Do you remember Old Yeller, the book or the
movie and the author Fred Gipson*? Fred Gipson was born February 7, 1908
in Mason County, Texas. He and my Dad, Albert Walter Zesch, known as Bert
Zesch, graduated from high school together in 1926. I have a picture of their
graduating class.
In 1940 Fred, my Dad and I went deer hunting, but we did not kill any deer.
That night we stayed in a one room hunting cabin. Fred and my Dad stayed
up late talking around the warm wood heater. I went to bed. The next day
we went back into town. We later learned that Fred had been married the day
we went back into town. During their long conversation around the wood heater
that night Fred had not said one word about getting married the next day.
I wonder if he knew it.
Later, when Fred was a reporter for the San Angelo Standard-Times, he wrote
two articles about my great grandfather, Samuel Branson Capps, AKA Sam Capps.
He told of my great grandfather early days in Texas, when he was breaking
horses for the soldiers at Fort Sam Houston and his nine trips up the Chisholm
Trail. Sam Capps died in 1943 at the age of 89.
Fred Gipson wrote for many national publications and published nine or more
books. Disney Studios made three of his book into movies. He found Hollywood
quiet different from Mason. In his early day he wrote for many pulp western
magazines. Besides Old Yeller, Hound Dog Man, The Home Place and Recollection
Creek are probably his best known works. In later years he bought a
ranch on the Llano River in Mason County and enjoyed his time there. He had
two sons.
All the characters in Fred’s book are well known to the people of Mason County.
My Dad knew all the characters and what there names were in real
life. I have autographed copies of most of his books. They were autographed
for my Dad.
Fred’s sister, Stella Gipson Polk, was a writer also. She wrote a weekly
column for The Mason County News for many years. Stella also published two
books about Mason County. She taught school for many years.
Fredrick Benjamin Gipson died August 14, 1973 in Mason, Texas. By special
proclamation of the Governor, he was buried in the Texas State Cemetery in
Austin.
The Mason County Public Library has a room devoted to Fred Gipson. It contains
many photos and other memorabilia. In front of the library stands a large
bronze statue of Old Yeller.
*
http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=2409