Alias and More

[Whiskey Hicks]

Time for another useless topic from Whiskey!  Anyways this is more of a question looking to generate discussion on a topic that is kind of a curiosity to me and let's me learn more about all the folks in SASS.

 

Your alias, does a persona come with it or is it just you meeting a requirement to shoot?  Perhaps the immature part of this 36 year-old is tickled by the idea of being able to put on clothes of the West or the Frontier and fire old or old-style guns.

 

So if you do run a persona with your alias, what history, movies, legends, actors or figures inspired you?  

[Tequila Shooter]

Unrelated question....I've seen other posts you've made and you appear to like the SASS family, what's keeping you from joining?  

 

On to your question, mine is a throwback to a time in my life when it was work hard and play hard.  It was high OPTEMPO, go to the ragged edge and then let off steam so you could do it all again.  

[Whiskey Hicks]

6 minutes ago, Tequila Shooter said:

Unrelated question....I've seen other posts you've made and you appear to like the SASS family, what's keeping you from joining?  

 

On to your question, mine is a throwback to a time in my life when it was work hard and play hard.  It was high OPTEMPO, go to the ragged edge and then let off steam so you could do it all again.  

It's more of a matter of when and finances.  I just discovered this sport not that many months back, and while I'm slowly acquiring the firearms necessary (still have a lever gun and a shot gun to go), I'm only working part-time while I'm going back to school to finish my degree.  I'll be coming into some more money in a month or so to finish my purchases and get my SASS membership.

[Tequila Shooter]

12 minutes ago, Whiskey Hicks said:

It's more of a matter of when and finances.  I just discovered this sport not that many months back, and while I'm slowly acquiring the firearms necessary (still have a lever gun and a shot gun to go), I'm only working part-time while I'm going back to school to finish my degree.  I'll be coming into some more money in a month or so to finish my purchases and get my SASS membership.

 

That's great to hear, hopefully you've been able to get out and shoot before you buy your guns.  This game isn't cheap that's for sure, so don't be afraid to buy used equipment from other shooters, they might surprise you and give you a great deal just to help you out, I know some pards on here helped me to get started, yep, helped me a lot.  Enjoy reading your posts.

[Sawhorse Kid]

Alias, Persona, Costume and choice of Weapons do not have to go together .......... But it's more fun when they do.

 

My alias is a character I made up for myself as a kid.

[Whiskey Hicks]

10 minutes ago, Sawhorse Kid said:

Alias, Persona, Costume and choice of Weapons do not have to go together .......... But it's more fun when they do.

 

My alias is a character I made up for myself as a kid.

I imagine you sawed a horse once.

[Pat Riot]

At first I tried to come up with a persona, but then I decided that could come later. It never really did. I used to tell folks I was a cowboy from the 1880’s era but every once in a while somebody would make remarks about how “Cowboys from the 1880’s didn’t carry Rooogers...” and after a while I stopped bothering with the era or trying to dress in any given period. I was and am more into the shooting than the costuming. 
 

In selecting, creating my alias, I was talking with friends from work about it. I think they thought it was silly, but they played along. I had a list of alias ideas written on my desk blotter. Pat Riot, a play on patriot, was one of them. My friend Rick was leaving for Arizona to a new life. Before he left he had circled “Pat Riot” and left a note saying “This is definitely you.” So, I became Pat Riot. My family agreed and that was how I selected my alias. 
 

 

[Sawhorse Kid]

3 hours ago, Whiskey Hicks said:

I imagine you sawed a horse once.

 

No.

 

The creation of the character is from me playing cowboy in my grandparents garage.

There was a saddle that sat on a sawhorse in the corner.

 

I imagine the posse is still looking for me.    

Been on the dodge for some 35 years now.

 

 

 

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

My wife and daughter came up with mine.

Horace

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

It's just what I do!

 

(And kind of sounds western themed).

[Rye Miles #13621]

I was inspired by Lonesome Dove and The Texas Rangers, I settled on the next best group, the Arizona Rangers. Dressing like a Ranger can encompass a wild variety of clothing options. Vest, no vest, boots, or town type shoes, spurs or not, maybe chaps, maybe not, all it really requires is a good hat! 

 

Sgt. Rye Miles Arizona Ranger, Sheriff of Tucson, Sheriff of Pima County, Constable of Benson Az and prison guard in Az. in his later years.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

My alias came from a nickname someone started when I was still in high school, Forty Rod Kid.  I don't remember why and just recently had the guy's name pop into my head after 61 years:  Jim Morrey.

 

As to a character I see myself as a man of many backgrounds (which is true) but have settled in as a trader, traveling the Rockies from the north end of Cache Valley (Utah and Idaho) all the way down to  where I am now in Lonesome Valley / Jackass Flats, AT.  I go where the rails don't and where only a few stages travel, where someone needs something that I can get for them.  I have a couple of freight wagons and a dozen mules, three saddle horses, and I hire one or two helpers as the situation calls for.  I have customers from manufacturers and merchants to rancher's wives, cowboys, soldiers, and a dozen or so tribes of Indians.

 

I do a lot of trading for goods and get some gold or cash along the way as well.  My clothes are a mixed kit of trade goods.  I have a derby that was too big for anyone else, added a beaded hat band for a Navajo woman in  Saint George, got a buckskin coat from a Bannock lady, store bought britches and boots, a few home-grown shirts, and so on.  It's a motley blend and suits me to a T.

 

I'm in the process of selling out my entire outfit (except for my clothes, guns, personal "house wares", and thousands of memories.  At nearly eighty years of age I'm about used up and want to settle down.  Bought a house in Lonesome Valley and have a number of friends there that I met in my travels.

 

Stop by if you're ever this way.  The pot's always on, there's usually something to eat (if not, that's easily corrected), and we can just sit around, whittle and spit, and tell tales.

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129]

Dad's Dad was a Colonel in the Danish Army, Chief of Police  and Buffalo Hunter .....

Mom's Dad was a Brush-busting Cowboy , Rancher and in later years owned a company the ran the Garbage Collection for a City in Alberta Canada ...

He also was a Land speculator and aside from his Ranch owned land in the City and 3 a joining Towns...

But was still a Scottish Cowboy at Heart ....

As for my Alias , it's from the Bible and opens the door to discussions about the Lord GOD. 

 

Jabez Cowboy 

[Blackwater 53393]

I joined back when you submitted your membership request and three aliases by mail. I’m a musician and my first choice was Virgil Cain and my last choice was Blackwater Desperado, a combination of song titles. 

When my membership bonafides arrived, it was my last choice, so I created a back story and persona to fit.

 

As time passed, most folks shortened it to Blackwater and a couple of years ago I had it officially shortened.

 

 I thought about changing it to Virgil Cain when it became available, but so many of my friends know me as Blackwater, even in the real world, that I chose to let it be.  It’s gotten to the point that I do business as Blackwater and even have a checking account in the name!

 

As to the character, I rode with Forrest in the War of Northern Aggression as a young man. I came from the flatlands of Middle Tennessee, but fled to the Mississippi delta after a fight with a feuding neighbor resulted in his untimely demise. When the hostilities broke out, I returned to Tennessee and joined up with the Raiders.  We never surrendered, but we disbanded when others surrendered.  I took to the river boats, first as a crewman and later as a gambler. I confess to having participated in a little piracy now and then, but mostly I made a good living at the poker tables and roulette wheel.

 

A shipping magnate, too drunk to have good sense, accused me of cheating and called the tune, going for a belly gun in anger, and meeting his maker in the process forced me to leave the river and I headed west.

 

I found work as a bullwhacker, a cow nurse, a bronc stomper and a lumberjack. My skill as a card player and my willingness to use a gun often took me to the other side of the law, but never so far as to become notorious.

 

 I rangered in Texas and packed a star in Utah and the Dakotas, did a little prospecting, and scouted for Crook.

 

Mostly now, I drift and spend time in saloons when I’m not tending to the horse ranch I won several years ago.  There’s a little school teacher that minds the place when my wandering soul drives me off on some adventure or when I’m herding a string of ponies to market. She keeps me warm and fed and patches me up when my escapades don’t go as smoothly as planned.

 

Been a good life and I ain’t finished by a long shot!  

 

 

[DocWard]

My alias is pretty simple. I was a medic in a combat arms unit. If a medic picks up the nickname "Doc," he tends to wear it as a badge of pride. I'm more proud that I gained that sort of trust from those I served with than I am of the "Esquire" that I can put after my name as a lawyer. That, and I knew I would answer to it!

 

I had long had the basics of a backstory for my alias floating around in my mind, but put it down in a group story that was started some time back. Since I knew it might come up again, I decided to save it. I basically tried to put myself, with my experiences and all, as I might have been in the time of the Old West.

 

Quote

Glancing at the sign in the window that pronounced to the world “Attorney and Counselor at Law,” he slowly shook his head, thinking how he had come this far. He got the nickname “Doc” because he had deftly patched up a few fellow travelers after an incident with raiders on the trip west, and they assumed from his skill he was a doctor. Despite his assertions to the contrary, the name stuck.

 

Doc Ward had, in fact, started out this life on a small bit of property with some good bottom land in a hollow in Southeastern Kentucky. His father, a demanding yet distant man, was a Methodist circuit rider, and had arranged for him to travel to a small Methodist college in Ohio for his education. “Boy, it’s against my better judgment, but I can tell you have an itch to always be learning things, so I made it happen. You just do well and when you come back, maybe you’ll be ready to help out around the place.”

 

When war broke out, he was just finishing his time in school, where he had also been reading law with a local attorney in anticipation of going into practice. He had never thought of fighting, particularly against his fellow Americans. Then again, it wasn’t in him not to fight, either. Which side to fight on was never in doubt. His grandfather had fought in the War of 1812, and his great-grandfather had been one of the men who made sure Major Ferguson kept his oath to never leave King’s Mountain. Before that, there were Wards fighting against the French and Indians. A lot of Ward blood and sweat had been shed to build the country. He didn’t think he could look his ancestors in the eye when his time came if he didn’t fight to keep it built. He knew he had friends and family who thought otherwise, but once he did some soul searching, he knew what choice would be his. After commencement, he went to see President Merrick in his office at school and told him his decision. The President nodded, and assured him he would keep him in his prayers.

 

It seemed like just yesterday that he was taking the road south to Camp Chase, where he mustered into the First Ohio Light Artillery as a private in Battery A. From there they headed south, seeing action at Shiloh, Chicamauga, Kennesaw Mountain and other places. Initially on a gun, Doc had driven an ambulance back to the Regimental Surgeon, and upon talking with him, his education caused the surgeon to arrange for him to be made Hospital Steward and promoted. There he spent the majority of the war, moving with the regiment as ordered, compounding prescriptions, doing administrative work and assisting the surgeons became routine for him. It was at this time he learned the skills that led to his nickname.

 

Once the war ended, he headed back home only briefly. He found his ailing father, whose health had deteriorated greatly from worry. His mother had died without him knowing about it, and he sadly walked up the hill to place flowers on her grave. His father passed days after his arrival home, almost as if he waited for his time until he knew his son was safe. After saying words over his grave, he went into the log house to sort through his father's things. Picking up his father’s tattered Bible, he found inside a piece of paper. Opening it, he found a note from Col. Garfield of the 18th Ohio, a brief thanks to his father, who had offered them provisions as his men marched to Paintsville in 1862, then on to fight at the Battle of Middle Creek. The note commented on his father’s pride in his son serving. Doc smiled reading the note. He didn’t recall his father ever saying he was proud of him. With nothing left to keep him, Doc headed west.

 

I later did the math, and a little more genealogical research, which revealed that it likely would have been Doc Ward's grandfather who fought in the Revolution. That change was made in the group story Trouble Comes to Stone Creek, which is still archived. If another story is ever tried, I would stick with that portion as amending the above, but change some others.

[Trailrider #896]

When I started my leather making company, my wife and I came up with Trailrider Products for the trade name.  When I started Cowboy Action Shooting, I chose "Trailrider" as a link to the business, but also because I have ridden a number of trails in my life.  Some were on the hurricane deck of a horse; most on vehicles, some blue ones up Montana-way, all around Charlie Russell country (mostly Judith Basin), some in my own vehicles.  What gets somewhat worrisome is when you begin thinking of yourself by your alias!   Welcome to the campfire, Pard!  Stay well!

[Marshal Hangtree]

Being a Law Enforcement Officer for the better part of my life, I decided to adopt a lawman title such as Marshal, Sheriff, Deputy, etc.  Out of the blue, "Marshal Hangtree" popped into my head.  Don't know why, but it just kinda stuck.  Besides that, it's a little on the non-PC side, so it's a perfect fit for me. 

 

 

Besides that, "Original Lumpy Grits" was already taken.

 

 

I try to dress the part of a Town Marshal, inspired by Sam Elliot in "Tombstone".  If it's not tooooo hot, I'll usually wear a frock coat, vest, stand up collar shirt, and puff tie.  I have a brown outfit and a black outfit, just depends on my mood and what I wore last match.

[Cat Brules]

El Lazo encouraged me to join CAS/SASS.  He explained the requirement for an alias.  I was surprised by the requirement for an alias, and I was at a loss to come up with a “name,” which I wanted my alias to be.......a “name“.

 

I thought a moment, then I remembered a Western 3-book-series I’d read very recently (at the time), by the author, Harry Combs, with the main character being a teenage boy (who ages through the book series), who saw a lot of action in The Old West.  The main character/protagonist in those books is Cat Brules.  So, I told Lazo, “I guess I’ll be Cat Brules,” and the name turned out to be available.  The character’s alias, “Cat” came from his having been a mountain lion hunter.  I don’t recall Cat Brules’ real first name..

 

Cat Brules

[Utah Bob #35998]

When I worked for the Park Service I did Seminole War and Civil War living history presentations. It was necessary to develop a detailed persona. The research was

in-depth and usually based on an actual person. The one I did for the Seminole war was a Pvt William Applegate of C coy, 2nd Dragoon Regiment who enlisted in St Louis in 1833 and fought in Florida in the battles of Loxahatchee and Okeechobee.

I considered a persona when. I started in SASS But decided to keep it simple. 
My name is Bob. I have been to Utah. Bada bing. 

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

Not much more to say

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

The original Charlie Van Bowen Harley (my full alias with SASS) was my great grandfather.  He was a deputy US marshal in the late 1800s, serving out of Fort Smith, Arkansas back when Oklahoma was still considered Indian territory. 

 

 When my maternal grandmother, his daughter, found out I was into cowboy shooting and American history, she gave me all of his old papers, documents, photos, and his gun belt from his marshal days.

 

We have several photos of him at the courthouse. We were able to go back and find the exact spots where they were taken and then re-create the photos with us. 

 

My “persona” is just being his great grandson and carrying the family name honorably. Harley is my actual middle name, coming from that branch of the family tree. 

 

 True story…    About 20 years ago there was a country song where the singer talked about being from a small town where “children get grandmother‘s maiden names“.  My son, who was about seven at the time, thought it was silly that anybody would ever name a child that way. It made me smile to tell him the story of the Harleys. He matured a little bit that day. 

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

Shucks. Now I’m missing the song and had to go look it up. 

 

For your enjoyment...

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

30 minutes ago, Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L said:

Not much more to say

As I understand you are a real relation to Wyatt right?? Wasn't he your great great uncle or cousin or something?? Please tell us the story!!

[Fence Cutter]

 Simple one here.....

.... since I was a pup I have collected pre-1900 barbed wire.

 

When asked if my alias means that I cut fences to steal cattle, I reply -"the opposite".

 

I cut the fences to try to keep the range and water holes open for the founding fathers of the cattle industry - Swan, Stuart and Kohrs -from the eastern ways of the honyockers migrating west from places called Kentucky and Indiana who's only intention for coming West was to place the sod on top of the native grasses, and keep cattle out.......

I have failed.

Ever so greatly.

 

Always enjoy beef and firearms. 

 

 

[DocWard]

1 hour ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said:

The original Charlie Van Bowen Harley (my full alias with SASS) was my great grandfather.  He was a deputy US marshal in the late 1800s, serving out of Fort Smith, Arkansas back when Oklahoma was still considered Indian territory. 

 

 When my maternal grandmother, his daughter, found out I was into cowboy shooting and American history, she gave me all of his old papers, documents, photos, and his gun belt from his marshal days.

 

We have several photos of him at the courthouse. We were able to go back and find the exact spots where they were taken and then re-create the photos with us. 

 

My “persona” is just being his great grandson and carrying the family name honorably. Harley is my actual middle name, coming from that branch of the family tree. 

 

 True story…    About 20 years ago there was a country song where the singer talked about being from a small town where “children get grandmother‘s maiden names“.  My son, who was about seven at the time, thought it was silly that anybody would ever name a child that way. It made me smile to tell him the story of the Harleys. He matured a little bit that day. 

 

This post needs pictures!!!

[Cactus Jack Calder]

John Calder is my Maternal Grandfather. He was a child of Scottish immigrants and a pure blooded Scot himself.  John died when my mother was 6 years old. My Maternal Grandmother eventually remarried, but sometimes she would tell me about her first love. Grandma was thrilled when my Wife and I named our second son John Calder after the Grandfather I never knew. 
 

My avatar is the only picture of John Calder that survives to this day.

 

My character’s story is puurdie fiction. How he got the name Cactus Jack is a long winded tail, which is the only kind I know how to tell.

 

 

CJ

[MizPete]

Petey has never professed to be anything other than a working cowboy.  When he said he needed an alias, I immediately said Pecos Pete - there was always one in the bunkhouse.  Problem was, the original Pecos Pete had recently died & SASS was reluctant to reissue the alias.  They finally decided it was ok & the legend was born.  I had to join SASS the first year we went  to EOT - otherwise I could not be in the berms - and Petey named me Unarmed Bandit (because I don't shoot - I score).  I later changed it to Fair Game because that's what I strive for when you shoot with me - whether I've been married to you for over half a century or just met you this morning.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

As Blackwater posted, when I joined, we had to submit three choices. Luckily, I got my first choice and not Shaky Sue, which was Hubby's first choice for me.  

 

Some folks think my alias is a play on words for Alamo. That was a factor, as Hubby (who was already a member) told me that play-on words was a way to choose an alias. The deciding factor was that I had a calling card for a relative on my mother's father's side of the family. On it the name looked like Allie Mo. It really was Allie M. last name.

 

Here is a photo of the original card and a card I made from it.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

Oops, I forgot the persona part.

 

I love costuming and sewing. Yet, I'm fickle about costume styles. So I decided to be a 1950s actress. That way I could dress in any style I liked. When I started, I hadn't sewn in several years; so, I relied on eBay and thrift stores for costumes. Then, I started sewing. I made a plethora of costumes. Then, I retired from w*rk and gained weight. When, a costume I started didn't fit when I finished (I fixed it), I gave up sewing, except for a half finished 1890s costume that I hope to finish one day.

 

So lately, I've been a B-Western actress.

 

Since the lockdown, I've lost 15 pounds (go figure) and hope to wear those Victorian clothes I made again. Then, I will be able to play Victorian ladies again.

 

First of the following is the half-finished 1890s costume. It has a jacket started. Second is a BW costume. Third is one of the skinny-gal costumes.

[Raylan]

Just liked westerns as a kid and adult. Liked "Justified" so went with Raylan from Raylan Givens and my favorite western was always "Rio Bravo" so I went with T. Chance from John Wayne's characters name John T. Chance. Thus, Raylan T. Chance. No backstory just a cowboy.

[Dr. O. R. Vet]

 

My paternal grandfather was a doctor in north central MO (Dr. ). 

He went by his initials, O. R.  (Dr. O. R.)  

In the Old West,  doctors.were.often required to treat animals (mainly those needed for transportation)  because there were no vets.   Therefore:  Dr. O. R. Vet.   My alias motto is:  "Serving man or beast--when not shooting"

 

 

[South-Eye Ned]

I did not take my name from any western movie, TV show, or novel.  It’s a derivation of my own name.  My middle name is Edward, but I like the nick of “Ned” from it. The first three initials of my last name are “McI”, so I wrote “McHigh” so that the announcer would pronounce it they way I want.  I’m left-handed but don’t like “Lefty” as a nick, so I came up with “South-Eye” instead of “Southpaw” because I was called the latter when I played ball and didn’t like it.

 

IOW, I spent too much time picking my alias, so that I wouldn’t regret any of it later.  My outfit is not cowboy, but more like a Texas Ranger based on photos.