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'''Milton Faver''' (c. 1822 &ndash 1889) was a rancher in the [[Big Bend National Park|Big Bend country]] of [[Texas]] who is considered the first [[cattle]] baron west of the [[Pecos River]], much as Judge Roy Bean (c. 1825-1903) was recognized as "The Law West of the Pecos."

'''Milton Faver''' (c. 1822 – 1889) was a rancher in the [[Big Bend National Park|Big Bend country]] of [[Texas]] who is considered the first [[cattle]] baron west of the [[Pecos River]], much as Judge Roy Bean (c. 1825-1903) was recognized as "The Law West of the Pecos."

Born in [[Virginia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffa16|title=Faver, Milton|publisher=tshaonline.org|accessdate=February 4, 2018}}</ref> Faver has been described as a Frenchman, an Englishman, an eccentric, and even a fugitive from the law. By one account he was headed to the [[California]] Gold Rush of 1849 but detoured to the Big Bend of the [[Rio Grande]] River. He was believed to have spoken four languages: English, Spanish, French, and German. He lived like an aristocrat and wore tailored clothing from Chihuahua, [[Mexico]]. He married a Mexican woman, the former Francisca Ramirez, and worked as a freighter on the Chihuahua Trail by which he hauled goods to [[San Antonio]], Texas, and [[Santa Fe]], [[New Mexico|New Mexico Territory]].<ref name=saen>John MacCormack, "Faver First Cattle King West of the Pecos: Mysterious rancher lived like nobility in arid W. Texas", ''San Antonio Express-News'', February 4, 2018, p. A8.</ref>  

Born in [[Virginia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffa16|title=Faver, Milton|publisher=tshaonline.org|accessdate=February 4, 2018}}</ref> Faver has been described as a Frenchman, an Englishman, an eccentric, and even a fugitive from the law. By one account he was headed to the [[California]] Gold Rush of 1849 but detoured to the Big Bend of the [[Rio Grande]] River. He was believed to have spoken four languages: English, Spanish, French, and German. He lived like an aristocrat and wore tailored clothing from Chihuahua, [[Mexico]]. He married a Mexican woman, the former Francisca Ramirez, and worked as a freighter on the Chihuahua Trail by which he hauled goods to [[San Antonio]], Texas, and [[Santa Fe]], [[New Mexico|New Mexico Territory]].<ref name=saen>John MacCormack, "Faver First Cattle King West of the Pecos: Mysterious rancher lived like nobility in arid W. Texas", ''San Antonio Express-News'', February 4, 2018, p. A8.</ref>  

Faver had no real rival in the cattle business in the Big Bend, but Apache raiders were a menace until 1880, with the toppling of Chief Victorio. A 1931 article in the ''Alpine Avalanche'' in Alpine in Presidio County refers to Faver as "almost a nation unto himself. He had a fort and had it manned by soldiers that he either hired or drafted. His business at the time was freighting by ox teams from San Antonio to Chihuahua."<ref name=saen/>

Faver had no real rival in the cattle business in the Big Bend, but Apache raiders were a menace until 1880, with the toppling of Chief Victorio. A 1931 article in the ''Alpine Avalanche'' in Alpine in Presidio County refers to Faver as "almost a nation unto himself. He had a fort and had it manned by soldiers that he either hired or drafted. His business at the time was freighting by ox teams from San Antonio to Chihuahua."<ref name=saen/>

Faver sported in his later years a long flowing white beard. He refused to ride a [[railroad]] newly-constructed to link El Paso with San Antonio. He continued instead to travel by horseback. With the passing of the open range into fenced farms and ranches, Faver's power declined, and he was forced to close his business in part because of rampant rustling of his cattle.<ref name=saen/> After his death, he was interred in an adobe tomb on Chinati Peak above Big Springs Cibolo as he had requested in a site since overgrown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=82903874|title=Milton Faver|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=February 4. 2018}}</ref> His son, Juan "John" Faver (1850-1913) is interred at Concordia Cemetery in Shafter in Presidio County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Faver&GSfn=Juan&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=19836771&df=all&|title=Juan "John" Faver|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=February 4, 2018}}</ref>

Faver sported in his later years a long flowing white beard. He refused to ride a [[railroad]] newly-constructed to link El Paso with San Antonio. He continued instead to travel by horseback. With the passing of the open range into fenced farms and ranches, Faver's power declined, and he was forced to close his business in part because of rampant rustling of his cattle.<ref name=saen/> After his death, he was interred in an [[adobe]] tomb on Chinati Peak above Big Springs Cibolo as he had requested in a site since overgrown.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=82903874|title=Milton Faver|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=February 4. 2018}}</ref> His son, Juan "John" Faver (1850-1913) is interred at Concordia Cemetery in Shafter in Presidio County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Faver&GSfn=Juan&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=19836771&df=all&|title=Juan "John" Faver|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=February 4, 2018}}</ref>

==References==

==References==