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The first farmers on the Plains clashed with the cattle barons who had their ranches there. There were many disputes, particularly over fencing and waterholes, leading to a series of clashes known as the range wars. The most famous confrontation was the Johnson County War.
Events of the Johnson County War
Cattlemen vs homesteaders
- Governor Barber of Wyoming supported the cattlemen, who said homesteaders ('nesters') were rustling (stealing) their cattle.
- The sheriff of Buffalo (Red Angus) supported the homesteaders, who said the cattle barons were stealing their land.
Hangings
- The cattlemen regularly caught and hanged local homesteaders.
- Among those they hanged were Ella Watson and Jim Averill (a poor local couple), and nine trappers who were out hunting wolves.
Attack at the KC ranch
- The cattlemen assembled a list of 70 rustlers they wanted killed. In spring 1892 they hired a lynching party of 43 cattlemen (including 20 hired gunmen).
- The lynching party attacked a ranch known as the KC ranch. They killed Nick Ray and his partner Nate Chapman, who was roundup foreman of the local Northern Wyoming Farmers & Stock Growers Association.
Army involvement
- In response, Red Angus raised a posse of 319 men, who rode out and trapped the cattlemen at a ranch called the TA.
- The cattlemen were eventually rescued by the Army cavalry.
Case dropped
- The cattlemen were charged with murder. They bribed the jury and the case was dropped. Nevertheless, the war marked the end of the power of the cattlemen.
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