Who is Elder Tetley from The Ox-Bow Incident and what is their importance?

The Elder Tetley is a rancher and ex-Confederate officer who never really gets over the failure of the South to win the Civil War. Tetley is a very manly person, a man who likes to ride the range and watch over his herd. Therefore, Tetley is deeply ashamed of his son for being effeminate, unable, or unwilling, to participate in manly activities. For this reason, there is a great deal of animosity between father and son.