Bio
William Connolly, born in 1861 near Henderson, Minnesota, worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad at age 16, traveling through Dakota Territory and later to Montana. In Montana, he lived in the Moccasin Mountains, cutting railroad ties and cordwood. Connolly worked alongside renowned artist Charles Russell on the 2 Dot Wilson Ranch, where Russell found inspiration for his famous painting “The Day They Roped the Grizzly.”
After a time in Montana’s hay-cutting business, Connolly relocated to North Dakota’s Killdeer Mountains in 1886, purchasing a ranch. He became a pivotal figure in North Dakota’s cattle industry, registering the state’s first official cattle brand, the 2 Bar, in 1890. In the 1890s, Connolly and his partner, Wilse Richards, brought Hereford bulls to North Dakota, establishing the foundation of his cattle empire. He also bred draft horses, selling them in the Red River Valley and Iowa.
Connolly married Catherine in 1900, raising four children on their ranch. He was a generous man, offering settlers access to fresh spring water from his well. Connolly opposed the encroachment of railroads, believing they would not sustain the small towns they built.
He played a key role in Dunn County’s development, serving as its first county commissioner and founding the Connolly School District and the Bank of Killdeer. He died in 1946, leaving a lasting legacy in North Dakota ranching.
