FOGG COFFEY EARLY RANCHER OF COLEMAN COUNTY, CENTRAL FIGURE FOR FANTASTIC YARNS If all the yarns told about him were true Fogg Coffey, 74, pioneer Coleman county ranchman, would have to be at least 100 years of age. It would take that many years for one man to perform the deeds for which he is given credit. Despite the fact that few of the yarns are true, many of them have become almost legendary. Untrue though it is - like most of the others - Mr. Coffey is said to have roped the smokestack of the first train that ever came into Coleman. The story has it that he saw the train coming, rode along it on his pony, and made a perfect throw with his lariat. In trying to upset the engine, according to the yarn, he was unseated and injured. Even if the many yarns that have arisen about the man are untrue, it can be truthfully reported that the jolly old ranchman from the Colorado river has had an interesting life. Arrived in August '63 Known far and wide for his wit, Mr. Coffey has made friends since his arrival in the county back in August, 1863. He was six months old then, having been born March 6 of that year, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rich Coffey. The family has spent some time in Coleman since its arrival in the county but most of the time has been spent at the ranch, at the mouth of the Concho river and on the Colorado river. Part of the ranch is in Coleman county and part of it is in Concho. It was not long after Rich Coffey's arrival in Coleman county with many head of cattle and horses until a group of Indians swept down on his river ranch and took possession of most of the livestock. The elder Mr. Coffey engaged in battle with the Indians on that occasion and at other times. One of those engagements probably inspired one of the yarns told about the Coffey family. His Best Race The yarn has it that on one occasion the Indians were on a raiding party at the ranch and almost caught the late Rich Coffey. He fired once with his single-action rifle and started on the run for home. Mrs. Coffey heard the shot and saw her husband speeding homeward from the Indians and to aid him she held the door open and shouted, "Run, Rich, Run." After getting in the house safely he remarked, "You don't think I would lay down on a race like that, do you?" During one of the raiding parties by Indians the late John Coffey, brother of Fogg was shot by an arrow but Fogg came out of the melee unscathed. The fight occurred on old "Flat Top" near Elm creek between the present day towns of Leaday and Voss. John Coffey died about two years ago at Kerrville. Fogg Coffey is not as active now as formerly. He rides the range only two or three hours daily now. His legs are giving him some trouble. While he still has some cattle and horses on the ranch, he devotes most of his time to a large herd of sheep. While Mr. Coffey came from Weatherford, Mrs. Coffey was born and reared in Gonzales county. She, too, has lived through the pioneering days and the days of hardships. Her maiden name was Ella Littlefield. Coffey Cattle Brand The Coffey cattle brand in the early days was figure three on the shoulder and hip, however, Fogg Coffey's individual brand was and is "Fog." Here's what the book Texas Cattle Brands for 1936 has to say about the brand: "Started in 1868 by Rich Coffey: registered in Concho county un 1879 by Fog Coffey, son of the original owner. Cattle wearing this brand went 'up the trail' in the 70's, Fog Coffey was born about 1860  and his father started the 'Fog' brand for him, and the whole country was wide open free range. He soon had a big lot of cattle and of course did not like to see fences put up. He is an unusual man, very witty. He told me to tell you to find out how many men there were in the country and you would know how many cut fences." That brief sketch was written for the book by E. T. Tickle of Paint Rock. Mr. Coffey last year attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the founding of the town of Ballinger, and he was the oldest man to register for that event. J. P. Henderson of Coleman worked cattle with Mr. Coffey for many years and recalls many of the early day happenings in which both took part. Fogg Coffey doesn't get to town as often as he formerly did but he is greeted by a host of friends here every time he does. [Abilene Reporter News, April 21, 1937, transcribed by Amanda Jowers]