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(Story written and published in the Sheridan County Heritage Book published in 1983 with permission from the Sheridan County Extension Homemakers Council.)
Phillip and Margaret Kane combined a homestead on Big Goose Creek and hard work with Irish values to produce a family run ranch that is this year (1983) marking 100 years of existence. The process could be considered a classic chapter to the tale of settling the American West.
Philip, a pioneer ranchman of Sheridan County, was born in Wisconsin, the son of James and Anna Kane who were natives of Ireland. Philip came to Wyoming in 1882 and homesteaded the present Kane ranch, located in the Big Goose Valley. Here he secured employment with George T. Beck who was building the flour mill at Beckton. He also worked for the Patrick Brothers (founders of the P K Ranch) serving as foreman on the building of the P K ditch. He also drove stagecoaches between here and Rock Creek and trailed cattle into the area.
Like other pioneers, he staked his claim to 320 acres in February of 1882. In 1893, he purchased additional land surrounding the homestead which he rented to others until his marriage to Margaret O’Connor in 1896.
They lived on the homestead, now enlarged with the purchase of adjacent land, and developed a self-sufficient life style based on production of food stuffs and running Hereford cattle on the ranch and mountains. Mr. Kane gave his attention to the development and improvement of the ranch, much of which he had brought under a high state of cultivation and he was extensively engaged in the breeding and raising of high-grade Hereford cattle, being recognized as one of the successful cattlemen of the state. He kept most of his herd on his home place, which is situate at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. He did much to develop his place into one of the fine ranch properties of the district and his success was the direct result of individual effort and perseverance.
Mrs. Philip Kane was born in Scranton, Pa., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O’Connor. She came to Wyoming in 1896 as a bride. To this marriage were born five children: Charles, Harvey, James, Laura and Margaret, who were all born and raised on the ranch and attended the Beckton School.
Mrs. Kane was very prominent in the operation of the ranch, cooking for ranch hands, canning up to 600 quarts of vegetables and fruit a season. A large root cellar stored produce for year round use – the early ranch especially was quite self-sufficient. Grain raised on the ranch was ground into flour. One year he sold his cattle to the government for $20 per head perhaps because the grasshoppers had eaten all the grass. Unlike some other ranches in the area, the Kane ranch did not take in “dudes” to supplement those years.
In 1916 the family outgrew the original home and a new house was built. This house is still the ranch headquarters. Last year (1982) it was the site of four days of filming for the movie “Endangered Species.”
Philip Kane died in 1938, after which his wife managed the cow-calf operation until her death. Laura Wilcoxson and Margaret Loss are the two survivors. Laura has served as manager of the ranch since the death of Mrs. Kane.
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kane from pioneer times made their home in Sheridan County and were witnesses to almost its entire growth and development. They knew every phase of life on the frontier with all of its varied experiences, hardships and opportunities.
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Plot owned by Mrs. Philip Kane according to cemetery records.
(Story written and published in the Sheridan County Heritage Book published in 1983 with permission from the Sheridan County Extension Homemakers Council.)
Phillip and Margaret Kane combined a homestead on Big Goose Creek and hard work with Irish values to produce a family run ranch that is this year (1983) marking 100 years of existence. The process could be considered a classic chapter to the tale of settling the American West.
Philip, a pioneer ranchman of Sheridan County, was born in Wisconsin, the son of James and Anna Kane who were natives of Ireland. Philip came to Wyoming in 1882 and homesteaded the present Kane ranch, located in the Big Goose Valley. Here he secured employment with George T. Beck who was building the flour mill at Beckton. He also worked for the Patrick Brothers (founders of the P K Ranch) serving as foreman on the building of the P K ditch. He also drove stagecoaches between here and Rock Creek and trailed cattle into the area.
Like other pioneers, he staked his claim to 320 acres in February of 1882. In 1893, he purchased additional land surrounding the homestead which he rented to others until his marriage to Margaret O’Connor in 1896.
They lived on the homestead, now enlarged with the purchase of adjacent land, and developed a self-sufficient life style based on production of food stuffs and running Hereford cattle on the ranch and mountains. Mr. Kane gave his attention to the development and improvement of the ranch, much of which he had brought under a high state of cultivation and he was extensively engaged in the breeding and raising of high-grade Hereford cattle, being recognized as one of the successful cattlemen of the state. He kept most of his herd on his home place, which is situate at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. He did much to develop his place into one of the fine ranch properties of the district and his success was the direct result of individual effort and perseverance.
Mrs. Philip Kane was born in Scranton, Pa., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O’Connor. She came to Wyoming in 1896 as a bride. To this marriage were born five children: Charles, Harvey, James, Laura and Margaret, who were all born and raised on the ranch and attended the Beckton School.
Mrs. Kane was very prominent in the operation of the ranch, cooking for ranch hands, canning up to 600 quarts of vegetables and fruit a season. A large root cellar stored produce for year round use – the early ranch especially was quite self-sufficient. Grain raised on the ranch was ground into flour. One year he sold his cattle to the government for $20 per head perhaps because the grasshoppers had eaten all the grass. Unlike some other ranches in the area, the Kane ranch did not take in “dudes” to supplement those years.
In 1916 the family outgrew the original home and a new house was built. This house is still the ranch headquarters. Last year (1982) it was the site of four days of filming for the movie “Endangered Species.”
Philip Kane died in 1938, after which his wife managed the cow-calf operation until her death. Laura Wilcoxson and Margaret Loss are the two survivors. Laura has served as manager of the ranch since the death of Mrs. Kane.
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kane from pioneer times made their home in Sheridan County and were witnesses to almost its entire growth and development. They knew every phase of life on the frontier with all of its varied experiences, hardships and opportunities.
-------------------------
Plot owned by Mrs. Philip Kane according to cemetery records.
------------------------
(Story written and published in the Sheridan County Heritage Book published in 1983 with permission from the Sheridan County Extension Homemakers Council.)
Phillip and Margaret Kane combined a homestead on Big Goose Creek and hard work with Irish values to produce a family run ranch that is this year (1983) marking 100 years of existence. The process could be considered a classic chapter to the tale of settling the American West.
Philip, a pioneer ranchman of Sheridan County, was born in Wisconsin, the son of James and Anna Kane who were natives of Ireland. Philip came to Wyoming in 1882 and homesteaded the present Kane ranch, located in the Big Goose Valley. Here he secured employment with George T. Beck who was building the flour mill at Beckton. He also worked for the Patrick Brothers (founders of the P K Ranch) serving as foreman on the building of the P K ditch. He also drove stagecoaches between here and Rock Creek and trailed cattle into the area.
Like other pioneers, he staked his claim to 320 acres in February of 1882. In 1893, he purchased additional land surrounding the homestead which he rented to others until his marriage to Margaret O’Connor in 1896.
They lived on the homestead, now enlarged with the purchase of adjacent land, and developed a self-sufficient life style based on production of food stuffs and running Hereford cattle on the ranch and mountains. Mr. Kane gave his attention to the development and improvement of the ranch, much of which he had brought under a high state of cultivation and he was extensively engaged in the breeding and raising of high-grade Hereford cattle, being recognized as one of the successful cattlemen of the state. He kept most of his herd on his home place, which is situate at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. He did much to develop his place into one of the fine ranch properties of the district and his success was the direct result of individual effort and perseverance.
Mrs. Philip Kane was born in Scranton, Pa., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O’Connor. She came to Wyoming in 1896 as a bride. To this marriage were born five children: Charles, Harvey, James, Laura and Margaret, who were all born and raised on the ranch and attended the Beckton School.
Mrs. Kane was very prominent in the operation of the ranch, cooking for ranch hands, canning up to 600 quarts of vegetables and fruit a season. A large root cellar stored produce for year round use – the early ranch especially was quite self-sufficient. Grain raised on the ranch was ground into flour. One year he sold his cattle to the government for $20 per head perhaps because the grasshoppers had eaten all the grass. Unlike some other ranches in the area, the Kane ranch did not take in “dudes” to supplement those years.
In 1916 the family outgrew the original home and a new house was built. This house is still the ranch headquarters. Last year (1982) it was the site of four days of filming for the movie “Endangered Species.”
Philip Kane died in 1938, after which his wife managed the cow-calf operation until her death. Laura Wilcoxson and Margaret Loss are the two survivors. Laura has served as manager of the ranch since the death of Mrs. Kane.
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kane from pioneer times made their home in Sheridan County and were witnesses to almost its entire growth and development. They knew every phase of life on the frontier with all of its varied experiences, hardships and opportunities.
-------------------------
Plot owned by Mrs. Philip Kane according to cemetery records.
(Story written and published in the Sheridan County Heritage Book published in 1983 with permission from the Sheridan County Extension Homemakers Council.)
Phillip and Margaret Kane combined a homestead on Big Goose Creek and hard work with Irish values to produce a family run ranch that is this year (1983) marking 100 years of existence. The process could be considered a classic chapter to the tale of settling the American West.
Philip, a pioneer ranchman of Sheridan County, was born in Wisconsin, the son of James and Anna Kane who were natives of Ireland. Philip came to Wyoming in 1882 and homesteaded the present Kane ranch, located in the Big Goose Valley. Here he secured employment with George T. Beck who was building the flour mill at Beckton. He also worked for the Patrick Brothers (founders of the P K Ranch) serving as foreman on the building of the P K ditch. He also drove stagecoaches between here and Rock Creek and trailed cattle into the area.
Like other pioneers, he staked his claim to 320 acres in February of 1882. In 1893, he purchased additional land surrounding the homestead which he rented to others until his marriage to Margaret O’Connor in 1896.
They lived on the homestead, now enlarged with the purchase of adjacent land, and developed a self-sufficient life style based on production of food stuffs and running Hereford cattle on the ranch and mountains. Mr. Kane gave his attention to the development and improvement of the ranch, much of which he had brought under a high state of cultivation and he was extensively engaged in the breeding and raising of high-grade Hereford cattle, being recognized as one of the successful cattlemen of the state. He kept most of his herd on his home place, which is situate at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. He did much to develop his place into one of the fine ranch properties of the district and his success was the direct result of individual effort and perseverance.
Mrs. Philip Kane was born in Scranton, Pa., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas O’Connor. She came to Wyoming in 1896 as a bride. To this marriage were born five children: Charles, Harvey, James, Laura and Margaret, who were all born and raised on the ranch and attended the Beckton School.
Mrs. Kane was very prominent in the operation of the ranch, cooking for ranch hands, canning up to 600 quarts of vegetables and fruit a season. A large root cellar stored produce for year round use – the early ranch especially was quite self-sufficient. Grain raised on the ranch was ground into flour. One year he sold his cattle to the government for $20 per head perhaps because the grasshoppers had eaten all the grass. Unlike some other ranches in the area, the Kane ranch did not take in “dudes” to supplement those years.
In 1916 the family outgrew the original home and a new house was built. This house is still the ranch headquarters. Last year (1982) it was the site of four days of filming for the movie “Endangered Species.”
Philip Kane died in 1938, after which his wife managed the cow-calf operation until her death. Laura Wilcoxson and Margaret Loss are the two survivors. Laura has served as manager of the ranch since the death of Mrs. Kane.
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kane from pioneer times made their home in Sheridan County and were witnesses to almost its entire growth and development. They knew every phase of life on the frontier with all of its varied experiences, hardships and opportunities.
-------------------------
Plot owned by Mrs. Philip Kane according to cemetery records.
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