Jay B. Massey Collection, 1890s-1930s
1 folder
Location: 0143; 0165
Accession #: 89.28
Introduction
This collection includes several photographs and photographic postcards taken on the Miller Brothers’ 101 Ranch, some of which are personally autographed photos from John A. Guthrie.
Biography
There is next to nothing mentioned in the rodeo files or books about Sgt. Jay B. Massey of Sheppard Field, Wichita Falls, Texas, and Jack Massey of Pawnee, Oklahoma. Two articles from Hoofs and Horns identify both gentlemen as sons of “Papa” Gus Massey.
“Papa” Gus Massey was born in Waverly, Tennessee, on July 20, 1876, and soon after moved with his family to Fort Worth, Texas. The family later moved in 1900 to Oklahoma, or at that time called Indian Territory, to an area called Calera. Gus Massey kept his home there since. He was a pioneer cattleman and rancher in Oklahoma. He also took up promoting and producing rodeos during the 1920s. Later Gus Massey was a representative of C.H. Hyer & Sons, bootmakers from Olathe, Kansas. He was so well known for his benevolence towards cowboys and rodeo contestants that he earned the nickname “Papa Gus.” He married Nancy Elizabeth Duckworth, a Chickasaw Indian maid, and they had seven children. One of the best known of these children was Jack Massey, who was with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show five years and who judged a number of rodeos. Gus Massey died from a heart attack on September 14, 1943, in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, while attending the Cattlemen’s Convention.
Sources:
Clancy, Fog Horn. “Memory Trail.” Hoofs and Horns, November 1936, Vol. VI, No. 6.
Clancy, Fog Horn. “A Prince of Good Fellows Rides On Over the Horizon.” Hoofs and Horns, December 1943, Vol. XIII, No. 6.
Scope & Content Note
This collection has a photocopy of the Cowboy Reunion Program from 1910. Photographs consist of one panoramic of the 101 Ranch personnel dressed as Roman soldiers for the Julius Caesar Spectacle in Wichita, Kansas, dated 1930. There are two rodeo postcards in the collection one of each of Harry F. Stauffer and Jack Hoxie. There are two autographed photos from a John A. Guthrie. The rest of the photographs are of the 101 Ranch. Jack Massey and Leo Murray are present in one of the photographs.
Subject Terms
Personal Names:
California Jack
Guthrie, John A.
Hoxie, Jack, ca. 1885-1965
Massey, Jack
Miller, Joseph Carson, 1868-1927
Murray, Leo, 1902-1980
Pickett, Bill, ca.1860-1932
Stauffer, Harry F.
Subject Headings:
Cowboys
Cowgirls
Horses-Ben Hur
Miller Bros. & Arlington 101 Ranch Real Wild West (Organization)
Photographs
Portrait photographs
Wild west shows
Processing Information
This collection was accessioned on July 19, 1989. Librarian Karen Spilman wrote the scope and content note in March 2003. The current finding aid was updated and posted online by archivist/librarian Laura Anne Heller in November 2009.
Copyright
The Jay B. Massey Collection is the property of the Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Literary right, including copyright, belongs to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, with the exception of copyrighted artwork images and published literary works, which are the property of the respective copyright holders. It is the responsibility of the researcher, and his/her publisher, to obtain publishing permission from individuals pictured, relevant copyright holders, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Copyright
The collection is open for research. It is advisable for researchers to discuss their proposed research with staff prior to visiting the Center.
Preferred Citation
Jay B. Massey Collection, Box ##, Folder ##, Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Container List
Series 1: Jay B. Massey Collection
| Series 1: Jay B. Massey Collection Photographs have been cataloged in the Image Archive Database, but none have been scanned yet. |
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| Box/Folder # | Accession # | Folder Title/Description |
| 1/5 | 89.28.5 | Photocopy. Cowboy Reunion Program, 1910. |
| 89.28.6 | 101 Ranch, cowboy sitting on fence holding a rifle. 1920 ca. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. | |
| 89.28.7 | Miller, Joe on Ben Hur. 1890 ca. Photograph copy, b&w, 8×10 in. | |
| 89.28.8 | Cowboy and children looking at a steer lying on the ground, Miller Bros. 101 Ranch, 1900 ca. Photograph, b&w, 8×10 in. | |
| 89.28.9 | [101 related, Cowgirl]. 1900 ca. Photograph, b&w, 9.75×8 in. | |
| 89.28.10 | “To my friend Jack Massey, John A. Guthrie, 1936.” Orcajo Photo. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. | |
| 89.28.11 | [autographed] John A. Guthrie. 1936. Orcajo Photo. Photograph, b&w, 10×8 in. | |
| 89.28.12 | 101 Ranch related [Cowgirl on horseback]. 1920 ca. H.A. Atwells, photographer. Photograph, b&w, 8.5×7.75 in. | |
| 89.28.13 | Young boy, dressed as a cowboy, on a pony. 1920 ca. Kansas City, MO. Smith & Morton, publishers. Photograph, b&w, 6.5×8.5 in. | |
| 89.28.14 | California Jack with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West 1926. Photograph, b&w, 4.75×6.75 in. | |
| 89.28.14N | California Jack with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West 1926. Safety film negative, b&w, 10×8 in. | |
| 89.28.15 | Jack Massey kneeling left, Leo Murray, big hat standing left, Pickett at right? 1920 ca. E.F. Greenough, photographer. Photograph, b&w, 4.5×6.75 in. | |
| 89.28.16 | Old Stauff, Harry F. Stauffer, 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show. 1920 ca. Photographic postcard, b&w, 3.5×5.25 in. | |
| 89.28.17 | Cordially yours, Jack Hoxie. 1920 ca. Photographic postcard, b&w, 5.5×3.5 in. | |
| 89.28.18 | Trick rider 101 Ranch, Unknown. 1920 ca. Wood Photo. Fort Worth, TX. Photographic postcard, b&w, 5×3.25 in. | |
| 89.28.19 | Trick rider 101 Ranch, Unknown. 1920 ca. Wood Photo. Fort Worth, TX. Photographic postcard, b&w, 5×3.25 in. | |
| 89.28.4 | Julius Caesar Spectacle. Miller Bros. 101 Ranch, Season of 1930 at Wichita, Kans. 1930. V.T. Brown, photographer. Panoramic photograph, b&w. (located directly behind folder 1/5 in Box 1, location 0165) | |
