Not many have experienced so much of Texas history, first hand, like John James Dix. At the age of seven he had gone to Texas with his family, arriving in Stephen F. Austin's colony, and listened to the stories of his father who fought in the early battles of the Texas Revolution under heroes of the Republic-Austin and Travis. He drove steers, worked under General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican-American War, and after he married, he was a neighbor to Richard King on the Santa Gertrudis Ranch. He became a Texas Ranger and rode with John Salmon Old Rip Ford. These were only a few of Dix's many adventures, and in this detailed biography, Dan R. Manning brings to light the great history of a man who was part of that legendary foundation that became the Lone Star State.