Fresh Fiction Blog | Margaret Dale | The History of the Texas Rangers

I have written four books in the Men of the Texas Rangers Series for Abingdon. The last one, SEVERED TRUST, will be out in October of this year. I also have written one book for Love Inspired Suspense about the Texas Rangers. What a group!

Just to be clear, I'm not talking about the baseball team in Dallas called the Texas Rangers. I'm talking about the oldest state organization of law enforcement officers. Sam Austin formed the first version of the Texas Rangers in 1823. The word "rangers" was coined because these men ranged over the land they protected and guarded.

Through the early years the Texas Rangers, one of the main duties of the group was to protect the people against Indians. Then after the Civil War in 1874 the organization was divided into six companies with 75 men and usually a captain. Their duties were partly a soldier and partly a police officer. By the 1900s the organization totally focused on enforcing the law. A Texas Ranger was called in when the case was too risky for the local agency.

Today there are 150 Texas Rangers who served the state in many investigative capacities. They are part of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Texas Rangers' headquarters is in Austin. There are six companies: Company "A" headquartered in Houston, Company "B" in Garland, Company "C" in Lubbock, Company "D" in McAllen, Company "E" in El Paso, and Company "F" in San Antonio. The companies were adjusted recently.

The Texas Rangers handle the usual kind of cases like murder, assault, robbery and kidnapping, but they are also tasked with investigating threats against the governor and other state and federal officials. I used some of these crimes for the stories in my series: The Men of the Texas Rangers (SAVING HOPE, SHATTERED SILENCE and SCORNED JUSTICE).

My newest release in her Men of Texas Rangers series is SEVERED TRUST, #4. It is available at bookstores or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Christian Book Distributors and wherever books are sold.

Comment to win SEVERED TRUST and beautiful western gift item.

Saving Hope Men of the Texas Rangers #1.0 March 2012	Shattered Silence Men of the Texas Rangers #2.0 October 2012
Scorned Justice Men of the Texas Rangers #3.0 April 2013	Severed Trust Men of the Texas Rangers #4.0 October 2013

Comments

How cool! I am thrilled to discover your books! I look forward to getting to know your work and reading all your installments!
Thank you for giving me the chance to be a part of this great experience!
krissy
krissysbookshelf(at)yahoo(dot)com
(Krissy Malott 6:53am September 21, 2013)

How interesting! I never knew about this before your post!
(May Pau 8:57am September 21, 2013)

They're a fine group of men, and I'm sure the book is going to be a great read!! I can't wait to get my hands on it!! I love the way you did subtle changes in the covers, too!! I'm sure the Rangers feel proud that someone is bringing their job to light, since what they do is important, too!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:28am September 21, 2013)

This sounds like a very good book and one I love to read. Thanks so much!
(Bonnie Capuano 9:32am September 21, 2013)

This sounds great, looking forward to reading your Texas Rangers series
(Elizabeth Hurlburt 9:55am September 21, 2013)

Thanks. These books were a challenge but fun to write.
(Margaret Daley 10:10am September 21, 2013)

Thanks for the information. I didn't really know much about the Texas Rangers before reading this. I always love interesting bits of history.
(Pam Howell 11:13am September 21, 2013)

What a great topic for a series. I live in Texas and I think it would be great to read about the Rangers.
(G S Moch 11:21am September 21, 2013)

I do not know how I managed to miss your Men of the Texas Rangers series but I am going to have to see if I can find them. I am a a real fan of books where the Texas Rangers are the heroes.
(Ellen McDaniel 11:30am September 21, 2013)

I am definitely wanting to read this book.
(Wilani Wahl 11:42am September 21, 2013)

I am reading one of your books now. Thanks for the giveaway!!
(Donna Feyen 11:45am September 21, 2013)

Love western stories and these Texas Rangers look to be a very interesting read!
(Barbara Wells 12:02pm September 21, 2013)

I would love to read your book and glean
some history as I go!Always enjoy your
books!
(Becky Lewis 12:21pm September 21, 2013)

I really enjoy your books and I would love a copy of this one.

Ann Ellison
(Ann Ellison 12:31pm September 21, 2013)

Your books sound great! I hope i win a copy of the book.
(Sarah Bauman 12:54pm September 21, 2013)

I love this series! Can't wait to get my hands on Severed Trust.
(Amy Campbell 1:05pm September 21, 2013)

Oh this series sounds like my kinda reads! Making note... thanks for the chance to win!
(Colleen Conklin 1:21pm September 21, 2013)

I love your writing: characters, settings and stories alike!
Hope this series is a HUGE success!
Please enter me to win, too! Thanks!
marionlaird at gmail dot com
(Marion Laird 1:54pm September 21, 2013)

I love this series and have been waiting to read the last one
- love love love your work and would love to win! Either way I
know this is on my buy list when it comes out - love those
Texan marshalls!! =) thanks for the chance.
truckredford(at)Gmail(dot)com
(Elizabeth Pergande 2:00pm September 21, 2013)

I've always loved stories about Texas Rangers!
(Diane Sallans 2:19pm September 21, 2013)

Margaret Daley is one of my favorite authors and I have really enjoyed the Texas Rangers series.
(Evelyn Stackhouse 2:23pm September 21, 2013)

Never read your books before but i'd love to. Texas Ranger? Thats cool. I said that because i've read Diana Palmer books
(Rina Darmayanti 2:28pm September 21, 2013)

I know I'd love reading this series about Texas Rangers. I haven't read any of them yet. Severed Trust sounds quite good, and I'm loving your book covers.
(Linda Luinstra 4:02pm September 21, 2013)

Gotta love a story with a cowboy or a Texas Ranger
(Debbie Rudder 4:53pm September 21, 2013)

I can't wait to read this book. I have just discovered your books and really enjoy them.
(Lori Duhoski 6:09pm September 21, 2013)

I love reading about The Men of the Texas Rangers and would love to win Severed Trust. I have read so many of Margarets books and enjoy reading any thing she writes.
(Cynde McClain 6:12pm September 21, 2013)

I hope you all will get a chance to read Severed Trust.
(Margaret Daley 6:52pm September 21, 2013)

What a very interesting subject. I need to start at the beginning and read your first book and continue on to the next one. The Men of the Texas Rangers is on my new must read list.
(Judi Estrin 6:55pm September 21, 2013)

This is a subject near and dear to my heart. Prescription drugs either prescribed or not, are hard to kick, and I commend the Texas Rangers for helping with this horrific problem. And, I am so curious what the western item giveaway is! Yes, enter me!
(Susan Coster 7:03pm September 21, 2013)

Excellent series. I found Saving hope extremely powerful and
really related in many ways to the ethical dilemma in Scorned
Justice. I look forward to reading Severed Trust.
(Mike Kammer 7:21pm September 21, 2013)

I can't wait to read the stories in this Texas Rangers series! Thank you so much for the opportunity to win a copy of SEVERED TRUST! Keeping my fingers crossed!
(Britney Adams 7:43pm September 21, 2013)

Wow, Congrats on your new book: SEVERED TRUST. Yes, I like
the Texas Rangers book cover too! Yes, I also live in
Austin, TX for lots of years now and Yes we do love our
Texas Rangers and the roles they play in cutting down crime
in the big state of Texas. This sounds like a very
fascinating book and I would love to win and read your book
this Fall. Thank You very much. Cecilia CECE
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 7:58pm September 21, 2013)

Can't wait to read Severed Trust and the other books in the series.
(Jennifer Richardson 9:06pm September 21, 2013)

Thank you for your blog post about The Men of the Texas Rangers, their history through present day. I'm looking forward to reading your books as this is one of the types I like, sounds great. Thank you for this chance to win, here's hoping. Wishing You All The Best.
(Esther Somorai 9:25pm September 21, 2013)

The book sounds very interesting. I would love to read Severed Trust.
(Kathy Morrison 9:29pm September 21, 2013)

I would love to win a copy of Severed Trust. I have read and
loved the other three books in The Men of the Texas Rangers
series. Thank you for the giveaway.
(Cindy Woolard 9:39pm September 21, 2013)

The way I've always understood it (being a strict Easterner who never set foot in Texas), the Rangers are the elite. The best of the best. A central character in many classic Westerns, lovely to see them updated. Congrats on the new book!
(Marcia Berbeza 10:18pm September 21, 2013)

Severed Trust sounds emotional, beautiful and very memorable.
Thanks for this great feature.
(Sharon Berger 10:47pm September 21, 2013)

This Texas Ranger series has me really interested. I have lived in Texas my whole life so my roots run deep! Thank you for the chance to win Severed Trust.
(Melanie Backus 11:27pm September 21, 2013)

The Texas Rangers are something that my 95 year old
dad and I have discussed many times! Many thanks for
your wonderful giveaway!
Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
(Cindi Hoppes 11:59pm September 21, 2013)

It's always interesting to learn about different unique
aspects of our country's heritage. Background information can
be really cool.
(Laura Gullickson 12:03pm September 22, 2013)

A beautiful Christian lady God put into my life. I love her work. I love the anointing on the books she writes. God bless and count me in.
(Jane Squires 12:21pm September 22, 2013)

The Texas Ranger to me are a legend. It might have to do with the Lone Ranger when I was little. I would love to read this series.
(Kai Wong 1:28am September 22, 2013)

Texas Rangers and their history! Sounds fascinating! I agree they excellent heroes! I'd love to read your 4 book series.
(Laurie Gommermann 7:22am September 22, 2013)

I love this series! I started reading it after I met Margaret
at RomCon. :-D
(Karin Anderson 7:56am September 22, 2013)

(Boy, oh boy, the dichotomy between "people" and "Indians" is
painful.)
(Mary Ann Dimand 8:12am September 22, 2013)

Amazing - I am new to your writing as well - thank you so much for sharing this with us!
(Felicia Ciaudelli 8:18am September 22, 2013)

A good book with some history tossed in is always of interest to me---and Texas has such a rich history to draw from.
(Sue Farrell 10:15am September 22, 2013)

This series sounds really interesting. Texas Rangers have such a fascinating history.
(Jean Patton 11:29am September 22, 2013)

This sounds like a fabulous series and I am looking forward to adding you among the authors to look for and read! Love the cover art.

Thank you.
(Vennie Martinisi 11:38am September 22, 2013)

You have to love a book involving Texas Rangers - at least I do!
(Lori Ringel 11:43am September 22, 2013)

This sounds like my type of book. After reading the description, I decided I want to read all the books in the series.
(Anna Speed 1:48pm September 22, 2013)

Look forward to reading the new book!
(LeeAnne Hardin 2:42pm September 22, 2013)

Book sounds great. What could be any better than the Texas Rangers. I would love to win. Thanks.
(Linda Hall 2:59pm September 22, 2013)

This is new to me and the information from this post has opened my eyes to something new to read.
(Leni Kaye 3:06pm September 22, 2013)

Sounds like a great read. Hope I win it.
(Carol Woodruff 6:25pm September 22, 2013)

Your post was so interesting! I never knew how the Rangers got started.
Congratulations on Severed Trust, and thanks for the chance to win!!!
(Linda Brennan 7:44pm September 22, 2013)

What a great way to learn about history by reading a good book.
(Linda Harrison 8:01pm September 22, 2013)

I really had no idea that the Texas Rangers are still in existence or the various companies.
(Karen Blossom 8:53pm September 22, 2013)

I always enjoy learning more about the Texas Rangers. Love
your books Margaret.
(Mary Preston 5:53am September 23, 2013)

I worked a number of years at the University of Texas General
Libraries, where I learned a lot about the Rangers--there are
enough truthful stories to keep you writing about them for
years without ever needing to think up a single fictional
event. Heroes and rascals both populated their ranks.
(Janet Martin 6:33pm September 23, 2013)

The Rangers sound so interesting and tell such a great story of the state.
(Clare O'Beara 10:22am September 27, 2013)

I just noticed I was a winner FANTASTIC!!!!!!
(Lisa Talak 12:02pm October 12, 2013)

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