Matador Land and Cattle Company

Established in 1879 by Alfred Markham Britton, Henry Harrison Campbell, and associates, the ranch covered one and a half million acres in Motley, Cottle, Floyd and Dickens counties of Texas. In 1882 the founders sold their cattle and range rights to a syndicate based in Dundee, Scotland. Additional acreage was leased in south central Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, Canada, South Dakota and Montana and by 1933, the Matador's Texas holdings totaled nearly 900,000 acres. With rare exceptions during periods of drought, substantial dividends were paid annually. Company stocks increased from an originally $ .70 to $23.70 per share in 1951, when the stockholders sold their shares to Lazard Brothers and Company. Principals in ranches' operation included manager Murdo Mackenzie and the company secretary in Scotland, Alexander Mackay.

Established in 1879 by Alfred Markham Britton, Henry Harrison Campbell, and associates, the ranch covered one and a half million acres in Motley, Cottle, Floyd, and Dickens counties of Texas. In 1882 the founders sold their cattle and range rights to a syndicate based in Dundee, Scotland. Additional acreage was leased in south central Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, Canada, South Dakota, and Montana, and by 1933, the Matador's Texas holdings totaled nearly 900,000 acres. With rare exceptions, during periods of drought, substantial dividends were paid annually. Company stock increased from an original $.70 to $23.70 per share in 1951, when the stockholders sold their shares to Lazard Brothers and Company. Principals in the ranches' operations included manager Murdo Mackenzie, and the company secretary in Scotland, Alexander Mackay.

A list from a Payroll Ledger of the Matador Land and Cattle Company at http://www.lib.ttu.edu/swc/manuscripts/matadorlist.htm gives the names of cowboys in the employment of the ranch.

The Handbook of Texas has published more in-depth online biographies of the Matador Ranch, the Matador Land and Cattle Company, and Murdo Mackenzie at http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html

In 1878, Texas cattleman Henry H. Campbell sold a herd of longhorn cattle in Chicago, formed a partnership with Chicago banker A. M. Britton, returned to Texas, and established a ranch in Motley County near the Upper, Middle, and Lower Pease Rivers. The partners reorganized the venture as the Matador Cattle Company in 1879. In 1882, they sold the company to a group of businessmen from Dundee, Scotland, who organized the endeavor as a joint-stock company and incorporated it as the Matador Land and Cattle Company, Limited. Henry H. Campbell remained at the company as the ranch superintendent and oversaw a program of land improvements, including fencing, windmill and tank construction, and the purchasing of additional land. Alexander Mackay served as the company’s longtime secretary from 1882 to 1936.

In 1890, Murdo Mackenzie, a well-known Scottish cattleman in Colorado, became the manager of the company and improved the herd by introducing purebred strains. Mackenzie resigned in 1912 to manage a cattle company in Brazil, and his nephew, John MacBain, became his successor. Land sales in the Texas panhandle were suspended in 1919 due to the possible presence of oil and reinstated in 1921 after unfavorable geological reports. By 1933, Matador’s holdings totaled almost 900,000 acres in Texas, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, and Canada. After surviving the lean years of the Great Depression and dust bowl, the company was sold to a number of individuals and groups.

Sources:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Matador Land and Cattle Company Records, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/aqm1.html (accessed July 26, 2010).

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Mackenzie, Murdo, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/fmabf.html (accessed July 26, 2010).

In 1878, Texas cattleman Henry H. Campbell sold a herd of longhorn cattle in Chicago, formed a partnership with Chicago banker A. M. Britton, returned to Texas, and established a ranch in Motley County near the Upper, Middle, and Lower Pease Rivers.

The partners reorganized the venture as the Matador Cattle Company in 1879. In 1882, they sold the company to a group of businessmen from Dundee, Scotland, who organized the endeavor as a joint-stock company and incorporated it as the Matador Land and Cattle Company, Limited. Henry H. Campbell remained at the company as the ranch superintendent and oversaw a program of land improvements, including fencing, windmill and tank construction, and the purchasing of additional land. Alexander Mackay served as the company's longtime secretary from 1882 to 1936.

In 1890, Murdo Mackenzie, a well-known Scottish cattleman in Colorado, became the manager of the company and improved the herd by introducing purebred strains. Mackenzie resigned in 1912 to manage a cattle company in Brazil, and his nephew, John MacBain, became his successor. Land sales in the Texas panhandle were suspended in 1919 due to the possible presence of oil and reinstated in 1921 after unfavorable geological reports. By 1933, Matador's holdings totaled almost 900,000 acres in Texas, Kansas, Montana, South Dakota, and Canada. After surviving the lean years of the Great Depression and dust bowl, the company was sold to a number of individuals and groups.

Sources:

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Matador Land and Cattle Company Records, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/aqm1.html (accessed July 26, 2010).

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. Mackenzie, Murdo, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/MM/fmabf.html (accessed July 26, 2010).