CK Brand

Montana Stockgrowers Association Represented On Quilt
by Angel Wyrwas

The Montana Cattlewomen's mission is to support the livestock industry and its environment by its labor and finances through promotional information, publicity, and education. Long known for their scholarships, conferences, and Ag in Montana Schools program, much of the Cattlewomen's tireless efforts this year have been directed towards promoting the Montana Stockgrowers Association's 125th anniversary celebration slated to take place in Miles City June 11-13. Last fall the Montana Cattlewomen, a nonprofit organization, decided to hold a fundraiser by raffling off a quilt promoting the Montana Stockgrowers Association. The committee discussed finding someone to make the nine square quilt for them. Committee member Wanda Pinnow of Baker, announced the Cattlewomen's plan at the local Baker Cowbelles meeting. Cowbelles and Cattlewomen member and long time quilter, Linda Logsdon also of Baker, offered to make the quilt for the Cattlewoman at less than half her usual price. However, she asked if she might do something more creative with the quilt design. The Cattlewomen never look a gift horse in the mouth and gave Linda the thumbs up as long as it said Montana Stockgrowers Association on it. The quilt was commissioned.

Once Linda finished her design, the work began. The Cattlewomen advertised across the state for ranch owners to have their brand put on the quilt. The quilt contains 90 Montana livestock brands including the two oldest registered brands in the state. These special brands are located in the center of the quilt. Though registration of brands was not legally required until 1911, the CK was registered in 1876 to Conrad Kohrs and his partner and half-brother, John Bielenberg. The Historic Rescource Study cites Kohrs from, "A Veteran's Experience" as stating that the CK brand was first used in 1867 however, almost ten years earlier. Many other brands were registered to the parnership with distinction for purebreds by adding a number. The National Park Service maintains registration of this brand as part of the legacy of the open range cattle industry. Less is known of the Lazy G Hanging K brand. This brand was assigned to Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site and represents Johnny Grant, who first wintered cattle in the Deer Lodge Valley in 1857, and Conrad Kohrs because he ranged cattle over ten million acres in four states and Canada. The brand is significant for the ranch itself commemorates the open range cattle industry, making sure the past is not forgotten.

The entire quilt represents Montana in some fashion. There is silver, gold, and copper in the thread and material. The background in the center is the blue of the Montana sky and the golden of a wheat field. The Montana Stockgrowers Association logo is front and center alongside the unmistakable Montana cowboy. The man in the quilt is clothed in leather and suede fabrics and becomes dimensional with his shirt buttons and metal belt buckle John Logsdon, Linda's husband, bought at a gun show. One might expect the cowboy to look over and say, 'Hey, there!". John helped Linda with the building of the quilt by taking pictures of the brands to transfer to fabric and helping cut them out. "It is an art reading the brands," explained Linda and John, "You have to be educated on how to read them and what they mean to make sure you are getting them right." Linda continued, "Even after we had everything laid out right, after I started sewing, we realized that a couple of them were missing pieces or had gotten flipped around. Then you start again." Linda began the project last December and has well over 250 hours into the finished quilt. Some of the materials were purchased just for the project and some came from Linda's own fabric collection, pieces that complete the quilt but that you wouldn't find in any old fabric store, such as the denim of the cowboy's shirt that sports a red cow skull embroidery pattern. The quilt will be touring the state at different art and quilting shows and other venues until its impending sale in Miles City. "Whoever gets it will be very lucky," said Wanda Pinnow, "The quilt is such a work of art and so representative of the Montana Stockgrowers Association tradition that I could see it being donated to a museum for everyone to enjoy." 1

MCW is selling raffle tickets for Commemorative Brand Quilt - Contact Local Members to purchase raffle tickets

References
1. Montana Cattle Women. Retrieved May 27th 2009 from http://www.montanacattlewomen.org/



The above image was obtained from the following publication: Brand Book of the Montana Stock Growers' Association for 1903. Helena, Mont.: Independent Publishing Co. 1903.