History

For six generations, the Doherty family has ranched the mesas and plains of northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado. Joe Doherty left the wilds of Donegal, Ireland in 1879 at the age of 18 to join his brothers in Mora, New Mexico. By 1903, he moved his family to Folsom, New Mexico, to run what would branch out from the Doherty Investment Company, managing not only a mercantile business but a livestock operation as well. With the stock market downturn and the Dust Bowl, many creditors turned over their deeds to Joe, forging a large amount of ranch land for this savvy businessman.

In 1942, Joe and his wife Annie divided up their property among their children, the oldest of whom was John. John’s wife, Mary Laurine, also grew up on an area ranch. Her father, Thomas Owen, had driven 1,200 head of cattle with his brother from Texas to the Dry Cimarron in New Mexico. Today, this land also adds to the Doherty ranch lands. John and his two sons, Bill and Tanky, ran the ranch, spreading from four headquarters, including the Horseshoe east of Folsom, New Mexico; Emery Gap south of Branson, Colorado; ranch lands south of Trinchera, Colorado; and the Owen Ranch west of Folsom, New Mexico. After splitting the ranch again in 1992, Tanky and his sons continued the ranching heritage on ranch lands south of Trinchera, Colorado, and the Owen ranch west of Folsom, New Mexico. Tanky’s wife Joan also grew up in a ranching family whose lands east of Branson, Colorado, are also part of the family ranch today. Today, the daily operations are managed by grandsons Dan and Ben and their children, making it a six-generation ranch.