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Chester A. Reynolds Award
Awarded in 1990
William Harding Martin, Jr.
William Harding “Billy” Martin Jr. stands among Arizona’s most respected cattlemen and traditional cowboys—recognized nationally for his integrity, horsemanship, and lifelong commitment to Western values. Born on August 9, 1925, at Hewitt Station on the Martin Ranch, Billy was raised in the rugged mountains and ranch country of Arizona. He attended school just down the road from his birthplace and later graduated from high school in Superior, Arizona.
Billy learned ranching from his father, William Harding Martin Sr., who served as foreman of the legendary Clemans Cattle Ranch for forty years. From an early age, Billy was known for his kindness, skill, and strong work ethic. His talent in the saddle was evident early on—he won the title of World’s Champion Junior Cowboy at the Florence Junior Rodeo in 1942, a contest long recognized as the “cowboy cradle of the West.”
On September 11, 1943, Billy married Helen “Teta” Gillette of Globe, Arizona. He served honorably in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, returning home to raise a family and continue his work as a cattleman. The couple owned and operated the Neighborhood Market in Superior while Billy worked for Magma Copper as a hoist operator. Their son, George, was born in 1952. In 1958, Billy purchased the Martin Ranch from his father and successfully operated it for fifty years before selling it to George in 2008.
Known far beyond Arizona’s borders, Billy earned a national reputation as a mountain lion hunter. Friends and fellow ranchers often recalled following Billy and his hounds up steep mountains and down dangerous canyons, watching him navigate country so rough that riders often had to dismount and proceed on foot. His grit, humor, and determination became part of his legend.
Respected across the ranching world and admired by those who rode and worked beside him, Billy’s most significant professional honor came in 1990, when he received the Chester A. Reynolds Award at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Actor Sam Elliott introduced him during the Western Heritage Awards ceremony, recognizing him as a true Western gentleman whose life represented the best of the cowboy tradition.
For friends, neighbors, and fellow cattlemen, Billy Martin Jr. was more than a rancher—he was a steady hand, a generous neighbor, and a man whose word was ironclad. Cowhands and hunters who traveled with him carried stories of his courage, experience, and dry humor. He spent his life living the cattleman’s creed: honest work, respect for others, and loyalty to the land and livestock in his care.
William Harding “Billy” Martin Jr. stands among Arizona’s most respected cattlemen and traditional cowboys—recognized nationally for his integrity, horsemanship, and lifelong commitment to Western values. Born on August 9, 1925, at Hewitt Station on the Martin Ranch, Billy was raised in the rugged mountains and ranch country of Arizona. He attended school just down the road from his birthplace and later graduated from high school in Superior, Arizona.
Billy learned ranching from his father, William Harding Martin Sr., who served as foreman of the legendary Clemans Cattle Ranch for forty years. From an early age, Billy was known for his kindness, skill, and strong work ethic. His talent in the saddle was evident early on—he won the title of World’s Champion Junior Cowboy at the Florence Junior Rodeo in 1942, a contest long recognized as the “cowboy cradle of the West.”
On September 11, 1943, Billy married Helen “Teta” Gillette of Globe, Arizona. He served honorably in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946, returning home to raise a family and continue his work as a cattleman. The couple owned and operated the Neighborhood Market in Superior while Billy worked for Magma Copper as a hoist operator. Their son, George, was born in 1952. In 1958, Billy purchased the Martin Ranch from his father and successfully operated it for fifty years before selling it to George in 2008.
Known far beyond Arizona’s borders, Billy earned a national reputation as a mountain lion hunter. Friends and fellow ranchers often recalled following Billy and his hounds up steep mountains and down dangerous canyons, watching him navigate country so rough that riders often had to dismount and proceed on foot. His grit, humor, and determination became part of his legend.
Respected across the ranching world and admired by those who rode and worked beside him, Billy’s most significant professional honor came in 1990, when he received the Chester A. Reynolds Award at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Actor Sam Elliott introduced him during the Western Heritage Awards ceremony, recognizing him as a true Western gentleman whose life represented the best of the cowboy tradition.
For friends, neighbors, and fellow cattlemen, Billy Martin Jr. was more than a rancher—he was a steady hand, a generous neighbor, and a man whose word was ironclad. Cowhands and hunters who traveled with him carried stories of his courage, experience, and dry humor. He spent his life living the cattleman’s creed: honest work, respect for others, and loyalty to the land and livestock in his care.
