Fred Heacock and Mustangs on Blue Hill
February 15, 2000
 |
| Fred and Carolyne Heacock |
Fred and Carolyne Heacock live in the Nelsonville, TX. Community, which was originally settled by immigrants from Czechoslovakia. Matter of fact, the Heacocks live in the oldest Czech home in Texas. To reach their 95 ½ acre place -- way out in the boonies -- you take a paved road for a few miles, then a gravel road for a few more miles down a ridge, across a creek, and over an old iron bridge. Another half mile or so their mailbox appears. The narrow driveway beside the mailbox leads down through a usually dry creek bed, up the bank and to the metal gate on which a sign reads: "Member Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association -- Posted." If the gate is not locked, you pass through and then wonder where to go. But there is only one old, grass-covered driveway that turns left behind the gate. Follow this trail till it makes a sharp right turn, across the creek floodplain, over another creek bed and finally up a hill. If it has been raining recently, you may encounter a little mud on the climb -- but not the axle-dragging type. A four-wheel drive or pickup is recommended, but it can be made OK in a regular car. You may wonder if you are trespassing and are on the wrong farm until you reach the top of the hill and see either Fred or Carolyne out feeding the donkeys or something. If you have not informed them that you are coming, you may be trespassing.
But now you are in for a real treat. A very old home is nestled back under pecan trees and shrubs on the crest of the hill. It has a tin roof and a front porch filled with museum quality, handmade chairs, saddles and such. In front of the porch is a large marker that reads:
Texas State Historical Survey Committee, Official Historical Medallion.
 |
| First Chech Home |
The first house built by Czech settlers in Texas. After Rev. Josef E. Bergman of cat spring wrote a letter praising Texas, 33 Czech families immigrated to the locality in 1851 - 1853. This first home was built in 1854 by Josef Leshikar and his 4 sons.
Recorded Texas Historical Landmark
The Texas Czechs would be proud of the job that Fred and Carolyn have done in restoring this old house while mostly maintaining its historical and architectural integrity. Apparently, the first home was a log cabin that was later covered with board siding.
On a copper-colored plaque, beside the front door, is a sign that reads:
BLUE HILL
I will be the gladdest thing under the sun,
I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.
Edna St. Vincent Millay
The farm was named Blue Hill after Fred bought it in 1988. It was named after the blue-grey colored Mississippi Kites that migrate through and sometimes settle on the property for a few days.
The farm was named Blue Hill after Fred bought it in 1988. It was named after the blue-grey colored Mississippi Kites that migrate through and sometimes settle on the property for a few days.
Entering the front door, you see a hallway with a stairway leading to the loft, a small, tent-shaped room with a single window. A room where eight Black children lived for a while. On rainy days they huddled there counting the raindrops coming through the leaking roof. Back downstairs, the walls are adorned with an Indian Peace Pipe, some sort of Indian lance, a deer head with antlers, a tomahawk, a pair of well-weathered snowshoes and other such treasures.
Fred explained some of the histories of the farm: A Comanche Indian highway passed through the property. They had a strange way of showing their friendship with the Leshikars who had made peace with the Indians. When leaving them, the Indians would shoot arrows at the house. Consequently, arrowheads could be dug out of the outside logs for a long time.
Fred feels a kinship with Indians because his grandmother on his mother, Harriet's side was half Algonquin Indian. The family did not talk much about this when Fred was growing up -- like they were ashamed to admit to the Indian ancestry. But now, Fred seems proud of his Indian heritage.
The neighboring property is composed of pristine native woods that have never been cut. Mill Creek flows through this property and helps to support a fauna including beaver, bobcats, deer, raccoons and white-footed mice. Lots of birds are resident or migrate through the property. A spotting scope stands on a tripod by the large rear windows of their home, to be used to check out the animals that come and go. A bird book lies on top of a coffee table. Fred explains that his interest in wildlife was influenced by his mother, Harriet, who loved to watch birds. He quickly names the birds that can be seen feeding outside his window: White-throated Sparrows, Goldfinches, and Chipping sparrows -- but no English Sparrows, thank goodness.
Behind the rear door is a trail that leads out through the grass towards the neighboring woods. "The raccoons made that trail," explains Fred. "They come up to the door almost every evening and we feed them. They will come up to the glass door and place their paws up on the glass. The cat meets them from the inside and they stare at each other. Some folks say that you should not feed raccoons or they will become bad pests. However, they have never given us any problem and we enjoy their company."
From the back patio, a vista of pasture, pond, and woods stretch out below. Fred stands there and blows a bugle to call the donkeys from the pastures. The donkeys stand knee-deep in the grass in the bottomlands but seem to prefer the very short clovers that grow near the house. Then they clear areas where they can roll in the dust. But, another reason to hang out near the house is that Carolyne feeds them crackers, apples and such as they crowd around her waiting for their share. One confused donkey seems to think it is really a horse. At least it prefers to live in the pasture with the horses rather than with the donkeys. If placed back in the pasture with the donkeys, it will find its way back through the fences to the horses.
 |
| Gene, Fred and Dorothy |
To keep their school taxes down, Fred and Carolyne decided to run some livestock on the place they call "Eden." So they now have one riding mule, five Registered Spanish Mustangs and thirteen donkeys. But to call them "livestock" really seems a misnomer. They are more like members of the family. They each have a name like Fanny, the donkey, Famous Shoes, Dreamweaver and Cibolo Moon, the mustangs, and Tater, the riding mule. Watching Carolyne with her animals, it becomes very clear that she has a very special bond with them. They certainly enjoy each others company. But it is more than enjoyment, Fred and Carolyne are passionate about their animals.
 |
| Carolyne and Mustang |
Fred explained their interest in the Registered Spanish Mustangs. They are very hardy animals that were shipped to the New World with the Conquistadors. Mustangs are relatively small animals that could be fitted into the tight quarters of a Spanish ship. They have very strong legs and strong hooves that do not require shoeing.
"Spanish Mustangs are very rare and are NOT the horses that run wild in the west that are auctioned by the government," said Carolyne. "They are registered and pedigreed horses and we are breed conservators for Spanish Mustangs. Less than 3,000 remain in the entire world. Anyone who wants to know more about them can access the Spanish Mustang Registry at www.wkm1.com/smr." To qualify for registration, some horses are even DNA tested to confirm that they are what is referred to as "raza pura." Horse breeders from Spain and Europe now come to the USA to obtain the pureblood because all their horses lost their pure bloodline through cross-breeding.
 |
| Fred Calling the Animals With a Bugle. Win Sterling in Back. |
Fred and Carolyne have obtained their Mustangs from places like Mission Dolores in Mexico, where they are known as "Rock Horses." They are part of a herd found in a closed canyon on the Wilber-Cruce Ranch in Arizona, where they were discovered in 1989. Their Mustangs were also obtained from places in Montana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma.
Maybe Fred's philosophy of life can be summed up in a sign on the wall of their home. "In Life, every man deserves a good woman, a good dog, and a good mule." Or, another sign in their home: "Rules of this Tavern -- Four-pence a night for Bed. Sixpence with supper. No more than five to sleep in one bed. No boots to be worn in bed. Organ Grinders to sleep in the wash house. No dogs allowed upstairs. No beer allowed in the kitchen. And, no razor grinders or tinkers taken in."
Now that you know the rules, you will find Fred and Carolyne a most enjoyable, entertaining, interesting, warm and informative couple who happen to live in their own private nature park.
 |
Gene, Carolyne, Fred and Dorothy Cavanaugh |
