Francis was born in the family’s Wyoming ranch home on the Cheyenne River (near present Mule Creek Junction). When he was three his Mother, going to the corrals to look at the new foals, stepped on a rusty nail, contracted blood poisoning, and died. His dad never remarried. Sedgwicks ran cattle, horses, and sheep; put up native hay, and farmed some hay. Francis grew up with horses and rode from early childhood, taking part in annual community roundups from the time he was 10 years old. Riding alongside his dad he’d learned every escape route the wild lead mares would try to take; to use cover and keep abreast but not ahead of the bunch, yet be able to get ahead if they started to escape on his side. Francis also learned every facet of sheep ranching and cattle ranching from his dad. After his marriage to Violet Coy
Donaldson, Francis leased a ranch southwest of Newcastle, moving his livestock there. Within a year they leased a ranch further south, on the Cheyenne River. They later bought other ranches wherever they lived, both enjoyed helping neighbors.
Francis Sedgwick
