In the 1880s Federico Villalba left old San Gerónimo (Aldama, Chihuahua) and began ranching near the village of San Carlos, about fifteen miles south of the Lajitas ford of the Rio Grande. Villalba prospered and eventually crossed the international boundary to settle and ranch in Burro Mesa.

Over the bight of Santa Elena Canyon greeting the dawn of each day, Villalba built his herd of cattle and angora goats; eventually a store and talabartería, or leather goods shop, was opened at Cerro Villalba (later Study Butte).

"Fred" Villalba's life was filled with excitement, challenges, victories, and tragedies affecting pioneering families of West Texas. The indelible trails left by this noble cattle baron and industrious entrepreneur in an unforgiving region are legendary.

Juan Manuel Casas narrates the history of his great-grandfather Federico Villalba and his family. This is a significant addition to the ­historical record of the Big Bend and West Texas literature ... from a Mexican national's point of view during its early years of settlement and statehood.