Hole-in-the-Wall Ranch - Area History

The British Cattle Barons' Rise and Fall in Wyoming's Powder River Basin -
A Prelude to the Johnson County War of 1892 - Priscilla Wold Longfield, 2004

The Homestead Act had passed in 1862 allowing homesteaders, who moved out west, 160 acres to claim and fence as their own.

Dry grasses were growing well in this area and it was thought that cattle could survive nicely on these grasses alone all year. Huge tracts of government land existed where herds of cattle could forage freely on unfenced public land.

All this available land and what were thought to be optimum cattle ranging conditions began to look pretty attractive. Word was spreading across the Atlantic that there were opportunities in the cattle business in Wyoming to make a fortune.

Englishmen began converging in this area with the goal of buying and grazing large herds of cattle on all this free wide open government land.

In 1879, an Englishman named Moreton Frewan bought the first big herd of cattle in the Powder River area.

That same year, Horace Plunkett, a titled Irishman, established the EK Ranch on the North Fork of the Powder River. Nate Champion would later work at the EK as a hired hand.

W.C. Alston, a Scotsman, and T.W. Peters, an Englishman, formed a partnership and filed on the Bar C Ranch.

Moreton Frewan was a particularly interesting character. He had come to Wyoming at 25 years of age from England looking for adventure and moneymaking opportunities. Immediately after arriving in this area in 1879 he began buying up herds of cattle - two, three, and four herds at a time.

He built a headquarters a few miles east of Kaycee - not grand by English aristocracy standards, but referred to by the cowboys in this remote part of Wyoming as Frewan Castle. He built his two-story house on the north bank of the Middle Fork of the Powder River.

Frewan was a man of enormous energy. He was an enthusiastic salesman and promoted his cattle business to some of the wealthiest businessmen both in Great Britain and the eastern U.S. Frewan was married to Clara Jerome, one of the N.Y. socialite Jerome sisters. Clara's sisters Jennie Jerome would be come the mother of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

Frewan, along with other British cattlemen, began promoting the Wyoming cattle business to their wealthy friends, touting the Powder River area and its remarkable climate and rich grazing land - land they said could support herds numbering in the tens of thousands.

Their idea was to ship cattle from the Wyoming range via railroad and boat to England where beef was expensive and in short supply.

Wealthy British businessmen began to invest. Frewan marketed his ranch to his English investor friends as being close to Yellowstone National Park. He encouraged his investor friends to "come see the park while you visit the ranch".

So, for a short time, about ten years (from the late 1870s well into the 1880s), the red wall country was a gathering place for members of English society who were entertained here at parties, balls, and big game hunts.

By 1883, the cattle business in this area was thriving. That year in the Powder River area:

The greatest roundup ever held in Wyoming occurred at the mouth of the Crazy Woman Creek.
At that roundup, 1400 horses were used, employing 400 cowboys.
300 roundup wagons stretched for two miles along the river.
Beef tallies were impressive:
- Moreton Frewen claimed 80,000 head
- Horace Plunkett, EK Ranch, claimed 30,000 head
- Flying E - 15,000 head
- Including other outfits branding that May of 1883, 181,000 head of cattle were ranging in what is now Johnson County.

By the winter of 1887, the Powder River cattle industry was seeing some significant changes:

The area had become overcrowded with cattle. It was overgrazed.
English investors at home in England were pushing for larger dividends. They wanted bigger reimbursements for their investments.
Homesteaders and the small operators were arriving, claiming their land and fencing it off, reducing the open grazing property available to the large herds.
Cattle stealing was rampant as rustlers stole from larger operators.
The winter of 1886-87 was the most severe one the Wyoming range cattle industry had ever experienced. In some cases, ranchers lost 80% of their herd during the winter.

By 1890, the big British-financed outfits were generally gone from the area. The era of the British Cattle baron operating in the Powder River on a grand scale was over.

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	The British Cattle Barons' Rise and Fall in Wyoming's Powder River Basin - A Prelude to the Johnson County War of 1892 - Priscilla Wold Longfield, 2004 In the 1860's, the Powder River area was generally wide open and unsettled. The Homestead Act had passed in 1862 allowing homesteaders, who moved out west, 160 acres to claim and fence as their own. Dry grasses were growing well in this area and it was thought that cattle could survive nicely on these grasses alone all year. Huge tracts of government land existed where herds of cattle could forage freely on unfenced public land. By 1876 record rain was falling and would continue for the next decade. All this available land and what were thought to be optimum cattle ranging conditions began to look pretty attractive. Word was spreading across the Atlantic that there were opportunities in the cattle business in Wyoming to make a fortune. Englishmen began converging in this area with the goal of buying and grazing large herds of cattle on all this free wide open government land. In 1879, an Englishman named Moreton Frewan bought the first big herd of cattle in the Powder River area. That same year, Horace Plunkett, a titled Irishman, established the EK Ranch on the North Fork of the Powder River. Nate Champion would later work at the EK as a hired hand. The town of Buffalo began to spring up along Clear Creek. W.C. Alston, a Scotsman, and T.W. Peters, an Englishman, formed a partnership and filed on the Bar C Ranch. Moreton Frewan was a particularly interesting character. He had come to Wyoming at 25 years of age from England looking for adventure and moneymaking opportunities. Immediately after arriving in this area in 1879 he began buying up herds of cattle - two, three, and four herds at a time. He built a headquarters a few miles east of Kaycee - not grand by English aristocracy standards, but referred to by the cowboys in this remote part of Wyoming as Frewan Castle. He built his two-story house on the north bank of the Middle Fork of the Powder River. Frewan was a man of enormous energy. He was an enthusiastic salesman and promoted his cattle business to some of the wealthiest businessmen both in Great Britain and the eastern U.S. Frewan was married to Clara Jerome, one of the N.Y. socialite Jerome sisters. Clara's sisters Jennie Jerome would be come the mother of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Frewan, along with other British cattlemen, began promoting the Wyoming cattle business to their wealthy friends, touting the Powder River area and its remarkable climate and rich grazing land - land they said could support herds numbering in the tens of thousands. Their idea was to ship cattle from the Wyoming range via railroad and boat to England where beef was expensive and in short supply. Wealthy British businessmen began to invest. Frewan marketed his ranch to his English investor friends as being close to Yellowstone National Park. He encouraged his investor friends to "come see the park while you visit the ranch". So, for a short time, about ten years (from the late 1870s well into the 1880s), the red wall country was a gathering place for members of English society who were entertained here at parties, balls, and big game hunts. By 1883, the cattle business in this area was thriving. That year in the Powder River area: The greatest roundup ever held in Wyoming occurred at the mouth of the Crazy Woman Creek. At that roundup, 1400 horses were used, employing 400 cowboys. 300 roundup wagons stretched for two miles along the river. Beef tallies were impressive: Moreton Frewen claimed 80,000 head Horace Plunkett, EK Ranch, claimed 30,000 head Flying E - 15,000 head Including other outfits branding that May of 1883, 181,000 head of cattle were ranging in what is now Johnson County. By the winter of 1887, the Powder River cattle industry was seeing some significant changes: The area had become overcrowded with cattle. It was overgrazed. English investors at home in England were pushing for larger dividends. They wanted bigger reimbursements for their investments. Homesteaders and the small operators were arriving, claiming their land and fencing it off, reducing the open grazing property available to the large herds. Cattle stealing was rampant as rustlers stole from larger operators. The winter of 1886-87 was the most severe one the Wyoming range cattle industry had ever experienced. In some cases, ranchers lost 80% of their herd during the winter. By 1890, the big British-financed outfits were generally gone from the area. The era of the British Cattle baron operating in the Powder River on a grand scale was over.
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