Ruth Alexander Bryant recalls being told
as follows:
As the family was approaching South Pass from the east, they camped overnight on the Sweetwater. A fellow had approached earlier about purchasing a milk cow from them; he had a signed check from Ella Watson for the purchase.
Eugene declined the check and the deal. After dark, it is believed that Cattle Kate (Ella Watson), herself, came into the camp and offered cash for the cow. Deal completed, she allegedly spent the night with them.
It is further believed that the cattle they brought with them were the foundation of the family herd. They were milking Shorthorn cattle which were utilitarian, being both sources of ample milk and beef. These cattle were bred to Hereford bulls consistently until they had the
appearance of true Hereford cattle. She doesn’t think they purchased female stock from anyone. Bulls would be a different story.
For Cattle Kate’s story, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Watson. From this, it can be
ascertained that “Bill” would have been ~ 9 years old on the date of Ella’s and Jim’s hanging. However, from this biography, it is also very plausible that the above story happened as Ella and Jim ranched in the area. The encounter, per information from “Progressive Men of Wyoming” 1903, places Eugene and family in South Dakota until 1880, then on to Niobrara County (Nebraska? ~there are references of them coming from Nebraska to Idaho, possibly ranched on border~ Wyoming?) until approximately 1884. Selling the ranch, the cattle were moved to Bear Lake, Idaho, which logically took them through the Sweetwater Valley to South Pass, then on to Idaho.
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