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William A. Paxton: From Prairie Sod to the Omaha Stockyards

A Kentucky-born contractor drove cattle to Omaha, ranched near Ogallala and became first president of the stockyards behind South Omaha.

Who was William A. Paxton?

William Paxton built roads, railroad grades and ranches before he built the stockyards that made Omaha a meatpacking center. He is the kind of cattleman whose biggest influence came after he sold his herds, because the market he helped create changed how Nebraska cattle moved. The list of Hall of Great Westerners inductees on Wikipedia's page for the Hall dates his induction to 1961, and Wikipedia's biography of Paxton sets out the main outline of his life.

Breaking sod and building grades

Paxton was born January 26, 1837, in Springfield, Kentucky. According to the Nebraska State Historical Society, his family moved to Missouri when he was twelve, and by fifteen he had his own business breaking prairie sod for new settlers. He first reached Omaha in 1857, working as foreman of a bridge-building crew on the military road to Fort Kearny, and later hauled freight between Omaha and Denver.

In 1867 he won a Union Pacific contract to grade the roadway west of Julesburg, Colorado, and later managed a large construction gang. He returned to Omaha in 1868, and in 1869 he contracted with the Omaha and Northwestern Railroad to build lines north from Omaha to Oakland, Nebraska, according to the Nebraska State Historical Society summary.

Cattle: Abilene, Ogallala and the Keystone ranch

Paxton bought cattle at Abilene, Kansas, drove them to Omaha and sold them, and used the proceeds to start ranching near Ogallala. Wikipedia says he supplied beef to area Indian agencies for about five years and operated the Keystone Cattle Company ranch at Ogallala. He also owned ranches near Hyannis and near the town of Paxton, Nebraska, which was named for him. He returned to Omaha in 1875 but did not sell the ranches until 1883. The sources do not give herd sizes or acreage.

Founding the Omaha stockyards

In 1878 Paxton helped form the first Union Stockyards Company in Omaha, which soon moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa. The company was reorganized in South Omaha in 1883, and he served as its first president. The state historical society says his leadership was an essential factor in Omaha becoming a prominent stockyards and meatpacking center, and Wikipedia calls him the real founder of South Omaha.

He also helped organize related companies: the Union Stockyards Bank of South Omaha, Union Stockyards Railroad Company, Union Elevator, Union Trust Company and the South Omaha Land Syndicate, where he was vice-president.

The Key to Paxton's Success

Paxton's pattern was to build the infrastructure around a trade rather than depend on the trade alone. He started with construction contracts, used cattle to finance ranching, and then helped create the market, bank and rail connections that cattle needed.

The sources are positive but thin on conflict. They do not describe worker conditions, land disputes or the effect of beef contracts on Native communities, so this profile does not guess.

  • He began as a contractor, grading roads and rail lines for the Union Pacific and the Omaha and Northwestern.
  • He used a cattle drive from Abilene to Omaha to raise cash for ranching near Ogallala.
  • He sold beef to Indian agencies for about five years, a government contract market.
  • He sold his ranches in 1883, the same year the South Omaha stockyards were reorganized with him as president.
  • He spread into banking, a wholesale grocery firm, iron works and a telephone company instead of staying a single-line rancher.
  • He built companies that supported each other, from the stockyards to its bank, railroad and elevator.

Omaha businesses and the Paxton Hotel

In 1882 Paxton gave $5,000 to hotel developers to add a fifth story and put his name on the hotel. Wikipedia's article on the Paxton Hotel says the Kitchen Brothers built the original hotel that year for $250,000 with 175 rooms and that Paxton lived there soon afterward. That building was demolished in 1927. Also in 1882, Paxton organized Paxton and Gallagher, a wholesale grocery firm, with Ben Gallagher, and in 1886 he helped organize the Paxton-Veirling Iron Works. He died in Omaha on July 18, 1907, aged 70.

Why the stockyards mattered

A cattle market has to be built before ranchers can use it, and Paxton was an organizer of that market. For readers following the beef industry through Nebraska, the ranching section at farm.FM and a farm.FM story on the Omaha stockyards cover related ground.

Timeline

  1. 1837Born January 26 in Springfield, Kentucky.
  2. 1857First arrives in Omaha as foreman of a bridge-building crew.
  3. 1867Wins a Union Pacific grading contract west of Julesburg, Colorado.
  4. 1875Returns to Omaha from his Ogallala ranch.
  5. 1878Helps form the first Union Stockyards Company in Omaha.
  6. 1882Funds the fifth story of the Paxton Hotel and organizes Paxton and Gallagher.
  7. 1883Sells his ranches; becomes first president of the reorganized South Omaha stockyards company.
  8. 1907Dies in Omaha on July 18.

Frequently asked questions

Who was William A. Paxton?

William A. Paxton (1837-1907) was a Kentucky-born contractor and cattleman who ranched near Ogallala, Nebraska, and helped found the Union Stockyards in Omaha and South Omaha.

What is Paxton, Nebraska named for?

The town of Paxton, Nebraska, was named for William A. Paxton, who owned a ranch near there, according to Wikipedia.

Why is Paxton called the founder of South Omaha?

Because he was first president of the Union Stockyards Company when it was reorganized in South Omaha in 1883. Wikipedia calls him the real founder of South Omaha.

What was the Paxton Hotel?

The Paxton Hotel was an Omaha hotel built in 1882 and named for Paxton, who gave $5,000 to add a fifth story. The original building was demolished in 1927.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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