2014 Land Report 100

THE MAGAZI NE OF THE AMERI CAN LANDOWNER
WWW. L A N D R E P O R T. C O M | WI N T E R 2 0 1 4
$15
S P E C I A L R E P O R T
LARGEST LANDOWNERS
IN THE UNITED STATES
A NEW DAY DAWNS ON THE WAGGONER
Iconic Texas Ranch Hits the Market For $725 Million
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No. 14
As they have for well over a century, cowboys call
it a night under the stars on the Waggoner Ranch.
Photography Wyman Meinzer
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LARGEST
USA
LANDOWNERS
The LandReport
Giant timber tracts,
endless fields of grain,
larger-than-life ranches,
these are a few of the
ways Americas largest
landowners make the
most of one of our
essential freedoms.
The Editors
J
ohn Malone blames his sprawling landholdings on his
good friend and fellow cable entrepreneur Ted Turner.
(See the mustachioed fellow on the opposite page.)
The Yale graduate and his wife, Leslie, live in the Denver area
not far from their Silver Spur Ranches, which are located
in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
Though Silver Spur has numerous divisions, its largest
holdings are in the Land of Enchantment: the 220,000-acre TO
Ranch, which is located in Northern New Mexico near Raton;
and the historic 290,100-acre Bell Ranch outside of Tucumcari.
The history of the TO, which was founded in 1864 by Antoine
Tony Meloche, is a story in itself. But the Bell is in a league of
its own, a Mexican land grant that dates back to 1824. Read about
Malones acquisition of the Bell online at www.LandReport.com
or in the Fall 2010 issue of The Land Report.
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John Malone
2,200,000 acres
Left: In 2010, Malone acquired
New Mexicos historic Bell Ranch.
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n the summer of 1995, Ted Turner
visited Yellowstone National Park,
an important setting for endangered
species. During this visit, he ruminated
on a single question: Could private land
provide security for imperiled species?
Two years later, in the summer of 1997,
the Turner family launched the Turner
Endangered Species Fund (TESF) and
Turner Biodiversity Divisions to promote
the persistence of at-risk species with an
emphasis on private land.
Since then, both entities have been
involved in numerous successful
restoration projects for imperiled plants,
birds, fishes, mammals, and amphibians.
The accomplishments of both TESF and
Turner Biodiversity Divisions prove that
private land offers numerous opportuni-
ties for landowners to play a huge role in
preventing species from vanishing.
By way of his conservation initiatives,
Turner has illustrated that endangered
species restoration on private land is an
important part of any potential solution
to the extinction crisis. In doing so, he
has reminded us all of the wondrous
diversity of life on Earth and our
undeniable capacity to restore it.
Ted Turner
2,000,000+ acres
Top: Rhett Turner, Teddy Turner, Laura Turner Seydel, Beau Turner, Ted Turner, and
Jennie Turner Garlington serve as trustees for the Turner Foundation and Turner
Endangered Species Fund, which are dedicated to environmental issues, including
biodiversity preservation and restoration of imperiled species.
Bottom: Turners Nonami Plantation in Georgia includes ideal habitat for several
imperiled species, including the gopher tortoise.
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ierra Pacific Industries (SPI) was
founded in 1949 by Curly Emmerson
and his son Red. The company has
been owned and operated by the family
ever since. Currently, SPI is spearheading
a significant conservation project at Lake
Tahoe near the Northstar ski area. The
company is going to forgo development
rights on nearly 6,400 acres of land. Instead,
it plans to convert those 10 square miles
into open space and contribute them to a
50,000-acre block of undeveloped land
between Lake Tahoe and Truckee. The
project offers a tremendous opportunity
to preserve a vast amount of open space
and is now in the public review stage.
Emmerson Family
1,860,000 acres
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Above: Based in California, the familys Sierra Pacific
Industries is the second-largest lumber producer in the U.S.
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Brad Kelley
1,500,000+ acres
N
o matter how hard he tries,
this Kentucky native cant
stop generating headlines.
Last year, the business press took
note when he acquired the Lonely
Planet guidebook series from the
BBC. Next, Kelley was front and
center in the sports section when
his Thoroughbred Oxbow won the
Preakness Stakes with Gary Stevens
up. This August, the State of Texas
announced the purchase of the
17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch on
Matagorda Bay. Said Texas Parks
and Wildlife Executive Director
Carter Smith, Its a magical place.
Smith noted the seller accepted a
below-market price to ensure a
conservation-related outcome,
but would not name names. But
The Dallas Morning News did.
Thank you, Brad Kelley.
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Above: In August, Kelleys
Powderhorn Ranch became
the largest conservation
investment in Texas history.
down 17,351 acres
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Reed Family
1,370,000 acres
S
top the presses! As the 2014 Land
Report 100 was being finalized,
the Reed familys Green Diamond
Resource Company announced that it had
closed on 600,000 acres of Oregon timber-
land belonging to the estate of Richard
Dick Wendt, founder of JELD-WEN
Windows & Doors. Green Diamond is
one of the oldest continuously operating
forest products companies in the Pacific
Northwest and can trace its roots back
to 1890. Five generations later, Green
Diamond and Simpson Investment
Company own and manage forests in
Washington, Oregon, and California.
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up 600,000 acres
Above: Each year,
Green Diamond
harvests less than 2
percent of its lands.
Below: CEO Doug
Reed is adamant
about his familys
commitment to
sustainable forestry.
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Irving Family
1,250,000 acres
R
ecognized as one of the wealthiest
families in Canada, the Irvings run
a diverse series of enterprises from
their headquarters in New Brunswick.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the
family refines 320,000 barrels of oil a day
and supplies almost one-fifth of U.S. oil
product imports. Through Brunswick
News Inc., the Irvings publish all three of
New Brunswicks daily English newspapers.
And the Irvings are the largest landowners
in the Pine Tree State. Irving Woodlands
oversees the familys timber holdings,
which include 1.25 million acres in
Maine and 2 million more in Canada.
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Above: The Irvings own nearly 1.25 million acres in the U.S., but nearly double that in Canada.
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F
amily patriarch Henry
Singleton (1916-1999),
cofounded the indus-
trial conglomerate Teledyne
with George Kozmetsky in
1960. Twenty-five years
later, he bought the San
Cristobal Ranch in New
Mexicos Galisteo Basin just
south of Santa Fe. More than
two dozen acquisitions later,
Singleton Ranches totaled 1.1
million acres of deeded land.
In addition to the familys
New Mexico holdings, the
Singleton heirs own and
operate several properties
in California, including the
Peachtree and Top Ranches
in the Salinas Valley and
the River Island Ranch at
the foothills of the Sierra
Mountains.
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Singleton Family
1,100,00 acres
Right: In 2012, the American
Quarter Horse Association
honored Singleton Ranches
with its Best Remuda Award.
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n 2014, King Ranch Inc. marked its 161st year of continuous
operations. While remaining true to the iconic ranching her-
itage begun by Captain Richard King so long ago, King Ranch
has continued to prosper due to a broad diversification and growth
into other land-based, agricultural production-focused businesses.
King Ranch will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Main House
on the Santa Gertrudis Division in 2015. The Main House replaced
the two-story wooden homestead that burned to the ground in
1912. Mrs. King's grand new Mission-style home served as the
family residence and ranch headquarters. To this day, the Main
House remains the primary family residence on King Ranch and
stands as a tribute to seven generations of private ownership.
The Main House and Ranch have been designated as a National
Historic Landmark by the Interior Department and a Texas
Historical Monument by the State of Texas.
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King Ranch Heirs
911,215 acres
Above: The Main House on the Santa Gertrudis
Division celebrates its centennial in 2015.
KING RANCH INC
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E
arlier this year, media outlets across the country keyed in
on Kroenkes acquisition of a not-so-insignificant 60-acre
tract. Part of the reason was because the land was in Los
Angeles. Another part was because L.A. is the largest media
market in the country without an NFL franchise. The last part is
the clincher: Guess who owns the St. Louis Rams, a team that was
based in Southern California from 1946 to 1994? To top it off, in
all likelihood, the teams lease will expire at the end of this season.
The Missouri native has a decided penchant for top franchises.
In November 2012, he added Montanas 124,000-acre Broken
O Ranch to his holdings, which already included the largest
contiguous ranch in the Rocky Mountains, Wyomings
540,000-acre Q Creek Ranch.
Stan Kroenke
848,631 acres
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In addition to his landholdings and
several sports franchises, Kroenke
also owns the Napa Valley cult
cabernet Screaming Eagle.
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n the mid-19th century, David Pingree, a shipping
magnate known as the Merchant Prince of Salem,
sensed that the heyday of the clipper ship was coming
to an end. So he began purchasing land and he did so
in nearly 100 different Maine townships. Today, his heirs
Seven Islands Land Co. is FSC and SFI certified. In 2012,
Seven Islands acquired MooseWood Millworks, which
manufactures products from flooring-grade lumber
produced at the familys Maine Woods Company.
Now Pingree hardwood, from a 170-year sustainably
managed forest, is available as MooseWood Flooring.
Pingree Heirs
830,000 acres
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Above: Approximately 80 percent of the Pingree holdings are under conservation easement.
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Drummond Family
433,000 acres
The Drummonds helped write ranching
history in Oklahoma, and theres plenty of
story left to tell. The patriarch emigrated
from Scotland as a teen and married Kansas
native Addie Gentner. All three of their sons
became successful cattle ranchers, and their
descendants still manage thousands of acres
in Oklahoma and Kansas.
Simplot Family
422,500 acres
Jack Simplot (1909-2008) created the first
commercially viable frozen French fries in
the 1940s. His familys agribusiness has
plants in Australia, China, New Zealand,
and North America, including 15 ranches
in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah, and
more than 30 irrigated farms in Idaho,
Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Holding Family
400,000 acres
Robert Earl Holding (1926-2013) owned
ranches, Sinclair Oil, ski resorts in Idaho
(Sun Valley) and Utah (Snowbasin), and
Salt Lake Citys Grand America Hotel. The
basis of his fortune? A 12-room Wyoming
truck stop called Little America.
Briscoe Family
560,000 acres
During the Texas Revolution, Andrew
Briscoe served as a captain at the Battle
of San Jacinto. His descendants have been
similarly distinguished. Cattle rancher
Dolph Briscoe Sr. (1890-1954) fueled the
familys fondness for land. His son, two-
term Texas governor Dolph Jr. (1923-2010),
grew the familys holdings along with its
ranching operations, which are based
outside of Uvalde and spread out over
nine Texas counties.
W.T. Waggoner Estate
535,000 acres
Dan Waggoner (1828-1902) established
the Waggoner Ranch in 1849. His son, W.T.
(1852-1934), expanded it even more. Today,
the W.T. Waggoner Ranch is managed by co-
directors A.B. Buck Wharton and Gene
Willingham. The two oversee the massive
cattle operation, a horse breeding program,
crop production, and more. For a more in-
depth look at this historic holding, which has
just come to market, read Henry Chappells
The Bold Brand, which starts on page 72.
OConnor Heirs
500,000 acres
In 1887, Dennis OConnor (1839-1900)
inherited his fathers ranching operation.
At the time, the OConnor Ranch ranked
as the largest land holding in Texas. It
sprawled across six coastal counties,
numbered more than half a million
acres, ran 100,000 head of cattle,
and was valued at $4.5 million.
Philip Anschutz
434,500 acres
Denver-based Anschutz made his first
fortune in oil, railroads, and telecom. His
second he made with Anschutz Entertain-
ment Group (AEG). His landholdings
include the Overland Trail Cattle Company
in Carbon County, Wyoming, which clocks
in at 320,000 acres. Recently, the Overland
was recognized by the Bureau of Land
Management for its investments in range
and water improvements, especially as it
relates to grazing management practice.
Ford Family
625,000 acres
In the 1930s, Kenneth Ford (1908-1997)
started out with a single sawmill near
Roseburg, Oregon. He bought timberlands
that had been repossessed for non-payment
of taxes. When the post-World War II hous-
ing boom hit, Roseburg Forest Products was
poised to expand. Today, the company makes
engineered wood products, lumber, plywood,
and particle board. Second-generation CEO
Allyn Ford oversees timberlands in Western
Oregon and Northern California, along with
manufacturing plants around the nation.
Lykes Heirs
615,000 acres
In 1870, Dr. Howell Lykes opted to forsake
a career in medicine. Instead, he took over
his familys 500-acre farm in Floridas
Hernando County where he raised citrus
and cattle. In 1900, Lykes and his seven
sons incorporated Lykes Bros. Inc. More
than a century later, the family is still
involved in citrus and cattle. It has also
expanded operations to include forestry,
sugar cane, insurance, and other endeavors.
Lykes Bros. added 275,000 acres to its
holdings when the company bought the o2
Ranch south of Alpine in Far West Texas.
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No. 11 No. 18
Kenneth Ford Jack Simplot
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Hughes Family
390,000 acres up 17,000 acres
This family has eight decades worth of oil
and gas know-how and success, and theyve
invested a portion of those profits in land.
Recent purchases in Montana, Wyoming,
and Texas upped their total acreage by 17,000
acres. The majority of land is used for cattle
ranching, grazing, and hunting leases.
Malone Mitchell 3rd
384,000 acres
One of this energy entrepreneurs smartest
moves? Selling a redeveloped South Texas oil
field to Chevron in 1994. That set the stage
for several of his West Texas acquisitions,
including the mineral-rich Pinion Field.
The family takes particular pride in its
350,000-acre Longfellow Ranch, a
mecca for deer and elk hunters.
Wilks Brothers
The two Texans have been steadily adding
to their Montana holdings, which now
total more than 311,000 acres, mostly in
the eastern part of the state. According to
Forbes.com, they acquired an additional
36,000 acres in Idaho. The Wilks launched
a website, MontanaPublicAccess.com, to
dispel rumors about their plans for the
62,000-acre N Bar Ranch, which they
bought in 2011: Simply said, the Wilkses
are interested in reestablishing a premier
Black Angus ranch at the N-Bar.
Collins Family
310,472 acres
Before his death, Truman Doud Collins
pieced together a profitable collection of
timber forests, manufacturing plants,
railroads, and Pennsylvania-based sawmills.
Son Everell Collins relocated the forest-
product company headquarters to Portland
and purchased even more forestland along
the way: in California, Washington, and
Oregon. The familys firm was an early
adopter of biodiversity and sustainability
practices put forth by the U.S. Forest
Stewardship Council.
Nunley Brothers
301,500 acres
Legendary Texas cattleman Red Nunley
took up ranching more than seven decades
ago and partnered with other landowners to
improve breeding techniques. Today, Nunley
Brothers Ranches is owned and managed by
Reds grandsons, Richard and Bob. They
run cattle on ranches spanning from South
Texas to the Texas Hill Country and across
the Trans-Pecos to Alpine.
Jeff Bezos
290,000 acres
Last December, Bezoss private aerospace
firm announced it had successfully
test-fired a rocket engine at its Far West
Texas launch facility, located on Bezoss
290,000-acre Corn Ranch.
Collier Family
280,000 acres
For more than a century, the Colliers have
had a hand in shaping Southwest Florida.
Under the leadership of the late Barron
KENTON ROWE
Texass Wilks brothers are adamant that they
plan to continue running Montanas N Bar,
which they acquired in 2011, as a cattle ranch.
No. 22
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Collier, the family once owned more than
1 million acres in the Sunshine State. Total
acreage has dropped, but the descendants
holdings and their respective companies
have grown to include everything from
oil production and agriculture to mineral
management and real estate development.
Kokernot Heirs
278,000 acres
Among the most storied ranches in Far
West Texas, the o6 brand was registered
as early as 1837. It was purchased by John
Kokernot in 1872, who, with his brother
Lee, began grazing cattle on open range
west of the Pecos. In 1912, Lees son, Herbert
Lee Sr. (1867-1949), began to piece together
the immense property now known as the
o6 and the Leoncita Cattle Company.
Anne Marion
275,000 acres
The only daughter of Miss Anne, Ms.
Marion is president of Burnett Ranches,
which owns the Four Sixes Ranches. Her
great-grandfather, Samuel Burk Burnett,
founded the ranch in 1868. Numerous ru-
mors have sprung up about the 6666 brand,
including a tale about a winning poker hand.
The truth is the pioneering rancher bought
100 head of cattle from Frank Crowley, and
every one of them wore the 6666 brand.
Babbitt Heirs
270,000 acres
In 1886, five Babbitt brothers arrived in
Flagstaff from Cincinnati and began one of
the most storied livestock operations in the
Southwest. Babbitt Ranches cattle graze on
private and public lands with views of the
Painted Desert in one direction and the
Grand Canyons North Rim in the other.
Quarter Horse aficionados pay particular
attention to the familys annual colt sale,
which is overseen by fourth-generation
family member Bill Cordasco.
Llano Partners
265,000 acres
Llano is a Texas-based family partnership
owned by the Abell family of Austin, and
is managed by Hughes Abell, founder and
general partner. Its farm and ranch holdings
span Texas, New Mexico, and Florida.
Mike Smith
263,066 Acres
Mike Smith has amassed significant
holdings in the Texas Panhandle and Eastern
New Mexico. The majority of his acreage
is farmland and grassland. Smith, who is
based in Amarillo, also has holdings
between Dallas and Waco.
D.R. Horton
This summer, the Texas homebuilder
added the Great Western Ranch to his
holdings, which include Camp Horton, an
86,000-acre ranch in West Texas. At press
time, the Media Relations Department at
DR Horton, Inc., had not responded to an
email request about specific ownership
details. Jeff Buerger of Hall and Hall had
the listing on the Great Western.
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D.R. Hortons purchase of the Great Western
Ranch from No. 76 Patrick Broe vaulted him
onto the Land Report 100.
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Lyda Family
260,035 acres
The Lydas La Escalera Ranches are both in
Texas and include 229,635 acres near Fort
Stockton and 30,400 contiguous acres
northwest of Fort Worth. Recent studies
indicate vast quantities of fresh water below
the former in the Capitan Reef Aquifer. La
Escalera is also known as a wildlife haven
for desert mule deer, pronghorn antelope,
elk, Rio Grande turkey, and blue quail.
Jones Family
255,000 acres
The Jones family found early success with
cattle ranching and real estate along the
Texas coast. Today, A.C. Jones IV manages
the familys holdings, most of which are
located near Corpus Christi. They include
the Alta Vista Ranch, the Alta Colorado
Ranch, and the Borregos Ranch.
Killam Family
255,000 acres
David Killam is the third-generation CEO of
the family-owned Killam Companies, which
are based in Laredo, Texas. Killam earned a
degree in ranch management from Texas
Christian University. Last year, the Killams
purchased the Dana Ranch, a stunning
60,000-acre property situated along the
Missouri River in the geographic heart
of Montana near Great Falls. Assembled
almost a century ago by Edwin Dana, the
cattle king of the Northwest, the ranch
boasted the largest purebred herd of
Hereford cattle in the U.S. during Danas
ownership tenure. Lacking an heir, Dana
turned the ranch over to John Cameron, a
trusted friend and confidante, whose family
stewarded it until 2013.
True Family
255,000 acres
Since the 1950s, the True familys business
holdings have been closely linked to success-
ful oil-field development and production in
Wyoming. The familys ranch holdings are
equally impressive: True Ranches includes
seven productive properties, two farms, and
feedlots. Some of the ranches are dyed-in-
the-wool Western icons, such as the LAK
Ranch, which straddles the Wyoming-South
Dakota border, and the VR Ranch, which
was established in the late 1800s.
Reynolds Family
250,000 acres
In the years following the Civil War, the
Reynoldses began ranching along the Clear
Fork of the Brazos River near the frontier
outpost of Fort Griffin, Texas. Brothers
George Thomas and William David
Reynolds registered the Long X brand,
and the two began running their herds
as far west as the Davis Mountains and as
far north as Wyoming, Utah, Montana,
Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Canada.
Thanks to their success, they were able to
establish a base of operations on ranches in
Haskell, Shackelford, and Throckmorton
Counties. In 1884, they incorporated at the
First National Bank in Albany. In 1895, they
acquired 232,000 acres in Jeff Davis County
on which they established the Long X Ranch.
The brothers heirs own ranches in Texas,
New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, and
North Dakota.
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Conservation philanthropist
Louis Bacon received the Land
Trust Alliances Presidents Award
for Conservation Leadership in
Providence on Sept. 18.
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Paul Fireman
247,000 acres
Dreaming big has never been a challenge
for Fireman. The former chairman of Reebok
owns Nevadas Winecup-Gamble Ranch,
one of the largest ranches in the American
West. Fireman also built Liberty National
Golf Course in Jersey City.
D.K. Boyd
244,332 acres up 3 acres
This rancher, oilman, and West Texas native
upped his tally by three acres last year. His
holdings include the 137,372-acre Frying
Pan Ranch and the 106,065-acre LE Ranch,
two of the most historically significant cattle
operations on the South Plains.
Koch Family
239,000 acres
Koch Industries is a multinational enterprise
whose holdings include Koch Pipeline, Koch
Fertilizer, and Koch Minerals. The familys
ranch holdings date back to 1952, when
Fred Koch founded Matador Cattle Co.,
which operates in Texas and Montana.
Benjy Griffith III
225,000 acres
Griffiths Southern Pine Plantations owns
timberland primarily in the South and
Southeast. But in 2014, it was his Montana
ranch that made news. According to The
Wall Street Journal, Griffith is marketing his
Willow Creek Ranch for $22.5 million, or
roughly $5.5 million less than he paid for it
in 2007. Joel Leadbetter of Hall and Hall has
the listing on the 19,419-acre (18,139 deeded)
property just outside Livingston.
Bidegain Family
225,000 acres
The T4 Cattle Company, a family-owned
and -operated cattle ranch in Eastern New
Mexico, has outlasted blizzards, fires, and
recessions. Third-generation operator Philip
Bidegain and his family are currently in
another tough spot as they battle a lengthy
drought that has crippled other operators.
(See No. 95 Richard Evans.) Their cow-calf
operation recently added two neighboring
ranches and stretches across three counties.
Scott Family
220,000 acres
Homer Scott was fresh out of engineering
school when he was sent westward in 1935
to open new territory for his then-employer.
The rangelands agreed with him, and in 1943
he bought the 3,000-acre Padlock Ranch
in Wyoming to graze Hereford cows.
The Padlock is still family owned, but its
borders have grown into neighboring
Montana where the family runs more
than 10,000 cattle on a mixture of private
and leased land located on or near the
Crow Indian Reservation.
Louis Bacon
218,331 acres (U.S.) up 2,620 acres
210,678 acres (conservation acreage)
Bacons longtime advocacy of landscape and
wildlife conservation recently earned him
the Land Trust Alliance Presidents Award
for Conservation on Sept. 18. The award
honors an individual whose leadership has
enriched the land conservation movement
and whose contributions encourage commit-
ment and action throughout the land trust
community and private landowner commu-
nity. In presenting the award, Land Trust
Alliance President Rand Wentworth said,
Mr. Bacons bold actions are inspiring other
landowners to protect and steward their
lands, encouraging them to protect Americas
natural heritage to create a lasting legacy for
generations to come. Previous recipients
of the Presidents Award for Conservation
Leadership include the Colorado Coalition
of Land Trusts in 2007, Jim Lentowski of
the Nantucket Conservation Foundation
in 2010, and David Beaver of the U.S.
Department of the Interiors Bureau of
Land Management in 2012.
East Wildlife Foundation
215,000 acres
Robert East was South Texas ranching
royalty. His estate established the nonprofit
East Wildlife Foundation, which operates
six ranches in Jim Hogg, Starr, Willacy,
and Kenedy Counties. All lands are used
as working cattle ranches as well as
living laboratories for accomplishing
Easts research and educational goals.
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M
edia magnate William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) made history with
his newspaper publishing empire, but it was his father, George Hearst
(1820-1891), who built the family fortune. And it all began with land.
(See Henry Chappells profile of Hearst Ranch in the Summer 2014 issue of The
Land Report.) The elder Hearst was a Missouri native who ventured to California
as a 49er. A decade later, he and his partners hit pay dirt with the Comstock Lode,
the biggest silver rush in American history. Hearst parlayed this success into sundry
other mining interests, including South Dakotas Homestake gold mine and Montanas
Anaconda copper mine. He also bought 48,000 acres of ranchland near the tiny town
of San Simeon in Central California. He eventually expanded that initial purchase
to 270,000 acres. Today, the familys rural landholdings in California include the
80,000-acre Piedra Blanca Rancho at San Simeon, the 73,000-acre Jack Ranch
near Cholame, and 61,000 acres of timberland in Northern California.
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Above: According to Steve Hearst, regardless of where any family member lives in the world,
whenever they drive through the gates at San Simeon, they all think theyre home.
Gage Heirs
213,730 acres
Big Bend cattle baron Alfred S. Gage spent
decades building his Far West Texas cattle
kingdom. At its height, the A.S. Gage Ranch
encompassed more than a half a million
acres. Today, visitors to the Big Bend can
wine and dine or even spend the night at
his headquarters. Gage commissioned El
Paso architect Henry Trost to design what
is now one of the Trans-Pecoss favorite get-
aways, the Gage Hotel (www.gagehotel.com).
Cassidy Heirs
212,985 acres
After emigrating from Nova Scotia to
Maine, John Cassidy accumulated a fortune
in timberlands, mills, and other real estate.
His son, J.W., inherited those original
200,000 acres and continued to manage
and expand the family holdings. The plan
worked: Cassidy Timberlands is still among
the nations most successful Maine and
Florida timber management firms.
Eugene Gabrych
200,000 acres
Gabrych is a California businessman who
takes land investment very seriously. He and
his family own many noteworthy farms and
ranches throughout the Golden State and
Nevada. Take Gabrychs 18,200-acre Rock
Springs Ranch near King City, north of Los
Angeles. Rock Springs is one of the premier
hunting cattle ranches in the San Joaquin
Valley. To this day, it is unspoiled by man
and machine.
Langdale Family
200,000 acres
The familys success in the timber industry
dates back to the 1890s, when John W. Lang-
dale began harvesting turpentine and rosin
timber from Georgias Okefenokee Swamp.
Today, Langdale Company is still focused on
forestry management and forest products.
The third-generation owners stay true to the
company mission by maintaining sustainable
practices.
Bogle Family
192,000 acres
Tennessee native Hal Bogle left the
Volunteer State for health reasons in 1917.
He settled in Southern New Mexico where
he ended up building a ranching empire. In
the decades since his death, Bogles heirs
have continued his legacy, including the
development of a much-lauded Quarter
Horse program. Bogle Ltd. now consists of
three separate farms, a farming operation,
and a feedlot.
Hunt Family
190,000 acres
The history of Hunt Oil Company dates
back to a starry night in 1934. Although H.L.
Hunt initially focused on the East Texas
Oilfield, his son Ray and his family now
own and operate farms, ranches, and
other landholdings in Arizona, Montana,
New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming
through their family-owned Hoodoo Land
and Cattle Company.
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The historic Hoodoo Ranch is located between
Yellowstone National Park and Cody, Wyoming.
No. 52
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Considered one of the most spectacular properties in the
Rocky Mountains, Bob Funks UU Bar Ranch features
alpine meadows that reach to the heavens.
No. 54
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Williams Family
181,000 acres
The Pitchfork Land & Cattle Companys
home ranch outside the West Texas town
of Guthrie marks its livestock with a telltale
trident. The Pitchfork Gray, a sturdy ranch
horse, is another icon found on the ranch.
The Pitchfork is still operated by descendants
of Eugene Williams of St. Louis.
Robert A. Funk Sr.
175,000 acres
Express Employment Professionals Chairman
Bob Funk knows how to have a good time, be
it four-wheeling on his UU Bar Ranch in
Northern New Mexico or hosting a steak
dinner for 1,800 guests at his Yukon home.
(Turn to pages 30-31 for a closer look at his
Big Event.) The gregarious Oklahoman was
the subject of a cover story, Trail Boss, in
the Fall 2011 issue of The Land Report.
McCoy & Remme Families
174,300 acres
The March 2014 sale of the historic 55,709-
acre Rockpile Ranch in the Davis Mountains
of Far West Texas resulted in a decreased
tally for this extended Texas family, which
traces its ranching heritage back to Emmett
McCoy, founder of McCoys Building Supply.
Russell Gordy
170,129 acres
Texas energy investor Russell Gordy earned
his fortune on smart buys and good timing.
Many would say hes been equally smart
about his land investments. Gordy owns
large properties in Colorado, Montana,
New Mexico, Texas, and Wyoming,
including Falls Ranch north of Casper.
Broadbent Family
170,000 acres
A yearling cattle and sheep operation with
headquarters in Evanston, the Broadbent
Ranch is one of Wyomings largest and most
diversified outfits. With land in California
and Utah, the Broadbents raise Rambouillet
for their in-demand wool. The family
suffered the tragic loss of Joe Broadbent, 74,
late last year in a traffic accident in Utahs
Provo Canyon.
Irwin Heirs
170,000 acres
Horses with the RO brand bred at the
historic Arizona-based O RO Ranch were
among the first registered by the AQHA.
John Irwin II purchased the O RO in 1973
from the Greene Cattle Company. His son,
John Irwin III, still runs the ranch as a cattle
operation under the JJJ Corporation moniker.
Sugg Family
166,655 acres
Established in West Texas, the 7D Ranch
was already well known when the San
Angelo-based Sugg family acquired it.
Brothers Cal Sugg Jr. and Joel Sugg still run
cattle operations the way their parents did,
with cowhands and drift fences.
Fasken Family
165,000 acres
Canadian David Fasken bought right when
he acquired the C Ranch from the estate of a
Chicago meat packer. Faskens son, Robert,
moved to Midland to help oversee ranch
management. Then oil was discovered.
To this day, Fasken Oil & Ranch still
owns the land on which it drills.
Mike Mechenbier
163,800 acres
This cowboy philanthropists New Mexico
holdings include the Four Daughters Ranch,
the Dockery-Collins, the Pie Ranch, and the
Loveless-Romero. Mechenbier also manages
2,000 acres in the Middle Rio Grande Valley
and operates two cattle feedlots.
Cogdell Family
160,000 acres
The descendants of D.M. Cogdell continue
their familys Texas Panhandle ranching
legacy. Holdings include the Tule Ranch,
a cow-calf and Quarter Horse operator in
Armstrong and Briscoe Counties.
Fanjul Family
160,000 acres
The familys Florida Crystals Corporation is a
leading domestic sugar producer and the first
and only producer of certified organic sugar
grown and harvested in the U.S. The Fanjuls
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have been longtime supporters of Everglades
restoration. Pepe Fanjul Jr. manages the
companys land assets.
JA Ranch Heirs
158,500 Acres
Founded in 1876 through a partnership
between Irish businessman John Adair,
Cornelia Adair, and Charles Goodnight,
the JA is the oldest continuously operated
family cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle.
Today, operations are overseen by fifth-gen-
eration family member Andrew Bivins, who
uses GPS technology to manage the sizable
ranch. The JAs pioneering efforts earned a
2013 Lone Star Land Steward Award from
the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Ellison Family
152,000 acres
In the 1930s, Stanley and Mae Ellison came
to Elko County, Nevada, to manage their
familys ranching company. The Ellisons
bought and sold many properties, including
the 1995 purchase of the 36,000-acre
71 Ranch.
Bass Family
150,000 acres
Family patriarch Sid Richardson was a peer-
less wildcatter. According to the Texas State
Historical Association, when Richardson
was still in high school in his hometown of
Athens, he netted $3,500 trading cattle. At
his peak, his holdings included production
in the Keystone Field in West Texas and the
Eola Field in Louisiana. He also owned (and
loved) St. Josephs Island, a 17-mile-long,
five-mile-wide sanctuary off the Gulf Coast
of Texas. Richardson hunted on St. Josephs,
welcomed friends and family to his island,
and ran some 2,000 head of cattle there as
well. He died on St. Josephs in 1959. His
four great-nephews Bob, Ed, Lee, and
Sid Bass of Fort Worth enjoy similar
ties to the land.
Emily Garvey Bonavia
150,000 acres
This heiress of the family who started
Nevada First Corporation inherited her
fathers cattle and farming operation. Mrs.
Bonavia still runs the company, which has
expanded into ranching and timber opera-
tions in Nevada and Oregon.
Boswell Family
150,000 acres
J.G. Boswell Co. is the largest cotton grower
in the U.S. The company mills and sells Pima
cotton to textile makers worldwide and
manufactures cotton byproducts.
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Monte Ritchie on his familys JA Ranch.
No. 64
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Auscott, its Australian subsidiary, is a
major grower and marketer of Australian
cotton. J.G. Boswell is also a grower and
supplier of tomatoes and operates real
estate development companies.
Eddy Family
150,000 acres
The family owns Port Blakely Companies,
which is focused on forest and forest prod-
ucts. Founded in 1864, the firm celebrates
its sesquicentennial this year. Based in the
Pacific Northwest, holdings include Pacific
Lumber and Shipping and Port Blakely Tree
Farms, in Washington and Oregon. The
family has a tradition of opening its private
forestlands to the public for recreation.
Green Heirs
150,000 acres
Three generations of Greens maintain a
ranching legacy that defines life around
Albany, Texas. Today, grandson Billy Green
runs Hereford, Angus, and Black Baldies.
Green Ranchs Quarter Horse program is
also recognized for its award-winning brood-
mare band.
David Murdock
149,702 acres
The 91-year-old Dole Food CEO has built
a fortune, and not just by selling pineapples.
Murdocks privately held Castle & Cooke is
heavily invested in real estate development
in Hawaii and California.
Wells Family
149,000 Acres
Established just prior to the turn of the 20th
century by Thomas Wells, the familys Rush
Creek Land & Livestock stretches out over
eight counties in Nebraska. Its still run as a
working cow-calf operation. The family also
raises alfalfa and grass hay for feed and runs
a commercial hunting program.
L-A-D Foundation
146,000 Acres
In 1962, St. Louis businessman Leo Drey
organized the foundation and got things
going by making sizable donations of land
in the Missouri Ozark Highlands. Today,
the L-A-D Foundation owns significant
tracts in Southeast Missouri. Most recently,
it negotiated a small but critical addition to
its Ball Mill Resurgence tract along Blue
Spring Branch, which provides protection
of the streamside and bottomlands along
the streams banks. L-A-D is now working
with the Mark Twain National Forest to
preserve the resources of the valley.
Gerald J. Ford
144,580 acres
The chairman of Dallas-based Hilltop
Holdings, Ford owns Rio Hondo Land &
Cattle Co., New Mexico-based Diamond
A Ranch, and Kentuckys Diamond A Farm.
Fords runner Pleasantly Perfect won the
2003 Breeders Cup Classic and the 2004
Dubai World Cup and retired as the
fourth-winningest runner with $7,789,880.
Pleasantly Perfect now stands at Lanes End
and is the sire of Rapid Redux, winner of a
record 22 straight races.
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David Murdock owned Lanai from 1985 to 2012,
when he sold it to Larry Ellison
No. 71
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Stefan Soloviev
141,700 acres
Solovievs Crossroads Agriculture, which
he established in 1999, was originally set up
to produce, purchase, and store cash wheat
in the Wichita area. Soloviev subsequently
developed a large-scale cow-calf operation
in New Mexico between Portales and
Roswell, where he has acquired three large
tracts. The New York City natives SS brand
is increasingly recognized throughout the
Southwest. His latest endeavor is the Payne
Mountain Wind Farm Project northwest
of Austin. Read more about this innovative
landowner in Nancy Myerss in-depth profile
in the Winter 2013 issue of The Land Report.
Patrick Broe
140,862 acres
In 2014, Broe sold his largest holding, New
Mexicos 457-square-mile Great Western
Ranch, to D.R. Horton (see No. 32). The
292,779-acre ranch included 176,805 deeded
acres and 115,974 acres of leased land. Jeff
Buerger of Hall and Hall represented Broe.
Harrison Family
140,000 acres
Almost a century ago, Dan Harrison
partnered with legendary Houston oilman
Jim Abercrombie. Working in tandem,
the two ended up discovering Texass Old
Ocean Field southwest of Houston in
Brazoria County. Dan Jr. made a name for
himself as a breeder of champion Quarter
Horses. He registered his first with the
AQHA in 1941. In 2010, Royal Dutch
Shell wrote Dan III a check for $1 billion
plus a share of the royalties on future oil
and gas production from the familys
100,000-acre South Texas ranch, which
is perched atop the Eagle Ford Shale.
Lane Family
140,000 acres
In the 1960s, Montana natives Tom and
Robert Lane formed Lane Brothers Cattle
Co. Tom traded cattle and land throughout
Montana, while Robert ran the home ranch.
Today, third-generation members of the
family manage the still-growing enterprise.
Don Oppliger
140,00 acres new to LR100
Based in Amarillo, The Oppliger Companies
are a diversified agribusiness operation
that operates in Texas, New Mexico, and
Nebraska. Among their holdings are a dairy,
four large-scale feedlots, more than 50,000
acres of irrigated farmland, and four ranches
across the Nebraska Plains.
Crosby Family
135,000 acres
Based in New Orleans, Crosby Land and
Resources celebrated its 75th anniversary
last year. The family-owned forestry business
is led by Robert H. Crosby III, who was
named the 2013 Forest Landowner of the
Year by the Forest Landowners Association.
Monahan Family
130,000 acres
Based in Montana, Monahan Cattle Co.
started as a 160-acre homestead in 1893.
Today, the family raises commercial cattle
and registered Herefords.
Cash wheat was the
original driver behind
Stefan Solovievs foray
into land.
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TheLand Report
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Somebody had to do it! Credit
Isaac Ellwood for paying Joseph
Glidden $265 for a half-interest
in barb wire. The two made a
fortune fencing in the West.
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Ellwood Heirs
130,000 Acres
Founder Isaac Ellwood was a patent holder
for barb wire. His Renderbrook Spade was
one of the first ranches to be fenced in Texas.
Today, the Renderbrook is joined by Wagon
Creek Spade, Panhandle Spade, Borden
Spade, North Spade, and Alpine Spade.
Davis Heirs
127,500 acres
In 1873, Frank Springer founded the CS
Ranch, a New Mexico outfit that straddles
the Cimarron cutoff on the Santa Fe Trail.
Grandson Les Davis took the reins in 1947.
To this day, the CS Cattle Company remains
a family-owned operation, run by Less
widow, Linda, and their six children.
Booth Family
125,000 acres
Booth Land and Livestock Co. is a cow-calf
operator with locations in both Colorado
and Wyoming. The family is known for its
forward-thinking wildlife management.
Brite Heirs
125,000 acres
Lucas Charles Brite established his Bar
Cross brand at the foot of Presidio Countys
Capote Mountain in Far West Texas. Today,
the fourth generation of the family oversees
Brite Ranch operations, including the sale of
line-bred Herefords and a hunting program.
Reese Family
122,200 acres
In 1914, the original Reese homestead
was just a half-section (320 acres). In 2014,
the familys Rockin' 7 Ranch in Wyoming
celebrated its centennial. But we didnt
stop working long enough to celebrate
our 100th," says Brad Reese.
Milliken Family
119,500 acres
Roger Milliken Jr. is president of the familys
Baskahegan Company, which owns and
manages more than 100,000 acres of Maine
timberland. He also serves on the board
of Milliken & Co., a South Carolina-based
textiles and chemicals empire cofounded
in 1865 by his great-grandfather Seth
Milliken. In October 2008, he was named
chairman of The Nature Conservancys
board of directors. Says Roger, A healthy
forest is an essential foundation for a
financially healthy company.
Roxanne Quimby
119,000 acres
In 1975, 24-year-old Roxanne Quimby, a
Massachusetts native with an art degree,
arrived in the North Woods of Maine in a
VW van. She and her boyfriend had driven
from California to homestead 30 acres on
the edge of the largest expanse of wilderness
east of the Mississippi. Nine years later,
Quimby entered into a collaboration with
a beekeeper named Burt Shavitz. The rest is
history. After selling Burts Bees to the Clorox
Company for $350 million, Quimby used
the proceeds to buy huge swaths of Maine
woodlands. She and her son are currently
campaigning to donate more than 100,000
acres to create two new parks.
No. 81
Moursund Family
115,000 Acres
With working ranchland that stretches
from Texas into Oklahoma, Nebraska, and
South Dakota, the Moursunds continue a
ranching tradition that began generations ago
on both sides of the family tree. Today, Will
Stribling Moursund and Mary Moursund
Reagor oversee operations.
Scharbauer Family
113,532 acres
Family patriarch Clarence Scharbauer Jr.
passed away this February, but his legacy
(and that of his family) continues to shine
in West Texass Permian Basin. The family
manages various ranches, including Valor
Farm in Denton County.
Clayton & Modesta Williams Jr.
112,042 acres
Oil and gas legend Clayton Williams Jr.
grew up in Fort Stockton; his wife, Modesta,
also hails from a ranching family. The two
are dedicated ranchers, avid hunters, and
active preservationists who have placed more
than 70,000 acres of their holdings under
conservation easements. The couple has
been recognized by the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Foundation for innovative tech-
niques to restore and conserve ranchland.
Stan Harper
111,977 acres
As the owner of Lenders & Members
Service Group, Harper obviously knows
the auto-loan business cold. But the Harper
clan also knows a thing or two about ranch-
ing. Harper Cattle runs a sizeable operation
in New Mexico and has additional holdings
in North Texas.
Frank VanderSloot
110,448 Acres
In addition to his success as an entrepreneur,
VanderSloot is also a well-regarded rancher.
His Fort Ranch in Utah is known for its
superior Quarter Horses, while Idahos
Riverbend Ranch is famous for its purebred
Black Angus.
Linnebur Heirs
110,000 acres
The descendants of Gene, Emmett, and
Lloyd Linnebur continue their familys
diverse farming and cattle operations in
Eastern Colorado.
Richard Evans
109,000 acres
As hard-luck stories go, having 270 head
of emaciated cattle seized by the New
Mexico Livestock Board is bad news.
Letting another 25 perish from
malnutrition is far worse. But being
charged with animal cruelty is as low as
it goes. This woeful series of events from
2013, which made national news, may be
why Richard Evans has listed his Double V
Ranch in Chaves and DeBaca Counties,
New Mexico. Ben Scott of Scott Land Co.
has the $24 million listing on the Double V,
which includes more than 13,000 acres of
BLM and State of New Mexico leases.
Keep in mind that New Mexico has had its
driest two years on record since 1895.
TheLand Report
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The Scharbauers
Alysheba won the
1987 Kentucky Derby.
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Luther King
108,000 new to LR100
This Texas Christian University alumnus
owns Central Texass 4K Ranch, which is
watered by Brady Creek and the San Saba
River. A chartered financial analyst (CFA),
King is currently a trustee and the former
Chairman of the Board of Trustees at TCU,
where he received the Distinguished
Alumnus Award in 1992. As of June 30, 2014,
the firm he founded in 1979, Luther King
Capital Management, had $15.2 billion
in assets under management.
Arthur Nicholas
105,119 acres
The cofounder of Nicholas Investment
Partners, an independent, SEC-registered
investment advisor, Nicholas owns the
Wagonhound Land and Livestock ranch
in Douglas, Wyoming. The Wagonhound is
one of the largest commercial Red Angus
producers in the nation, and its big-game
hunting program is nationally renowned.
Robinson Family
103,000 acres
Niihau, the Forbidden Island of Hawaii,
has been privately owned by the Robinsons
for 150 years. Current owners Keith and
Bruce Robinson are great-great-grandsons
of Elizabeth Sinclair, who famously pur-
chased the island from King Kamehameha
V in 1864 for $10,000 in gold. The brothers
continue to make good on her promise to
preserve the islands traditional culture.
Riggs Family
102,822 acres
In the late 19th century, back when
Arizona was a territory, not a state, Brannick
Riggs settled in the still-wild foothills of the
rugged Chiricahua Mountains in Cochise
County. Along with his siblings, great-grand-
son John Riggs has developed master plans
to keep the familys ranch holdings intact
via the establishment of two sustainable
communities on the ranch, Brannick and
The Mare Pasture.
Butler Heirs
101,315 acres
The Butlers Fort Union Ranch, which
dates back to 1885, has been stewarded by
the family for six generations since its
founding by Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler.
While serving in Congress, Butler met
Thomas Benton Catron, a lawyer who
would later serve as the first senator from
the State of New Mexico. Catron was the
largest landowner in the West at the time,
having bought several Mexican land grants.
Soon, Butler and his son-in-law, Adelbert
Ames, began to purchase interests in the
Mora Grant. Butler held his land interests in
the Union Land and Grazing Company,
which he established in 1885. The Fort Union
Ranch, now a 95,315-acre working cattle
ranch near Watrous, is crossed by traces of
the Santa Fe Trail and surrounds the Fort
Union National Monument. It borders
the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge.
The ranch is managed by five directors,
all descendants of Gen. Butler.
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Gen. B.F. Butler waded into one of the most contentious disputes in U.S. history, the Mora Land Grant. No. 100

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