From the Baltic Sea to the Wyoming Plains

From the open skies of Wyoming, here’s this month’s short story about ranch life, an insight I learned from my family, and a piece of trivia, along with some special book news.

Story 

Before Wyoming had fences or towns, a young Danish immigrant named Ike Miller stood on a windswept ridge in Carbon County and made a decision that would define generations.

My great-grandfather Ike was a deliberate man, conscious of the weight of history and driven to create a lasting legacy. Born in 1844 on Møn, an 84–square-mile island off Denmark’s southeastern coast, he grew up knowing his future was uncertain. His father worked hard on what little arable ground was still available, but Denmark’s system of agnatic primogenitor meant the firstborn son inherited the entire estate. As one of the younger children, Ike would have to make his own way.

Then came the 1864 Prussian invasion of Denmark and with it forced conscription. Facing both poverty and the prospect of fighting someone else’s war, Ike made a fateful choice: to leave. He sailed to American and found work laying track with the Union Pacific Railroad, following the line west until it reached the wide-open space of the Wyoming Territory. 

There, he saw promise. In 1874, he married Ada Kirk and began building the I Lazy D Ranch, determined that his six children would never suffer the uncertainty he had. He became a rancher, a banker, businessman, sheriff, and Rawlins’ first mayor—one of Carbon County’s most successful and respected men.

By the time Ike passed away in 1912, his sheep and cattle operations stretched across the northern part of the county. His will provided for each of his children, fulfilling the vow he’d made decades before. 

Ranch House at I Lazy D built by Isaac C. Miller in 1890.

Insight

There is little Ike could not accomplish once he set his mind to it, and his legacy proves that fact. His steadfast vision lives on in generations of ranchers who see their work as both stewardship and inheritance.

Did You Know?

By the time Ike died in 1912, his ranch holdings covered more than 250 square miles—roughly triple the size of the island where he was born. The I lazy D still runs cattle and horses to this day, and several of Ike’s descendants serve on its board of directors.

Until next month,

Mark Miller

According to Ike, “This is the finest country in the land to raise hardy horses.” From A Sometimes Paradise.