My Grandfather, Milford Byron Steele was born on April 17, 1902, at the Ed P. Steele Ranch in Boulder, Wyoming. His parents, Edward Phoebus Steele and Emma Hoff Steele had 8 children, Johnnie L. Steele, Frankie N. Steele, Bessie May Steele, Willie Edward Steele, Harry Llewllyn Steele, Milford Byron Steele, Verna Bell Steele and a baby boy who lived 22 days.
Milford (Mike) married Hannah Ellen Allen who at the time worked for the telephone company. Three children were born to this union: Margaret Steele Stoll, Ellen Steele Lozier and Ralph Allen (Bud) Steele.
Mike worked alongside his dad on the family ranch helping improve the operation. The family’s first beef drive recorded took place November 1922. The cattle were driven from Boulder to Rock Springs, around 100 miles, to the railroad to be loaded and shipped to Denver, Colorado. Frank Steele and Kenneth Ball drove the hay wagon. The cattle were driven by Mike Steele, John Steele and JH Hawkins. This yearly event continued until 1933 when the first cattle were trucked to Rock Springs.
The Desert Horse Growers Association was formed about 1917 when Mike Steele was riding for the association. The ledger that Victor Mack, Jr. had was dated from 1920 to 1922. Members of this association used land on the desert around the Big Sandy River, where there was usually not a lot of snow, to graze their horses throughout the winter. In the spring the cowboys went south to Pacific Springs to gather the horses and drive them toward the East Fork River. At one time the operation had about seven hundred head of horses. Mike Steele would leave with the riders and his mother would put his bedroll in the wagon when it came by their ranch. Henry Williams, Sr. was the cook, and took the chuck wagon around to feed the riders. Along the way, horses were corralled at the Macks’ ranch, John Nelson’s place, and Antelope Springs. All of the wild horses were gathered on this spring roundup and sorted so that the colts could be branded and the ranchers could choose certain horses to break and sell. The stud colts were not castrated until they were two years old. The horses that the ranchers did not keep were turned back onto the desert. Many horses that were saddle-broken were sold to work in the mines at Rock Springs, and others were marketed to the cavalry. The Macks, Henry Williams, Frank Robinett, and E. P. Steele were some of the ranchers who turned studs out on the desert. Some of the area’s best cowboys rode in this association, among them Earl Pulley, John Nelson, Art Savage, the Macks, Henry Williams, Jr., Hervey and Bob Clark, and Mike Steele. Henry Williams ran a lot of wild horses with Earl Pulley, John Nelson, Babe Mack, Roscoe Mack, Byron Mack, Hervey Clark, Bob Clark and Mike Steele. The winter of 1922 killed many range horses. At the same time, the automobile and truck were becoming a common mode of transportation. These forces combined to bring an end to the association.”
Starting in 1927 Ed and Emma Steele spent their winters in Rock Springs, then later in California. Mike ran the ranch from then on making the majority of the decisions. The ranch consisted of the Upper Ranch, on New Fork and Willow Creeks west of Pinedale, and The Lower Ranch located on East Fork (the original homestead) and Silver Creek both east of Boulder, Wyoming.
There was a Scabies outbreak in the cattle in 1931. Mike along with other ranchers built dipping vats in Boulder and Four Corners for treating the infected cattle. Mike and the other ranchers drove the cattle to the dipping vats in weather that was at least 30 below.
Cottonseed cake became very popular during the 1930’s with the drought. Mike purchased a rail car load of it and used it from then on, as the weight gain improved in his younger cattle along with saving hay consumption when feeding the cows with a team and sled. The first calves marketed from this area were Mike Steele’s calves in 1934. The calves had an average weight of 350 pounds and brought $3.60 CWT, averaging $12.60 per head. Mike continued this practice from then on, retaining the smaller calves to feed through the winter and sell as yearlings. He was then able to increase the mother cow numbers on the acreage, and using less hay.
A new log home at the Upper Ranch was started in 1940 and completed in January 1942 with the help of Hannah’s (Queen) brothers and cousins. The Allen’s were accomplished carpenters and wood workers. Improvements continued the next several years, as time and funds could be found, including a new barn, chicken coop, granary, fly sheds, calf creeps and windbreaks, all improvements to benefit his livestock. In 1947 Mike purchased the Charter Field from Charlie Bayer adding acreage to the Upper Ranch and adding a much-appreciated spring that never froze over. A set of livestock scales were purchased and installed in 1949 eliminating the need to truck cattle to scales. The shipping operation was simplified along with the cattle weighing out heavier than ever. Many of the neighbors and family trailed or hauled cattle to these scales to ship. One more improvement Mike brought to the area.
Due to the locations of the two ranches and the government allotments the cattle were pastured on, their cattle trailed about 100 miles per year. With the largest hay fields located on the Upper Ranch the cattle were wintered and fed there. Before calving-season they were trailed to the Lower Ranch, a distance of 23 miles. After calving and branding the cattle were then trailed to the BLM Allotment that at one point went south almost to Farson, Wyoming, which later was fenced off at the Luman Road on 191, and north to the Piney Cut Off. The BLM allotment was gathered and again the cattle were trailed to the Lower Ranch to rest before heading to the Forest Allotment located around Boulder, Burnt, Blue Berry, and Meadow Lakes. Late fall they were gathered and trailed down to the Lower Place until they were all accounted for and again driven to the Upper Ranch for the winter. Mike and his family and hired hands spent long hours horseback, trailing cattle. My dad, Bud Steele talked about how they would all leave Hittle’s ranch in Boulder and head out at a long trot to start the gather of the BLM allotments that ended north of Farson. Mike was right with them leading the gather. A railcar of Remount Horses was purchased at one point to improve the bloodlines of the ranch horses. Some of these horses were gaited horses and traveled the long distances easily before there were trucks and trailers to haul horses. These horses were also used in the haying, logging and feeding operations. The first draft horse Steele’s owned was a Percheron Stud horse they bought to increase size on their harness horses. My husband, Merrill Dana was mowing hay with my Granddad one summer at the Sandlin Place. They had stopped for lunch and Grandpa told Merrill about “picnics” they had there when he was a young man. They would gather the unbroke horses, snub and saddle them, crawl on and ride them until they stopped bucking or running. The old timers were horseback to haze them back when they got too far off. They would ride in and quirt the young guy’s hands if they “grabbed leather”. Grandpa commented it sure broke you of grabbing for the horn. Mike cowboyed for 59 years. I still remember a big, gorgeous palomino, Pal, Grandpa rode in his later years. Some of the photos of Mike in his younger years, showed the horses he rode were much coarser, big legs, big roman headed, but tough looking. They really portrayed the wild horse heredity. You sure never saw any fat horses in the photos.
Being one of Mike’s younger grandchildren I recall a few memories. “I do remember when my granddad sorted the last of his cattle from the Steele herd in 1969. He sorted very quietly. The “critter” was usually sorted out before they knew it. It was nice to be able to see what animal he was quietly sorting and not have to stop a wad of cattle coming out in a bunch. While holding herd for him you may have had to turn a couple back to the herd, but that was about it. I don’t ever remember seeing his horse get high headed while working cattle. I also watched him rope at one branding. He rode a big, good looking sorrel horse “Red”. Again, no commotion. I would see him throw one loop, head the calf and turn for the branding fire. He loved cattle and horses and truly enjoyed the time spent with them. My Dad and Granddad taught us that you NEVER let a cow run back on you or get the best of you while trailing them or you would spoil the whole bunch. I recall seeing Grandpa leave bullwhip welts oozing blood on the back of a cow that tried to run back. We were all taught to use whips for that reason. We trailed them so far and were not able to just drop them anywhere. One of Mike’s horses that died on the ranch, Socks, used to gather the milk cows for milking, morning and night. Grandpa ran him with the milk cows to make sure he was well fed. Socks felt he needed to do something worth-while I guess. Grandpa would give him a little grain twice a day for his help and scratch his neck. Socks would then return to the pasture knowing he had done well. One of Mike’s pet peeves was seeing someone jerk on a horse’s mouth. He didn’t think much of anyone that abused a good horse.”
Milford served the community in many capacities. Some of the positions were Foreman and Wagon Boss of East Fork Roundup Wagon 1929 to 1930, supervisor of the dipping vat construction project, Member of the Wyoming Stockgrowers starting in 1928, President of Square Top Cattle and Horse Association 1941 to 1962, served on the Selective Board No. 18 for 25 years, Secretary/Treasurer of Cora Valley Electric Association 1954 to 1963, Supervisor on the Pinedale Soil Conservation Board 1942 to 1971, also served as Treasurer 4 years and Chairman 25 years, County Commissioner from 1958 to 1969, Brand Inspector from 1962 through 1983. Other positions held were, Secretary and Treasurer of Wyoming Conservation Districts from 1968 through December 1, 1982, served on the Board of Directors of the Sublette County Historical Society starting in1960, member of the Pinedale School Board District # 1 1951 to 1954 and held the Secretary Treasurer position on the Sublette County Museum Board from 1975 through 1983. Milford was looked up to for his foresight, his willingness to spend time and work at bettering the community and area. I never remember him complaining about having to attend meetings or help with projects. He loved the area and spent countless hours mapping and marking the Oregon Trail. Just one of the history projects he was involved in.
Mike hayed on the same ranch for 74 years. He started working in the field at 8 years of age driving a mower team, the rake was too dangerous if a runaway occurred. The first tractor purchased was in 1951 a Ford. Horses were used in the field along-side the tractors until 1960 when everything was mechanized. In 1965 they baled their first hay and by 1967 they had converted to all bales leaving the beaver slide and plunger parked behind the shop. Due to health issues, he was unable to hay in 1984.
Ranch teams were vital to hay production, pulling feed wagons and sleds chuck wagon and the school bus for several years. The bus team always had blankets on them when they were stalled between trips with plenty of hay in front of them. I remember seeing the harness neatly hung, always oiled and repaired. According to Mike’s diary they broke several teams, and saddle horses, some of which were sold or traded for labor. They had to be breaking horses constantly. In the newly built barn, there was a bronc stall built for harnessing colts. It protected both the horse and teamster. They were always given names in his account ledgers and diary not listed as geldings, teams etc. making you realize he really liked his horses.
Grandpa loved the ranching life and worked diligently on the history of this way of life, to inform and keep this industry alive. Milford passed away July 25, 1986. I still miss him so much and am proud to be part of his family! I wish I could remember more of the stories about my granddad. He lived a life fully lived.