Sometime between and 1950 and 1955 my grandfather Dudley Howery and cowboy dad Dudley Jr. (aka Ridge Durand) bought a ranch property near Tie Siding, Wyoming. That’s the best date I’ve come up with so far. The 1950 Census shows them both in Laramie, but when I was born we were already living on the ranch at Tie Siding.
In 1950 they registered a brand, the 2\D brand. My dad was 17. I had to do some research to find the original certificate. Until now I knew only it was registered to them in the 1956 Wyoming Brand Book.
That brand has been in our family ever since. After my dad died, it was registered to my step-mother Carolyn, and my half-brother Jesse. After Jesse died, the brand reverted to Carolyn alone, then she transferred it to herself and my nephew Chris.
Chris is proud of his brand. He does leatherwork (“Jenkins Creek Customs”). I’ve seen quite a few posts on social media with pictures of belts, keychains, and so on–all with the brand.
It makes me very happy to see the brand continuing in the family.
Symbolism
Brands don’t necessarily carry a particular meaning, although they’re often composed with the initials of the original owner. I don’t think it’s a stetch to read my dad’s brand as two Ds, standing for Dudley Sr. and Dudley Jr.
Other Howery Brands
My dad’s brand isn’t the only brand shown in the old brand books. There are other brands for our Howery cousins at Torrington and Hawk Springs:
- Dale E. or Myrtle H. Howery, Lagrange
- Francis W. Howery, Cheyenne
- Gerald Howery, Hawk Springs
- Wesley W. or Mette K. Howery, Lagrange
Then two others, more distant cousins. Had to look them up.
- Cecil T. Howery, Glenrock
- Max T. Howrey, Glenrock
My dad and Carolyn moved from Wyoming down to a ranch in Glendevey, Colorado about 1966 or 1967. Just across the border. So close, in fact, their new post office address was Jelm, Wyoming.
I seem to remember my dad registering a different brand in Colorado. I’m not sure, but I seem to remember it was something like 2\D but a little different. Maybe D/D or D\D. None of my sibs remember anything like that.
I did some research. Looking at old brand books, neither my dad nor Carolyn are listed in the 1972 Colorado Brand Book. Strange. Surely they used a brand on new ranch. I found a listing for Carolyn Durand in the 1977 book but nothing for my dad. Not under Dudley Howery or under Ridge Durand. Dad changed his name in 1972, so I checked under both names. He retired from ranching in 1972 (according to one of his promotional brochures), so it’s possible my memory is wrong and he didn’t register a brand in Colorado after all.
Colorado brand registrations back then were for 5 years (now 10 years, I think). So, 1972 and 1977 should cover the period that interests me. Just to be sure, I skipped forward, checking 1982, 1997, 2002, and 2007. (Dad died in 2002.) Still nothing for him; just registrations for Carolyn.
I contacted the Colorado State Archives. They don’t have brand records. They put me in touch with the Brand Commissioner. His office had the info. Carolyn bought her brand from Donald T. Crouse on April 21, 1975. What I think might have happened is they bought the Colorado ranch from Crowse and continued to use his brand until it came up for newewal.
I also have my answer about Dad registering a Colorado brand. I must be rememering something wrong. The Brand Commission says there are no Colorado brands for Dudley Howery or Ridge Durand at any time.
References
- Colorado Brand Commission, Deed Book 55:87.
- Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado Brand Book (1972, 1977, 1982, 1997, 2002, 2007).
- Wyoming State Livestock Commission, Wyoming Brand Book (1956, 2022).
Revised July 31, 2026.