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Willson Family Papers, 1900-2018

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Willson family
Title
Willson Family Papers
Dates
1900-2018 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.63 cubic ft. (3 boxes)
Collection Number
12618
Summary
The Willson brothers were one of the first settlers to Niobrara County, Wyoming. Collection contains ranch ledgers, articles, and published histories about the Willson family and Eastern Wyoming by Anne Willson Whitehead.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

The Willson brothers, Eugene Bigelow Willson (1852–1935) and George Luther Willson (1848–1931), were some of the first settlers to Niobrara County, Wyoming. Eugene Willson came to Wyoming in the Fall of 1870, working various jobs including loading coal for the U.S. government, ranch work, and surveying. His brother, George, eventually joined him in Wyoming and they both continued to survey and ranch until they could homestead 160 acres of land in the valley of the Running Water, present day Niobrara County, Wyoming. The Willsons built there homestead cabin in the Summer of 1880, four miles west of the cabin’s present location in Washington Park, Lusk, Wyoming. The Willson’s 160 acre homestead grew into an 18,000 acre ranch that is still in operation today.

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Content Description

The collection contains newspaper, magazine, and internet articles about the Running Water Ranch, ledger books for the ranch dated from 1900-1926, a 1939 book titled “Cabin Days in Wyoming” by Mrs. Eugene Willson, Willson family history and other published histories of Eastern, Wyoming by Anne Willson Whitehead (granddaughter of Eugene Willson), and “Trek of Yellowstone National Park” by the Wyoming State Historical Society.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Preferred Citation

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Administrative Information

Related Materials

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by the Willson family at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Anne Willson Whitehead from 2015-2018.

Processing Note

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Jamie J. Greene in March 2016 and updated in May 2020.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Frontier and pioneer life -- Wyoming
  • Pioneers -- Wyoming
  • Ranch life -- Wyoming
  • Ranches -- Wyoming

Personal Names

  • Whitehead, Anne Willson
  • Willson, Eugene Bigelow, 1852-1935
  • Willson, George Luther, 1848-1931

Geographical Names

  • Manville (Wyo.)
  • Niobrara County (Wyo.)
  • Running Water Ranch (Niobrara County, Wyo.)
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1890-1918
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945
  • Wyoming -- History -- 1946-1999.>
  • Wyoming -- History -- To 1889

Processed by Jamie J. Greene
2016

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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