Haythorn Land and Cattle Company - Authur, NE | HIE Ogallala & McCook, NE
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Come join
us for a visit at the Haythorn Land & Cattle Co. Take
a step back in time as we treat you to a scenic Ranch
Tour from a horse drawn wagon. You’ll enjoy seeing
the large herds of horses that graze in nearby pastures,
as well as the colorful Longhorn cattle that dot the landscape.
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Early
spring will find the Haythorn cowboys out in the hills
as they follow the chuckwagon from one pasture to the
next, branding the new calves. The calves are roped and
dragged to the fire, just as were 100 years ago, when
the first ranch were settling the west and building their
herds. Visitors may see the cowboys halter breaking colts
in late summer or working cattle on horseback.
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In 1876,
a lad named Harry Haythornthwaite of Lancaster, England,
fell hopelessly in love with a girl. Both being sixteen,
their parents considered them still too young and forbade
their plans to marry. Young Harry was heartbroken and had
to do something. Soon after, he was discovered as a stowaway
on a ship headed for America.
The Captain
put him to work caring for some Hereford bulls being shipped
to Texas. No stranger to livestock, or hard work, Harry’s
ability impressed the Captain and upon arrival, he was dispatched
to accompany the bulls to their destination.
Over the next eight
years he worked as a cowhand, making four trail drives North out of Texas.
Two of the drives went to Kansas and two to Ogallala, Nebraska. On his
last drive to Ogallala with only his savings and what he could carry on
a horse, he decided to strike out on his own. He bought a livery stable,
shortened his name to Haythorn and married Emma Gilpin of Authur County.
After a couple years, the newlyweds sold the livery barn and he went to
work as a wagon boss for P.A. Yeast. He took his wages in cattle and Emma
cooked at the Yeast Ranch for 25 cents a meal, if there were more than
10 men at the table. Less than that, she cooked for free. Nearly every
penny pinched was put aside to buy land.
Harry then went to
work for the Triangle Ranch 16 miles away. He rode back and forth on the
weekends and left Emma to care for their holdings and cattle. Emma would
ride sidesaddle to the Ogallala general store 40 miles away, leading a
packhorse for supplies. Known as a crack shot with a rifle, she often
added a prairie chicken to the table. In 1884 Harry and Emma filed on
a land grant section four miles west of Authur, Nebraska, and an American
ranching dynasty was born.
Harry
and Emma had two sons, Walt Percival and Harry Walker Haythorn. Though
different in disposition, as well as ability, both boys were accomplished
"cowboys" and continued on in the ranching tradition.
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