The company was formally incorporated in December of 1912 by Frank Benton who is pictured below. Frank was born at
Grandville, Ill., July 19, 1853, the son of a Methodist preacher names George Washington Benton. He
went to Kansas in the spring of 1872 with his parents and remained there nine years. He moved to Wyoming
in 1881 and went from there to Hot Springs, South Dakota in 1892. After a brief period in South Dakota he
moved to Hardin Colorado and founded the 70 Ranch located north of US 34 west of Greeley. After selling
that ranch around 1908 he moved to Burns Hole and the first ranch he bought was the Keiner Ranch.
He started buying up ranches and water rights in the area. On February 26, 1910 the Hurst Ranch was
bought for $1,050 and on April 15, 1911 the Rogers Ranch was also acquired for $3,300. On July 31, 1912,
Frank A. Benton incorporated to Frank Benton Land and Livestock.
This represents one of the first large corporate merges in the ranching industries in the early 1900's.
He amassed the Edge, Breen, Newcomer, and the Twenty-one, Roberts and many more ranches totaling over
14,000 acres of deeded and 15,000 acres of government BLM and Forest Service leases. Many of the ranches
still carry the homesteader's names. Then in 1911 or 1912, he had delivered by rail to McCoy, Colorado,
six mail order homes from Sears catalog. They were brought the rest of the way by team and freight wagon
to Burns. He situated the homes on the various ranches. Mr. Benton and his big sombrero and genial smile
were well known for years about Denver and all parts of Colorado and Wyoming. He figured in practically
all the doings in organization work among the stockmen and was always in evidence at conventions and meetings.
Not without the keen sense of humor, Mr. Benton, in various publications, has handed down through
posterity something of the local color of western life on the range. His satirical effort, "Cowboy
Life On a Sidetrack," dealing with the slowness and perversity of railroads in handling the stock
shippers interests and giving the sheepman a few merry quips, has amused thousands.
Frank Benton was classed as one of the old time and picturesque figures among the cattlemen of the west.
His keen wit and commanding personality have been in evidence --- a stock-growers' meeting of Colorado
and Wyoming and his counsels have figured in many episodes where the cattleman sought to maintain his rights.
Frank passed away in March of 1921, and he was survived by his wife Grace Durbin Benton.(Ma). Ma ran
the ranch with her son Thomas Harry Benton and his wife Carolyn C (Curry) Benton until 1961 when she
passed away. Thomas Harry and Carolyn had three children John T., Ellen and Alzora.
During this time they added the Tibbetts place where T Harry's son John Thomas Benton (John) would return after WWII and operate the ranch until 1993. John Benton was much like his grandfather and was active in the Colorado Cattleman Association, serving as President, Eagle County Cattleman's Association and was also the Republican County Chairman of Eagle County for many years. His wife Rae was born in Denver to Rae M Morris and Edna (Brown) Morris. Her father was credited with taking an 8th grade education and rising to the Executive Vice President level (#2 positon) with Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph office in Colorado. In addition he played in the Denver Symphony orchestra for many years. Rae was also active in Eagle County politics as well as the Colorado Cattlewomen's organization serving as President in 1972.
The company change directions in 1993 after the sudden loss of John T Benton with his sons taking over management and the election to diversify the company's holdings. The ranches were sold to William Nottingham and his daughter Susan and the proceeds exchanged into holdings now in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Shareholders and officers of the family corporation remain with the direct descendants of John and Rae Benton.