Generations of Traditions & History
Kent & Faye proudly started the registered cattle herd in 1988 by purchasing the K Plus herd. Their children, Trevor & Cameron, both grew up contributing to the ranch and learning how to continue the values of dedication, hard work, and harder working cattle. Trevor and his wife, Amber, are currently residing in Montana with their two children, Aubrey & Teddy (the sixth generation of Smith’s). Cameron has returned to the ranch with his wife Hannah, and is working with his parents to continue to improve the genetics they provide to their customers in order to increase performance and profitability.
Smith Angus Ranch has a long line of history rooted in the Sandhills of Nebraska, located near the town of Bassett. Settled in 1884 by Abraham and Rebecca, the story of the Smith’s began in Iowa where Abraham and Rebecca loaded up their covered wagon with 4 children, 4 horses, 30 head of cattle, a mower, and a rake and headed west. Pursuing the dream of owning land, establishing a home, and making a new life for their family, their journey came to a halt 27 miles south east of Bassett, Nebraska.
Ira, son of Abraham and Rebecca, married his bride, Laura, and continued the ranching tradition of the Smiths with their three children. They lived out their entire active lives on the ranch with a deep-rooted passion for the land. Ira built the house that is the main house of the ranch for Laura, where they raised their family and continued to build the Smith Ranching story. Their legacy was improving the original family homestead; they planted seeds that allowed current generations to reap the benefits almost 100 years later.
When the next generation was called to step in, George took over the ranch from his parents, Ira and Laura. George and his wife, Clarice, are both strong and courageous people, their reputation is known across the Sandhills. A member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, George was known as a strong-willed, hardworking cowboy of his time. George and his wife, Clarice, raised their two children, Kent and Rennae, on the ranch. Since George passed away in 2000, Clarice continues to live on the ranch and ensure the ranching legacy that George passed down to his children lives on.
George and Clarice’s son, Kent, is the current patriarch of the Smith family, pushing the ranch into the future with his wife, Faye. They have added to the ranch, made bold decisions, and helped bloom the ranch into its current level of production and success. Kent has lived his entire life on the land that was homesteaded by his great grandparents, Abraham and Rebecca Smith. Kent and Faye were married in 1976 and have been ranching and expanding their operation ever since. They purchased the core set of cows that started their herd of Registered Angus Cows from the K Plus herd in 1988 and hosted their first annual bull sale in the spring of 1989. Since that time, a lot of changes have happened, but many things have stayed the same. They still concentrate on producing the type of cattle that will perform well and turn a profit for the commercial cattleman. The Smiths utilize a strong AI program, and strive for a strong, maternal cow herd.
Faye, Kent, Cameron, Hannah Smith