WILLIAM BOOKER.

WILLIAM BOOKER.
William Booker, residing at Glenrock, where he is well known as the manager of the V R ranch, was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on the 5th of May, 1857, and is a son of William Davis and Sarah (Field) Booker, both of whom were natives of England. The father was engaged in business as secretary and treasurer of an insurance company at the time of his death. His wife has also passed away. William Booker was the second in order of birth in their family of six children and was reared under the parental roof, while the public schools of his native town accorded him his educational privileges. In the fall of 1875 he came to the west with Cheyenne, Wyoming, as his destination. He spent the winter on a ranch on Horse creek and in the spring of 1876 he began work for the C Y outfit at the spring roundup. In the fall of the same year he was employed by Charley Clay and Al Ayers with a freighting outfit, making trips from Camp Carlin to Fort Laramie and return and thence to the Red Cloud and Spot Tail Agencies with Indian goods. In the fall of 1876 Mr. Booker went to work on Chugwater bar for the firm of Hunter & Abbott on the old T Y ranch, there remaining until 1878. In July of the latter year he was employed with the Swan outfit, with which he worked until July, 1896. At that time he was conducting the store at Chugwater for the firm. He had been employed in various ways, from roundup to bookkeeper. On severing that business connection Mr. Booker, in 1896, removed to Converse county and settled on a ranch about six miles from Glenrock, known as the old Major Wolcott property and called the V R ranch. He is now manager of this immense place—a fact which indicates his splendid business ability, resourcefulness, enterprise and trustworthiness. There is no feature of stock raising in the west with which Mr. Booker is not thoroughly familiar. He has ridden the range, taken part in the roundups and performed every service in connection with stock raising as conducted on the extensive ranches of the west, and today he is active in control of one of these important interests in the capacity of manager of the V R ranch. Mr. Booker has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Louise Vreeland, of Cheyenne, and to them were born three children: Mrs. F. N. Stuart, living in Glenrock; Frank Vreeland, who is at Mare Island, California, with the Hospital Corps of the United States Navy; and William L., also in the Hospital Corps. Mrs. Booker passed away in 1896, just a few days after they took up their abode on the V R ranch. Mr. Booker was again married in Sioux City, Iowa, in March, 1901, when Miss Cora Dean became his wife. To them have been born four children: Albina, who is now a student in the Douglas high school; Alfred 0., Helen C. and Effie F., who attend the Ranch school. Mr. Booker is a well known Mason, having become a member of the lodge at Casper in 1896 and of the consistory at Cheyenne in 1900. He is also a member of the chapter and commandery at Casper and of Korein Temple of the Mystic Shrine and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. In politics he is a stalwart republican and has twice been elected to represent Converse county in the state legislature, serving during the sessions of 1907 and 1913, during which time he gave most earnest and thoughtful consideration to the vital questions which came up for settlement and left the weight of his influence on the side of progress and improvement for the commonwealth.

William Booker, residing at Glenrock, where he is well known as the manager of the V R ranch, was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on the 5th of May, 1857, and is a son of William Davis and Sarah (Field) Booker, both of whom were natives of England. The father was engaged in business as secretary and treasurer of an insurance company at the time of his death. His wife has also passed away.
William Booker was the second in order of birth in their family of six children and was reared under the parental roof, while the public schools of his native town accorded him his educational privileges. In the fall of 1875 he came to the west with Cheyenne, Wyoming, as his destination. He spent the winter on a ranch on Horse creek and in the spring of 1876 he began work for the C Y outfit at the spring roundup. In the fall of the same year he was employed by Charley Clay and Al Ayers with a freighting outfit, making trips from Camp Carlin to Fort Laramie and return and thence to the Red Cloud and Spot Tail Agencies with Indian goods. In the fall of 1876 Mr. Booker went to work on Chugwater bar for the firm of Hunter & Abbott on the old T Y ranch, there remaining until 1878. In July of the latter year he was employed with the Swan outfit, with which he worked until July, 1896. At that time he was conducting the store at Chugwater for the firm. He had been employed in various ways, from roundup to bookkeeper.
On severing that business connection Mr. Booker, in 1896, removed to Converse county and settled on a ranch about six miles from Glenrock, known as the old Major Wolcott property and called the V R ranch. He is now manager of this immense place—a fact which indicates his splendid business ability, resourcefulness, enterprise and trustworthiness. There is no feature of stock raising in the west with which Mr. Booker is not thoroughly familiar. He has ridden the range, taken part in the roundups and performed every service in connection with stock raising as conducted on the extensive ranches of the west, and today he is active in control of one of these important interests in the capacity of manager of the V R ranch.
Mr. Booker has been married twice. He first wedded Miss Louise Vreeland, of Cheyenne, and to them were born three children: Mrs. F. N. Stuart, living in Glenrock; Frank Vreeland, who is at Mare Island, California, with the Hospital Corps of the United States Navy; and William L., also in the Hospital Corps. Mrs. Booker passed away in 1896, just a few days after they took up their abode on the V R ranch. Mr. Booker was again married in Sioux City, Iowa, in March, 1901, when Miss Cora Dean became his wife. To them have been born four children: Albina, who is now a student in the Douglas high school; Alfred 0., Helen C. and Effie F., who attend the Ranch school.
Mr. Booker is a well known Mason, having become a member of the lodge at Casper in 1896 and of the consistory at Cheyenne in 1900. He is also a member of the chapter and commandery at Casper and of Korein Temple of the Mystic Shrine and both he and his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. In politics he is a stalwart republican and has twice been elected to represent Converse county in the state legislature, serving during the sessions of 1907 and 1913, during which time he gave most earnest and thoughtful consideration to the vital questions which came up for settlement and left the weight of his influence on the side of progress and improvement for the commonwealth.