Buffalo Jones (1844-1919) Savior of the American Buffalo, Yellowstone's First Game Warden

Question

Where I grew up (and have returned later in life), Buffalo Jones is known to and loved by every school child (and adult). I was stunned to find him lacking in WikiTree but have rectified this and invite everyone to read a little about this extraordinary man (who is my 5th cousin 4 times removed through his Quaker mother).

Charles Jesse "Buffalo" Jones saved the American buffalo from extinction and his efforts have been called the first American environmental success story--long before anyone used the term environmentalist. Teddy Roosevelt made him Yellowstone's first game warden. If you have seen a buffalo, you have Buffalo Jones to thank. If you haven't seen a buffalo, go find one!

His life was full of exceptional adventure (and hardship) and I recommend Henry Inman's biography (with extensive narrative by Jones) "Buffalo Jones Forty Years of Adventure" to all.

Comments

Pretty ironic he was friends with Buffalo Bill given he is credited with killing an average 8 buffalo a day for eighteen months straight.

Answer 1

Great profile T - I love a good bison story :)

Are you familiar with Charles Goodnight (Goodnight-316) of the Goodnight-Loving Trail? While many view him as purely a Texan cattle rancher, he did work with bison around 1878 and started to breed them to keep them from going extinct in the deep south. His profile could definitely use some love if you were interested.

Although I could be a bit biased... I got to spend time with Charles' 5th-generation descendant, Veryl Goodnight, who is a contemporary American sculptor and painter known for her works that primarily focus on wildlife and historical themes, particularly those related to the American West.

I was blessed enough to have visited her while she was working on one of her sculptures, "Back From the Brink" in Santa Fe, and got to hang out with her model - Charlie (see: https://verylgoodnight.com/2019/05/22/a-buffalo-in-the-house/)

Charlie Buffalo modeled as the two calves wrapped protectively around Mary Ann Goodnight while she bottle fed one and stared into the distance, confronting the ruthless destruction of the time. The events that followed, became a full-length book by Richard D. Rosen, titled A Buffalo in the House. 

(Yes I used to have hair...)

Comments

For some reason I thought Jones and Goodnight knew each other (Jones was frequently in Texas on his hunt for calves) but a search in Inman's book doesn't bring up anything. Great photo and that's about the right size if you're gonna get friendly with a buffalo! Ornery and often ill-tempered seems to be the usual disposition.

Answer 2

Hi T, very nice profile for "Buffalo" Jones. I found that he and I are 11th cousins. My dad loved the wide-open spaces of the west. We (the family) went from Wisconsin through the badlands to Yellowstone around 1952 when I was say 7 years of age. I will never forget hopping out of the car and seeing a 'white' buffalo calf in the distance. I could have stood for hours just looking at those so very strange and beautiful creatures my dad called 'bison.' He told me about them being protected and why. I wanted the bison to be my 'spirit animal'; however, a nurse with whom I worked who was Navajo said my spirit animal was a bird, either a hummingbird or a raven. Oh, well...

Answer 3

Though I'm sure it isn't accurate, there is a movie called "Buffalo Rider" that has Buffalo Jones as a major character.  It's not great; but I can recommend the RiffTrax version of it.

Comments

I believe there is mention of that film (and a couple others) at the end of his Wikipedia page. I've not seen them (yet).