University of Wyoming
Williams (d. 1914) was born in Hope, Indiana around 1857 and came to Wyoming in 1874. He was elected sheriff of Converse County, Wyoming in 1888 and served until 1908. From 1901-1907 he served in the Wyoming State Legislature for Converse County. Williams also operated the John T. Williams Sheep Company of Douglas, Wyoming, which he established around 1904. Williams was a long-time friend of cattle rancher William C. Irvine.
Irvine was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1852 and moved near Ogallala, Nebraska to work on a cattle ranch in 1873. Irvine established his own ranch near Fort Fetterman in Converse County, Wyoming in 1876 and sold his cattle in 1884 to return to Pennsylvania. In 1886 he returned to Wyoming to serve as general manager of the Ogallala Land and Cattle Company, which was headquartered at Ross, Wyoming, in Converse County. Irvine was an active member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, serving as president from 1896-1911 and treasurer from 1912-1924. Irvine served in the Wyoming State Legislature from 1913-1915 and also served as state treasurer from 1903-1905. He died in 1924.
Collection consists mainly of Williams' correspondence, much of it with William C. Irvine, discussing politics and cattle management. Collection includes correspondence from 1904-1910 (transcripts also available); a minute book for the John T. Williams Sheep Company (1904-1928); 5 1907 letters from his brother Alfred J. Williams while in Chile; correspondence and other items relating to his work as sheriff of Converse County (1890-1907) and the Running Dutchman Ditch (1907-1913) and other ranching activities (1896-1914); and miscellaneous other materials (1883-1908).
Collection also contains the transcript of an 1870 diary for William Irvine describing a wagon train trip in Oklahoma Territory and Kansas and the skirmishes between Indians and Buffalo Soldiers.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by John T. Williams at the date of processing.
Photocopies available for holographic materials.
Finding aid available in repository.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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