Maguire, R. J. Personal History

R.J. Maguire was born in Frontier, Neb. to James and Mary Adlia Maguire. Although he spent his early years in Kansas, he obtained a homestead in Niobrara County and came to Wyoming Jan. 2, 1917. Arriving by train, a suitcase was about his only possession.

He married Fannie Fern Hobson May 30, 1922 at Valentine, N Jr. The couple had seven children: Ann, Alice, Frank, Mary, Eunice, Carl and Hazel.

Maguire joined the Army in 1917 at Fort Robinson, Nebr. and saw duty in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and France. He was discharged in April, 1919.

Nearest post office to his homestead was Young Woman, where William Magoon was post­ master and also ran a grocery store. A one­ room cabin provided shelter on the homestead, and was furnished with homemade table, cup­board, chair and bed.

Following his marriage, Maguire worked in the oil fields and lived in oil field housing until 1929 when they moved back to the ranch. His first automobile was a Model T Ford Touring car purchased in 1923 from H.J. Templeton for $840. He used the car until 1928 when he purchased a Model A Ford.

Runaways were common disasters during those early years and medical care consisted primarily of home remedies.

Farming was done entirely with horse drawn machinery. The ranching of the early days is what brought it to what it is today. Then, cows were worth $20 a head and good two year old steers worth about $30. Trapping coyotes was one outside way of earning cash. From 1930 to 1934, he drove the mail route from Lusk to Bright. During the Depression earning outside cash was difficult and he ran the Rawleigh route in 1935 in all of Niobrara County and part of Weston County.

Maguire later moved to Brighton, Colo.

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