JEFFERSON COUNTY RANCHING HISTORY

Although mining was an important part of Jefferson County's income, ranching also added to the economic diversity of the county.  During the years immediately following the Civil War, families ventured west to try their luck at gold mining.  While some were successful, many found mining life too difficult to continue.  Consequently, a few families settled down to the business of raising cattle and sheep.  

Tom Dawson lived in Quebec working as a logger when the Gold Rush news reached him.  He left for the United States and eventually ended up in Butte, Montana Territory.  He began working the mines, but soon grew tired of the miserly profits.  He soon married Mary Smith and news of the Homestead Act of 1862 prompted them to find a plot of land and settle down.  Into the Boulder Valley they came, finding green meadows, plentiful deer and beautiful cottonwood trees.  Soon Tom's brother Jack Dawson arrived on the scene to help work the land.  Jack married a local gal named Alice and together they raised thirteen children.  In 1885 Jack filed for a homestead. In the ensuing years, the ranch prospered and grew.  By the time of Jack's death in 1922, his son George was aptly running the ranch.  Today, the ranch is still owned by descendants of Jack and Alice.  

While the Dawsons were working their ranches in the Boulder Valley, two young brothers Irving and Ernest Marks moved west from Maine to stake their mining claim near Whitehall, Montana in 1886.  After a few years of working their claim, they sold it for $10,000.00 and reinvested their money in a plot of land near Clancy, Montana.  Irving and his new wife Lila bought a piece of land near Dutchman Creek, while Ernest and his wife Metta settled east of Clancy.  The brothers raised horses to sell to miners and later diversified to raising cattle.  Continuing to purchase surrounding lands, the two families enjoyed each other's growing numbers joining in  picnics together.  Today, Ernest's grandson and great-grandsons still own and operate ranches, a lumber company and a post-pole company on the lands that Ernest and Irving originally worked.

Dutchman Creek Ranch
Down in the southern part of Jefferson County, two brothers, William and John Tebay, settled near the present town of Whitehall around 1864.  At first they tried their hand at silver and gold mining, but later switched to cattle ranching.  John and William's successful venture paved the way for their descendents to continue raising cattle.  Today, Norman Tebay owns William's homestead which has been placed on the list of Centennial Farms and Ranches.  Norman and his four sons work the ranch and tend the cattle that are a closed herd with the heifers linage going back to John and William's original stock.  In addition to owning the original Tebay homestead, Norman and his wife acquired her family's Ervin ranch which sits on property that Lewis and Clark camped upon during their journey along the present day North Boulder River. 

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