On Wed, 5 Sep 2012 13:09:12 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

That's a very narrow definition... and he didn't use the term "cowboy" as you did in your search.

It seems the much more widely known and used version(outside of Florida) is the one I suggested. Perhaps this may enlighten you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cracker_(pejorative)

The cowboy theory get but one small mention in the many possibilities.

===

Florida cracker: a Florida native descended from early pioneer
settlers.

The early pioneer settlers were mostly cattle ranchers (cowboys in
some circles), although cowboy may also be a pejorative of sorts.
The story goes, at least here in south Florida, that the name came
from the cracking noise made by their bull whips. Bull whips, of
course, are used to herd cattle.

These days it is generally used to refer to someone who lives out in
the country in an old fashioned kind of way.