The Cattlemen

The Cattlemen is a western novel based on the relationship between Bill Brubaker and Bud Baxter, childhood friends who share the dream of becoming cattlemen. The friends grew up on adjoining farms in the Huzzah Valley in central Missouri, left home together, fought in the Civil War in the same unit, and went to Texas together to pursue their dream of becoming Cattlemen.

They start by rounding up feral cattle in Texas and Oklahoma Territory. Fought the Ku Klux Klan during reconstruction in Texas, built a ranch in Hopkins County, Texas, married, had children, and then sold out their Texas ranching operation. They drove two herds of cattle to Kansas, sold their longhorn stock, and continued the quest for their dream by taking new breeding stock to Montana and building a ranch there. 

The Cattlemen portrays life in the 19th century Great Plains and the sturdy people who survived its challenges to realize their dreams.