The Miller Brothers and the 101 Ranch: Cattle, Crops and a Wild West Show
Three brothers inherited an Oklahoma cattle ranch, turned it into a self-contained farming empire, and sent a Wild West show around the world.
Who Were the Miller Brothers of the 101 Ranch?
George L., Joseph C. and Zachary Miller were the sons of a Kentucky-born cattleman who built a brand called 101, and they turned his ranch into one of the most widely known spreads in the American West. Their operation in northern Oklahoma was a working cattle ranch, a large diversified farm and the base for a traveling Wild West show.
The history of the family is covered in the Oklahoma Historical Society's entry on the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch, which is the main source for this profile, with background from the Wikipedia article on the ranch.
How George Washington Miller Started the 101
The ranch began with their father. George Washington Miller moved west after the Civil War, settled in Missouri and drove Texas cattle to Kansas railheads. He first branded cattle with the 101 mark in 1881, after dissolving a partnership and needing a new brand to replace L K. The origin of the number is uncertain, and the most repeated story says it came from a San Antonio saloon.
Miller ranched on land leased from the Quapaws in northeastern Oklahoma while living in Baxter Springs, Kansas, and later moved the ranch to the Cherokee Outlet. When federal authorities forced ranchers out of the Outlet, he leased Ponca land in 1893 and continued. He died of pneumonia in 1903.
Three Brothers, Three Jobs
After his death, Molly Miller placed the ranch in a trust. Joseph chaired it, and Zachary and George Lee were the other members. Joseph ran overall operations and farming, Zachary managed the livestock, and George handled the finances.
The ranch eventually covered more than 100,000 acres. Crops included wheat, cotton, corn, sorghum, alfalfa, fruit orchards and vegetables, and livestock included cattle, bison, hogs, poultry and several horse breeds.
The Greatest Diversified Farm on Earth
The Millers built their own electric plant, cannery, dairy, tannery, store and several mills. They experimented with improved strains of corn, walnut, apple and pecan trees, and they promoted the ranch as the "greatest diversified farm on earth." In 1909 Ernest W. Marland led a search for oil on ranch land and formed the 101 Ranch Oil Company, which increased the family's profits.
The Key to the Millers' Success
The Millers succeeded by treating the ranch as a brand and a business with several income streams rather than only a place to raise cattle. Their model depended on strong management of each part and on constant publicity.
The same model carried risks, as the record of the 1920s and 1930s shows. The family relied on a show business that was exposed to changing entertainment tastes, and the ranch ended in receivership.
- They divided the work: Joseph ran farming and operations, Zack livestock, and George finances.
- They built a self-supplying farm with a cannery, dairy, tannery, mills and electric plant.
- They found extra income in oil: the 101 Ranch Oil Company increased profits after 1909.
- They sold the ranch as a spectacle: the 1905 editorial association visit led to touring shows from 1907.
- They hired star performers, including Bill Pickett and Lucille Mulhall, who appeared in the shows.
The 101 Ranch Wild West Show
The show business began in 1905, when the Millers hosted the National Editorial Association at Bliss with an exhibition called "Oklahoma's Gala Day." Seasonal touring began in 1907, and the shows traveled in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe and South America. In 1914 they performed for King George V and Queen Mary of England. Performers included Lucille Mulhall, George Elser and Bill Pickett.
In 1916 the show combined with Buffalo Bill Cody's. Touring paused from 1916 to 1925, which the encyclopedia ties to World War I, and the show ran until 1931. Will Rogers, Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie, Mabel Normand and Buck Jones all had ties to the 101 and went on to film careers, and the Millers leased equipment and loaned employees to the Bison 101 Film Company.
Decline, Debt and the End of the Ranch
In the 1920s the shows drew smaller crowds because of competition from movies, circuses and rodeos. The Millers lost $119,970 in 1926, and the Great Depression deepened the family's debt. Joseph died October 21, 1927, and George died February 2, 1929. Zack could not stabilize the operation, and the ranch entered receivership in 1931.
In 1932 much of the land was divided and leased and most personal property was auctioned. By 1941 the Federal Farm Security Administration had acquired most of the land for a farm resettlement program. Zack Miller died January 3, 1952.
Learn More
The Hall of Great Westerners list shows all three brothers inducted in 1983. Further reading cited by the encyclopedia includes The 101 Ranch by Ellsworth Collings and Alma Miller England, Fred Gipson's Fabulous Empire about Zack Miller, and Michael Wallis's The Real Wild West. For a magazine feature, see the Oklahoma Magazine piece on the 101.
More ranch and rodeo history is collected in the rodeo section of farm.FM, including a farm.FM story about Wild West shows.
Timeline
- 1881George Washington Miller first brands cattle with the 101 mark
- 1893Miller leases Ponca land after ranchers are forced out of the Cherokee Outlet
- 1903Father dies; a trust led by Joseph, Zachary and George Lee takes over
- 1905Hosts the National Editorial Association with "Oklahoma's Gala Day"
- 1907Seasonal touring of the Wild West show begins
- 1909Ernest W. Marland leads oil exploration on ranch land
- 1914Show performs for King George V and Queen Mary
- 1927-29Joseph dies in 1927 and George in 1929
- 1931Ranch enters receivership; show ends
- 1952Zack Miller dies January 3
Frequently asked questions
Who were the Miller brothers of the 101 Ranch?
Joseph, George and Zack Miller were sons of rancher George Washington Miller. After his 1903 death they ran the 101 Ranch in Oklahoma and its Wild West show through a family trust.
How big was the 101 Ranch?
According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, the ranch eventually covered more than 100,000 acres, with wheat, cotton, corn, orchards, cattle, bison, hogs and poultry.
What happened to the 101 Ranch?
Smaller show crowds, the 1926 loss of $119,970, family deaths and Depression debt led to receivership in 1931. By 1941 the federal government had acquired most of the land.
What did each Miller brother do?
Joseph ran overall operations and farming, Zachary managed livestock, and George handled finances, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Sources and further reading
- Miller Brothers 101 Ranch, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture
- Down on the 101, Oklahoma Magazine
- Miller Brothers 101 Ranch, Wikipedia
Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.
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