James Felix “Jim” Johnson was born in Cheyenne in 1944 to Ed and Elizabeth Johnson. He grew up on the SS ranch in LaGrange in Goshen County. From a very young age, Jim was working cattle horseback with his family. At the age of 12, Jim’s horse Queeny came into his life. Just a year and a half later he was training her and they were an inseparable pair for the 33 years of her life. She was two generations removed from the army remount horses that his dad and brother raised. After marrying Roxana Wolfard in 1965 and graduating from the University of Wyoming in 1967, they began ranching full-time on Elite Hereford Ranch in Encampment.
They bought about 80 cows from her grandparents, Adrian and Mabel Wolfard, and leased the ranch from them. The place neighbored Roxana’s parents’ ranch so the couples shared work and equipment. In 1969, they purchased the ranch from Roxana’s parents and in 1973, they purchased the land they had been leasing. They raised purebred Herefords initially and then began crossbreeding with Salers, as well as raising some purebred Salers. When interest rates skyrocketed in 1983, Jim and Roxana sold their ranch, but were able to lease it back until 1989.
Moving off the ranch in 1989 was not the end of ranching for Jim, however. He began leasing land near Walden, Colorado, where he ran his own and outside cattle for about 10 years, handling all the cattle work on horseback. Still living near Encampment Jim also became a part time brand inspector and started doing day work for several ranches around the area. He still works most days at the Herring Angus Ranch near Encampment. He has been involved with the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering for many years, helping promote his love for the cowboy way of life.