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Note: ut of Lusk Wyoming. In 1887 he moved to Crawford, Nebr. where he met and married Ida Pearsons. A wedding article in a local newspaper recounts the wedding on top of Crow Butte with Ida's parents residing at the base. Ida's sister Jessie, owns the butte proper. He went to Casper in 1889. He cooked for the Big Red ranch at Ucross, Wyo from 1897-1898. He also cooked for the roundup wagon for the 4J Keeline ranch 18 miles out of Gillete, Wyo. Moved to Buffalo Wyo. and ran a restaurant for 21 years from 1892 to 1913. However, On 6/1/1908 he accepted a laborer position with the US Geological Survey for a field season working out of Billings, Montana. He moved to the VA Hospital in Sheridan and lived at the Fort and was a cook from 9/9/1922 to 3/1/1925 and also spent time as a butcher from 3/1/1925 to 11/15/1928. On 12/4/1929, he received a letter of recommendation as cook from the US.VA hospital to his address at Day Ranch in Kettle Falls, Washington. Ed also worked for Hortons Dude Ranch (HF Bar Ranch) cooking on the mountains for 35 years. The timing on all this is unclear as some of the times overlap.
Have found a land patent record indicating that Edward E. Powers had completed payment for 160 acres in Wyoming. The records (Acc./Ser. No. 183741) indicates that the issuing office was in Buffalo, WY. The date was March 13, 1911. William Taft was then President. The land is in Johnson County, WY.
We found Edward E. Powers in the index of the 1910 Federal Census for Wyoming (on page 298). He was then located in Johnson County (note above) and in Lower Crazy Woman Township. By 1920 we found him in the 1920 Federal Census in Sheridan County, Sheridan Township. He was 54 and his wife Ida was 48. They had two sons at home at that time; Fred who was 18 and Roy, who was 7. Image of Census page in background materials. In the 1930 Census we found Edward in Sheridan County. They had one son at home, Roy who was 17.
We do know he did not migrate from Iowa directly to Wyoming. His oldest son, Charles, was born in Pipestone, MN in 1892. From the 1920 Census we know that his son Arthur (who was then married and listed in the Census as a separate family) was born in 1894 in Wyoming. That would have made him about 30 years old at that time. He was about 45 at the time of the 1910 Census and would have been about 47 at the time he received the final land patent papers (above), so most likely spent time in other locations, but we have not found specific dates or places.
Ed was a professional hunting guide for most of his life in Wyoming. He guided hunters from Chicago, NY and other places back east. He not only served as guide, but also as the wrangler and cook. Though he had died when Ron, Fern and Claude, and Grandfather Frank Powers visited his home in 1948, we saw several photographs that had been taken when he picked up hunters arriving by train, on the trail into the Little Bighorn mountains -- horses for the people, mules for the packs.
The 1876 Winchester 45-60 that Ron has was given to Granddad Frank when his brother Ed passed away. Granddad Frank gave it to Ron's dad Claude, who in turn gave it to Ron. We don't know why Ed wanted it given to his brother rather than to one of his own sons. Perhaps he felt choosing one of them would have created a problem; perhaps he was especially fond of his brother Frank.
Note: Moved to Wyoming in 1886. Ed was a cook on the roundup for Knood Cattle Co. at Silver Cliff o
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