Jules Verne Allen (TX) 1882- 1945 Performer

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