REPOSTED BY REQUEST: McKinney Ranch Wyoming on Twin Creek near Derby Dome (a brief early history) (Donald E McKinney Jr): Grandparents Earl & Amelia Dottie (Farthing) McKinney first leased our “ancestral ranch” in 1940-1941 from Francis & Ellen (Carmody) Savage. It is nestled between magestic red cliffs to the north & big red Gobbler’s Knob to the south. Prior to 1940, during the entire decade of 1930s, they leased the Scott place (Dry Lake) near Dallas & various other places from 1913 through 1920s where they raised their children Lenore, Edward & Donald (our father). Lenore married Bert Hambrick in 1934 & never resided with her parents on the Twin Creek ranch. During the early 1940s, Lenore & Bert leased the Scott place (Dry Lake) near Dallas where she resided as a child but they eventually moved to Missoula, Montana where they raised their children, Barbara, Donnie & Steve Hambrick. Our father Donald briefly resided with his parents at this Twin Creek ranch when they were leasing the place in 1941 but left when he joined the Army in October 1941. Donald became a career Army man & met our mother Eda Faye Tommie Thomasson (from Arkansas) who was in the WAACS at Fort Riley, Kansas. They were married in 1943 & raised their 2 sons Donnie & Richard McKinney on various military installations until retirement in Junction City, Kansas in 1962. Edward married Hilda Iiams in 1938 & they settled on this Twin Creek ranch with his parents Earl & Dottie. Later in 1941, Earl & Dottie left twin creek & leased another ranch at the junction of highway 28 & 287 (Mackey or Bybee place). They resided there for several years before moving back to Twin creek/Derby dome & leasing it again in 1946. Their son Edward & Hilda came with them to both places & raised their children Marilynn, Timmy & Kelly McKinney on this Twin Creek place. Grandfather Earl eventually purchased the ranch by “Executor’s Deed” on 12 September 1949. This deed included the main old “Carmody Place” near Derby Dome on Twin Creek along with the “Kurtz” & “Sharp” places, all once owned by John Carmody & later inherited by his only child Ellen Savage & other heirs. Dads first cousin, the late Jim Farthing, sent me these deeds years ago when he was County Clerk. He could not find anyone named Sharp who had a deed to the Sharp place part of the ranch, across the highway to the northwest. We believe it was named for someone who leased or lived there at one time. John Carmody left Ithaca NY during the early 1880s & settled in Wyoming. He established a large cattle & sheep operation throughout various areas of Fremont County, with several partners. Coincidentally, John Carmody worked with Earls father Ed McKinney on the 71 Outfit during the 1880s and he & wife Jennie Pollard were witnesses when Ed McKinney married Earls mother Lenora Nora Gaylor in 1893. The Kurtz place was originally owned by David Paul Kurtz who died in 1924. According to Mary Hancock in her book Sheep Trails & History Tales, he was killed by a horse in his barn near the Kurtz corrals.. His widow Laura and 2 daughters Eva & Betty Jane moved to another area. John Carmody evidently gained ownership of that place before his death in 1931. The Kurtz place corrals southwest of the main ranch at Derby Dome are still used for branding calves. According to grandad Earls 1949 deed, he purchased the ranch from the estate of Christina Thornton of Berkeley, Alameda County, California. Evidently, e family & other Carmody heirs transferred the ranch to this unmarried lady during the early 1940s. Her connection to the Carmody family is unknown, however, John Carmodys younger sister, Annie Carmody Ivens resided in Berkely, California from 1920s untii her death in 1939. Originally, Annie left Ithaca, NY during the 1890s & joined her brother in Wyoming. She married a business partner of her brother, John P. Ivens who died in 1902. Annie & their son John Francis Ivens, moved to Berkeley, California about 1920. Evidently, the Title research for grandad Earls 1949 transaction indicated some unresolved actions concerning several individuals who were somehow legally associated with this ranch from the early 1900s through 1940s. Grandad Earl & A. W. White, executor of Christina Thorntons estate, were required by law to file a technical lawsuit to gain a clear title for the purchase of this ranch. According to legal procedures, the Sheriff made every effort to contact the other individuals (see below) & notices were published in the newspaper. The only individuals who were still in the area in 1950 & successfully contacted were Ellen & Francis Savage & their daughter Mary Nowlin. No challenges or objections were made & the court confirmed on 20 Feb 1950 by legal decree that grandad Earl McKinneys Executive Deed purchase was valid. ****************************************************** EARL McKINNEY and A.W. WHITE, Executor of the estate of Christina Thornton, deceased, Plaintiffs Vs BETTY JANE KURTZ (Dons note): Betty was the daughter of David Paul Kurtz who owned the Kurtz Place part of this ranch. After her father was killed by a horse when she was an infant in 1924, her mother Laura married Cecil Rack & they later moved to another area, eventually Riverton. Betty married Francis Hardgrove & died 1985 in Virginia.) MICHAEL NOLAN & TIMOTHY NOLAN, heirs at law of JOHN NOLAN, deceased, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs, devisees and creditors of any of them who may be deceased (Dons note): John Nolan was a stockman in the area during 1890s-early 1900s who possibly came with John Carmody to Wyoming from Itaca NY during the 1880’s & was later associated in the stock business on this ranch. The 1950 document indicates these 2 Nolan sons resided in Ithaca NY) THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF JOHN FRANCIS IVENS, deceased, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs, devisees and creditors of any of them who may be deceased (Dons note): John Francis Ivens was John Carmodys nephew & son of Annie Carmody Ivens. He died in 1942 in Berkeley, CA) ELLEN C. SAVAGE, FRANCIS L. SAVAGE and MARY JANE NOWLIN, heirs of John Carmody, deceased, and the unknown heirs of John Carmody if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs, devisees and and creditors of any of them who may be deceased (Dons note): Ellen was the only child of John & Jennie Carmody and inherited this ranch after her father died in 1931. Her mother Jennie died in 1925. Ellen & her husband Francis were engaged in the stock business in various areas of Fremont County, as was her father. Mary Jane Nowlin was the daughter of Francis & Ellen Savage. She was married to John Nowlin & they later moved to Casper.) FARM INVESTMENT COMPANY, a corporation, and David H. Gale, as Trustee for the Farm Investment Company ************************************************************** The main two story ranch house where Earl & Dottie McKinney resided was originally log & was one of the first houses built in that area, probably by John Bircumshaw, from Derbyshire England, who was the original homesteader during the mid 1880s. Post office records referenced by Annals of Wyoming indicate the Derby Post Office was established on May 5, 1888 with John Bircumshaw as postmaster. It was discontinued on March 16, 1895 and its mail then handled by the Dallas Post Office about 5 miles north on that Rawlins to Lander Stage Road. The 2 story log house served as the “Derby Road Ranch” for travelers during the stage coach era & 3 log cabins across the stage road, under the red cliffs to the north, served as the stage stop, livery & residence for the stage keeper. John Carmody purchased the ranch about 1905 & possibly remodeled the 2 story log Road Ranch. He also replaced the 3 log cabins on the north side of the road with a long stage stop building from red rocks retrieved from the cliffs. At the same time, he built a large red rock barn on the south side of the stage road & east of the 2 story log Road Ranch. John Carmody used the ranch as one of his sheep headquarters. After his death in 1931, his daughter Ellen & husband Francis Savage continued to use this ranch as a sheep headquarters during the decade of the 1930s & early 1940s. Grandfather Earl McKinney raised hereford cattle when he leased this place from the Savages during the 1940s & after he purchased it. A couple of years after his 1949 purchase, he used white stucco to cover the logs of that original 2 story ranch house & later purchased the adjoining “Rasmussen Place” to the west on onion flats. Their son, Edward and Hilda, became partners in the day to day operation of the ranch & about 1946 brought in a nearby small brown 2 room style house from the oil company, the former Twin creek/Derby school house that was discontinued during the early 1940s . Ed & Hilda used this as their residence until they replaced it 1956-1957 with a larger one story white house they brought in from the oil company that was also located nearby to the east, in an area just north of the old highway . Ed & Hilda raised their children, Marilynn, Tim & Kelly on this ranch. In 1957, Earl & Dotties historic ranch house was destroyed by fire & was replaced with a large trailer house. Grandad Earl used the I reverse Z brand on his horses & cattle while Edward used the D Mill Iron brand that he received from his uncle Lloyd McKinney. Edward also worked off and on for the oil companies and did backhoe and bulldozer work to supplement the ranch income. They used the old red rock stage stop across the highway to store their tractors & heavy equipment. About 1970, when the highway was rerouted & rebuilt farther north, this red rock building was demolished. Shortly before grandparents Earl & Dottie died during the mid 1970s, they deeded the ranch to son Edward & Hilda. Edward inherited the Rasmussen part of the ranch on onion flats when grandmother Dottie died in 1976. Edward & Hildas son Tim & Rosanne McKinney are the present owners. Cousin Tim, a retired Fremont County sheriff, recently built a new home to replace their home that was destroyed by fire last year. It was built in the same location a couple of miles south of the original main ranch & red rock barn that are near the highway. They also lost youngest son Todd last year of a heart attack who also resided on the ranch. Their oldest son Tim Jr & family reside near Pinedale but daughter Tara & husband Brett Berg built a house on the Sharp place part of the ranch, across the highway to the northwest of the original main ranch & red rock barn. They reside there with young daughters Brooke & Brittnee & they all participate in the ranch work & various ranch activities. My brother Richard & I have many fond memories of this wonderful ancestral ranch during our visits going back over 60 years. Many more visits to come & the ranch is still in good hands, keeping the ranching tradition of our family alive & well.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 22:55:37 +0000
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