Bill was born May 24, 1921, in Kemmerer to William and Emma Angeli Thoman. He graduated from Kemmerer High School in 1941, and married Mary “Mickey” Ferentchak (2018 WCHF Inductee) on April 3, 1948. They raised seven children. In 1957, they established the Thoman Ranch School and it is one of the few one room schools left in Wyoming. Horses and riding were a big part of his life. He took over the family sheep operation in 1941 when his father became ill. In 1951, Bill and Mickey bought the Barnhart homestead on the Green River known for being an outstanding horse ranch. In 1957, they assumed the sheep operation from his mother. Extensive grazing rights covered Lincoln, Sweetwater and Sublette counties. Holdings are Rock Springs Grazing shares, the Alkali Stage Stop on the Green River, and the 100+ year old Elk Mountain Homestead at Kemmerer. Many summers were spent with Bill and the family horseback on forest allotments tending sheep on the Greys River and Bridger Teton National Forest with a pack string of horses and tent. His pride and joy was the horse herd they raised from calvary descendants to the bloodlines of Doc Quixote, Secretariat, Sugar Bars, Bay Cub and Royal Phoebe.
William J. “Bill” Thoman
