Under The Big Sky: Montana’s Historic Cattle Brands
The History Of Branding Animals Is Much Older Than The Wild West
According to Wikipedia:
Branding livestock can be traced back all the way to about 2,700 BCE when ancient Egyptians used them to prove ownership.
KEEP SCROLLING to see some of the oldest livestock brands in Montana ⏬⏬⏬
The Romans would sometimes use brands that had magic symbols on them to protect their livestock even more.
Cattle Were Brought To Montana In The 1840's
From the Montana Historical Society:
Even then, cattle marking, branding and tattooing had been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years.
What Are The 10 Biggest Ranches In Montana? Click Here To Find Out
Due to the free range raising of cattle in Montana, branding became very important to thwart cattle rustling, but to ALSO help ranchers know which cattle belong to what ranch when they got mixed up on the range. (Remember, barbed wire wasn't invented until 1867, and barbed wire as we know it wasn't utilized until 1874.)
The Montana Territory Started Keeping Records Of Brands In 1873
The Legislative assembly of 1871-1872 voted to keep a record of brands in Montana in a "book suitable for the purpose, which shall be free to the inspection of all persons interested."-Montana Legislative Assembly
The First Brand Registered In Montana Was On February 10, 1873
The State of Montana started recording brands in 1873 and kept recording new brands as applications came in until 1910. In 1911, Montana started registering brands for a ten-year period.--Montana Historical Society
On February 10, 1873, The Poindexter and Orr ranch registered the Square & Compass (a symbol of the Masons) for their cattle ranch. This brand has been in use in Montana since the day it was registered into the books.
What's Your Montana Family Brand?
This is mine, or I should say WAS my family brand. My dad always said Grandpa sold/gave it to someone in the family, but I haven't found out who as of writing the article.
What's your brand? We'd love to do another article on current brands in Montana with pictures taken by you. Send them to me here
Check this out: The Montana History Society has allowed me show you some of the oldest brands recorded in Montana history, some registered when the state was still a territory.
Montana Cattle Brands From 1873 To The Early 1900's
Gallery Credit: Tammie Toren
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