Stanford Sanford (Stan) was born in Fort Morgan, Colorado, August 20, 1914 to his parents Archie and Lillie Sanford (Moore). The family lived on their ranch, the Eagle’s Nest, located between Ft Morgan and Greeley, CO. At age two Stan and his family moved to Wyoming. They purchased the Bothwell Ranch west of Alcova, known as the site of the lynching of Cattle Kate (Ella Watson) and James Averill.
Stan, with brothers Wayne and Leonard (Bud) worked for their father Archie (Heavy) from the time they could set in a saddle. They ran up to 10,000 head of cattle on the Sanford Ranch. All work was done on horseback and with horse teams. They had 100 head of saddle horses. Each cowboy on the ranch had at least six or more head of horses in there Cavy. 50 work horse teams would be used for haying and feeding and all of the horses were raised on the ranch. After growing up on the ranch, Stan enrolled into the university prep school, Sherwood Hall in Laramie. He later transferred to Natrona County High School and graduated from there in 1933. He was active in football and glee club in high school. He met his wife and lifelong companion Harriett Cardwell Sanford, and they married in 1938.
In 1937 he became a brand inspector for the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association. Stan’s brand inspection duties necessitated they reside in Omaha and Scottsbluff, Nebraska; St. Joseph, MO; Chicago, Illinois; and various Wyoming towns; anywhere Chief inspector, Russell Thorpe, would send Stan. He served on the brand and theft committee for many years, and later as an executive at large.
In 1942, his father Archie Sanford purchased the CRI Ranch which joined the home ranch on the north border. Stan and Harriett moved to the CRI where they ranched for 34 years and raised three children Sandy, Mike, and Linda.
After the ranch was sold in 1973, Stan and Harriett then purchased a small ranch southeast of Casper. Stan was a “Gold Card” member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In his younger years he was a saddle bronc rider. Later, he won many buckles, trophies, and awards in calf roping, team roping, steer roping, and steer stopping. He won a pair of silver spurs for top roper in the All-Wyoming team roping in Casper with partner Billy Irvine. In later years Stan joined the National Old Timers Rodeo Association and continued to team rope. He was a charter member of the Natrona County Chariot Racing Association, and Wyoming Steer Ropers Association. He enjoyed driving the two stallions owned by Sanford Ranch Company in races. He was a life member of the Elks Lodge, the American Quarter Horse Association, and the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association serving on many comities.
Stan loved music and country dances. He was a good singer often changing lyrics to tell a joke. Stan was a good cook filling in as needed on the chuck wagon. His life was filled with ranching, family, rodeo, roping, good horses, good times, and many friends. He was tough to keep up with at the ranch, yet was kind-hearted to all of the kids around trying to learn to rope. He would be their partner, knowing he was probably going to lose his entry fee. He helped a lot of kids learn to be better ropers. Stan was a mentor to many young cowboys and ranchers. He helped raise a lot of his grandchildren. In his later years Stan continued to spend his time helping neighbors and friends with their ranching.