When Rollin was about 7 years old, he went to a store in the Cloverdale Valley, with his uncle and cousin. This store was about 100 yards from the Mexico border. When they got there, Poncho Villa and his army were having a battle with another rebel army called the Cransista's. There were about 700 to 800 soldiers fighting.
Rollin and his cousin were told to stay down in the wagon while his uncle went in the store. Instead the boys got out and climbed up on the hitching rack to watch the battle, with bullets flying everywhere. Every time a Rebel Soldier was shot off of his horse, they would wave thier hats and yell, regardless of which side the soldier was on
In all of the excitement, they were whooping and yelling when Rollins uncle came out and caught them. Needless to say, they got their bottoms tanned, were put back in the wagon and taken home.
When Rollin was about 8 years old, they would go out and hide in the corn fields when they heard Poncho Villa and his army were going to pull a raid for food and horses.
One time when the men were out on a round up, word was sent saying Poncho Villa was going to raid. Families from around went to Rollins house. They were all sitting and standing around in the kitchen talking, when someone said, "Listen, I hear something." Everyone quit talking and Rollins brother, Clarence, leaned back in his chair to look out of the window. Not seeing anything, he sat his chair down and Rollin started screaming. Someone yelled "PONCHO VILLA", and the house cleared. Everyone ran to the cornfields, except Rollin, Clarence, and their mother.
Clarence was just sitting and looking at Rollin while he screamed. In a few minutes. they calmed Rollin down and he sobbed, "Clarence is on my toe".
About this time Rollin's father gave him a horse. He told Rollin he didn't want to ever see him running his horse. One day Rollin was riding across the desert thinking no one watching, so he slapped the reins to his horse and took off in a dead run. His Dad was behind a ways watching him. That evening Rollin had his horse taken away.
When Rolling bought his first pistol, he practiced all of the time so he was a good shot even at 10 years old.
One day Rollin and 4 or 6 other cowpunchers where riding along the border, with (a wire fence seperating two wagon roads) when they passed Poncho Villa and his army. They didn't speak, just rode by.
Once Rollin was riding along with his rope wound around his saddle horn. Somehow the other end got looped around his boot. His horse threw him and dragged him a good 150 yards, before he couLd work his boot off. At the age of 16, Rollin went to Del Rio, Texes and started singing at the radio station there. He sang with Jimmy Rogers,"The Blue Yodler", and Roy Rogers among others. They didtn't recieve a salary. The only money they got was when people would send for an autographed picture of them for $1.00. Rollin said he lasted one or two months. He didnt get enough dollars and almost starved to death.
Afterwards he went to work for the government as a ditch rider and his cattle punching days were over.