Elmer Stephen Kelton was an American journalist and writer, known particularly for his Western novels. Kelton was born at a place called Horse Camp on the Five Wells Ranch, owned by the Scharbauer Cattle Company, in Andrews County, Texas — just east of the city of Andrews — to Robert William "Buck" Kelton- and Neta Beatrice "Bea" Kelton. When Kelton was three years old, the family moved to the McElroy Ranch located in the counties of Crane and Upton, Texas, near the city of Crane, south-southwest of Midland. He spent the rest of his childhood at three different homesteads on... the McElroy Ranch, where his father was employed for thirty-six years. After graduation from Crane High School, Kelton attended The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas, in 1942-1944 and again from 1946–1948, when he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. From 1944-1946, Kelton had served in the U.S. Army, with combat infantry experience in Europe during World War II. He and Anni Lipp, a native of Austria, were married and they had three children.
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