Albany County - Wyoming Genealogy

Al Houston, Pioneer Indian Fighter, Hunter and Guide

The Newman Ranch on the Niobrara, about 1886.— Photo by courtesy P. H. Waddill of Gordon, Nebraska

Al Houston, a pioneer who arrived in Denver in 1857, became a notable hunter and guide in Wyoming. He provided game for the Overland Stage Company and Union Pacific crews while settling along the Laramie River. Known for his remarkable skills, he used one of the first repeating Winchester rifles, surprising attacking Indians. Houston also led numerous hunting trips, garnering respect as a sharpshooter and guide. He moved frequently, seeking good land, and eventually retired to California, where he passed away in 1915. His legacy as a skilled hunter and guide remains significant in Wyoming history.

Clashes Between Cattle and Sheep Owners on the Laramie Plains

The Laramie Plains experienced relatively few violent conflicts between cattle and sheep ranchers compared to other Western areas. Notably, incidents involved pioneer ranchers Creighton, Hutton, and Alsop, who managed both livestock. Two significant events were reported: the suspicious death of Mr. Lubber in 1876 and the 1904 Albany County Sheep Raid, where masked men killed 300 sheep amid disputes over grazing rights. Ultimately, ranchmen expressed frustration over trespassing claims, but the early ranchers often ran both sheep and cattle, mitigating potential conflicts.

Dr. H. Latham, U. P. Surgeon and Laramie Plains Booster

Dr. H. Latham, a Union Pacific Railroad surgeon, played a prominent early role in the development of the Laramie Plains in the 1870s, both as a medical professional and as an enthusiastic promoter of the region’s livestock potential. Arriving in Laramie with the railroad, he invested in cattle operations, helped organize the area’s first Stock Grazing Association, and authored an influential pamphlet advocating the economic viability of year-round grazing on the Western plains. Though his own ventures ultimately failed, and he left for Japan in 1873 to pursue an academic career, his writings and advocacy significantly influenced the growth of Wyoming’s livestock industry.

Marks and Brands of Albany County Wyoming, 1871-1880

From Original Books in the Office of County Clerk of Albany CountyBy A. S. “Bud” Gillespie and R. H. “Bob” Burns These brands were entered in the order filed, and the figures give the month, day, and year on which they were filed. The list is a kind of Who’s Who of Albany County Livestock Raisers, some of which became well established through the years and others whose names disappear from the tax rolls in a few years. These rugged men all had one thing in common, namely an unbounded faith in the future of the livestock industry on the … Read more

Laramie Plains First Area to Produce Range Cattle

Atop the world are the Laramie Plains, an extensive plateau situated on top of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of around 7,000 feet above sea level. They extend some hundred miles north and south from the Colorado line to Laramie Peak, and are some fifty miles wide from the crest of the Laramie Mountains (Black Hills) on the east, to the Medicine Bow Mountains on the west. The plains, along with the rivers and mountains, all bear the name Laramie, from Jacques LaRamie, an early day French trapper who was killed by Indians in 1820 near the mouth of … Read more

Pioneer Ranches of the Rocky Mountain Empire

Resources of Plains and Origin of Intermountain Livestock Industry By R. H. “Bob” Burns Early explorers and later emigrants noticed the thick sod of grass covering the western plains west of the 100th meridian and they also noticed the good condition of the large herds of game such as buffalo, antelope, deer, and elk. It is not surprising that when travel-weary oxen were turned loose to graze on these short grasses they soon recovered their strength and rapidly put on flesh. Many such incidents involving travel-weary oxen have been reported by word of mouth. Stage masters and others with business … Read more

1883 Pensioners – Wyoming Territory

List of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 – Giving the Name of Each Pensioner, the Cause for Which Pensioned, the Post-Office Address, and the Date of Original Allowance, United States Pension Bureau Senate – Executive Document 84, Parts 1-5. This list is taken from the official Pension Roll of 1883, the major genealogical source for Civil War and War of 1812 pensioners. Pensioners are listed by post office address, and in no apparent order after that. Albany County No. ofcertifi-cate. Last nameof pensioner First nameof pensioner Post-officeaddress Cause for which pensioned Monthlyrate Date oforiginalallowance. 128768 Kearney Francis J. … Read more

History of Fort Sanders

Buffalo, elk, pronghorn, deer, mountain sheep and wolf skulls and bones at Fort Sanders, 1870

By orders from the war department, Fort Sanders was established on July 10, 1866, three miles south of Laramie City, and was at first known as “Fort John Buford.” On September 5, 1866, the name was changed to Fort Sanders, in honor of W. P. Sanders, captain in the Second United States Cavalry and later a brigadier-general of volunteers. It was established as a protection for the Denver & Salt Lake stage line and the emigrant trains passing over the Oregon Trail. The Union Pacific Railroad was completed to this point late in the spring of 1868, and on June … Read more