Foxtail Rangers

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

The mysterious message found carved into the bark of an oak tree read: “Peter Lebeck [sic] Killed by a X Bear Oct 17 1837.” The discovery of Lebec's famous epitaph by the Foxtail Rangers was not the first, but was definitive proof that Lebec once lived and was struck down by a grizzly and buried below the tree that bears (pun intended) the inscription.

The Foxtail Rangers were outdoor enthusiasts. This group of Bakersfield men, women, and children embarked on an excursion in 1889 to Fort Tejon that would become a part of history. While the Rangers were gathered around a shady oak for a picnic, Ella Houghton, a school teacher, noticed a split in the bark where she could see a distinct letter cut into the tree. They pulled back three big pieces of bark and uncovered the carving; the bark had a mirror image of the letters.

With the permission of Truxtun Beale, whose father was General E. F. Beale and owner of Tejon Ranch at the time, the group carefully exhumed the remains of Lebec in 1890. Four feet below the ground, they found the skeleton of a man, about six feet tall and missing his hands and feet (presumably removed by the grizzly in the attack). Conferring with the local Native Americans, they concluded that the skeleton fit the description of the storied trapper and that the “X” in the carving refers to the x-shape of light hair found on the back of grizzly bears. After 53 years and a proper reburial, Lebec went from mythical character to a very real legend.

After the Foxtail Rangers' fascinating discovery, the speculation began as to who Lebec was before that fateful day in 1837. Books were written and stories of one Pierre Lebeque, friend of Napoleon and romantic conqueror became part of the mystery. After generations of trying to trace the identity of Lebec, for whom the small town is named, almost nothing is known. The most likely theory is that he was indeed a fur trapper, but not with a French Canadian company as was also suspected. It would appear that he was more likely a part of Jean-Baptiste Chalifoux's gang of trappers and horse thieves from New Mexico who were known to be in the area in 1837.

But local lore prevails. To this day, a Peter Lebec Rendezvous is held each year to honor the mysterious frontier trapper. One thing is for sure: Lebec's unfortunate encounter with a grizzly made him Kern County's most famous mountain man.

Article appeared in our 28-2 Issue - June 2011