Changes

Despite his dominant role in Panhandle history, Goodnight in his later years fell upon declining health and tough financial reverses.  He dabbled in a failed venture to produce a western film and proved unable to make needed investments.  Acrimony and tension caused him to leave the [[JA Ranch]] partnership with John Adair’s widow, [[Cornelia Adair]].  Though she had professed sympathy for his plight, Mrs. Adair also attributed Goodnight’s status to a lack of business savvy.  Shut out in his last years from his beloved Palo Duro Canyon, Goodnight reflected in his old age: “Taken all in all, my life on the trail was the happiest part of it."<ref> Hagan, p. 137.</ref>

Despite his dominant role in Panhandle history, Goodnight in his later years fell upon declining health and tough financial reverses.  He dabbled in a failed venture to produce a western film and proved unable to make needed investments.  Acrimony and tension caused him to leave the [[JA Ranch]] partnership with John Adair’s widow, [[Cornelia Adair]].  Though she had professed sympathy for his plight, Mrs. Adair also attributed Goodnight’s status to a lack of business savvy.  Shut out in his last years from his beloved Palo Duro Canyon, Goodnight reflected in his old age: “Taken all in all, my life on the trail was the happiest part of it."<ref> Hagan, p. 137.</ref>

He also developed an acquaintanceship with [[Willis Twitchell]],  who lived in Amarillo from 1890 to 1918, and surveyed 165 of the 254 Texas counties<ref>Oral History Collection (archive.org.</ref> He met too with [[Charles "Buffalo" Jones, a rancher who founded the city of Garden City, [[Kansas]], and also engaged in the breeding of cattalo.

He also developed an acquaintanceship with [[Willis Twichell]],  who lived in Amarillo from 1890 to 1918, and surveyed 165 of the 254 Texas counties<ref>Oral History Collection (archive.org.</ref> He met too with [[Charles "Buffalo" Jones, a rancher who founded the city of Garden City, [[Kansas]], and also engaged in the breeding of cattalo.

After Goodnight had already left the JA Ranch, [[Tom Blasingame]]  arrived at the ranch in 1918. Blasingame worked there most of the next 73 years, having, at the time of his death in 1989, become the oldest cowboy in the history of the American West.

After Goodnight had already left the JA Ranch, [[Tom Blasingame]]  arrived at the ranch in 1918. Blasingame worked there most of the next 73 years, having, at the time of his death in 1989, become the oldest cowboy in the history of the American West.