William “Bill” Thoman was an active working cowboy, horseman, and sheepherder in the ranching and livestock business all his 77 years of life, encompassing primarily Sweetwater and Lincoln counties. Addressing livestock markets, Bill said, “We’re lucky to have sheep and cattle as when one is down the other is up.”
His legacy continues with the W & M Thoman Ranches, LLC, where the family still raises Hereford cattle, Quarter Horses, and fine wooled Rambouillet sheep under the brands of the lazy eight eight, quarter circle JR, and spade.
Bill was born May 24, 1921, in Kemmerer, to William and Emma Angeli Thoman. He graduated from Kemmerer High School in 1941 and entered the lifelong school of experience and hard knocks. He married Mary “Mickey” Ferentchak (2018 WCHF Inductee) on April 3, 1948, and raised seven, 20 grandchildren, and 35+ great grandchildren to date.
In their 50 years together the love of agriculture, a strong work ethic, and traditional values were instilled in the children. They said, “the secret to raising kids is to work with them and do things together.” Thus, the first three kids were raised in a sheep camp and family vacations were at the shipping corral. 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 would peek in the church window to give his mother a report of the happenings, then escape on his horse to make the 20+ mile ride to the Angelo Ranch southwest of Kemmerer.
He took over the family sheep operation in 1941 when his father became ill. His father died in 1945 and Bill then had the added responsibility of helping his mother raise three younger siblings.
In 1951, Bill and Mickey bought the Barnhart homestead on the Green River known for being an outstanding horse ranch. In 1957, they purchased the balance of the sheep operation from his mother. Extensive grazing rights covered Lincoln, Sweetwater, and Sublette counties.
Among holdings are Rock Springs Grazing shares, the Alkali Stage Stop on the Green River, and the 100+ year old Elk Mountain Homestead at Kemmerer. Despite many setbacks including the depression, flood, fire, death, and condemnation, the ranch is steeped in five generations of heritage today.
Bill herded sheep and tended the sheepherders with his dad until he took over the sheep operation at approximately age 20. He rode, broke, and wrangled wild horses for money from a young age until the Wild Horse Annie Act came into play. He rescued Patches, as a bum colt, and all seven kids showed him in 4-H. He used the flying W training aide for the real broncs. There was a wild horse corral on the Green River ranch where Bill was an expert at roping and castrating horses.
Cattle were added to the operation in the 1950s when Bill and Mickey purchased some Hereford heifers from Herb Booth on LaBarge Creek. In those days, cows were trailed to summer pasture and bulls were chased to the herd horseback. Additional sheep outfits were acquired. 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.
Teams were used extensively to feed livestock in the winter. Progressive agriculture came into play when the first powered mower was purchased after the team of horses had a runaway with Bill that put the rake up on top of the family station wagon.
Despite two back surgeries and extensive recoveries (one from a horse fall), Bill continued to ride. 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, to name a few. Bill was a history buff, an avid storyteller, and loved to joke and tease.
He was always eager to keep up on politics, did most of the family socializing and grocery shopping, and put many miles on horseback and in his Ram pickup. He always rode for the brand and lived each day with courage exemplifying the ethics of a true cowboy. He died June 29, 1998, from a tragic vehicular homicide accident.