Otto Franc
Encyclopedia
Count Otto Franc von Lichtenstein (1846–1903) was a cattle baron
, sheriff
and judge
in the Big Horn Basin region of the U.S. State
of Wyoming
. Franc was born in Germany
as a member of the German nobility. He emigrated to the United States in 1866. After visiting the Big Horn Basin area on a hunting trip in 1877–1878, he returned the following year and established the Pitchfork Ranch on the upper Greybull River
, near the present-day town of Meeteetse
. Over the next few decades, he became a powerful cattle baron and political figure in the area.
In 1893, Franc had renowned outlaw Butch Cassidy
and his friend Al Hainer arrested for stealing three horses, The two asserted they had bought them legally, though legal paperwork was never presented. Cassidy was convicted and Hainer was acquitted, possibly because he had made a deal with Franc to sell out his friend. Cassidy was pardoned by governor William A. Richards
in 1896, but the time he spent in the Wyoming State Penitentiary convinced him to become a full-time outlaw, and he formed the Wild Bunch
shortly after his release.
Franc was suspected to be an active member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association
, and is believed to have bankrolled part of the Johnson County War
, a conflict between small cattle owners and large wealthy cattle outfits in 1892.
Franc died from a gunshot in 1903 under still mysterious circumstances. The Pitchfork Ranch remains active, and is known for its wildlife conservations efforts. In 1981, a colony of black-footed ferrets
, an animal previously thought to be extinct, was discovered on the ranch.
Cattle baron
A cattle baron is a historic term for a person who possessed great power or influence, generally as owner of a large ranch and many cattle, specifically beef cattle. A cattle baron in the United States was sometimes called a cowman or a rancher...
, sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in the Big Horn Basin region of the U.S. State
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. Franc was born in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as a member of the German nobility. He emigrated to the United States in 1866. After visiting the Big Horn Basin area on a hunting trip in 1877–1878, he returned the following year and established the Pitchfork Ranch on the upper Greybull River
Greybull River
The Greybull River is a tributary of the Big Horn River, approximately long in northern Wyoming in the United States. The river was reportedly named for a white buffalo that had been seen on its banks. Native Americans consider the appearance of a white buffalo a powerful omen.The river rises...
, near the present-day town of Meeteetse
Meeteetse, Wyoming
Meeteetse is a town in Park County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 351 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Meeteetse is located at ....
. Over the next few decades, he became a powerful cattle baron and political figure in the area.
In 1893, Franc had renowned outlaw Butch Cassidy
Butch Cassidy
Robert LeRoy Parker , better known as Butch Cassidy, was a notorious American train robber, bank robber, and leader of the Wild Bunch Gang in the American Old West...
and his friend Al Hainer arrested for stealing three horses, The two asserted they had bought them legally, though legal paperwork was never presented. Cassidy was convicted and Hainer was acquitted, possibly because he had made a deal with Franc to sell out his friend. Cassidy was pardoned by governor William A. Richards
William A. Richards
William Alford Richards was an American surveyor, rancher and politician. He was the fourth Governor of Wyoming from 1895-01-07 until 1899-01-01....
in 1896, but the time he spent in the Wyoming State Penitentiary convinced him to become a full-time outlaw, and he formed the Wild Bunch
Wild Bunch
The Wild Bunch, also known as the Doolin–Dalton Gang or the Oklahombres, was a gang of outlaws based in the Indian Territory that terrorized Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma Territory during the 1890s—robbing banks and stores, holding up trains, and killing lawmen. They were...
shortly after his release.
Franc was suspected to be an active member of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association
Wyoming Stock Growers Association
The Wyoming Stock Growers Association is a historic American cattle organization created in 1873. The Association was started among Wyoming cattle ranchers to standardize and organize the cattle industry, but quickly grew into a political force that has been called "the de facto territorial...
, and is believed to have bankrolled part of the Johnson County War
Johnson County War
The Johnson County War, also known as the War on Powder River, was a range war which took place in April 1892 in Johnson County, Natrona County and Converse County in the U.S. state of Wyoming...
, a conflict between small cattle owners and large wealthy cattle outfits in 1892.
Franc died from a gunshot in 1903 under still mysterious circumstances. The Pitchfork Ranch remains active, and is known for its wildlife conservations efforts. In 1981, a colony of black-footed ferrets
Black-footed Ferret
The Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...
, an animal previously thought to be extinct, was discovered on the ranch.
Namesakes
- Otto, WyomingOtto, WyomingOtto is an unincorporated community in Big Horn County in the U.S. state of Wyoming. It was named for Otto Franc, a local cattle baron who ranched in the Big Horn Basin. The community is located near the Greybull River on Wyoming Highway 30 between Basin and Burlington.Public education in the...
– A small Wyoming community along the Greybull RiverGreybull RiverThe Greybull River is a tributary of the Big Horn River, approximately long in northern Wyoming in the United States. The river was reportedly named for a white buffalo that had been seen on its banks. Native Americans consider the appearance of a white buffalo a powerful omen.The river rises... - Francs PeakFrancs PeakFrancs Peak is the highest point in the Absaroka Range which extends from north central Wyoming into south central Montana, in the United States. Located in the Washakie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest, the peak is a relatively easy climb which can be achieved in less than a day...
– The highest point in the Absaroka Mountains