As an adult, Margaret married three times. Her first husband was killed in a duel, her second died of cholera, and her third was a victim of yellow fever. When he passed away, her third husband, Alexander Borland, was considered the wealthiest rancher in Victoria, Texas. After his death, Margaret ran the ranch. Under her leadership, her cattle holdings increased to 10,000, and she had become a licensed butcher.
Her oldest son wrote of her: “ …a woman of resolute will and self-reliance, yet she was not one of the kindest mothers. She had, unaided, acquired a good education, her manners were lady-like, and when fortune smiled upon her at last in a pecuniary sense, she was as perfectly at home in the drawing room of the cultured as if refinement had engrafted its polishing touches upon her mind in maiden-hood.”
Ranch life was tough in Texas after the Civil War. In 1872, when Margaret heard that Kansas was paying $23.80 per head of cattle while Texas only offered $8.00 per head, she decided that the smart move was to drive her cattle North for sale. She was the only person available to do it. She took with her three children and one grandchild, all under the age of 15.
When her group reached Wichita two months after beginning the drive, the Wichita Beacon featured an article on June 4, 1873, saying, “Mrs. T.M. Borland of Texas, with three children, is stopping at the Planter house. She is the happy possessor of about one thousand head of cattle and accompanied the herd all the way from its starting point to this place, giving evidence of a pluck and business tact far superior to many of the “lords.”
The drive took its toll, however, when Margaret Borland came down with “trail fever” and died in Wichita on July 5, 1873. Her body was returned to Texas for burial.
By the time of her passing, at just 49 years old, Margaret Borland had proved that she was the right woman for the job.

Sources:
“Cattle Folk.” Bullock Museum, https://www.the storyoftexas.com/discover/campfire-stories/cattle-folk.“Margaret Borland.” History of American Women. http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2015/07/margaret- borland.html/. 

The following are excerpts from; “The Quirt and the Spur” by Edgar Rye
Far out beyond the confines of civilization, far out where daring men took possession of the hunting ground of the Indians and killed herds of buffalo to make a small profit in pelts, leaving the carcass to putrefy and the bones to bleach on the prairies.
Far out where cattlemen disputed over the possession of mavericks, and the branding iron was the only evidence of ownership.
Far out where a cool head backed the deadly six-shooter and the man behind the gun, with a steady aim and a quick trigger, won out in the game where life was staked upon the issue.
Far out, where the distant landscape melted into the blue horizon, and a beautiful mirage was painted on the skyline.
Far out where the weary, thirsty traveler camped overnight near a deep water hole, while nearby in the green valley, a herd of wild horses grazed unrestrained by man’s authority.
Far out where the coyote wolves yelped in unison as they chased a jackrabbit in a circle of death, then fought over his remains in a bloody feast.
Far out where the gray Lobo wolf and the mountain lion stalked their prey, killed and gorged their fill until the light in the east warned them to seek cover in their mountain lairs.
Far out where bands of red warriors raided the lonely ranch house, killing, burning, and pillaging, leaving a trail of blood and ashes behind them as a sad warning to the white man to beware of the Indian's revenge.
Far out into this wonderful country of great possibilities, where the sun looked down upon a scene of rare beauty."