Robert William “Bill” Hamilton

1932 - 2021
Lander

Bill Hamilton grew up on a ranch on the Wind River near Fort Washakie. He was a fourth generation Wyoming rancher, who knew he wanted to be a rancher from the time he was a toddler. His dad gave him his first heifer and from that first heifer, he continued to keep his heifer calves, growing his own small herd of Hereford cows. When Bill was 14, he finally convinced his great Uncle Bill to sell him his Slash H Slash brand, which was one of the earliest brands registered on the reservation. He grew up in the saddle, helping his dad, his uncles, and neighbors work cows. As a teenager, he started breaking horses for family and neighbors. This was something he continued to do throughout his life. When he was old enough to hire out, he worked for ranches in the Lander area. One of his favorite jobs was riding on the big roundups in the South Pass/Atlantic City area. He also rode saddle broncs and competed in area rodeos when he was in his late teens and early twenties.