James William “Bill” Follis, born on March 19, 1865, near Stevensville, Texas, was a renowned cowboy and rancher. At age seven, he joined his parents, W.J. and Mary Follis, on a cattle drive to Trinidad, Colorado. By age 15, he struck out on his own, working for a large cattle company in New Mexico before heading to Montana and North Dakota with the 777 outfit, owned by the Berry-Boyce Cattle Company.
Follis arrived in Wibaux, Montana, in 1883 and spent the rest of his life in the region. He quickly rose to foreman of the 777 outfit in 1884, managing 30,000 cattle for 15 years. In 1888, he married Mary Powers, and although she passed away in 1897, leaving him with six children, Follis passed down his values of courage, honesty, and hard work to them.
Known as the “cowboy’s cowboy,” Follis was celebrated for his expertise in cattle ranching. In 1897, he bought his first ranch while still working for the 777. After the company closed, he established his own ranch on the Little Ox-Bow along the Little Missouri River, eventually managing around 1,000 head of cattle. He also ran a ranch near Sentinel Butte.
In addition to ranching, Follis served as sheriff of Billings County from 1899 to 1903. He retired in 1928 but returned to ranching for another eight years before retiring for good at age 73. Follis died in 1950, leaving a legacy of ranching excellence and integrity.
