Pierre Wibaux
From birchyHistory
(→Cattle-Ranching) |
|||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
}} | }} | ||
| − | [[Image: | + | [[Image:PierreWibaux3.jpg|200px|right]] |
'''Pierre Wibaux''' (January 12, 1858 – March 21, 1913) was a highly prominent cattle owner and ranchman in [[Montana]] during the turn of the 20th Century. He emigrated from his native France to seek business opportunities in America and was among the most successful in the second wave of "Frontier Cowboys". | '''Pierre Wibaux''' (January 12, 1858 – March 21, 1913) was a highly prominent cattle owner and ranchman in [[Montana]] during the turn of the 20th Century. He emigrated from his native France to seek business opportunities in America and was among the most successful in the second wave of "Frontier Cowboys". | ||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
==Cattle-Ranching== | ==Cattle-Ranching== | ||
| + | [[Image:PierreWibaux1.jpg|100px|right]] | ||
In 1883 Pierre (age 27) gets to America and travels to [[Chicago]] to learn more about the range stock business before investing any capital. There he meets the [[Marquis de Mores]], a fellow Frenchman, who tells him of the prairies in North Dakota and Montana. Wibaux and an army friend came to present-day Wibaux in 1883 and engaged in ranching. During this time he lived in a very primitive dugout where he ate and slept during brief intervals while learning the duties of a cowboy, foreman and rancher while eating and sleeping beneath the stars. After three years he was at the end of his resources and returned to France. | In 1883 Pierre (age 27) gets to America and travels to [[Chicago]] to learn more about the range stock business before investing any capital. There he meets the [[Marquis de Mores]], a fellow Frenchman, who tells him of the prairies in North Dakota and Montana. Wibaux and an army friend came to present-day Wibaux in 1883 and engaged in ranching. During this time he lived in a very primitive dugout where he ate and slept during brief intervals while learning the duties of a cowboy, foreman and rancher while eating and sleeping beneath the stars. After three years he was at the end of his resources and returned to France. | ||
The region was hit by an extremely harsh weather that winter of 1886-87. It is estimated that around 70%-85% of the cattle in the area perished in the long snowstorms. Pierre Wibaux saw an opportunity in this: only the sturdiest and most resilient beasts survived this trial, In 1887 Wibaux returned to Montana with his young English bride, French servants and an almost unlimited supply of capital. Undaunted Pierre bought the remnants of the large herds that had survived. Also, the shortage of beef available ensured high sale prices for Wibaux's stock for the following 3 years. In the 1890s, Wibaux had amassed one of the largest herds in the world, with over 65 000 cattle heads and 300 horses. He ran cattle on the open range in an area covering nearly 70,000 acres. This prestige earns him the friendship of a certain [[Theodore Roosevelt]], who was then ranching about 30 miles east of Wibaux in the Dakota badlands, who would give up the stock business to go on and become the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He remained friends with the Marquis de Mores, who had undertaken a grandiose meat packing and meat marketing enterprise in Dakota. | The region was hit by an extremely harsh weather that winter of 1886-87. It is estimated that around 70%-85% of the cattle in the area perished in the long snowstorms. Pierre Wibaux saw an opportunity in this: only the sturdiest and most resilient beasts survived this trial, In 1887 Wibaux returned to Montana with his young English bride, French servants and an almost unlimited supply of capital. Undaunted Pierre bought the remnants of the large herds that had survived. Also, the shortage of beef available ensured high sale prices for Wibaux's stock for the following 3 years. In the 1890s, Wibaux had amassed one of the largest herds in the world, with over 65 000 cattle heads and 300 horses. He ran cattle on the open range in an area covering nearly 70,000 acres. This prestige earns him the friendship of a certain [[Theodore Roosevelt]], who was then ranching about 30 miles east of Wibaux in the Dakota badlands, who would give up the stock business to go on and become the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He remained friends with the Marquis de Mores, who had undertaken a grandiose meat packing and meat marketing enterprise in Dakota. | ||
| − | The W Bar Ranch operated from 1885 to 1895, employing 25-30 cowboys. The ranch's cattle ranged from the Little Missouri on the east to the Yellowstone, from the [[Norther Pacific Railroad]] on the Yellowstone to the Missouri river. The main ranch for his family and servants was 12 miles north of Mingusville, which he had renamed to "Wibaux". He had a secondary ranch 60 miles north of Wibaux where most of the cowboys lived. A string of line cabins were maintained ?along the Yellowstone?. A wolfer was employed who ran two 50 dog packs on alternate days. | + | The [[W Bar Ranch]] operated from 1885 to 1895, employing 25-30 cowboys. The ranch's cattle ranged from the Little Missouri on the east to the Yellowstone, from the [[Norther Pacific Railroad]] on the Yellowstone to the Missouri river. The main ranch for his family and servants was 12 miles north of Mingusville, which he had renamed to "Wibaux". He had a secondary ranch 60 miles north of Wibaux where most of the cowboys lived. A string of line cabins were maintained ?along the Yellowstone?. A wolfer was employed who ran two 50 dog packs on alternate days. |
Shortly after locating on Beaver Creek he induced the Northern Pacific to build stockyards at Wibaux, while he took the town of Wibaux in hand and began improvements in the little town. He built an office (originally shared with another rancher) in Wibaux with a sleeping room and kitchen which is currently a museum. The office sported a lawn and many beds of flowers. | Shortly after locating on Beaver Creek he induced the Northern Pacific to build stockyards at Wibaux, while he took the town of Wibaux in hand and began improvements in the little town. He built an office (originally shared with another rancher) in Wibaux with a sleeping room and kitchen which is currently a museum. The office sported a lawn and many beds of flowers. | ||
| Line 41: | Line 42: | ||
==Post-ranching Activities== | ==Post-ranching Activities== | ||
Wibaux, being a main land-owner in the area started to develop infrastructures and services in the area. He became the President and 95% owner of the [[State National Bank]] in Miles City, and also opened his own national bank in [[Forsyth, Montana|Forsythe]] of which he was the president. This particular position gave him the right to sign dollar bills to issue money, making him the only ever Frenchman ever to do so. | Wibaux, being a main land-owner in the area started to develop infrastructures and services in the area. He became the President and 95% owner of the [[State National Bank]] in Miles City, and also opened his own national bank in [[Forsyth, Montana|Forsythe]] of which he was the president. This particular position gave him the right to sign dollar bills to issue money, making him the only ever Frenchman ever to do so. | ||
| − | Pierre was also to be the only owner of the Clover Leaf Gold Mining Company which was thriving on gold-mines in the [[Black Hills]] region. He was one of several stockholders in the [[Yellowstone Coal Company]] around 1907 which mined low quality lignite coal from the north side of the Yellowstone. He also had business interests in France, Mexico, California, and in the Klondike region of Alaska. | + | Pierre was also to be the only owner of the [[Clover Leaf Gold Mining Company]] which was thriving on gold-mines in the [[Black Hills]] region. He was one of several stockholders in the [[Yellowstone Coal Company]] around 1907 which mined low quality lignite coal from the north side of the Yellowstone. He also had business interests in France, Mexico, California, and in the Klondike region of Alaska. |
By 1910, Pierre turned to traveling, but his plans were cut short by liver cancer. He died at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago March 21, 1913 (age 58). His wife Nellie and son Cyril returned to France, spent the rest of their lives there, and are buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. | By 1910, Pierre turned to traveling, but his plans were cut short by liver cancer. He died at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago March 21, 1913 (age 58). His wife Nellie and son Cyril returned to France, spent the rest of their lives there, and are buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. | ||
