HISTORY OF WILLIAMS/FERGUSON RANCH
W. P. Ferguson established Ferguson Ranches in 1891 in Wise, Clay, Archer and Wichita Counties. When W. P. Ferguson died the ranches were split between his two sons Herbert Ferguson and Jasper Ferguson. Herbert was given the ranches in Wise and Clay Counties while Jasper was given the ranches in Wichita and Archer. Herbert continued where his father W P had left off raising Hereford cattle both registered and commercial herds W P joined the Texas Hereford Association in 1906 and the ranch has been a member ever since headquarters at the time were in Wichita Falls Texas where they remained until the late1960’s when they were moved to Decatur. When Herbert Ferguson became ill the ranch was left in the hands of Herbert’s daughter Ann Williams and her husband the late Harry Williams. Harry was employed by Standard Oil Company at the time but he left there to move to Wise County to look after the ranch. In 2002 the ranch changed its name to Williams/ Ferguson Ranch L P and Ann’s oldest son Herb and his wife Susan who live on the ranch took over the day to day operation of the ranch. In 2007 Herb started building the registered Hereford herd back up again after 25 years of concentrating on a cross bred commercial herd. The ranch now consists of about 300 cross bred mother cows along with 70 registered Hereford cows.
A look at the ranch today 2009 would lead itself to changes but with the heritage still blending into every area of land and the new generations running the land and all that stands on it.
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