Rowe

ROWE, ALFRED (18531912). Alfred Rowe, rancher, one of seven children of John James and Agnes (Graham) Rowe, prosperous English merchants who had business connections and a home in South America, was born on February 24, 1853, in Lima, Peru. As a young man he served two years in the family business, Graham, Rowe, and Company of Liverpool. In 1876 he went to the Royal Agricultural College in Gloucestershire, England. Two years later he moved to the United States with a capital of 500 pounds to invest in western grasslands. He arrived in Donley County from Colorado in 1878 and spent a few months learning the cattle business from others and starting his own herd, which he purchased from James Hughes, on Glenwood Creek, a tributary of the Salt Fork of the Red River. Rowe then established the RO Ranch on Skillet Creek through the purchase of state scrip and expanded the ranch over the next few years. He was thus one of the few foreign investors actually to settle for a time on his Texas ranch properties. In 1882 he formed a ranching partnership with his brothers Vincent and Bernard, who had been engaged in the manufacture of chemicals in Kansas City. They helped plow a fire guard and often hunted antelope and other game. During the next few years they made several improvements on the ranch's facilities. The partnership lasted until 1898, when Alfred bought out his brothers' interests. As a rancher Rowe became well-liked among the cowboys and stockmen for his honesty, high business principles, and genuine interest in the community. However, his habit of suddenly disappearing and reappearing puzzled many and reflected the extent of his desire to keep his affairs private. The railroad town of Rowe, which was moved to nearby Hedley, was named for him. He also laid out the town of McLean in Gray County, about five miles north of his first headquarters on Skillet Creek.