King of the Cracker Cowboys

            I thought I would share something from my family history, which I had long ago forgotten, and was reminded when my mom moved and uncovered newspaper clippings.

            The story begins with a character named Bone Mizell, real name, Bonaparte (his father admired Napoleon) a drunk and a cattle thief, who was so well known in those parts, he received the nickname of “King of the Cracker Cowboys.” He was arrested several times for altering brands on cattle, trying to show ownership. He was also a prankster and a frequent visitor of bordellos. It was said since he never owned a home, that if he slept in a bed for the night, it was at a bordello. A song was also written about him called the “Ballad of Bone Mizell.” Frederic Remington traveled to Florida to paint Bone’s portrait for Harpers in 1895.

            Some of the stories about Bone are entertaining, like “One night after Bone had passed out, a group of cowboys carried his inert form to a graveyard in Arcadia. They placed him on top of a grave. When he awakened groggily, he looked around and was heard to say: 'Well, by God! Here it is Judgment Day and I'm the first one up.'”

            His death certificate stated, 'Moonshine-went to sleep and did not wake up.' After his death, they erected a national historical marker in Desoto, Florida. I visited once as a child, I only remember it was next to a red train engine.  

          

            There is even a book written about his escapades by Jim Bob Tinsley named, “Florida Cow Hunter: The Life and Times of Bone Mizell.” I found this entertaining, so I hope you did also.