John B. Kendrick was born on September 6,1857 in Cherokee County, Texas. Raised by relatives, he went on his own at fifteen, working as a cowboy in Texas and Wyoming. Over time, he learned about the cattle industry and became a prominent cattleman in Sheridan County with extensive land holdings in Northern Wyoming and Southern Montana. He was elected as state senator in 1910 and governor in 1914. He resigned on February 24, 1917 after being elected to the United States Senate. He served two and one-half terms and died in Sheridan on November 3, 1933.

On January 20, 1891 married Eula Wolfjen, his boss's daughter. They had two children (Rosa Mae and Manville).

The Governor John B. Kendrick Collection

The records of Governor Kendrick's term in office include:

• General Records
• William F. Cody Memorial Proposal
• Invitations
• Administrative Records
• Correspondence
• General Outgoing and Incoming Correspondence
• Wyoming State Correspondence
•  U. S. Departmental Correspondence
•  Homestead Correspondence
• Cokeville Morality Issue
• Financial Records
• Transcript of Expenditures
• Expense Register
• Appointments
• Proclamations
• Pardons
• Applications for Commutations
• Requisitions and Extraditions
• Requests
• Rewards
• Military and Indian Affairs
• Indian arms procurement
• Buffalo
• Militia borrowing tents
• Legislative Affairs
• Legislative Affairs - Federal
• Boxing Bill Correspondence
• Message to the Legislature, 1915
• Message to the Legislature, 1917

Quotations

Wyoming is today, of all the states in the Union, the greatest land of opportunities." -- Message to the Legislature, 1915, p12.

I feel it is my duty to call your attention to the humiliating fact that our laws have lagged behind the laws of our sister states in the adoption of remedial legislation giving woman control over custody of her children, and those rights of property which must lie at the basic of every true American home. We took from her the right of dower and gave her nothing in return... The necessity of providing such legislation... insuring to woman her just rights under the laws, and giving to her the equitable standing to which she is fully entitled, will no doubt be quite apparent to you without further comment." -- Message to the Legislature, 1915, p14.

The splendid wild life of Wyoming... constitutes the most unique, the most characteristic, as well as the most valuable of her assets. It behooves us at this time to surround this resource with every safeguard necessary to secure its protection, not only as a benefit to the people of today, for the pleasure of the sport, and its utility as a food supply, but for the equally important necessity of perpetuating the different species for the benefit and enjoyment of coming generations." -- Message to the Legislature, 1915, p16.

We should bear in mind at all times, that, though we may have been chosen from different parts of the state and are in a sense the direct agent of separate communities, our duties and interests should be in no wise selfish or sectional. The moment we assume the obligation of legislators and governor, we become in a larger measure the representatives of all the people, and are in duty bound to give undivided and unprejudiced service to the entire state." -- Message to the Legislature, 1915, p19.

A vital spirit of cooperation is, therefore, absolutely essential... Forget sectionalism, obliterate county lines, merge partisanship into patriotism, blend the north with the south, east with the west, so that your every effort and energy will be absorbed in the one big aim, to serve your state as a whole, and to serve it to the very best of your ability and understanding." -- Message to the Legislature, 1917, p22.

Additional Resources

• John B. Kendrick Papers, 1873-1961, Collection Number 00341, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
• Kendrick Cattle Company, 1886-1991, H94-29, Wyoming State Archives.
• Trail End State Historic Site
• John B. Kendrick: Cowboy, cattle king, governor and U.S. senator, by Cynde Georgen, Wyohistory.org essay