Farmers, Ranchers, the Land and the Falls - Texas Parks & Wildlife ...

Farmers, Ranchers, the Land and the Falls
purchased the Greene and Henry Wilson tracts from M.T. Holton, and in
December he bought the I.W. Davis survey from Matt and Susan Huff. Also
in 1900, he surveyed Survey 6, just north of the Welch tract. That land was
patented in his name in 1901, and that year Wenmohs also bought a narrow
4.5-acre parcel, wedged between the old Mary Terry and Greene Wilson surveys,
from Henry Ulrich, a neighboring rancher. The last major addition to Wenmohs’
Pedernales ranch took place in 1906, when J.B. bought almost all of the old Willis
West survey from one Henry F. Good. The ranch was filled out in 1926, when
Wenmohs purchased 11 acres north of the Pedernales from neighboring rancher
Herman F. Reiner. 65
Figure 11. The distinctive
“wine glass” Wenmohs brand.
Source: Jerry Wenmohs.
Almost immediately after purchasing these properties Wenmohs began
to improve them. About 1901 he built “a good and substantial fence” around
much of the land, and began to graze cattle there, branding his animals with his
distinctive “wineglass” pattern. At about this same time, Wenmohs apparently
also built a house, barn and shed in the northwestern corner of the property,
close to where Edward Maume had once lived. Meanwhile, the old field north
of the Pedernales once tilled by T.J. Trammell may have been used until about
1915 to grow corn, and maybe some cotton. 66
By 1915, J.B. Wenmohs was one of the most prominent ranchers in the
county, and his ranch properties (he ultimately owned about 12,000 acres) were
described as being “among the best in Texas.” J.B. and Louise never lived on the
Pedernales lands, though, preferring to remain in their house near Cypress Mill. 67
Though Wenmohs eventually became famous in the area for riding out every
day to inspect his ranchlands, the house on the Pedernales ranch was probably
occupied by hired hands until the fall of 1919.
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