Jules Verne Allen (TX) 1882- 1945 Performer
[Jules Verne Allen was born in Waxahachie, Texas April 1, 1883 and died on July 10, 1945. He was a performer and recording artist known as the "Original Singing Cowboy."
R. Matteson 2015]
Jules Verne Allen was born in the 80's, the 1880's to be exact on the first day of April. Based on the biographical sketch that was included in the book he wrote "Cowboy Lore", he lived the words he wrote about. He started working with cattle when he was just ten years old in Jack County, Texas.
In the 1890s, he was a horse wrangler, crossing the plains five times. He worked cattle from the Rio Grande border to the Montana line. He was a "rough string rider" and "bronco buster" fourteen years. While not in the ranches and prairies, he also grew up with a guitar and music. He recorded for the RCA Victor label.
It was said that "despite the claims of contemporaries he is "The Original Singing Cowboy" and this title is fully copyrighted by RCA Victor and Southern Music Publishing Company.
He worked in law enforcement for many years - as a peace officer at different times in his career; deputy sheriff of el Paso County; member of the El Paso police force; deputy sheriff of Bernillo County, New Mexico; mounted inspector for the U. S. Immigration authorities; and, Texas Ranger during Governor Sterling's administration.
He volunteered to serve his country was accepted on APril 5, 1917 for duty in World War I. He was a member of both the Disabled American Veterans and American Legion.
The sketch indicates that his programs displayed his versatility, but it always came down to those "...frontier ballads that have made him famous from coast to coast."
He wrote the book "Cowboy Lore" to hand down to the glamor and glory of the southwest to history for others to learn what life was like in those years.
The New York Times reviewed Mr. Allen's book in June of 1933. The article notes that Mr. Allen had told them the way of the cowboy was still going strong, alluding to one Texas ranch that had nearly 800 of them. It notes he started his cowboy training when he was just ten years old.
When the book was published, it seems that Jules Verne Allen was doing more entertaining as a Singing Cowboy over the radio airwaves along with personal appearances at rodeos and recordings. than he was as a cowboy.
Credits & Sources
Cowboy Lore; By Jules Verne Allen; Biographical Sketch of the Author; 1943; Naylor Company; San Antonio, TX
The Cowboy Lives On; New York Times; Book Review; June 4, 1933; New York, New York
Recordings
Montgomery Ward
Rec. No. Side Song Title
4343 A Home On The Range
4344 A Little Joe The Wrangler
4344 B Long Side The Sante Fe Trail
4463 A Chisholm Trail
4463 B Days Of 49
4464 A Zebra Dun
4464 B Jack O' Diamonds
4779 A Jack O' Diamonds
4779 B Cowboy's Love Song
4780 A Longside The Santa Fe Trail
4780 B Little Joe The Wrangler
4781 A Two Fragments
4781 B Texas Cowboy
Victor
Rec. No. Side Song Title
VI40022 A Gal I Left Behind
VI40022 B Zebra Dun
VI40068 A Texas Cowboy
VI40068 B Prisoner For Life
VI40118 A Longside The Santa Fe Trail
VI40118 B Two Fragments
VI40167 A Chisholm Trail
VI40167 B Cowboy's Love Song
VI40178 A Cowboy's Dream
VI40178 B Cowboy's Lament
VI40263 A When The Work's All Done This Fall
VI40263 B Punching The Dough