Cowbelles

By Vynette Sage (granddaughter of Olema Foster, great granddaughter of Annie Carruthers)

The “Cowbelles” was started as an organization of ranch women living in Cochise County, Arizona, around the town of Douglas. The organization was founded in October 1939 and grew to be a quite large national organization. In 1995 the National organization changed its name to American Cattlewomen’s Association. Most state organizations changed their names at the same time with the exception of Arizona and New Mexico. The new name was chosen to be more “politically correct”.

Olema Foster (grandma) was one of the first members of the Cowbelles. As well as I can learn, she was not among the first 16 founding members however. There is an official version on how this organization came to be, and I will tell it to you. Firstly though, I thought you might be interested in what I remember as “grandma’s version”.

According to grandma, the ranchmen in the area used to meet in Douglas on Saturday’s. No one ever came to town every week, but whenever they did, they could count on “whoever was in town” to meet at the bar of the Gadsen Hotel. There the men would visit and conduct business, compare stock and feed prices, talk about the weather etc.

Often the ranch women would accompany their men folks to town in order to get bits of shopping done, etc. Once the quick shopping was completed, the ranch women were at a loss of where to go to wait until their men were “good and ready” to start home---after spending the whole afternoon in the bar. Women “just didn’t” go into the bar. That would have put a huge damper on the whole place and none of the men would have “felt comfortable” chatting and doing business. Women were not actually barred---and there were times a woman might find her way into it----but she could be counted on being the subject of a bit of gossip if she did so.

Since the women were hungering for a bit of female companionship and, also a place to sit and rest, they decided to find a place where they could count on finding some of the other ranch wives who were in town that day. Hence, an organization was started, which met in the Women’s Club (377 N. 10th Street), every Saturday. A quilt was put up and whoever wanted to, would do handwork (comparing patterns or figuring out the patterns). [Grandma quilted but was not avidly “into it”. She also could crochet---but she did neither as well as her mother (Mammie).]

The women met mostly to pass the time in one another’s company and to chat about “women things”. Those discussions were often about the men, children, cooking, and health problems that needed another’s woman’s opinion. In order to make the group sound good, they organized and had “official meetings.”

Now for the more official version on how the Cowbelle’s were started:

The Arizona State Cowbelles is an organization rich in history. “The Cowbelles” was organized as a social club by sixteen ranch wives in Douglas, on October 17, 1939. The group’s purpose was “to promote family and social relations between cattle people and to cooperate for the best interests of the industry, the community, and their country”. One of the ladies’ first service projects was sewing quilts to donate to those in need. Soon they realized the need to educate consumers about the benefits of beef in the diet; many programs and activities were developed to accomplish this task.

It was in 1939 when a group of ranchers and their wives were meeting occasionally for dance socials in the vicinity of Douglas, Arizona. It was at one of these dances that Mrs. Will Glenn suggested that cattle women get together and form a club. Mattie Cowan, Marie Glenn, Sarah Krentz, Irene Sproul, Ada Lou Snure and many other ladies discussed this idea of forming a woman’s organization. Back in that day visiting neighbors was sometimes very difficult and the women were just wanting their own organization so they could swap stories about the men, recipes or even talk about their children. While the purpose of the organization was purely social, to cement good will and friendship among wives and mothers of cattle men in Cochise County, the members started immediately to make afghans and quilts for the Arizona Children’s Home in Tucson while they visited and exchanged recipes and information of special interest to cattle women.

Mrs. Ralph Cowan offered her home in Douglas for such a meeting, so on October 17, 1939 sixteen women came, visited a while and decided to organize. Mattie Cowan was elected President, and Mrs. John Murchison, Secretary-Treasurer. Florence Snure (Mrs. Ben, Jr.) drew a picture of a cow’s head with a bell attached, and that was adopted as their symbol.

Other women in Arizona heard about the unique Douglas group and all they were doing to promote beef. Thus, the Arizona State Cowbelles were organized in January, 1947, during the annual convention of the American National Cattlemen’s Association in Phoenix. In 1952 a national organization was formed, now the American National Cattle Women.. 

Over the years, the Arizona State Cowbelles have turned their primary focus to beef promotion and consumer education regarding the nutritional value of beef. Cowbelles work hand in hand with the Arizona Beef Council to bring the message of ranching and the beef industry to their local schools, communities and businesses. The organization provides educational scholarships for Arizona’s youth. Cowbelles are also involved in legislative issues affecting the cattle industry. The Cowbelles, was the first organization for cattle women in the country.

Cowbelle’s about 1945-6, Douglas, Az (far left) Olema Foster (left seated on floor) Xie Foster

Note: More information about the Cowbelles can be found in "Arizona Cowbelles This is Your Life" written by Betty Accomazzo. 1972. Published by the Arizona Cowbelles and the Arizona Cowbelles website.

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