The raising and subsequent branding of cattle in North America began with the importation of Spanish Criollo cattle by Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493. By 1513 the explorer Hernando Cortes had established the ranching tradition in Mexico, and his Holy Trinity brand of three crosses became the first cattle brand recorded in North America. Within a few decades, the Mexican province of Texas was teeming with wild cattle, descendants of the early Spanish breed. At about this period, the hardy Texas longhorn began to evolve.

With the establishment of the mission at San Antonio de Bexar, the Alamo Regiment designed the Alamo brand in 1813, the first cattle brand recorded in what later would become the Republic of Texas. Stephen F. Austin’s brand was among the early colonial records of the evolution of the Texas ranching tradition.

Following the Civil War, Texas was overrun with wild cattle, and trails were established to drive herds north to waiting markets. Among the more famous were the Chisholm Trail—from Kansas to south Texas—and the Goodnight-Loving Trail—located from near Lampasas across the North plains of Texas to the Pecos River and north. These cattle drives brought sorely needed cash to a sprawling state in a time of recovery from the Civil War. It must be remembered that many Texas ranchmen of integrity and determination literally had more to do with bringing order and civilization to Texas in this period than did the elected officials of the state. Principal among these ranching pioneers was Charles Goodnight, a man of integrity and vision, one of the first ranchers to up-grade the quality of range livestock. The partnership of John Adair and Charles Goodnight and the famous JA brand are legendary in ranching history.

Of all the practical implements common to the Texas ranchman and cowboy, nothing equalled the branding iron in matters of ownership on the open range. The cattle brand was the key to ownership in a business where ownership was everything. Many cattleman, in fact, named their ranches after their brands and held the symbol in as proud esteem as did any knight his crest.

The Texas branding iron of yesterday and today is an enduring and tangible record of the Texas cattle tradition, recalling the history and color of a "rough and ready nobility." A student of cattle brand history soon learns it is a study of the evolution of the Texas cattle culture as it has developed over the past five generations to become what it is today.