In 18S4, Ferris was in charge of the State Line ranch, which later went to Colonel Pratt. Al. Smith, in the early days designated "Swearing" Smith, to distinguish him from "Extract" Smith and "Whispering" Smith, had charge of the ranch later, and now I believe his son is managing the place or owns it. Sheldon has a picture of one of the partly dismantled sod houses on this place that was erected at or about the time the ranch occupied the old Red Cloud site.
The upper PF ranch went to Field & Leiter of Chicago, and later to the Leiter estate, in which it still remains. Except that part which has been sold to business men and other people in the town of Lingle.
W. P. (Billy) Connoly, brother of the former manager of the ranches for Pratt & Ferris, is now local manager of the Leiter properties, as well as the wide ramifications of his own activities. "Billy" is in banking, mercantile, farming, ranching and road contracting work, and attends them all equally well. In addition to this he sells real estate for the Leiter people, as the town of Lingle is rapidly developing into a city.
When Connoly took charge of the Leiter local affairs, Billy Ashby, an Englishman, was foreman of the Bridle Bit ranch, but he left soon after and went to Douglas. While on the cow ranch, he hated sheep "like skunks," but
HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA
not long after he was in the sheep business and accumulated wealth.