Bio
Con Warren was a dedicated cattleman and ranch manager who, despite his family’s hopes for him to pursue medicine like his father and brother, chose a life in ranching. He began his career as a cowboy in Wyoming in 1927 before joining the Kohrs Ranch in 1929. Warren’s passion for animals and their welfare led him to become ranch manager, after a confrontation with the foreman over the mistreatment of a horse.
In 1940, Warren purchased the Kohrs Ranch and its contents, committing himself to both livestock production and the preservation of the ranch’s historic legacy. He expanded the ranch during the drought and Depression of the 1930s, focusing on breeding registered Hereford cattle and Belgian draft horses. Despite challenges like World War II labor shortages and genetic issues in the Hereford breed, Warren remained a respected figure in the industry. He served as president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the Board of Livestock Commissioners, where he helped establish livestock auctions as public utilities.
Warren’s veterinary skills, influenced by his physician father, were invaluable to the community, as he assisted with medical emergencies and pioneered artificial insemination techniques to improve breeding.
Warren ended his registered Hereford program in 1958 but continued ranching until he sold the core of the ranch to the National Park Service in 1972. His efforts preserved the ranch’s heritage, resulting in the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, which offers a glimpse into America’s cattle ranching history. Warren lived at the ranch until his death in 1993 at the age of 85.
