“Happy Jack” Jackson: A Cowboy from Mexico

• “Happy Jack” Jackson was a cowboy who worked Lord D. J. Beresford’s ranches. However, he didn’t come up to Canada until a little after Beresford travelled up to the Red Deer River. (See the post on Lord Beresford) 

• Happy Jack sort of wandered around before settling on Beresford’s ranch. He didn’t head up to Canada straight away because he was in love with a young lady.  

• However, this didn’t go over very well for him, as when he showed up at the lady’s door he found someone else courting her.  

• After an altercation with that suitor involving a pie and a hat, Happy Jack didn’t have much use for women, or as he put it, they were in the same class as nesters and sheepherders. (22, Brooks, Between the Red Deer and the Bow) 

• Soon after, Happy Jack travelled with a trainload of cattle up to the Red Deer River. He took a job for Lord Beresford and settled right in with the other cowboys.  

• He became foreman for Beresford, and after Beresford’s death, he ended up with the ranch machinery. Happy Jack lived on his homestead until he died in 1942.  

Bibliography 

 Brooks, Between the Red Deer and the Bow. Delday, Eva. Brooks, Alberta, 1975. Print.