Mystic Sails, Texas Trails

This four-generation saga, written with Mickey Herskowitz, begins with Richard Grimes, who made the first of his fortunes carrying passengers from Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, to the West Indies. In 1821, the Captain began to sail and trade in the waters of Mexican Texas. By 1836, he was sailing 2,400 miles to bring settlers, troops, gunpowder, whiskey and provisions to aid Texas in its struggle to free itself from Mexico. After the war, the Captain pursued maritime trading along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. When his son William Bradford Grimes joined him, he made he gradual transition from life at sea to land and cattle baron. After the Civil War, Bradford established the legendary WBG ranch and led the first trail drives from Texas to Kansas along the Chisholm Trail. Bradford eventually passed on the WBG Ranch to his children to move to Kansas City, where he became hugely successful in banking and the mercantile business.