Richard Moore

Pre-1940 Ranching

Inducted 2016

Richard Moore was born in 1884 near Coon Rapids, IA to Ernest and Sarah (Thomas) Moore. The family relocated to Rushville, NE when he was six years old.

The Battle of Wounded Knee took place within 30 miles of his home. This was a frightening memory for him to recall.

Richard had two sisters Julia Moore Mosser Kalkman from Wibaux, MT and Kate Moore Turman from Rapid City SD. He had two brothers Ernest Moore Jr. and George Moore. The family moved to Billings County, ND in June 1906 and lived on the Ernest Moore Sr. Ranch on the Little Missouri River. They trailed 250 head of horses and colts to the ranch.

In 1907 Moore homesteaded in Golden Valley County. Moore raised horses to sell to the crews surveying the land for the government. He spent his life on Beaver Creek Ranch shipping boxcar loads of horses to Chicago and Florida. He also acquired more land holdings and expanded his operation. It was a horse outfit originally at one time they had over a 1000 head of horses. He married Elsie Roberts from Medora ND in 1939. She taught school in Miles City, MT. The couple had no children.

The horse market was being replaced by motorized vehicles. In 1947 Richard decided to sell 600 head via Medora to Chicago. Moore never owned a tractor. Everything was done with horses. The only vehicle he owned was a 1950 pickup truck. Moore purchased three prize jacks to breed with the mares he retained. The mules that resulted were trained and sold as pack mules to firefighters in Montana. The sale was held August of 1958 in Wibaux MT. The Mules were trailed to Missoula for forest service work by Smokey a white horse that belonged to Fred Boyce. George Boyce said the mules liked following the white horse. In the early teens the first cattle and brand were bought for 20 dollars a head and the brand came with these horses.

Moore hired Rex Cook as a range hand to help with haying and other ranch duties while Cook was growing up in the Westerheim area. Cook learned to work with leather at the Ranch. Cook was also George Boyce, the great great nephew. Moore’s brand was an EM on the left rib of his cattle and on the right shoulder of his horses.

Moore was a generous man and helped friends and family out during the Great Depression. The Moores opened their doors to aging family members in an era before nursing homes existed. In later years, Richard and Elsie lived in Beach. He was gentle and kind with his livestock. He was an exceptional horseperson and at 92 years old he was riding and checking his stock the day before he passed away. He did so up until the day before he died in 1976.