In 1946 Samuel C. Caldwell (known to the cattle world as "Sammy")and his friend Durr Wise purchased 10 cows and a half interest in a bull and began operation as Caldwell Wise Hereford Ranch. Although this partnership lasted only a few months, several foundation animals carried the CW prefix. The bull was named OJR Royal Domino 59 3698955, sired by WHR Royal Domino 51. A second bull was added the following year, WHR Royal Duke 34 4311355 by WHR Royal Triumph. Both of these bulls, as well as the original cows were purchased from Carl Freiler of Hazlehurst. Anyone familiar with the history of the Hereford breed during this time can imagine what those first few years in the business were like. The cattle were sold in the early 1950s, and Caldwell Hereford Ranch began again with a clean slate -- and somewhat cleaner pedigrees.
The connection with Wyoming Hereford Ranch remained strong, however. The first of the new herd sires was WHR Lord Vern 77 9664429, sired by the imported bull Vern Diamond. Next came WHR Sir Sidney 12 10614366, a decendant of both Vern Diamond and the other WHR import, Free Town Contrite. The cowherd by the early sixties, besides primarily WHR breeding, had started to show Sammy's strong liking of Mill Iron (Colorado Domino) females. This continued for the rest of the decade until the dispersal of this herd.
Other WHR bulls were purchased through 1966. In particular were two sons of Advance Regulator, D Regulator Dom 4012 and D Regulator Dom 4014. These bulls originated in the herd of Wilbur Drybread of Valentine, Nebraska whose herd was purchased by WHR. These bulls were somewhat ahead of their time with yearling weights well over 1100 lbs. and showing length and frame that wouldn't become common for another half a decade. Also in 1965 Sammy purchased the herd of Arlie R. McClard, Farmington, Missouri. This purchase included an interest in the principle herd sire of this herd, CK Colorado D34, who was also the sire of Advance Regulator. This gave the CHR herd a strong infusion of a particular line of Colorado Dominos, and the linebreeding program of Mr. McClard was continued and, in many ways, enhanced.
The other major occurance was the acquisition of two significant sons of Mischief 678 from fellow Mississippi breeder George M. Harris. This was of particular importance because of the outstanding cross that resulted from mating these Mischiefs and Regulators. For the first time CHR had a true breeding program uniquely its own, and the results began to attract attention -- even from the mentor herd of WHR.
This program was short-lived, however. Due to other business commitments and the rapid growth over the previous several years the herd was completely dispersed on February 19 and 20, 1970. It is generally accepted within the family that Sammy had no intentions of returning to the cattle business after that.
