ranches, ranch families – TEXAS HISTORY NOTEBOOK

The Shoe Bar Ranch (1880s – 1980s)

The Shoe Bar Ranch name is believed to date back to the late 1880s when Leigh R. Dyer settled in North Texas with a herd of cattle. Some accounts say that the Dyer connection to the brand included Leigh Dyer’s brother Walter Dyer and their well known sister Mary Ann Dyer Goodnight, wife of Charles Goodnight.

Anne W. Marion

Anne Burnett Windfohr Marion (1938 – 2020) was the last Burnett descendant to own the Four Sixes Ranch. Her mother was Anne Valiant Burnett Tandy. Her grandfather was Thomas Loyd Burnett, son of Samuel Burk Burnett and his first wife Ruth Bottom Loyd Burnett.

Mallet Ranch

The Mallet Ranch has had a long life in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico for many years. The core of the property originated in the holdings of D. P. Atwood who once held the cattle brand. We have seen the name either spelled with one t and two ts at the end. We will assume that “Mallet” is the correct spelling for purposes of this article for entities after Atwood’s.

The Mallet brand somewhat resembled the head of a hammer or mallet. Some call it a croquet mallet. The brand was acquired around 1885, after the Atwood group had begun to dispose of its interests, by David DeVitt and John Scharbauer who incorporated their own entity in 1903.

Burk Burnett’s Family

When people think of the 6666 Ranch, they typically think of Samuel Burk Burnett, his wives and children. However, Burk Burnett had a number of siblings, some of whom were associated with the ranch over the years while others were ranchers on their own.

Burk Burnett and Farley Sayers

The May 23, 1912 issue of The Eagle out of Bryan, Texas carried a sensational one sentence article stating that well known rancher Burk Burnett had shot and killed another man named Farley Sayers that day.