The Rosebud Mountain Ranch
Nov 27, 2025 by Tempe Javitz
The Rosebud Mountain Ranch
Jessamine and Will Johnson lost their beloved X4 Ranch in Kirby,
Montana in 1932.The Omaha National Bank of Omaha, Nebraska
foreclosed on the X4. The depression hit local ranchers very hard,
and many ranchers lost their property due to outstanding loans.
The Johnson’s cattle and sheep were sold in September and October
of 1932. They moved to her father Willis Spear’s residence in
Sheridan by Christmas time. According to their son, Brad
Spear, they ate a lot of cracked wheat from the Sheridan Flour
Mill during the depression.
Their remaining horses and a few cattle were moved to the acres
they still held on Dry Creek just east of the X4. Starting
in 1933 they stayed in a cabin off and on near their cousin Dean
Johnson’s NZ Bar ranch also on Dry Creek. They referred to it as
the “Dale Creek” cabin on the NZ Bar in her photos. The horses
from the Spear O Wigwam Dude Ranch in the Bighorns spent the
winter here on what would become the Rosebud Mountain Ranch.
The Dale Creek Cabin in 1937.
Kitty in the window (one of my favorites)
It was also at this same time that Jessamine (from 1930 to 1943)
managed the Spear O Wigwam Dude Ranch in the Big Horn
Mountains outside Sheridan for her aging father. From spring
through the fall, Jessamine and her children took the dudes
throughout the Big Horns on wonderful rides and pack trips.
Under Jessamine and Will’s guidance the Wigwam lodge was
expanded and many additional cabins were built. The dude
ranching business saved many a rancher, as guests from the
East still had some money for vacation trips. Dude ranching
provided a steady income for the Johnson family along with
the few new bands of sheep Will kept on leases near Hardin
and up in the Big Horn river canyon in the summer.
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June 1934 expansion of the Spear O Wigwam Lodge.
Then in 1937 Will and Jessamine proceeded to build what they
called the Rosebud Mountain Ranch in their acreage next to cousin
Dean’s NZ Bar. First, they set up a camp cook tent and tepees at
"the homestead”, and then began to build the cabin they would live
in until 1943. when they retired after the Spear O Wigwam was sold.
The Rosebud Mountain Ranch cabin in 1938
Of course, they also built additional cabins (taking in some dudes even
here) and corrals to work the horses and the cattle. Their sons, Torrey,
Victor and Brad were there to assist with all of the work on school
breaks and summer. Never a dull moment in the Johnson family! The
photo below shows the new corrals, a small barn and tack room, plus
additional cabins for visitors and dudes. All built in their spare
time, he he.
The corrals and out buildings at the Rosebud Mtn ranch.
Since it’s now early winter in Montana, let’s finish with this lovely
photo of trailing the ponies out to pasture. Jessamine still had her
camera always strapped to her shoulder looking for any opportunity
to capture something interesting, fun, or beautiful.
Moving the horses to pasture in the early winter.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving and Holiday Season !!
Now, dear reader, don’t shirk your job.
Read more of my blogs at https://tempejavitz.com/
Or order my book if you haven’t done so already!
https://www.sdhspress.com/books/bighorn-visions
Jessamine and Will Johnson lost their beloved X4 Ranch in Kirby,
Montana in 1932.The Omaha National Bank of Omaha, Nebraska
foreclosed on the X4. The depression hit local ranchers very hard,
and many ranchers lost their property due to outstanding loans.
The Johnson’s cattle and sheep were sold in September and October
of 1932. They moved to her father Willis Spear’s residence in
Sheridan by Christmas time. According to their son, Brad
Spear, they ate a lot of cracked wheat from the Sheridan Flour
Mill during the depression.
Their remaining horses and a few cattle were moved to the acres
they still held on Dry Creek just east of the X4. Starting
in 1933 they stayed in a cabin off and on near their cousin Dean
Johnson’s NZ Bar ranch also on Dry Creek. They referred to it as
the “Dale Creek” cabin on the NZ Bar in her photos. The horses
from the Spear O Wigwam Dude Ranch in the Bighorns spent the
winter here on what would become the Rosebud Mountain Ranch.
The Dale Creek Cabin in 1937.
Kitty in the window (one of my favorites)
It was also at this same time that Jessamine (from 1930 to 1943)
managed the Spear O Wigwam Dude Ranch in the Big Horn
Mountains outside Sheridan for her aging father. From spring
through the fall, Jessamine and her children took the dudes
throughout the Big Horns on wonderful rides and pack trips.
Under Jessamine and Will’s guidance the Wigwam lodge was
expanded and many additional cabins were built. The dude
ranching business saved many a rancher, as guests from the
East still had some money for vacation trips. Dude ranching
provided a steady income for the Johnson family along with
the few new bands of sheep Will kept on leases near Hardin
and up in the Big Horn river canyon in the summer.
June 1934 expansion of the Spear O Wigwam Lodge.
Then in 1937 Will and Jessamine proceeded to build what they
called the Rosebud Mountain Ranch in their acreage next to cousin
Dean’s NZ Bar. First, they set up a camp cook tent and tepees at
"the homestead”, and then began to build the cabin they would live
in until 1943. when they retired after the Spear O Wigwam was sold.
The Rosebud Mountain Ranch cabin in 1938
Of course, they also built additional cabins (taking in some dudes even
here) and corrals to work the horses and the cattle. Their sons, Torrey,
Victor and Brad were there to assist with all of the work on school
breaks and summer. Never a dull moment in the Johnson family! The
photo below shows the new corrals, a small barn and tack room, plus
additional cabins for visitors and dudes. All built in their spare
time, he he.
The corrals and out buildings at the Rosebud Mtn ranch.
Since it’s now early winter in Montana, let’s finish with this lovely
photo of trailing the ponies out to pasture. Jessamine still had her
camera always strapped to her shoulder looking for any opportunity
to capture something interesting, fun, or beautiful.
Moving the horses to pasture in the early winter.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving and Holiday Season !!
Now, dear reader, don’t shirk your job.
Read more of my blogs at https://tempejavitz.com/
Or order my book if you haven’t done so already!
https://www.sdhspress.com/books/bighorn-visions
