Jerry Baird, born in Graham, Texas, is
a positive Texas legend as a cowboy,
ranch foreman, renown chuck wagon
owner and cook, author, college
counselor and educator, entrepreneur
and more. He is a man of integrity, a
true friend and family man, has Texas
ways and manners, and is a great
dancer. He has shared Texas history
and heritage all over the USA and in
other countries and exemplifies the character and characteristics of
being a Texan.
Jerry Baird has worked his whole life on ranches and started or
improved four. At 14 years of age he learned chuck wagon cooking
while day working on ranches. He attended San Angelo College and
graduated from Sul Ross University at Alpine. He became a teacher
and coach and earned his master’s degree in counseling at Sul Ross,
all the while continuing his ranching and rodeo businesses. He was a
founding member of the American Chuck Wagon Association and
helped have the chuck wagon named the Official Vehicle of Texas by
the Texas Legislature. Jerry was adopted by the Quanah Parker family
and given the Comanche name “Coosatyebo” which means “man that
rides with cattle, or cowboy.” For many years, he was associated with
the Comanche Pow Wow that was held at the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Jerry has announced rodeos for 25 years, cooked for LBJ, advised Jim
Lane on starting The Fort Worth Herd and trained some longhorns for
the project. He still rides horses every day and is still managing the
Resley Creek Ranch at the age of 84. “We have cleared the land,
improved conservation, built live water all the way across it, and
through selective breeding developed a phenomenal herd of Angus
cattle that will be a great asset to the Angus breed,” he said. Jerry also
started a gourmet spices/seasonings business and provides his
seasonings to the Texas prison system so the inmates “can have
better tasting food.”
“Having been born during the last of the frontier when Texas was
known for cattle, cotton and oil, I have always tried to keep the history
of the cowhands, ranching and history of Texas first and foremost in
everything I have done,” he said. He has won many awards and has
received much recognition over the years, but receiving his bronze star
on the Texas Trail of Fame is a truly special honor.