X Marks the Spot

How a famous ranch got its name.

Fred Fritz started a ranch in Arizona in 1885. One day a brand inspector appeared and told Fred he needed to register his brand. With hands gnarled from working cattle, Fritz scrawled an “X” in the proper place. Two cowboy witnesses also marked “X’s” on the paper; none of the three was literate.  Then they had to draw their brand on the same page. The cowman stared at the three “signatures” for a moment, then with slow deliberation, marked three X’s in the box. The Triple X, one of Arizona’s most famous brands was born.