The Lady Behind the Bits

It is International Women’s Month, time to acknowledge the contributions women
have made to the betterment of our lives. The Heritage Edition of One Man’s
Collection of Early California Spade Bits tells the story of Richie Morgan, mid-century
working cowboy, bridleman, and bit collector. But that story would be very different
if there had not been a Marge Morgan, right there beside him.

Marge Morgan was one of the original modern-day women: she was a devoted,
equal-partner in a 51 year marriage, a mother to two successful daughters,
a working mother with an enviable reputation as a superb career woman, and a
friend to many. She and Richie established a very happy, confident life for our
family that revolved around the four of us and then the grandchildren, the home,
the ranch, and the livestock. She was a force before the time.

Richie and Marge did the marriage dance quite gracefully. That is a tremendous feat
for a man who never danced to music. His music was the cattle lowing in the fields, the
horses rolling their crickets, and the laughter of his daughters. Marge heard all of that
melody too, but she did like to dance to the other music when she could. As I read
Morgan’s journals, this dance became quite apparent. He would recount how they
fed the cows together, rain or shine, What he didn’t write was that she was out
there pushing the hay off the truck while he sat inside looking for sick calves, ready-
to-drop cows, or counting them all. They did trade these responsibilities at times.
They danced but she always dressed warmly.

When Morgan came home one day on the Hellman Ranch and told his wife that he
had quit the ranch manager job, they danced again. I do believe they talked about
it before he said those words. He was going to shoe horses, day labor, buy and sell
horses and cows, be independent, and wait for the right opportunity. That worked
well, but Marge had an idea to add. They no longer had health insurance, so
she contributed. She strolled (danced) into a job that provided the insurance that
gave the family a security that was needed as Richie became a private contractor.

During the 50s, 60s, 70s, before the awakening of all that a woman can do, Marge
was doing it, and it was important. She and Richie were two strong oak trees for our
family, each one doing their best with their skills and backgrounds, sometimes
surviving the strong storm winds. Marge kept the health insurance (working at
DMV, College of the Siskiyous, and Siskiyou County Fair) while simultaneously she
was there with Rich, figuring budgets, planning futures, and pushing the hay off the
truck. She was the Lady of the Family; he was the Man of the Family, equal
partners.

After Richie was left on crutches, they kept the cattle and the ranchland. Richie had
the knowledge and the mind of a cowman; Marge intuited that and had the legs that
Richie now lacked. She would rise in the morning, fix breakfast, pack a work lunch
for them and whoever was helping, then catch and trailer the horses. Then she got
Morgan on his horse, and they would ride the cattle. Richie would rope a cow or
calf, Marge became adept at doctoring pink eye, pneumonia or other maladies.
Marge and the girls were from an era when women didn’t rope. Yet that was just one skill. There was much more to do beside get the rope on that animal: keep it
corralled while horseback in a field, hold the slack, get the vaccine, and retrieve the
equipment. Those were just as essential as roping; they did the dance. One day during a phone call, Marge lamented how tired she was. The question was posed, “How
many times did you get on and off the horse today?” Opening gates, mending the
fence, flanking a calf. The next phone call the following day was answered with
“18”. No wonder she was tired, but they were dancing.

While all of this insurance procuring (otherwise known as work), ranching, and
family 4-H and other events were going on, Marge developed other interests for herself
or for the benefit of the family. There were bottle calves that had to be fed morning
and night. They bought a new car. There were the leathercraft classes she taught.
Every woman seemed to have a tooled leather purse at the Montague Junior Rodeo.
There was the cooking she did for brandings, potlucks, or entertaining. She was
known for her beans. And she accumulated friends everywhere with her ready,
sincere smile. She guided young and old through courses at the college, showing at
the fair, and working the brandings.

Upon her retirement, when the Medicare showed up, she didn’t “need” that
insurance any more. I hesitate to say she became a full partner in the ranch,
because she always was, both mentally and physically. However, her time spent doing
more of “the chores” taught her to rope a little bit better. That roping was symbolic
of becoming a liberated, functioning ranch woman. Marge thrived in the
environment.

During these years, the bit world became a big part of the Morgan lives. Marge was
right there too, doing the Morgan dance. Bit by bit, literally and figuratively, the
collection moved into the Morgan family and home. They lived with the bits in the
tack room and in the living room. They each rode with the bit best suited for the
horse of the day, respecting all it represented and involved. And they hung them
together in the home to enjoy them off the horse too. She lived her life with Richie,
the girls, and the grandchildren, and yet she was an interesting person in her own
right. She was the Lady Behind the Bits.

The Morgans were a three generation family that was involved in the bit events:
sales, shows, visitors, and usage. Marge helped box up the bits and bridles to show,
packed food and snacks to help with the expenses, and kept the granddaughters
entertained. She always had coats for all of us. As she stayed with the bits
answering questions from the assorted viewers, she would inevitably hear about a bit for sale.
Wow, she would jump on that and let Richie know immediately. They were doing
the dance. The Lady Behind the Bits.

When the Morgans first started going to bit shows, it was customary to display them
freely out on a table. These curiosities could be picked up and examined. Sadly as
time progressed, greater security was needed. The wives sat with the displays, the
ropes/mecates were looped through the bits, and display cases with rods and chains
appeared. Marge happily sat with the bits discussing the history and the artistry of
the collection. Richie mingled through the other exhibitors and visitors “discussing the history and the artistry” of the collections. They were doing their dance. The
Collector and the Lady Behind the Bits.

All through their lives, the Morgans were true partners working, together and apart,
for a common goal. Respect and admiration for each other’s achievements. I
remember when Richie was in the hospital, during his last days, he would talk with Marge
and say, “You can do it.” With this dance they did, they were successful as judged
by a satisfied sense of accomplishment. Both of them were able to attain their full
potential and make the world a better place for all those around them.-With a
smile, with shared knowledge, with a helping hand, with an entertaining story.

In today’s world, Marge may not seem as equal in function as some of the women
choosing ranching as a career. She chose ranching as a lifestyle. She did it all.
Sometimes we didn’t realize it because she resisted the spotlight. She was the Lady Behind the Bits, The Lady of the Ranch dancing with the loves of her life.