Did You Know? | Marker #5921 — Captain Charles Armand Schreiner & The Y.O. Legacy

If you’ve ever driven through Kerr County, you’ve likely heard the name Schreiner — a name woven deep into the story of Texas ranching and frontier grit.

Charles Armand Schreiner (1838–1927) was born in Alsace-Lorraine and immigrated to Texas with his family in 1852. By age fifteen, he was already serving with the Texas Rangers — a glimpse of the determination that would define his life.

After a brief stint in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, Schreiner returned to Kerr County in 1865 and settled in Kerrville, where he opened a thriving mercantile store. His leadership soon extended beyond business: when Indian raids threatened the frontier, Governor Richard Coke appointed Schreiner Captain of the Kerrville Mounted Rifles in 1875.

In 1880, Schreiner purchased the Taylor-Clements Ranch and its famous Y.O. brand. What followed became one of Texas’ great ranching stories. Over 300,000 longhorns were driven from his land to the Kansas railheads — a symbol of Texas enterprise and endurance. His later ventures in sheep and goat ranching turned Kerrville into the “Mohair Center of the World.”

Even after the last Y.O. cattle drive in 1941, Schreiner’s legacy lived on. The Y.O. Ranch became world-renowned not only for its longhorns but also for its wildlife conservation programs — a balance of heritage and stewardship that continues today.

From Ranger to rancher, Captain Schreiner’s story reflects the rugged determination that helped build Texas.