Fitzhugh Ranch celebrates 150th anniversary
On July 20, friends and family gathered at the Fitzhugh Ranch south of Douglas to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
John William Fitzhugh’s youngest son Gordon Vaughn Fitzhugh made his way into Wyoming territory by driving cattle to the Guthrie Ranch, located south of what is now Douglas.
In 1874, Gordon Vaugn and his wife Bertha settled on land known today as the Fitzhugh Ranch.
According to the family, the original piece of land was patented in 1881, and then in 1913, Gordon Vaugn purchased more land, adding a two-story house, meadows and outlying buildings.
Gordon Vaugn also took over the La Bonte Post Office and served as postmaster for several years until 1930.
Second generation
Over the years, the couple had six children, and in 1922 their son Gordon Mathew Fitzhugh settled on the ranch with his wife Mary Catherine where they raised four children of their own.
Gordon Mathew grew up on the family ranch and received his education in the Converse County public school systems and in the old log schoolhouse on the northwest end of the property, the family recalls.
Many children from surrounding ranches also received their education in the log schoolhouse known as the Lower Wagonhound Schoolhouse, where a few remains can still be seen today.
Eventually, Gordon Mathew purchased the ranch in 1931 from his mother and increased its size to 6,700 acres.
At one time he ran 850 head of commercial grade Hereford cattle using the Double Moon and Bar Slash brand between Platte and Converse counties.
He also ran sheep for some time but ended up selling the sheep herd after the Blizzard of 1949.
Gordon Mathew passed in 1981 but worked hard and dedicated his life to the ranch and herd. He was a distinguished and well-respected cattleman throughout the county, the family notes.
Third generation
James “Jim” Gordon Fitzhugh, Gordon Mathew and Mary Catherine’s youngest son, grew up on the family ranch and dedicated his life to his passion for caring for the land and the animals he raised.
The family notes Jim took over ranch management in 1950, the same year the ranch received upgraded electricity.
Jim and his wife Marilyn “Molly” lived in the original house, which still stands today and raised their family with two children, Kristine “Kris” Elaine and Gordon Dana, known as Dana.
Both children began working the ranch at an early age and talk about riding out on their horses to check bulls at five and seven years old, the family states.
Always wanting to leave the land better than they found it, Jim, Molly and Dana made several improvements and additions to the ranch.
In 1972, they sprayed the entire sagebrush population on the home ranch, and in 1976 over 31,000 feet of water pipeline was installed. Over time, 15 springs and seven wells were also established.
In 1986, Dana and Jim leased the Nunn Ranch. By adding additional acres, they were able to run more cattle on the property. However, the lease ended in 2015 when Jim fell ill.
During the 1980s, the Fitzhughs gradually transitioned the herd from Hereford to Red Angus, officially transitioning to an all-Red Angus herd in 1995.
Jim worked hard building his herd, and he gained the respect of other ranchers and cattlemen alike.
Along with the recognition of other cattlemen, the Fitzhughs have received several awards including the 1983 Goodyear Conservation Award, 1986-87 Wyoming Beef Cattle Improvement Association Outstanding Producer, 1874-1990 Wyoming Centennial Ranch, 2011 Lifetime Conservation Award and 2015 Northern Livestock Pioneer Producer of the Year.
According to the family, in 1996 while excavating for a new septic field, remains of a French settler’s store was discovered.
The treasure hunt of bottles and artifacts was the highlight for weeks, as Molly organized all of the findings.
The bottle collection is still in the old ranch house for those who want to see a glimpse into the past.
Jim passed in 2018, and a small family cemetery marking his final resting place can be found on top of the hill overlooking his pride and joy.
Fourth generation
Carrying on the family tradition, Dana grew up tending to the land, working cattle and competing in 4-H. He proudly served as an FFA State Officer during his high school years.
From a young age, the ranch captured Dana’s heart, and he continues his family’s legacy to this day, using the Mill Iron Reverse Lazy S to mark his cattle, a brand inherited from Jim’s maternal grandmother.
In 1985, Dana married Bobbe Kay and they had two children, Megan Day and Shelby Kay.
Sticking with Red Angus cattle, Dana has one of the most respected, reliable herds in the region, his family notes.
Water projects and improvements still continue. Wind-powered wells were gradually upgraded to solar-powered wells, large stock tanks were placed and reservoirs were created.
In 2012, the old calving shed was rebuilt and a new addition named the “Blue Shed” was constructed in 2011.
The family shares the famous “White House” was a perfect addition to the tractor shed in 2014, as many memories and stories have been made there and serves as a gathering place for all.
In the summer months, Dana can be found irrigating the hay fields, putting up hay, checking the cows in the summer pasture and fighting fires when duty calls.
The legend continues
Both of Dana and Bobbe’s daughters and their families continue to help out at the ranch with calving, branding, haying and shipping.
Megan and her husband Matt are parents to Ella and Hazel and live in Torrington, while Shelby and her husband Ethan are parents to Ava and reside in Lubbock, Texas, where Ethan is completing his medical residency.
Shelby has started building her own herd of Fitzhugh Red Angus cattle with plans to return to the family ranch and help her dad with operations.
She took over Gordon M’s Bar Slash brand the family says, and maybe one day these daughters and granddaughters will become the fifth and sixth generations of Fitzhughs to tend to their beautiful and sacred land.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
