Mr. Butterfield’s Granddaughter

Oil on Metal from Homestead site
14″ x 17 1/2″
$1300
Contact to Purchase

Brooks Ranch
Violet Davison Brooks had both a famous grandfather and daughter. John Butterfield won a $600,000 government contract to deliver St. Louis mail to San Francisco in 25 days, thus starting the Butterfield Overland Stage Company, the longest stage coach route in the world. There were 139 change stations along the 2,000 mile route, along with a water stop every 30 miles. Horses used were thoroughbred racing horses so they could out-run Indian attacks, who referred to these fast horses as “faster than wind.” The stage company was bought by Wells Fargo, and Mr. Butterfield became the founder of American Express. Violet’s daughter was Bobby Brooks Kramer, who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame for her competitive riding, training, and breeding of horses.

Violet was born in the northern part of Montana. She developed a love of horses at an early age and became a race horse rider and match-racing jockey. A match race, which was quite popular before racing tracks were built, consisted of winning a race of a length chosen by the participants. She also was chosen the first Miss Montana. She married Ed Brooks, a lawman and rancher who settled in Montana after coming up the trail from Texas with a herd of cattle. The painting is based upon an old photo taken of her repairing her saddle near their ranch on Big Sheep Mountain.