Richard King (1824–1885) was a river pilot, born in New York City to Irish immigrants. In 1980, a subsidiary — King Ranch Oil and Gas — was formed to conduct exploration and production in five states and the Gulf of Mexico. The Brahmans, which were native to South Asia, were well adapted to thrive in South Texas' hot climate; they were crossed with the ranch's Beef Shorthorns to produce the ranch's own trademark stock — the Santa Gertrudis cattle, which were recognized as a breed in 1940. In 1969, he received a B. S. in Animal Science at Texas Tech University. King thus returned to Cruillas and offered the entrada of villagers the opportunity to work for him, in exchange for food, shelter, and income. He was indentured to a jeweler at age 11, but later ran to sea,[1] eventually attaining a pilot's rating. President/CEO, King Ranch, Inc. Robert J. Underbrink is President/CEO of King Ranch, Inc. King Ranch is a seventh generation family-owned agribusiness operation organized into nine distinct business segments: Ranching/Wildlife, South Texas Farming, Texas Turfgrass, Pecans, Citrus, Florida Farming, Retail, Minerals and Corporate. "I do really feel like … King managed to avoid the September 19, 1873, Black Friday panic by selling early. The ranch also boasted several Brahman bulls, as well as Beef Shorthorns and Herefords. To handle depredations (rustling), the ranchers formed the Stock Raisers Association of Western Texas in 1870; Mifflin Kenedy led the first meeting. Robert J. Underbrink is President/CEO of King Ranch, Inc. King Ranch is a seventh generation family-owned agribusiness operation organized into nine distinct business segments: Ranching/Wildlife, South Texas Farming, Texas Turfgrass, Pecans, Citrus, Florida Farming, Retail, Minerals and Corporate. Underbrink is a 26-year King Ranch employee and is a South Texas native. As part of an expansion of the Florida operations, King Ranch, Inc. acquired citrus groves in 1994. By 1871, though, 700,000 head of cattle caused a market glut, which King avoided by personal negotiation in Abilene. Only the first two of the four divisions border each other, and that border is relatively short. Bush is a Texas native, and as such, he owns not only an F-150 King Ranch, but also a section of land dubbed Prairie Chapel Ranch. In 1855, Lewis was killed by the husband of a woman with whom he had been having an affair. Eight years later the company sold its Louisiana and Oklahoma holdings to Presidio Oil for more than $40 million. Humble struck oil and gas by 1939. In 1859, the ranch recorded its first official brands (HK and LK). After the Mexican War, King made a good living hauling merchandise on the Rio Grande, as far up river as Camargo, and Rio Grande City. Robert Justus (Mr. Bob) Kleberg acted as head of the Ranch's operations and continued as President and CEO for the next fifty years. It includes portions of six Texas counties; most of Kleberg and much of Kenedy, with portions extending into Brooks, Jim Wells, Nueces, and Willacy counties. King first saw the land that would become part of the King Ranch in April 1852 as he traveled north from Brownsville to attend the Lone Star Fair in Corpus Christi, a four-day trip by horseback. After the President's death in 1973, Mrs. Johnson continued to live at the Ranch part time until her death in 2007. Campbell-Jones was a jackaroo (Australian cowboy) who started at Brunette Downs in 1963 and worked his way up to overseer and assistant manager before leaving in 1975. The King Ranch has long been famous for fighting what it considers incursions on its land: It fought the location of U.S. 77, the building of a naval bombing range, the dredging of … Consolidated Citrus Limited Partnership is owned and managed by King Ranch, Inc. 1845 Walnut Street • Suite 900 Philadelphia, PA 19103. Chapman had been the quartermaster of Fort Brown in Brownsville, and regulated the steamboat contracts to supply Fort Ringgold, up river in Rio Grande City. During the lean year that followed, King continued to fence his land, and manage his cattle, horses and sheep. On a Texas ranch, a steer worth $11 would bring $20 from a buyer in Abilene. The King Ranch LK brand, still in use today, stands for partners Lewis and King. He was then appointed as Senior Vice President in March 2008 and was appointed as President/CEO, as well as a Director, in June 2010. Join to Connect. King Ranch now covers 825,000 acres—more land than the state of Rhode Island. He also currently serves as a Director of Consolidated Citrus Limited Partnership, the nation's largest citrus grower, where he previously served as President and CEO from 1999 to 2005. In the less formal setting, dress code for meetings called for an open collar and no tie. In 1933, Bob Kleberg, Jr., the son of Bob Kleberg, Sr. and Alice Gertrudis King, leased the exploration and drilling rights on the ranch to Humble Oil of Houston, Texas for $127,824, in exchange for the usual royalty of 1/8 of every barrel (20 L) of oil pumped from the property. It was during these transitional years that King Ranch made its name in animal husbandry. It became too tempting to simply herd cattle across the Nueces or Rio Grande. Take a tour with the former first lady. During this time, Richard King purchased the Rincón de Santa Gertrudis grant, a 15,500 acres (63 km2; 24.2 sq mi) holding that encompassed present-day Kingsville, Texas. In one notable case, King traveled to the village of Cruillas, Tamaulipas, Mexico in the early months of 1854 (the village having been decimated by a severe drought) and purchased the village's entire cattle population. [13], Note: A National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination document should be available upon request from the National Park Service for this site, but it appears not to be available on-line from the. But shortly after leaving the village, King realized that, by solving the village's short-term problem (providing needed income to survive the drought), he created a longer-term one (now the village had no source of future income). King Ranch Corporate Offices Three Riverway, Suite 1600 Houston, TX 77056 (832) 681-5700 Kingsville, Texas)-The King Ranch Board of directors unanimously elected Robert J. Underbrink, 49, of Houston Texas as President, Chief Executive Officer, and appointed a director at its meeting on June 9, in Kingsville, Texas. At some 825,000 acres (3,340 km ; 1,289 sq mi) it is larger than the state of Rhode Island. The main ranch in South Texas today is 825,000 acres - slightly larger than the State of Rhode Island. Here is the link to view the catalog! Its total land holdings consist of approximately 910,824 acres covering operations in Texas, Florida, New Mexico and South Carolina. In the Civil War, initially, the disruption of the flow of cattle to market caused a drop in beef prices. King Ranch will be selling 10 horses at the Return to the Remuda Sale October 2nd and 3rd, hosted by 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, TX. Catch former president George W. Bush take Jay for a ride in a Texas fan-favorite: a 2013 Ford F150 King Ranch! Stephen J. It was founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis. A subsequent police investigation resulted in no arrests. The combination of these two breeds makes an exceptionally intelligent, loyal and athletic companion with very low shedding. In June 1911, about the same time the King River Ranch was purchased, the company bought the … The King Ranch HK brand stands for Henrietta King. [2][6] The Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame inducted the ranch in 2019.[7]. Chapman's heirs published the letters home from his wife in a new book named The News From Brownsville. Learn how and when to remove this template message, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, National Register of Historic Places portal, List of the largest stations in Australia, https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/ford_articles/history-of-the-ford-king-ranch, The Texas Experience - Waylon Jennings Presents the King Ranch, United States National Register of Historic Places listings, History of the National Register of Historic Places, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King_Ranch&oldid=998739499, Owners of U.S. Thoroughbred Triple Crown winners, Breeders of U.S. Thoroughbred Triple Crown winners, Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas, Buildings and structures in Kenedy County, Texas, Buildings and structures in Kleberg County, Texas, Ranches on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas, National Register of Historic Places in Kleberg County, Texas, National Register of Historic Places in Kenedy County, Texas, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with self-published sources from July 2016, Articles that may contain original research from July 2016, All articles that may contain original research, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 January 2021, at 20:36. Guests were typically treated to meals of Southwestern cuisine . Then, catch up on all of your favorite episodes of "Jay Leno's Garage" on demand now! [citation needed], Edna Ferber's novel Giant of the ranches of Texas was turned into a film of the same name. In 1869, the ranch registered its "Running W" brand, which remains the King Ranch's official mark today. They had intended to hunt ducks and nearby residents reported hearing shots fired. “Tio” Kleberg was born in Austin, Texas, to Richard M. Kleberg Jr. and Mary Lewis Scott Kleberg. Even in this time of loss, by 1869, Richard King was able to round up 48,664 of an estimated 84,000 head of cattle. Lea portrays King's purchase of the Ranch as motivated by his wooing of Henrietta Maria Morse Chamberlain (1832–1925), whom he married in the First Presbyterian Church, Brownsville, on Sunday, December 10, 1854. Vice President at King Ranch, Inc Houston, Texas Area 221 connections. PRESIDENT at KING RANCH MARKETS Greater Los Angeles Area 24 connections. King Ranch had 650 producing oil and natural gas wells in 1953. President George W. Bush's 2009 F-150 King Ranch was sold this past weekend for charity - to benefit the National Guard's Youth ChalleNGe program. King interested Captain James Walworth in acquiring the entire de la Garza grant, which Walworth completed on December 26, 1856, for $5,000 paid to Praxides Uribe. King once said he "could not have kept on and held on if Andrés Canales had not been adjoining. However, neither Blanton nor his son were ever seen again. Sedona Legend, launched in 2003, represents the largest historic archive in the world detailing the life-path of TWA's Jack Frye and his wife Helen Varner Vanderbilt Frye. In 1854, King and Lewis purchased the de la Garza Santa Gertrudis grant from Praxides Uribe of Matamoros for $1,800, on the condition of a perfected title (complete documentation of the land grant) on May 20, 1854 to 53,000 acres (210 km2; 83 sq mi). Tio grew up on King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas, working summers with ranch operations. Stillman sold his share of the enterprise after the Civil War; the new firm operated as King, Kenedy & Co. until 1874. By 1870, 300,000 head of cattle made their way from the West to the railroads of Kansas, and thence to the stockyards of Chicago. Although most residents suspected them being murdered by ranch guards for trespassing, it remains a long-standing unsolved mystery. The winning bidder tossed down more than a third of a million bucks to take home this machine. Robert Justus (Mr. Bob) Kleberg acted as head of the ranch’s operations and continued as President and CEO for the next fifty years. [citation needed], In the James Michener novel Centennial, the Venneford Ranch was said to be patterned after the King Ranch. One technique King used to manage costs was to make his trail bosses the owners of the herd. The Board of Directors of King Ranch, Inc. appointed Mr. Underbrink as Vice President of Farming Operations in June 1998. At the death of Henrietta King, the appraiser's Statement of Gross Estate, Mrs. H.M. King listed a net total of $5.4 million, as the owner of 997,444.56 acres (4,036.5 km2), which did not include the Santa Gertrudis headquarters, nor did it include the Kleberg's Stillman and Lasater tracts, which were not of the estate. Over the years there have been King Ranch versions of the F-150, the SuperDuty, the Explorer, and the Expedition. [9] Humble Oil loaned enough money to pay the debts of the H.M. King estate, secured by a first mortgage on the land. By the mid-1870s, though, the ranch's hallmark stock had become the hardy Texas Longhorn. [8] As the ranch grew, its hands came to be called kineños, or "King's men". Over time, some original grantees returned to their land. After a grueling ride, King caught sight of the Santa Gertrudis Creek, 124 mi (200 km) from the Rio Grande. King had arranged for Maj W.W. Chapman (died 1859) to bid on the Rincón property, which Chapman acquired for $1,575. The King Ranch was established by Richard King, a steamboat captain born in 1825 in Orange county, New York.Drawn to Texas by the Mexican War (1846–48), King piloted a steamer on the Rio Grande. Join to Connect King Ranch, Inc. Texas A&M University. He had been serving as Senior Vice President of King Ranch and replaces Jack Hunt, 65. Robert J. Kleberg Jr., president of the King Ranch, Inc., which Owns 960,000 acres of cattle and oil lands in Texas and operates an additional 11.5 million acres of … Bob was named President and CEO of King Ranch, a position he held over 50 years until his death in 1974. King Ranch is the largest ranch in the U.S. state of Texas as well as the United States. At the same time, Lewis sold King undivided half-interest in the ranchos of Manuel Barrera and of Juan Villareal for the same sum, on November 14, 1853. The enterprise required two types of steamers — the Grampus and Comanche. "Captain King" came to Texas as a riverboat captain at the mouth of the Rio Grande. Both served under General Zachary Taylor, operating steamboats from Brazos Santiago Harbor to Matamoros, and on up river to Camargo, Tamaulipas, in support of the U.S. invasion of Monterrey and Saltillo. Its total land holdings consist … The bosses would sign a note for the cattle, which they would begin to drive to market in February of each year, for the 100-day drive. © 2021 Directors & Boards and Family Business Magazine. During all of this, the Ranch was a going concern, with a net profit of $227,382, as early as 1926.[8]. King and Walworth's brand was registered June 27, 1859 along with his earlier brands (see below). By the end of the Civil War, the Texas Rangers were disbanded by the Reconstruction. In 1843, King first met his future business partner in the King Ranch, Mifflin Kenedy (1818–1895), captain of the steamboat Champion. [5] The ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961. The 1863–1864 winter pushed uncounted cattle south toward the Nueces and Rio Grande. The vehicles include dark brown leather seats, and the badges show the King Ranch Running W brand. King sold Lewis an undivided half-interest in the land for $2,000. Many of the events of the King Ranch, such as the discovery of oil on the property, are also in the film. At the time, the ranch grazed cattle, horses, sheep and goats. On November 18, 1936, Luther Blanton and his son, John, trespassed on the ranch by crawling through the fence surrounding it. Mini Aussiedoodles are a great choice for people who love the personality of Aussies but can’t have one due to their excessive shedding. Her son-in-law, Bob Kleberg, Sr., said "A valuation of four to five dollars an acre ($1236/km²) on a million acres (4000 km²) of raw ranchland was about right, but it took a long time for the Government to admit it. Over the course … [citation needed], The historical fiction novel Lords of the Land by Matt Braun is based on the King Ranch and its founder, although names and some circumstance have been altered. During their eight years in the White House, President George Bush and Laura Bush's 1,500-acre Crawford, Texas, ranch was a refuge for the first family. King Ranch Corporate Offices Three Riverway, Suite 1600 Houston, TX 77056 (832) 681-5700 King Ranch Turfgrass 106 North Dennis Street Wharton, Texas 77488 Office: (713) 287-2750 Fax: (713) 287-2755 www.kingranchturfgrass.com King Ranch … Bob’s family had a long, rich history in South Texas. Upon the sale of the herd to the northern buyers, the trail bosses could relieve their indebtedness, and earn a profit greater than their ordinary wages. Lea estimated the 1855 expenses were smaller. Gilbert, 58, of Houston, started in her position as King Ranch's vice president and chief financial officer on June 15. In 1853, Captain Richard King purchased a creek-fed oasis in the Wild Horse Desert of South Texas, sparking generations of integrity, preservation, and innovation. The company was organized in Utah in May 1910. "[7] By 1929, the taxes ($859,000) had been paid up, in installments, but the trustees had to borrow money, so by the market crash of 1929, Henrietta King's estate was in debt $3,000,000. King Ranch’s consignments are numbers are: 5, 28, 41, 73, 94, 104, 120, 135, 155, and 169! After the war, as before, the ranch’s biggest problem was cattle rustling. It was purchased from the heirs of Juan Mendiola of Camargo on July 25, 1853, for $300. It was during these transitional years that King Ranch made its name in animal husbandry. As the years passed, more land was added, growing to 1.2 million acres (1,875 sq mi, 4,900 km²) at its largest extent, until reaching its current total. Allowing for 10,000 remaining, Richard King claimed a loss of 33,827 head from 1869 to 1872. KING RANCH MARKETS. King and Lewis established a cow camp on Santa Gertrudis Creek. King Ranch Texas Kitchen, an upcoming restaurant from the Fertitta family and Kingsville, Texas-based King Ranch, is a nod to Texas history and its food, according to executive chef Carlos Rodriguez. While the Confederates did reclaim south Texas in 1864, putting King back in business, he fled to Mexico when the South surrendered and did not return to his ranch until late 1865 when President Andrew Johnson pardoned him for aiding the Confederacy. For example, the Kings of Texas traces the history of the ranch through "decades of conflict arising from the Mexican–American War, the Civil War, and countless skirmishes between Texas Rangers and border bandits". When King and his partners began hiring people to staff the ranch, they hired a number of Mexican hands. Thrilled to have Bill Gardiner with King Ranch in our office for a presentation on King Ranch history and present day operations! Lauro Cavazos, who served as the first Hispanic United States Cabinet officer, was born on the King Ranch during his father's service as a ranch foreman in January, 1927. [12], A cowboy's perspective on the King Ranch subsidiary in Australia, the cattle station Brunette Downs, is captured in the 2012 autobiography by Nick Campbell-Jones Don't Die Wondering. Catch former President George W. Bush take Jay for a ride in a Texas fan-favorite: a 2013 Ford F150 King Ranch! [citation needed], The King Ranch, by artist/author Tom Lea, is a two-volume definitive work that covers not only the history of the ranch, but also that of the region—most notably the Rio Grande Valley. He was named King Ranch vice president in January 2005 after serving as assistant general manager for livestock and ranching operations since January 2004. When he was president, Bush used the ranch for vacations, meetings, and entertaining foreign dignitaries. PRESIDENT KING RANCH MARKETS. In the meantime, Kenedy was able to make money by carrying goods overland into Mexico. In 1861, the price of cattle dropped to $2 a head, rising to $11 per head by August 1862. His grandfather was Captain Richard King, founder of King Ranch, and his grandmother was Henrietta Chamberlain, a Presbyterian minister’s daughter. During the American Civil War, the steamboat fleet was reflagged under the name of the Matamoros, Mexico citizen Francisco Iturria and the Mexican flag. The LBJ Ranch was where he was born, lived, died, and was buried. President Johnson had a deep attachment for place and heritage. Shortly thereafter, locals organized a group to force their way onto the ranch around the area where they were known to have gone hunting. Prior to that,he was general manager of Friona Industries, L.P., encompassing both the … The King Ranch's board of directors unanimously promoted Houston's Robert J. Underbrink, 49, to president, CEO and a director of the diversified agribusiness company in Kingsville last week. [5] In sum, in 1854, King paid $12,275.79. [2] On July 1, 1856, a court sale of Lewis' property (including the undivided half-interest in the land of the Ranch) was held. Tom Lea, The King Ranch, 1957, Little, Brown & Co. By March 1, 1850, King, Kenedy, Charles Stillman, founder of Brownsville, and James O'Donnell entered into a business partnership (M. Kenedy & Co.) to transport Stillman's goods from Brazos Santiago Harbor on the Gulf of Mexico and up the Rio Grande.