Graves Peeler
2.5 cubic feet
A1981-052, A1985-012, A1988-019, A1990-018, A2015-039
1890-1945 (unknown)
Graves Peeler was born on May 28, 1886 to Thomas Madison and Alice Jane Irvin Peeler in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up on his family's ranch in Atascosa County, Basin Hill Ranch. He was the third of seven children. He assumed head of household at age eleven when his father was murdered in Campbellton, Texas confronting cattle thieves and his older brothers were fighting in the first world war. Graves attended school in Pleasanton, graduated from West Texas Military Academy in San Antonio, attended the San Marcos business school for two years and then went to Texas A&M University for a short time. Graves Peeler’s life was always centered on ranching and hunting. He was an avid hunter from a young age, reportedly shooting his first deer at the age of eight. He collected hunting trophies throughout his life and amassed a collection of 264 mounts of North American game. Graves went to work for the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser's Association from 1920 to 1930 and traveled throughout Texas, Mexico and Arizona tracking down cattle thieves. While Graves Peeler was ranching he was approached by J. Frank Dobie and Sid Richardson in 1932 to help them find authentic Texas Longhorn cattle and reestablish the breed before it could become extinct. . He tracked down and assembled a herd of thirty cows and three bulls. This herd was split into three herds of cows and a bull each. Two herds were places on state parks and Graves kept one on his ranch. He bred Texas Longhorns until his death on March 11, 1977 at the age of 90. He is the rancher credited with bringing the Texas Longhorn back from the brink of extinction.
The Graves Peeler Collection (1949-1982) consists of approximately 2.5 cubic feet of materials. The largest part of the collection (approximately 2 cubic feet) is the materials that visually document many of Graves Peeler's travels and hunting trips during the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s throughout North America. There are 1,098 slides, eight 16mm motion pictures and 20 photographs. The remaining half cubic foot of materials is small amounts of correspondence, printed materials, biographical information about Graves Peeler and the Peeler family and 17 audio cassette tapes of interviews with Graves Peeler in 1968.
I. Correspondence II. Printed Materials III: Biographical Materials IV. Audio Cassette Tapes V. Slides VI. Motion Pictures VII. Photographs
South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Open for Research
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.
Graves Peeler Collection, A1981-052.XXXX; A1985-012.XXXX; A1985-074.XXXX; A1988-019.XXXX; A1990-018.XXXX; A2015-039.XXXX, South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
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A1981-052 Gift of T. E. Peeler,A1985-012 Gift of Leonard Stiles,A1988-019 Gift of Dorothy Peeler Rugh,A1990-018 Gift of Fannie Grace Hindes,A2015-039 Gift of Peeler Family
Processed by Jimmy Picquet in 1981 Accession A1981-052,Processed by Jimmy Picquet in 1985 Accession A1985-012,Processed by Toni L. Nagel-Watson in 1988 Accession A1988-019,Processed by Sarita Garcia in 2015 A2015-029,Finding Aid created by Lori Atkins 05/05/2015