Jeffers Cattle Co.
Bill Jeffers
Holbrook - Navajo County
Inducted in 2022
The Jeffers family have been in the Holbrook area since 1940 when they established their cattle ranch. Before coming to Arizona, they had ranches in New Mexico, Mexico and Texas. William, Sr. was born in Weed, New Mexico, and his father may have been also. But their story begins when they left their ranches in the Guadalupe Mountains near Morton, Texas and they headed to Arizona. Texas was particularly hard hit with drought in 1940. David Jeffers, his son, William and James H., David’s brother, James’ wife Elvira and their son, J. C. “Cooney”, arrived in the Holbrook area believing that the grass was better here than in Texas or New Mexico. Approximately 450 cattle were shipped by train to the two ranches. David and his son located their ranch north of Holbrook and James, Elvira and their son’s ranch was south of the Little Colorado River, out of Holbrook. A partnership was formed between the two families. Unfortunately, drought hit in Arizona in 1941 and the process was reversed with shipping the cattle back to Crow Flat, Texas. Then in 1942, conditions improved in Arizona and they once again shipped their cattle back to the two ranches.
Before William came to Arizona with his father, he had led cattle drives out of Mexico. One story he told the family was the time Pancho Villa raided his camp and took all their supplies and cattle. The cowboys, getting advance notice, had hidden in the mountains and were not harmed by Pancho and his men. Pancho took cattle, horses and food to supply his army as they fought for control of Mexico. But William was never deterred from being a cattle man. It was natural that he would accompany his father into Arizona to begin a new ranch.
Their original homestead was made up of three townships encompassing an area north of Hennessey Buttes. The grandfather and father worked the ranch together until the grandfather passed away while working on the ranch in 1946. James had also passed away in 1952. William, Sr. continued to work the ranch north of Holbrook and Cooney worked the southern ranch.
In 1951, when he was 55 years old, William Sr. married Nancy Sherwood from Joliet, Illinois in Holbrook. Her parents had moved to Arizona for health reasons and Nancy soon followed. When she met William, she was Navajo County’s court reporter. Two children would be born to the couple. William Jr. was born in Clovis, NM in February 1952 and a daughter, Ann Elizabeth Jeffers was born also in Clovis, NM in September 1954. Nancy was very impressed with the doctor in Clovis, she decided to return for the birth of their second child. The children grew up learning to help in all aspects of ranching. Bill went to the University of Arizona, 1970-74 graduating with a B.S. in Ag Economics, with Distinction and Honors, and earned an M.S. in Economics. He was also the outstanding student in agriculture economics his senior year. Ann attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.
The land was added to in 1958 that now would encompass an area from the Navajo Reservation to Holbrook. The land added included what had originally belonged to Mr. Hennessey, Hutchinson and then to the Spurlock’s. The house that Bill and his wife Lois live in today is the original house build by Mr. Hennessey with additions that have been made through the years by Hennessey, Spurlock and the Jeffers.
The original partnership was divided in 1971 and the ranch was sold south of the Little Colorado River. The ownership of the north ranch was divided between the two families for a time. In 1986, Cooney sold his land to Ann and her brother, Bill, as partners and who still run the ranch today.
The women of the family have also taken their part in community activities. Nancy joined the Cowbelles and held the office of president in 1972. She would be active in the organization helping with fundraisers and attending Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association meetings. Her daughter, Ann would also follow in her footsteps joining the Cowbelles and being active in the County and State Association. Ann also served for some time as Secretary of the Navajo County Cattlemen. Ann, as a partner of the ranch still rides the range, brands and works all the other jobs expected to be done to keep a ranch running.
The ranch today is larger now than its original 1940 size, even though a portion of it was sold to the Government to form the Petrified Forest National Park, which is the eastern border. The Navajo Reservation is the neighbor for 18 miles on the northern boundary. I-40 is on the southern border. The ranch contains many cultural and natural resources. Another portion of their ranch is in the expansion plan to enlarge the Petrified Forest National Park. In the past, sheep had been raised on the land. The Navajos had a sheep trail that passed through the ranch, with water stops, on their way to the Holbrook stockyards for shipment by the railroad.
The ranch has always been beef cattle. As was typical of the 1940s, Hereford cattle were the breed of choice. In the 1970s the Herefords were crossbred with Brahman bulls, producing an outstanding (F1) cow. Later, in the 1990s, Angus bulls were used on these crossbred cows. Bill explained that we raise what the buyers want today and that is black Angus. The Angus Association has convinced the public that black angus is better tasting beef. Jeffers Cattle Company is definitely black hided, but they still have some crossbreds on the range.
In 1983, Bill married Lois Tiffany, from Kansas. They met at church, with Lois coming to Holbrook to teach school in the elementary grades. They had one daughter, Tiffany, born in 1985.
The degrees that Bill received at the University of Arizona in Economics have helped him to run the ranch economically in this world of uncertainty. Ann and Bill have continued their family legacy and it is hoped that there will be other Jeffers, Tiffany and her family, to take on the reins in the future.
Affiliations
Arizona Cattle Growers Association, member
Navajo Cattle Growers Association, secretary, 75-77
AZ Association of Conservation Districts, past president
National Association of Conservation Districts, 6 years
Navajo County Community College District Governing Board, trustee, 16 years
Arizona Masons, Grand Master, 1978
Arizona Appellate Court Commission, 1997-1999
ADOT, past chairman of the state transportation board, 1999-2004
Arizona Farm Service Agency (FSA), board member as a rancher, 2008-2016; appointed by President Obama
Member of Cooperating Association board for the Petrified Forest National Park,1978- present
Northern Arizona Healthcare Hospital Board, 2000-present
Chamber of Commerce, member, present
Farm Bureau
