[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 8621-8622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF RUNNING N CATTLE COMPANY

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, today I recognize the Running N 
Cattle Company of Kenna, NM, that is currently celebrating its 
centennial year of operation. The Running N Cattle Company's 100th 
anniversary date was in May of 2006.
  The Running N Cattle Company is a family owned partnership that began 
in 1906. William H. Cooper and his wife Elizabeth left Hopkins County 
in east Texas, with their five grown children, to acquire free land 
through the Homestead Act in New Mexico. The act promised 160 acres of 
land for each adult and an abundant supply of water. All seven members 
of the Cooper family made their claim on 160 acres, just north and east 
of what is now the small village of Kenna, NM. William and Elizabeth 
settled, making Kenna their home. Out of their five children, Joseph 
``Joe'' Cooper was the only child who remained at the original 
homestead.
  In 1909 Joe moved back to East Texas to marry his high school 
sweetheart, Gertrude Jackson. Shortly after, they traveled by train 
back to the homestead at Kenna where they continued ranching and began 
raising a family. Joe eventually purchased the pieces of land his 
brothers and sisters had claimed in 1906. Although Joe ran both sheep 
and cattle on his land, he eventually made the decision that he wanted 
to concentrate all his efforts on raising cattle. Joe and Gertrude had 
four children; Lewis Cranford Cooper born in

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1915 was their only child who decided to join his father in the 
ranching business.
  In 1937 Lewis Cooper married Lucille Martin in Clovis, NM. In 1940 
they moved to the headquarters of the ranch near his parents' home. 
Lewis was a sharp cattle tender and bought and sold cattle from 
California to Kansas. Lewis enjoyed the ranching business and had a 
keen eye for good horses. Lewis grew up in Kenna and Elida where he 
stayed actively involved in his community, working to make it a 
pleasant place to live. Lewis and Lucille had two daughters Virginia 
Ann, Jenny, and Jacqulin, Jackie. Lewis and Lucille continued ranching 
until Lewis died, in 1971. Lucille now makes her home in Portales where 
she stays involved with her church, grandchildren, and two great-
grandsons.
  Jenny Cooper, older daughter of Lewis and Lucille, married Dr. John 
Clemmons in 1968 at the ranch home in Kenna. John has been active in 
the stocker yearling business at this location since Lewis's death in 
1971. John has served as the general manager since 1971, along with 
that title, he also embraces ownership duties. The Running N Cattle 
Company has been continuously owned and operated by the same family. 
For the past 36 years John and Jenny, along with Jackie are the fourth 
generation to own the partnership and continue the business. Throughout 
the years the family has been able to purchase additional pieces of 
land allowing the ranch to expand. The headquarters is kept in the same 
location as the original homestead between Kenna and Elida, NM. The 
Running N Brand appears on cattle in the counties of Roosevelt, Chavez, 
Lea, DeBaca, and Guadalupe.
  I am proud of the success of this hard-working family. This family 
carries on all the traditions of the ranching lifestyle, in New Mexico 
and in the West. They take great pride in the land in which they have 
worked for many years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank 
them for their continued contributions to the State of New Mexico. I 
congratulate them on their success and wish them many successful years 
in the future.

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