Cattle Raisers

The Cattle Raisers' Association, Cabin #1

On Feb. 17, 1877, 40 cattlemen gathered in Graham, Texas, to form what was then called the Stock-Raisers’ Association of North-West Texas.

The association was the first of its kind in the United States and was organized under an oak tree on Fourth Street in front of the Dolman House Hotel. Among the great pioneers and cattleman there that day was J.C. Loving, the son of Oliver Loving. He was the first secretary of the Stock Raisers’ Association and later became president.

In fact, the first secretary’s office was at his ranch house just inside the western Jack County line, where a state historical marker is located and which you might want to visit. The office remained there until 1884, at which time it was moved to Jacksboro.

Another noted founder of the association was C.C. Slaughter. He was the son of George Webb Slaughter, the great pioneer preacher and Indian fighter who carried the message from Sam Houston to William Travis at the Alamo that no help would be coming.

There was Kit Carter, another great cattleman who was the first president of the association, and Burk Burnett, for whom the city of Burkburnett is named.

The immediate objective of the Cattle Raisers’ Association was to systemize spring work and to curb cattle rustling. In 1883, an inspection system was adopted which recovered many cattle that for one reason or another were in herds in which they did not belong.

The organization continued to grow and drew such notables as Robert Justice Kleburg of the King Ranch. By 1893, the organization had grown to such an extent it was changed to Cattle Raisers’ Association of Texas. In 1921, it merged with several other Cattle Raisers’ Associations and became known by its current name, The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers’ Association.

Some of the association’s more important contributions over the years include:

• the eradication of screw worm in the Southwest.
• establishment of a cattle feeding division to improve these methods.
• establishing an awards program for 4-H and Future Farmers of America.
• establishing the mammoth TSCRA brand records which greatly improved methods to eliminate cattle theft.
• establishing the TSCR Foundation, which helps promote cattle raising across the state and the southwest.

In fact, in the year 2002 alone, TSCRA inspectors, with the assistance of Texas Rangers, helped recover over $4.3 million of livestock and property. In addition, the association started the monthly magazine The Cattleman, which provides ranchers the latest in industry news and trends and association activities. Today the TSCRA has over 12,800 members representing 3.6 million cattle. And to think this far-ranging large organization began only 15 minutes from today’s Wildcatter Ranch, when 40 of the great pioneers and cattleman of this area simply thought the future of their great industry was far too important not to organize and control.

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