N. HOWARD (NATHAN HOWARD) THORP PAPERS
ca. 1908 - 1999
FINDING AID
The Huntington Library
Jennifer L. Martinez
May 21, 2001
©The Huntington LibraryN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 2
Administrative Information
The collection was a gift from John and Joyce Stauffer in June 1999.
The collection numbers 870 pieces in 7 boxes. It spans the dates ca. 1908-1999.
Acquisition number: 1993
John and Joyce Stauffer retain the literary rights of N. Howard (Nathan Howard) “Jack” and Annette Thorp. Please refer all inquiries regarding permission to publish or quote from their writings to the curator of the collection.
Biographical Note
N. Howard (Nathan Howard) “Jack” Thorp was born on June 10, 1867, the youngest of three sons of a New York City lawyer and real estate investor. He spent summers on his brother’s ranch in Nebraska, and at the age of nineteen he moved to Nebraska and then to New Mexico. Over the years he worked as a cowboy, operated ranches, worked as a civil engineer, raised cattle and sheep, and served as cattle inspector for the state of New Mexico. Thorp married Annette Hesch in December 1903, and the two of them lived in Palma and Santa Fe before moving to Alameda, New Mexico in 1935.
Thorp began collecting and writing cowboy songs in 1889, and in 1908 his Songs of the Cowboys was published in Estancia, New Mexico. An expanded version of Songs of the Cowboys was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1921, and Thorp’s later publications included Tales of the Chuck Wagon (1926) and Pardner of the Wind: Story of the Southwestern Cowboy (published posthumously in 1941 with Neil M. Clark). His fiction and poetry also appeared in New Mexico Magazine, The Cattleman, The Atlantic Monthly, Poetry, and Literary Digest. His book-length story targeted towards a younger audience, Cowland, remains unpublished. Thorp also worked for the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA) New Mexico Federal Writers’ Program from 1936-1939.
Thorp died at his Alameda, New Mexico, home on June 4, 1940.
Organization and Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following manner:
1. Manuscripts (Boxes 1-4)
2. Songs (Box 5)
3. Oversize box: bound volumes, correspondence, photographs, publications, oversize manuscripts, maps, ephemera, clippings (Box 6)
4. Annette H. Thorp (Box 7)N. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 3
Scope and Content Note
This collection constitutes the literary archive of New Mexico author N. Howard (Nathan Howard) “Jack” Thorp. It includes original manuscripts of Thorp’s stories, as well as songs, correspondence, a diary, photographs, and related publications.
Of note is the complete manuscript of Thorp’s unpublished Cowland, various pack trip descriptions written for the New Mexico Federal Writers’ Program, and the extensive files of cowboy songs written and collected by Thorp. In the oversize box are some journals kept by Thorp, correspondence (including 2 letters from Eugene Manlove Rhodes and 4 from Frank Dobie), 3 photographs and printed materials. There is some correspondence which concerns Thorp’s unsuccessful attempts to obtain and retain copyright for his song, “Little Joe the Wrangler.”
The collection also includes some materials by and related to Thorp’s wife, Annette Heslop Thorp (found in Box 7). Mrs. Thorp’s papers contain some original manuscripts, many of which reflect Southwestern folklore, history and traditions.
Container List
Box 1: Manuscripts: Alameda - Cowboys
Box Folder Title
1 1 Alameda (alternate title: Pantaleon Miera)
1 2 Alma “In Spanish Soul”
1 3 Along the Rio Grande (alternate title: Along the Big River)
1 4 The American Angora Goat
1 5 The American Ass, Burro, or Donkey
1 6 American Short-Horn Cattle
1 7 Arabian Horses
1 8 Arizona Bootlegger
1 9 Aztlan (New Mexico) Outlaws
1 10 Bad Man Moore, alias Johnny Ward
1 11 Bandits of New Mexico
1 12 Barefoot Sargeant
1 13 The Barony of Arizona or the Peralta-Reavis Grant
1 14 Being Humane
1 15 Bill McGinnis. The Nerviest Out Law of Them All
1 16 “Billy the Kid” De-frocked
1 17 Black Jack Ketchum [chapters 1-4, also includes research notes]
1 18 Black Jack Musgraves
1 19 Bob Lewis, “Peace Officer”
1 20 The Bootlegger
1 21 Los Bordéderos – Along the Trail and Women Outlaws [complete
manuscript] (1)
1 22 Los Bordéderos – Along the Trail and Women Outlaws (2)
1 23 The Brasito Grant
1 24 Breaking the BronkN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 4
Box 1: Manuscripts: Alameda – Cowboys (continued)
Box Folder Title
1 25 Broncho Bill, “Train Robber”
1 26 Brother Bill
1 27 Bucking Horse
1 28 “Butch” Cassidy, alias Jim Lowe, or Sallie Parker
1 29 The Cherokee Strip
1 30 Chihuahua Trail across La Jornada de Muerto
1 31 A Chuck-Wagon Supper
1 32 Clay
1 33 Clay Allison, “Gunfighter”
1 34 Cowboys Endurance Race
Box 2: Manuscripts: Cowland – Four
Box Folder Title
2 1 Cowland – Chapter 1
2 2 Cowland – Chapter 2
2 3 Cowland – Chapter 3
2 4 Cowland – Chapter 4
2 5 Cowland – Chapter 5
2 6 Cowland – Chapter 6
2 7 Cowland – Chapter 7
2 8 Cowland – Chapter 8
2 9 Cowland – Chapter 9
2 10 Cowland – Chapter 10
2 11 Cowland – Chapter 11
2 12 Cowland – Chapter 12
2 13 Cowland – Chapter 13
2 14 Cowland – Chapter 14
2 15 Cowland – Chapter 15
2 16 Cowland – Chapter 16
2 17 Cowland – Chapter 17
2 18 Cowland – Chapter 18
2 19 Cowland – Chapter 19
2 20 Cowland – Chapter 20
2 21 Cowland – Chapter 21
2 22 Cowland – Chapter 22
2 23 Cowland – Chapter 23
2 24 Cowland – Chapter 24
2 25 Cowland – Chapter 25
2 26 Cowland – Chapter 26
2 27 Cowland – Chapter 27
2 28 Cowland – Chapter 28
2 29 Cowland – Chapter 29N. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 5
Box 2: Manuscripts: Cowland – Four (continued)
Box Folder Title
2 30 Cowland – Chapter 30
2 31 Cowland – Chapter 31
2 32 Cowland – Chapter 32
2 33 Cowland – Chapter 33
2 34 Cowland – Chapter 34
2 35 Cowland – Chapter 35
2 36 Cowland – Chapter 36
2 37 Cowland – Chapter 37
2 38 Cowland – Chapter 38
2 39 Cowland – Chapter 39
2 40 Cowland – Chapter 40
2 41 Cowland – Chapter 41
2 42 Cowland – Chapter 42
2 43 Cowland – Glossary
2 44 Curley Bill
2 45 Curley Bill, “Outlaw”
2 46 Dalton Gang
2 47 The Daltons Gang Last Hold-Up
2 48 The De Autremont Brothers “Train Bandits”
2 49 The De Autremonts, “Train Bandits”
2 50 Death of Jim Scott
2 51 The Dog Lobo
2 52 E.W. Lyon Ranchman and Farmer
2 53 Eliego Baca
2 54 The Elusive Dime
2 55 The Estancia Land Grant
2 56 Fiddle
2 57 Feeding and Fattening Sheep
2 58 Five and a half day Pack Trip. Socorro to Oscuro Mountains and
return
2 59 Five Day Pack Trip From Corona, New Mexico to the Mesa
Jumanes and return
2 60 Five Day Pack Trip, from Las Vegas Through the old towns on the
Pecos River and on to Lamy New Mexico
2 61 Five Day Pack Trip. Starting at Dulce, New Mexico
2 62 Five Day Pack Trip Starting at Reserve, Catron County New
Mexico
2 63 Five Day Pack Trip. Through the Capitan Mountains of New
Mexico
2 64 Flying R
2 65 Force of Habit
2 66 Forgetfullness
2 67 Free-Masonry for Real Cow-Men!N. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 6
Box 2: Manuscripts: Cowland – Four (continued)
Box Folder Title
2 68 From Hachita to the Hachita Mountains and return, Four day Pack
Trip
2 69 Four Day Pack Trip from Carrizozo Through the Mal Pais, “Bad
Country” or Ancient Lava Beds and return
2 70 Four Day Pack Trip. Starting at Abiqiu, New Mexico
2 71 Four Day Pack Trip, Starting at Rodeo New Mexico
2 72 Four Day Pack Trip, Starting at Taos, New Mexico
2 73 Four Day Pack Trip Through the Jicarria Mountains of New
Mexico
2 74 Four Days Pack Trip, Starting at Las Cruces, Dona Anna County,
New Mexico
Box 3: Manuscripts: Goat - Out
Box Folder Title
3 1 The Goat Dog Chito
3 2 Gordon
3 3 Grant Wheeler and Joe George, New Mexico Train Robbers
3 4 Hennery’s Airplane Ride
3 5 Henry Coleman, “Bad Man”
3 6 Her Ride
3 7 A Hold-Up
3 8 Horse Wrangler
3 9 Horses Without Shoes
3 10 Humane Bill
3 11 Ike Todd, Cowman
3 12 In the Rotunda
3 13 Jealousy
3 14 Jews Harp’s Homeing Instinct
3 15 Joe Fowler Hold-Up-Man and Criminal
3 16 The John Greer Gang
3 17 Johnnie Martin’s Place
3 18 Larry Boyle and the Bear
3 19 Legend of the Lost Indians
3 20 Little Sam
3 21 Lost Treasure [may have been written by Annette Thorp?]
3 22 Marino Leyba, (Out Law) as Told to Me by Mr. Skinner, of Old
Town Albuquerque, New Mexico
3 23 And Mary Sang
3 24 Masked Guilt. A Short Short Story
3 25 The Mesilla Colony Grant, y Epomoseno y las Bolas de Oro
3 26 Mestenos, Wild Horses
3 27 The Mexican, or Common GoatN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 7
Box 3: Manuscripts: Goat – Out (continued)
Box Folder Title
3 28 Muchacha Voladora, Flying Girl
3 29 My Horse, “Catchem”
3 30 The Navajo Kid’s Story
3 31 The New Mexico Cattle Industry. Old Carrizoza Cattle Co.,
Lincoln Co.
3 32 Night Herding
3 33 A Night Horse “Chopo”
3 34 Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Las Vegas, Grant. Also
Called Las Vegas Grandes
3 35 Ojo de Nuestra Senora Ranch Owned by Don Mariano
Sabino Otero
3 36 El Ojo del Espiritu Santo Grant. Spring of the Holy Ghost
3 37 Ojo del la Apache Spring Grant
3 38 The Old Bar W. Ranch. Lincoln County, New Mexico
3 39 Old Days in Las Vegas, New Mexico
3 40 Old Days in Socorro, N.M.
3 41 Old Days in the Territory of New Mexico – “Outlaws”
3 42 Old Indian’s Pack Trip. Six Days
3 43 Old Mining Camps. Black Range, New Mexico
3 44 Old Perk, Bear Hunter
3 45 Old Speck
3 46 An Old Time Horse-Race
3 47 Old Time Ranch-Men of the Pecos Valley
3 48 Old Time Stockmen of the Estancia Valley
3 49 Old Timers of the Black Range
3 50 Old Truthful
3 51 On the Dodge
3 52 On the Old Range
3 53 One of the Musgraves
3 54 Out Where the Woolies Grow
Box 4: Manuscripts: Pack – Women [includes manuscript fragments]
Box Folder Title
4 1 A Pack or Chuck-Wagon Trip. No. 1.
4 2 Pack Trip for four persons three or Four days
4 3 Pack Trip four persons five days
4 4 Pack Trip From Las Vegas North
4 5 Pack Trips – New Mexico San Francisco and Blue River Trails
4 6 Puerco River Pack Trip
4 7 Sanford of La Paz
4 8 Seven Day Pack Trip, From Albuquerque N.M. Through “Cibolo”
Buffalo National ParkN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 8
Box 4: Manuscripts: Pack – Women [includes manuscript fragments] (continued)
Box Folder Title
4 9 Seven Day Pack Trip, Starting at Garland, New Mexico
4 10 Silver City Pack Trip, No. 1. Old Mining Towns and Cow-ranches
4 11 A Six Day Pack Trip for Four or more Guests. From Tularosa
through Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation
4 12 Six Day Pack Trip Las Cruces, and San Andres Mountains
4 13 Six day Pack Trip, Starting at Alamogordo, New Mexico
4 14 Six Day Pack Trip. Starting at Tres Piedras, New Mexico
4 15 Soil Erosion Control in New Mexico
4 16 The Ten Day Pack Trip
4 17 Valle Grande Pack-Trip. Seven Days
4 18 Las Palomas “The Doves” Hot Springs
4 19 Pearl Hart. Last Stage Hold-Up
4 20 The Pedro Armendaris Grants, Thirty-three and Thirty-four
4 21 Pinons for Wealth
4 22 El Presidio
4 23 Pure-Breed American Cattle
4 24 Rio Arriba County. The County up the River
4 25 Round-up
4 26 Salau or Capitan
4 27 El Salvador “The Savior”
4 28 San Francisco River Wild Bunch
4 29 Sand-Storm in the Pecos
4 30 Santos
4 31 Sheep
4 32 Smooth Horses
4 33 Tommy
4 34 Town of Belen, or the Belen Grant. Valencia County, New Mexico
4 35 The Trail Herd
4 36 Turk, a Horses Evidence
4 37 Two Old Pals
4 38 Two Turkey Dinners
4 39 Van Winkle
4 40 We Brazos
4 41 A Wedding Feast
4 42 Westhighland Cattle
4 43 Where’s Your Wife Bill?
4 44 White Oaks “Incinos Blancos” Lincoln County, N.M.
4 45 The White Sands
4 46 The Wild Bunch of the San Francisco River, New Mexico
4 47 Wild Horses of the Americas
4 48 Wilds Times in Santa Fe
4 49 William French, Ranchman
4 50 Women Outlaws
4 51 Women Outlaws – Altar DoaneN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 9
Box 4: Manuscripts: Pack – Women [includes manuscript fragments] (continued)
Box Folder Title
4 52 Women Outlaws – Battle Axe
4 53 Women Outlaws – Belle Starr
4 54 Women Outlaws – Calamity Jane
4 55 Women Outlaws – Sister Cummings
4 56 [Untitled]
4 57 [Fragments]
4 58 [Fragments]
Box 5: Songs
Box Folder Title
5 1 Songs: The Antelope Band
5 2 Songs: Bill Peters, the Stage Driver
5 3 Songs: Billy the Kid or Wm. H. Bonney
5 4 Songs: Billy Venero
5 5 Songs: Blue
5 6 Songs: Bob Stanford
5 7 Songs: Bonnie Black Bess
5 8 Songs: The Buffalo Hunters
5 9 Songs: The Buffalo Skinners
5 10 Songs: The Bull-Dogger
5 11 Songs: Burro
5 12 Songs: California Joe
5 13 Songs: Carlota
5 14 Songs: Carroll from Utah
5 15 Songs: The Cattle Roundup
5 16 Songs: Charlie Rutlage
5 17 Songs: La Chinche y La Pulga
5 18 Songs: Chinita
5 19 Songs: Cole Younger
5 20 Songs: Concha Concepcion
5 21 Songs: Conchita
5 22 Songs: Cotton Patch
5 23 Songs: Cotton Picking Machine V’s Nigger
5 24 Songs: Cowboy
5 25 Songs: Cow-girl
5 26 Songs: The Cow-thief
5 27 Songs: The Creation of New Mexican
5 28 Songs: Cripple Creek
5 29 Songs: Dogie Song
5 30 Songs: Down in Mexico
5 31 Songs: The Dreary Black Hills
5 32 Songs: The Dying RangerN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 10
Box 5: Songs (continued)
Box Folder Title
5 33 Songs: The Farrow’s
5 34 Songs: Freighting from Wilcox to Globe
5 35 Songs: From Pike
5 36 Songs: The girl who rowed bow on the crew
5 37 Songs: Greer County
5 38 Songs: Gypsies
5 39 Songs: The Habit
5 40 Songs: Helter Skelter
5 41 Songs: Her Ride
5 42 Songs: Here’s to the Ranger
5 43 Songs: How Poor Lottie Fell
5 44 Songs: In the Sierra Peaks
5 45 Songs: The Isthmus
5 46 Songs: Jesse James
5 47 Songs: John Murray
5 48 Songs: Juan and Juana
5 49 Songs: Klondike Lill
5 50 Songs: Litle Joe the Wrangler’s Sister Nell
5 51 Songs: The Little Old Sod Shanty
5 52 Songs: The Lone Star Trail
5 53 Songs: The Lucky Irish
5 54 Songs: Mississippi Girls
5 55 Songs: My Cow-Boy
5 56 Songs: La Negrita / Jarana
5 57 Songs: Never Loan Your Gun
5 58 Songs: New Mexico Cowboy
5 59 Songs: Nigger “ ‘Lasses”
5 60 Songs: Old Grazin’ Ben
5 61 Songs: The Old Scout’s Lament
5 62 Songs: Old Trouble
5 63 Songs: On the Dodge
5 64 Songs: On the Frisco
5 65 Songs: Only a Cowboy
5 66 Songs: Over the Trail
5 67 Songs: The Palominos
5 68 Songs: Panama
5 69 Songs: Pinto
5 70 Songs: The Range Riders
5 71 Songs: Red-Head
5 72 Songs: Root Hog or Die
5 73 Songs: Rope Horse
5 74 Songs: Rosin the Bow
5 75 Songs: Sally and Zoe
5 76 Songs: Salt your cattleN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 11
Box 5: Songs (continued)
Box Folder Title
5 77 Songs: San Antone
5 78 Songs: Sniggles
5 79 Songs: The Song of the Buffalo Hunters
5 80 Songs: The State of Arkansaw
5 81 Songs: Sweet Betsy from Pike
5 82 Songs: Take me Back
5 83 Songs: The Trail of Life
5 84 Songs: The Water Hole
5 85 Songs: When Work is Done This fall
5 86 Songs: Texas Boys
5 87 Songs: Texas Rangers
5 88 Songs: The Trail to Mexico
5 89 Songs: Whitey the Steer
5 90 Songs: The Woman Wins
5 91 Songs: Young “Jack Snyder”
5 92 Songs: [Clippings]
5 93 Songs: [Fragments]
Box 6: Oversize box
Box Folder Title
6 env. 1 Songs of the Cowboys, 1908
6 env. 2 Songs of the Cowboys, 1921
6 env. 3 Journal
6 env. 4 Bound volume of cowboy songs
6 env. 5 Note book
6 1 Correspondence: 1921-1937
6 2 Correspondence: 1938-1965
6 3 Correspondence: undated
6 4 Photographs (3)
6 5 Biographical information on N. Howard “Jack” Thorp
6 6 Agreement, 1920
6 7 Publications: The Cattleman, 1939
6 8 Publications: The Cowboy Sings and Songs for the Rodeo
(edited by Kenneth S. Clark), 1932 & 1937
6 9 Publications: The Forward, 1919
6 10 Publications: Hoofs and Horns, 1932
6 11 Publications: New Mexico, 1935-1938
6 12 Oversize manuscripts
6 13 Maps
6 14 EphemeraN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 12
Box 6: Oversize box (continued)
Box Folder Title
6 15 Clippings
6 Cassette tape “Shamrocks & Horseshoes” by Ken and Lynne
Mikell, 1999 (contains recording of Little Joe the Wrangler)
Box 7: Annette H. Thorp
Box Folder Title
7 1 Manuscripts: La Anima
7 2 Manuscripts: Devil and the Girl
7 3 Manuscripts: Los Duendes / Los Difuntos
7 4 Manuscripts: Girl and the Devil
7 5 Manuscripts: A Horse’s Evidence
7 6 Manuscripts: The Indian Padrino
7 7 Manuscripts: Lady of Guadalupe
7 8 Manuscripts: Names
7 9 Manuscripts: Never Wash on Fridays
7 10 Manuscripts: Picture of the Pueblo and Reservation Indians of New
Mexico, their lives and folklore
7 11 Manuscripts: A Piece of Muslin
7 12 Manuscripts: Saint Santiago
7 13 Manuscripts: San Antonio
7 14 Manuscripts: San Isidro
7 15 Manuscripts: San Juan
7 16 Manuscripts: San Ramon No Nato
7 17 Manuscripts: Santa Barbara
7 18 Manuscripts: Santa Inez del Campo
7 19 Manuscripts: Santa Rita
7 20 Manuscripts: Santero
7 21 Manuscripts: Santo Nino de Alocha
7 22 Manuscripts: Santo Nino de Buenas Obras
7 23 Manuscripts: Las Tres Hijas
7 24 Manuscripts: Untitled [in Spanish]
7 25 Manuscripts: Fragments
7 26 Correspondence: 1926-1946
7 27 Journal, 1926
7 28 Research: Copy from reports of the Secretary of War – made July
24, 1850
7 29 Research: [untitled]
7 30 SongsN. Howard (Nathan Howard) Thorp papers – Inventory – Page 13
Indexing: Subjects
Dobie, J. Frank (James Frank), 1888-1964.
Rhodes, Eugene Manlove, 1869-1934.
Thorp, Annette Hesch.
Thorp, N. Howard (Nathan Howard), 1867-1940.
Federal Writers’ Project (N. M.)
United States. Works Progress Administration.
Cowboys – New Mexico – Archives.
Cowboys – Fiction.
Cowboys – Poetry.
Cowboys – West (U.S.) – Folklore.
Cowboys – West (U.S.) – Songs and music.
Cowboys – West (U.S.) – Songs and music – Texts.
Cowboys’ writings, American – History – Sources.
Folklore – New Mexico.
Folklore – West (U.S.)
Outdoor recreation – New Mexico
Ranch life – New Mexico
Ranch life – New Mexico.
New Mexico – History – Sources.
West (U.S.) – History – Sources.
Bibliography
White, Peter and Mary Ann White. Along the Rio Grande: Cowboy Jack Thorp’s New
Mexico. Santa Fe, N. M.: Ancient City Press, 1988.