One of the largest commercial sheep operators in U. S. history.
1863-1945 | Artist: Othmar J. Hoffler (1893-1954)
Impact & Accomplishments
One of the largest commercial sheep operators in U. S. history, Frank Bond moved to northern New Mexico from his birthplace of Ontario, Canada, in 1882. Along with his brother, George, he launched the profitable retail venture, Española Mercantile, and expanded the business to include sheep and wool sales.
Bond was known as the “Gentleman Sheepherder,” since he developed a system of partido agreements under which hundreds of men were contracted to manage his vast herds. In 1930, he set a record by placing 30,000 sheep into eleven eastern markets in a single day.
Bond purchased hundreds of thousands of acres of western land as well, leaving the family interests to his son when he retired to California in 1925. Criticized for creating monopolies, overgrazing lands, and taking advantage of his herders, Frank Bond was certainly a successful, if somewhat ruthless, livestock entrepreneur.