EP. 119: The Texas Rangers: Origins

Wise About Texas

Ken Wise

Texan, Places & Travel, Education, Texas, Cowboy, History, Society & Culture, Culture, Jacinto, Texans, San

5 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 28 January 2023

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Texas Ranger. Two words that strike fear in the heart of the lawbreaker and hope in the heart of the law abiding. Since before there was a Texas, there were Rangers. How this elite force officially began is the subject of some controversy. But 2023 marks the official bicentennial of this unique and important organization. There is no doubt that Stephen F. Austin realized the need to take the fight to the hostile Indians he encountered in his new colony. In this episode, you hear Austin’s own words describe his ideas to defend his new colony and his personal funding of a group of rangers. I also discuss the various ways the term "Ranger" was used in early Texas. Hear about the origins of the most famous law enforcement organization in history–the legendary Texas Rangers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Howdy and welcome to Wise About Texas, your award-winning Texas History Podcast.
0:13.0	I'm your host, Ken Wise, thanks very much
0:15.6	for tuning in for some Texas history.
0:17.8	I'm going to do something today
0:19.1	that I've never done on this podcast.
0:21.0	A lot of podcasters do this from time to time. I've never
0:24.4	have but I'm going to do it today for a special reason and that's cover a
0:27.7	subject that I've already covered. There is a method to my madness.
0:33.0	2023 marks a bicentennial in Texas.
0:37.0	Now that's strange because Texas as republic and as a state is not yet 200 years old. Texas as a province of New Spain in Mexico
0:47.6	really doesn't have a clear-cut beginning that we recognize so that won't work
0:51.5	either. But what is 200 years old? Well, if you go back
0:56.7	and check out episode 50, you'll find some of the similar information that I'm going to discuss
1:02.3	today, but I'm also going to add some things.
1:04.0	I'm going to read from a couple of letters and add some perspective and a few additional points about this subject
1:11.0	that we're going to focus on as we go through
1:13.4	2023. So what's 200 years old? The iconic
1:18.0	Texas Rangers. Now Texas has many iconic
1:21.3	places and symbols and organizations, but none more so than the Texas Rangers.
1:27.0	They are now one of the most accomplished, respected, and unique law enforcement organizations in the world
1:33.0	and the Rangers have a fascinating 200 year history.
1:37.0	Throughout 2023 around the state,
	...

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