The Women Who Ran the Range and a Giveaway!

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Howdy, y’all! Heather Blanton here. I’ve got a new box set out this week from my Burning Dress Ranch series. The Burning Dress is a ranch run by women for women. Some would think that’s a tall tale. A woman can’t run a ranch.

If you think that, you’ve never met Kittie Wilkins, Margaret Borland, or Ellen Watson, to name a few ranching pioneers.

From the late 1880s and into the 20th Century, Kittie Wilkins was quite literally the Horse Queen of Idaho. At one point she had a herd of over 10,000 fine animals. And fine was the name of her game. Kittie’s horses were spectacular.

 

Her father was a horse trader. She picked up the skill from him and ran with it. She had an uncanny eye for horse flesh, a strong work ethic, a quick mind, and–probably most importantly–the respect of her ranch hands. Kittie is credited with negotiating the largest horse trade in US history. In one deal, she sold 8000 horses to England for use in the Boer War. She was also a darling of the press because of her business acumen and feminine ways.

 

In 1873, Margaret Borland owned a good-sized spread in Texas, but cattle in Texas weren’t worth much. About $8 a head. Up the road in Kansas, though, beef was bringing $23 a head! Margaret, not being a dummy, defied convention and organized her own cattle drive. What’s more, she also served as the trail boss! But she arrived at this situation more out of necessity than desire.

Widowed three times, she had to step up repeatedly if she wanted to keep her ranch running and her children fed. Each tragic death solidified in her the fortitude to fight on, as well as offered the opportunity for her to learn the cattle business. Surviving these trials by fire, Margaret became the only female rancher to run a cattle drive up the Chisholm trail.

And then there’s Ellen Watson, a young woman who took advantage of the Wyoming Homestead Act and procured 160 acres for herself in 1887. With Jim Averell, most likely her secret husband, she filed for squatter’s rights on land adjacent to his and continued expanding her herd. Jim ran a restaurant and general store, but Ellen tended to the ranch with the help of a few reliable hands.

Ellen was becoming a successful rancher when she ran afoul of neighboring cattle baron Albert Bothwell. Bothwell coveted Ellen’s land and eventually, his greed led to her death. Ellen and Jim were lynched by Bothwell in July of 1889. To protect the wealthy cattlemen involved in the murders, the press dubbed Ellen “Cattle Kate” and declared her a cattle thief and prostitute.

They might have taken her ranch, her life, and her reputation, but they didn’t take away her accomplishments as a fine rancher.

Women like these inspired Burning Dress Ranch. Everything the women do in my stories, from wrangling cattle to shoeing horses to bending iron on an anvil is real, true history. Just like my historical heroes, my fictional heroines come away with a new vocation, a bright future, and their happily ever after!

So, what do you think? Are women every bit the rancher a man can be? Maybe with different expectations and parameters? Is the idea believable?

 

The Burning Dress Ranch Box Set of all five books is available now, but for your chance to win it, leave a comment and tell me what you think about these feisty, determined women.

I’m giving my box set away to 5 lucky commenters!

You can find the box set on Amazon

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69 thoughts on “The Women Who Ran the Range and a Giveaway!”

  1. Wow! Those ladies surely did step outside societal expectations to run ranches, raise horses and drive cattle when society decreed women weren’t capable of doing any of those things. I’m not sure I’d have been able to do those things.

  2. These women were amazing! All women are! Just think how they did those tough jobs in the clothes they had to wear in those days!

  3. I am always amazed at the strength of women in the earlier centuries. I am so spoiled with my running water, indoor plumbing, electric and grocery stores. Through their courageous acts to survive- they inspired generations of women and men. I am sure it was a tough life and there were many obstacles they had to overcome, but they didn’t give up and that is a true testament to their grit and determination.

  4. I think these exceptions are believable. Women have proved their abilities to step up and do what was needed over and over again.

  8. Hey Heather! First of all, I love, love, your Defiance series! One of the best western series I have read! Right next to Louis LaMour!(sp) I haven’t read the Burning Dress Ranch Series. If it’s about women with true grit, I’m for it! I am positive that they were many women in our past who blazed the trail for us all! Thank you Lord for them! Tough as nails! Thank you for this bit of history today! My kinda reading!

    Many blessings to you Heather! Still waiting patiently on Defiance series to come to life on the moving screen!

    • Aw, thank you, Tracy, for all those kind words! Defiance is still my favorite series and I do believe you’ll see it on TV someday. Beautifully Flawed Productions is actively working on the pilot script and the pitch deck!

  10. Some Women can do anything that a man can do. My father saw Russian women carrying crates that required 2 men to move. He was on Akak Islans in WW2 and the cargo was coming in all of the time.

  11. These women are excellent examples and prove that a woman can do anything and just as well as a man if not better because women have to try harder to prove ourselves.

  13. The lack of population probably helped with their unconventional life…not a lot of people to critique them and a the people who were familiar with their circumstances were most likely sympathetic. A lot of “there but for the grace of God go I. ” A hard life.

  14. Women were braver then men thought just like today. These stories were great.i heard stories of cattle Kate.

  15. It also proves with cattle Kate, the corruption of those times of people and the media.

  17. Women can be anything they set their mind to, as proven by this ladies! There are some things we can’t do, but we’ll still make a good shot at it!

  18. I love your stories that are based on real women of the American West! Thanks for sharing their (often missed) stories of life and faith. God bless you, Heather, as you share your stories with us!

  20. I like that Wyoming was the first state to give women the right to vote and I think it’s awesome that these women leaned to live in a man’s world and do what they needed to.

  21. Woohoo so glad to see you here. Yes I do believe that women can run ranches. Maybe a bit differently than a man, but still they can do a fantastic job. My mom was one of those women. And she had five small children to do it with. LOL We had a friend, Dixie, who also ran her ranch by herself. And she had three small children. I would love to read your book set. I had ordered it but didnt realize until too late it didnt come through to my kindle. Sigh Live and learn. quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

      • Yes mom was like this until the day she died. And she left a wonderful legacy, with both a work ethic and Jesus. Oh I found the series in my kindle. Not sure how or why, but I did find it. Now I can read it. Woohoo.

  22. I love these stories, Heather. I do a LOT of tough, feisty lady ranchers. So many in fact I tend to think of it as normal, but it wasn’t. I love reading about real life examples

  23. Women got things done because they needed doing. And they usually completed the tasks with a cheerful attitude.
    The pioneers would never have settled down and made a life for themselves and others without a guiding hand from the womenfolk!

  24. Those women proved what a lady can accomplish with determination and perseverance. I love your Burning Dress Ranch series! I’ve read all but the last one and it is loaded on my Kindle, ready to go.

  25. I don’t think the West could have been Won without the aid of the women who lived at that time. Any woman, feisty or not, was necessary to help their fellow man.

  26. I believe a woman could run a ranch just as good as a man. She would not have the physical strength of a man, but she would figure out how to do the job anyway.

  28. I enjoyed finding out about these women. Yes women can do anything they put their minds too. Back then times were tough and women had to do whatever they could to survive and to take care of their family.

  29. Welcome, Heather. As usual, your writing is so informative and educational. These women deserved everything they earned. None of their duties were simple, nor geared to women. However, they dug in their heels and survived, with the exception of our last, Ellen. Her demise sounds much like our recent political wranglings. You are terrific and I am honored to call you my friend. I already own this book set in ebooks. Best wishes, as always.

  30. Hi Heather, I believe a woman is capable of doing anything a man can do if she sets her mind to it. Hooray for these women! Nothing is impossible and I strongly believe “Where there is a will, there is a way!! Have a great day and a great weekend my beautiful and sweet friend. God Bless you and your family .

  31. Wow! The women were definitely capable of doing anything on the ranch that they desired to accomplish. I am always amazed at how strong the women were physically and emotionally. Their determination to survive during that time was surely a driving force. It is amazing the things one can do when you have that drive. My grandfather would always tell me that I could do anything I wanted as long as I put my mind on the task and stayed dedicated to the task. Thank you for this generous opportunity.

  34. Most women can do about anything a man can do it they set their mind to do it. They may not have the muscle to do some things but there are ways to work around the muscle, like using a longer bar to make up for not having the muscle. I use to do a man’s job and I would have to use a long bar on a wrench to brake something loose so most thing can be done by a women.

  35. These Women were amazing Yes, a woman can do anything if they set their mind too it! Thank you for this amazing giveaway and post!

  36. Those were some brave women! They stepped up whenever the need arose & did a good job of it. I do believe that women can do most anything a man can do, but I also believe that there are jobs better left to men whenever that is possible. Sometimes that is not possible, so kudos to the women who are well & able to step up & take over!

  39. I think ? feisty woman can be just as good ranchers if not better than Men and a woman will doo what she needs to do on a ranch
    Would love to read this set in print format

  40. These women did a man’s job & probably did it better. Women folk back in those days were really the backbone of America. Yes, they did want needed to be done to survive & keep their family fed & safe.
    I would love to read their stories in print format also.

  42. Women have always been more than capable to do just about anything men can do. They often ran the family farm or ranch when their husbands were away working elsewhere. Our daughter trained as a farrier and we know several women blacksmiths. Women tend to be smart and organized. If they can’t physically do something, they will find someone who can. So, yes, I believe the stories of women running big ranches.

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