Embedded Files
Arthur Clarke Huidekoper was born in Meadville Pa. June 1845. He attended Harvard University, and married Frances Louise Reynold, also of Meadville. They had three children together: Albert Reynolds, Earle Colhoon, and Edith Ellicott. A.C. Huidekoper came to the Badlands of North Dakota to hunt buffalo in 1879. His hunting party included Col. S.B. Dick, Mr. George S. Cullum, Mr. George Shryock, and Mr. Orin Hollister.
He founded the HT Ranch near Amidon North Dakota in 1882. Percheron horses were the number one business of the HT Ranch. In 1906 and 1907 the ranch was sold, Huidekoper returned to Pennsylvania. He died in 1928.
Little Missouri Horse Company -
Financed largely by A.C. Huidekoper and the Eaton Brothers
Custer Trail Cattle Company – owned by the Eaton Brothers, Howard and Aldon financed by A.C. Huidekoper after he arrived. (brand Circle K, horse brand 76). Located where the bible camp is today.
HT Ranch – owned by A.C. Huidekoper
Harry R. Tarbell
Alfred H. Bond
G. Gorham Bond
Earle C. Huidekoper (had some interest)
Albert R. Huidekoper (had some interest)
George Woodman (had some interest) was foreman for a while then started the U-Bar Ranch South of Black Butte.
The Logging Camp Ranch – owned by A.C. Huidekoper
Spear Ranch – owned by A.C. Huidekoper (south of New England ND along Cedar Creek)
Eastern Ranch – owned by A.C. Huidekoper (north of Reeder ND)
Arthur Clarke Huidekoper
Young A.C. Huidekoper
Frances Louise Reynolds Huidekoper
A.C. Huidekoper and George Woodman looking across the HT Ranch
This was one of the greatest horse outfits of the old west. The scene shows the owner and some of the hands of the Little Missouri Horse Company in Dakota Territory. This classic photograph was taken in 1888 by T.W. Ingersoll of St. Paul Minnesota. Location was the headquarters of the famous H.T. Ranch on Deep Creek in Slope County, some ten miles west of the present town of Amidon.
They branded the famous H.T. shown above and also a monogram Z4.
This outfit ran between four and five thousand horses at one time; some old timers claimed that it was nearer eight thousand. They ranged the Badlands of the Dakotas and into parts of eastern Wyoming and Montana. They specialized in the raising and breaking for teams (horses—1500 to 1600 pounds –from good range mares and imported Percheron studs) for sale to streetcar lines, breweries, ice companies, etc. They were fun-loving and a salty, hard-riding and tough horse outfit.
A large group of cowboys sit and stand for a group portrait outside a log ranch house, possibly near Medora. The back row is identified as, standing was Goose, a Crow Indian, a great tracker, and an always hungry guest; Charley Mason a constant whistler, who was affectionately known by an impious nickname; Charles Van Sickle; Herman Holtz, cook: Jim Harmon, another top hand and prominent citizen of Medora; Dan Fowler, Fred McClain, James Reynolds and young Schuyler N. Lebo, son of Norman and later friend of the editor. left to right. Seated, left to right are: Thomas Franklin "Frank" Roberts, top hand and foreman of the outfit, who of the group was the last to survive (he died a short time ago at 98); Norman "Old Man" Lebo, scout, hunter, teamster, who also cooked and drove for Theodore Roosevelt on the Big Horn hunting trip; A.C. Huidekoper, from Meadville Pa. ,wealthy rancher and owner, Bill Jones, all-around hand and bronc peeler, and a lusty likable character who drove for T.R. and became sheriff of Billings County. George Woodman, later manager and foreman of the ranch and a prominent rancher on his own; and Dave McQuillen, “who could ketch a horse with his own beard.
This picture was taken by T.W. Ingersoll in front of the old ranch house. This building was replaced by the long barn in almost the same spot.
A. C. Huidekoper (in the center to the left of the goat) was a wealthy easterner who came to Dakota Territory to make money in the cattle business. Like Roosevelt, he loved the life he lived in the badlands and enjoyed the company of cowboys. Unlike Roosevelt, he found a way to make his ranch profitable and to integrate it with his eastern business interests. Front row L-R, Herman Holtz, Dan Fowler sitting cross-legged, A.C. Huidekoper, George Goodman, Johnny (Jack) Snyder sitting far right
Back Row, Jack Kelly, Charley Van Sickel, Johnny Reynolds, Fred McLain, Schuyler Lebo
A.C. Huidekoper's Hired Hands
Hired hands - Most outfits employed 35 or so men during the spring and summer, beginning around April 1 - 15th. 8 - 10 hands were kept on over the winter. A.C. Huidekoper hired many cowboys and ranch hands between the1880's and 1906. Here is a list of some of the known men who worked for him.
Pete Pelessier (Pilllissey) – Later became Forman for the HT (brother in-law to Howard Eaton)
T.F. (Frank) Roberts – One time Forman for the HT for about ten years.
James B. Harmon (Jim) – (married Norman Lebo’s daughter)
Old Goose – (Sioux Chief)
Mert Buckley - Came to work as a young kid. Stayed for 10 or 12 years.
Jim Kelly -
Peter Roth -
Schuyler Lebo -
Judd Lebo -
Norman Lebo – Buffalo hunter and guide (guided for T.R.) Later became a judge in Medora
Frank Philbrick – half breed Sioux rough on horses
Charley Van Sickle -
Billy Smith -
Herman Holst – HT cook
John Tyler – (black man) HT cook
Martin – best cook according A.C.
Farrish – near sighted English boy cook located at Belle Fourche.
Ed McEntyre – Forman located at Belle Fourche, where some cattle was purchased.
Alfred Benson – Englishmen, was sent to Europe to bring back horses
Gunny-Sack Bill Stattum – from Missouri
Charley Mason
Dan Fowler
Johnny (Jack) Snyder
James Reynolds
Fred McClain
Foul-Mouthed Bill Jones - Later became Billings Co. Sheriff
Dave McQuillen - said to be able to rope a horse with his beard.
John Clayton
Harve Robinson (became a banker in Dickinson)
Buck Taylor
Dick Blackburn
Jake Tomamichel
Henry Williams- known to have roped a goose on the fly.
Will Clark
Adolph Churchill
Lon Merrideth
Theodore Halverson
Frank Wammegan - "A good worker, but could not stand prosperity. About every 3 months take his money to town and blow it" ACH
Bobbie Lyons
Jimmie Stevenson
Johnny Harold
Chas A. Stevens
Ray Lenneville
Bob Carr
Earl Harkins
Georgie Carr
Nate Halliday
John Clark
William Henry Hanson
Alfred Benson with the hounds
"The winter of 1886-87 was known as the hard winter. The summer of 1886 was so hot that the grass withered. The big herds came in late in the season in poor condition. That winter there was a great loss. The Ox outfit were said to have lost $250,000.
I decided to gather my cattle at the next round-up and see where I stood. I suggested that we small outfits like Lang, Rumsey, Roosevelt, and others, do the same. Some of the outfits refused on account of the extra expense; others because they did not want to know; for if the tally was bad, they were afraid their backers would quit them. I was really the only man on the river who knew where he stood. We had about the same number of cattle as when we had started. We had years of hard work, for no profit. So I decided to go out of the cattle business, but I liked the life, and I found out that while the loss of cattle was large, there had been practically little or no loss in horses; so I decided to start a horse ranch."
A.C. Huidekoper
It is a shame the he is overshadowed in our state's history by more prominent figures like Theodore Roosevelt and the Marquis de Mores when he clearly deserves equal recognition in his devotion and contributions to the state of North Dakota.(Badlands Horse Rancher. Mark Lorange)
Little Missouri Logging Camp 1892
J.W Foley, George Myers, Mrs. Myers, Lizzie Roberts, Woman?, Henry Williams, Vance, Frank Philbrick, John Tyler, Peter Roth
Group of Cowboys in Medora, center facing camera, Johnny (Jack) Snyder.
"it is glorious, that great, great country, that fresh air, that dashing action across the prairie in the fresh morning, there is nothing like it, died."
A.C. Huidekoper 1922
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse