these two deputies standing here have borne witness to my signature, will give you special service authority reserved for only a few select good men. Though you were sworn in as Deputies of the Northern District of Oklahoma Territory, you will have jurisdiction in all states and territories of the United States of America west of the Mississippi River, as declared by me to be legal and binding, having been heretofore duly appointed, sworn to and co-signed by Attorney General of the United States of America, Judson Harmon.

“Not only has Attorney General Harmon agreed to all that I’ve requested, as a tribute to United States Marshal Eli Crow — the Attorney General also approved my request that you, as brothers and as Blood-Brothers, never be dispatched in a matter that separated one from the others.

“Here is the official letter with his stamp of approval and signed by him verifying that fact, though he has also personally signed each of your affidavits.

“If ever there be a man or men who sees cause to question this authority or your jurisdiction or your commission, have them contact United States Attorney General Judson Harmon at the Department of Justice, U.S. Marshals Service Branch in Washington, D.C., OR the current Attorney General serving at the time.”

“Thank you, Your Honor, from all of us. This is a day we have dreamed of for most of our lives, and now you’ve made that dream come true. We will serve with pride and we’ll uphold the laws of this land as we conduct our duties with honor,” Eli ‘The Deuce’ Crow II spoke for all of them.

“Thank you, Eli. I have had the honor and the privilege of serving as judge with all of your fathers as my marshals and deputies. I know you men will carry on that tradition as marshals in the service of your country, and carry on your family legacy as highly respected lawmen as well.

“You will have to excuse me now, but I must return to my bedroom.

“May God bless and keep each of you Young Bucks as you serve in your newly appointed capacity as a Deputy United States Marshal,” Judge Parker told them, his voice now strained and barely audible.

His wife hurriedly wheeled him back through an open doorway and closed it behind them. They could hear him coughing until he lost his breath, then his ragged sounds as he struggled to breathe.

When they had stepped out onto the front porch of Judge Parker’s residence, the two deputies shook their hands, wishing them well in their newly appointed duties.

Eli was the first of the fathers to grab his sons and hug them. He had tears in his eyes throughout the swearing in of his sons and now the tears flowed freely as he held Eli, Ezra, Micah and Caleb while each of them held onto him.

Ezra turned to Jefferson and they hugged, both with tears in their eyes.

“I love you, Dad,” Ezra whispered to him, knowing how much pain he’d suffered just to make this trip to witness him and his brothers become deputy marshals.

Duncan was hugging Isaac as they both cried openly, filled with the emotion of the event.

Moses and Pike held onto each other for the longest, well after the others had stopped and wiped their eyes. This was even more special to both of them now that the question of Pike being sworn in on the same day as the other Bucks was over.

Eli took three of the silver stars and pinned them on his sons Eli, Caleb and Micah. His eyes were blurred, but his heart swelled with pride as he stood back to look at them.

He held the last star out to Jefferson for him to pin on Ezra.

“Jon David we need to take some photographs of each of these Deputy Marshals and some of all of them together to hang on our walls next to the ones we have of us with our badges on.

“Let’s go catch that Crow Oil Limited back to Tulsa. We have some celebrating to do with the family when we get home,” Eli told them.

The train ride back to Tulsa took just over two hours. The trip covered the same route they had traveled many times before on horseback and by wagon a few times, a journey which had taken them more than three days to traverse until now.

Eli noticed Jefferson sitting quietly alone with his head down as if asleep, but the celebration was already starting as the Bucks laughed and showed off their silver stars to each other.

Eli and the other men were quickly caught up in their antics and their happiness.

He did look up a few times to see Ezra walk over and sit beside Jefferson. He was about to walk over to sit with them for a few minutes, when Duncan called for him to come sit beside him as he and Isaac talked.

Jubal Hooker was at the train station to pick them up and the Young Bucks, though twenty-one years old, were laughing and having fun as if they were ten years old again. It was hard for the men not to be caught up in their happiness as they rode the wagon across the wooden bridge and up the slope to the house.

When they arrived, Eli stepped off the wagon and turned to see Ezra helping Jefferson while he stepped to the ground.

“Jefferson, I thought you were about to get over that spell Rose said you were having. Are you alright? Do I need to get Doc over here to see about you?” Eli asked.

“Eli, I’ll be alright. I’m just worn out from the trip. I suppose I was weaker than I thought, but there was no way I would have missed Ezra and our other Young Bucks being sworn in as Deputy United States Marshals. I’ll be back to my old self again by morning, you’ll see.”

“I’ll help you up to your room, Dad,” Ezra said, then took his arm, steadying him as they walked up the front steps.

Eli stood on the ground in front of the house long after they had gone in and closed the door.

He started toward the steps to go see about his friend, but Kit and Ruby ran to him and grabbed his arms. They were all gathering in the barn to have a dance and sing songs in celebration of the Young Bucks becoming deputies.

He turned to see his Crow girls with their husbands, and watched the Young Bucks show off their shiny silver stars to their wives, mommas and sisters. Kit and Ruby had their arms linked with his, with Deuce and Isaac linked to their wives’ arms as they walked toward the barn with him in the middle.

Eli could hear the music playing by the time they came around the front corner of the house. He could hear Jubal already playing a fast tune on his harmonica as the Robertson brothers tuned their guitars.

“Dad, where’s Ezra?” Samantha asked as she ran straight to him and hugged him with Kit and Ruby still holding onto his arms.

“He’s gone upstairs with Jefferson; he’ll be back soon. You girls may have to take that badge off your man’s shirt yourself tonight when you go to bed the way those Bucks keep shining them every few minutes,” he told her, then saw her jump back and let out a yell as she looked around him.

Ezra was walking from the back porch toward them and Samantha met him in front of the barn. She was laughing and crying as she hugged him and kissed his face. She touched his star with her fingertips as if smoothing it out. She blew her breath on it and pressed her shirt to him with her right breast over Ezra’s badge.

“Mr. Deputy United States Marshal Ezra Crow, you’d better be rested up by bedtime cause Ynez and I gonna be all over your naked ass! OOPS, I shouldn’t have said that quite so loud!” she said looking around to see the others grinning at her.

“I don’t know why not, we hear that just about every day we’re around you and Ynez,” Kia said as she and Jonny Bill walked over.

“Well, at least I wait until dark, unlike some Crow Girls I know,” Samantha said and all the young wives laughed aloud. They knew she was talking about Ruby and Kit, who weren’t a bit shy about telling Isaac or Eli they were needed in the house, then start pulling their clothes off before they even reached the door no matter whose house they were at.

“What about the day we were all supposed to eat supper at your house and when we got there, you and Ezra were sitting in the rocking chair naked and about to turn it over you were rocking so hard,” Lilly Beth said and the young women laughed again, joined by the parents and the other grownups as they had their fun.

Eli looked at Ezra and nodded his head for him to come closer.

“Ezra, is Jefferson alright? He looked pale and weak when you took him in the house.”

“He said he was just feeling a little tired, Dad. Mr. Howard met us in the kitchen and went up with us. He and Momma helped Dad get in bed. He was fussing just like he always does when we try to do anything for him. Then Momma wanted me to come back down to be with Sam, Ynez, Kell and Raven Lizbeth to join in the celebration.”

“Do I need to send for Doc?”

“Momma asked him that and he told her that he’d be fine by morning, just let Doc and Lettie get some rest after their trip to Kansas.”

“I’ll look in on him before I go to bed.

“I see Howard coming out the back door now. Jefferson must have gone to sleep already.”

Eli went out to meet Howard as he walked toward the barn. He was smiling, but he had a worried look.

“Ezra told me you helped put Jefferson to bed. Is he alright, Howard?”

“He says he is, Eli, but he’s been having these spells for some time now and he’s begged me not to tell you about him feeling ill now and then. He kept telling me he would be back to his old self again soon and not to worry.”

“Has he seen Doc about being sick like this?”

“He has and I’ve heard him and Doc talking some. They never talk aloud though and I never wanted to get close enough to listen in on them. As long as Jefferson was alright in a day or two, I never bothered him about it except to ask if he was feeling better. He always told me he’d be fine in a few days.”

“Howard, you’re around him more than any of us, the way you and he have traveled the past few years. Have you seen any big changes in him?”

“Nothing but him getting tired real easy, Eli. I just assumed that was because we’d been pushing so hard to get as many mineral leases and as much property bought up as we could.

“Speaking of that, Eli. I’d venture say you have no idea just how much land you have in all your corporations combined, would you? You better not guess low like you always do with the cattle either!” Howard said and Eli laughed.

“I’d say we have well over a million and a half acres, just guessing.”

“Eli Crow, we have bought, paid for and deeded to your corporations alone more than three million acres. That doesn’t even include the two million we hold mineral rights on or the nearly half million acres of land you’ve put in the Bucks names and the girls’ names, or all the other land you’ve had us buy and put in the names of others in the family.”

“Howard, are you sure? Hell, I never should’ve asked you that. I know you and Jefferson keep records as good as Jon David does.”

“Eli, I’ve never offered you any advice other than on the cattle deals we’ve made over the years, but I’m going to step in here and ask that you tell everyone to slow down again like we’ve done in the past, now that we have all these acres, mineral rights, coal mines, and oil fields. Let Jefferson get rested up good and he and I will even go into Texas and Louisiana purchasing mineral rights when he’s feeling better.”

“Howard, you could have told me that long ago and I’d have listened to you. I’ll tell Jefferson later when I look in on him before I go to bed that we’re all gonna take it easy for a year or two and travel on our train to see all the other hotels none of us have even been to.”

“Thanks, Eli. Not from me, but for Jefferson. That man is the hardest-working man I’ve ever been associated with other than you. He’d never stop on his own and he’s always been so proud to return home from a trip and tell you of another deal that we made.”

“He was that way before all of us moved up here from Fort Smith too, Howard. From the time I handed him a sack of money that I happened to come across, he was making land deals and having fun doing it. He always told me that he wanted to get into real estate and boy did he get into that in a big way!”

“I’ll say he did! Jefferson could make a land deal with another buyer already standing there offering the landowner more money when we arrived to look at his place.”

Eli looked up to see Rose coming out to the barn and excused himself from Howard to go talk to her.

“Rose, how is Jefferson? Ezra and Howard both told me he was feeling tired and weak from our trip to Fort Smith.”

“Eli, he’s resting comfortable now and before he went to sleep he told me to come down and join the celebration of the Young Bucks being sworn as deputy marshals.”

“Do we need to get Doc over here?”

“I asked him if he wanted me to, but he said he was feeling better and would be his old self again by morning.

“He asked me to give you this envelope. He said he meant to give it to you earlier,” Rose said as she handed Eli a plain white envelope with his name written on it in Jefferson’s eloquent penmanship.

“What is it, do you know?” Eli asked, about to open it just as Ezra, Samantha and Ynez came over to talk to them.

“Momma Rose, come over and sit with us. We’re having the best time. Our man sure looks good with that big star pinned on his shirt, doesn’t he?” Samantha said excitedly as she put her arm around Rose’s waist and walked with her over to sit with them.

“Come on over, Dad. We want you to sit next to us too,” Ezra told him.

Eli looked at the envelope, then stuffed it down into his shirt before joining Miranda, Analisa, Catt, Tin Yu, Clarissa and Eva where they sat on benches behind Rose, Ezra and Samantha in the circle around the Robinsons and Jubal Hooker as they played their music. As soon as Eli and Rose sat down, Eli’s youngest kids left their grandpas Halloran, Connor and Hopkins and ran over, laughing, climbing all over them and hugging them.

“Daddy, are we going to dance?” his six-year-old son, Levi asked as he pointed to the musicians.

“We’re gonna dance all night. Do you and your sisters want to go start the dancing now?” Eli said as he laughed at his youngest son.

“Yes, we want to dance now. Let’s go girls,” Levi yelled and pulled his three younger sisters with him.

The four of them were dressed in buckskins and moccasins, looking like little wild Indians as they ran in circles, dancing and whooping to the fast music. This had just the effect the kids wanted on their parents and grandparents as they clapped and laughed at them.

As soon as the four of them hit the wooden floor they used as a dance floor, the ten sons of the Young Bucks broke loose from their moms and dads. They were just over three years old, yet they were dressed in buckskins and moccasins just as the others were.

Before they made it to the dance floor, Lee Yu and Lane’s son with Lilly Beth and Ladd’s sons were right on their heels.

Kia and Jonny Bill’s sons ran with Michi and Jerry Joe’s sons to join their cousins. They were quickly followed by the sons of the McInnes sisters and all the sons of the twelve Mexican cousins. There were twenty-four three-year-old boys in all!