John Hartig

The Polish Cowboy John Hartig

Joseph Cotulla immigrated from Poland in 1856 with his mother, as a 12 year old boy. He moved to Atascosa County, Texas, where he learned about horses, cattle and ranching. When he was 19, in 1863, he signed up on the Union side at Brownsville during the Civil War. Later, in 1868, he bought a parcel of government land in La Salle County and started his own ranch. He bought a herd of cattle cheap, sent them up The Chisholm Trail to Abilene where a new rail-head brought beef to the Eastern market. Joseph Cotulla grew rich. He bought more land around 1875 and donated some of it to the railroad. A town was named after him in Texas, Cotulla. Soon this former immigrant became a Texas legend. Joseph Cotulla, The Polish Cowboy.