2014 Land Report 100 Fayranches.com

8/10/2019 2014 Land Report 100 Fayranches.com

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THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LANDOWNER

W W W . L A N D R E P O R T . C O M | W I 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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LANDREP70 TheLandReport | WINTER 20144 TheLandReport | WINTER 2014 LANDREP

No.14As 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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WINTER 2014 | TheLanLANDREPORT.COM WINTER 2014 | TheLanLANDREPORT.COM

LARGEST

USA

LANDOWNER

TheLandReport

Giant timber tracts,

endless fields of grain,

larger-than-life ranches

these are a few of the

ways Americas largestlandowners make the

most of one of our

essential freedoms.

The Editors


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John Malone blames his sprawling landholdings on hisgood 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 areanot far from their Silver Spur Ranches, which are locatedin Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

Though Silver Spur has numerous divisions, its largestholdings are in the Land of Enchantment: the 220,000-acre TRanch, which is located in Northern New Mexico near Ratonand the historic 290,100-acre Bell Ranch outside of Tucumca

The history of the TO, which was founded in 1864 by AntoinTony Meloche, is a story in itself. But the Bell is in a league oits own, a Mexican land grant that dates back to 1824. Read abMalones acquisition of the Bell online at www.LandReport.coor in the Fall 2010 issue ofThe Land Report.

78 TheLandReport | WINTER 2014 LANDREP

TheLand Report

100

John Malone2,200,000 acres

Left: In 2010, Malone acquired

New Mexicos historic Bell Ranch.

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WINTER 2014 | TheLandLANDREPORT.COM

TheLand Report

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In the summer of 1995, Ted Turnervisited Yellowstone National Park,an important setting for endangered

species. During this visit, he ruminatedon a single question: Could private landprovide security for imperiled species?

Two years later, in the summer of 1997the Turner family launched the TurnerEndangered Species Fund (TESF) andTurner Biodiversity Divisions to promotethe persistence of at-risk species with anemphasis on private land.

Since then, both entities have beeninvolved in numerous successfulrestoration projects for imperiled plants,birds, fishes, mammals, and amphibians.The accomplishments of both TESF andTurner Biodiversity Divisions prove thatprivate land offers numerous opportuni-ties for landowners to play a huge role inpreventing species from vanishing.

By way of his conservation initiatives,Turner has illustrated that endangeredspecies restoration on private land is animportant part of any potential solutionto the extinction crisis. In doing so, hehas reminded us all of the wondrousdiversity of life on Earth and ourundeniable capacity to restore it.

Ted Turner2,000,000+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.

TURNERENTERPRISESINC.

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Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) wasfounded in 1949 by Curly Emmersonand his son Red. The company has

been owned and operated by the familyever since. Currently, SPI is spearheadinga significant conservation project at LakeTahoe near the Northstar ski area. Thecompany is going to forgo developmentrights on nearly 6,400 acres of land. Instead,it plans to convert those 10 square milesinto open space and contribute them to a50,000-acre block of undeveloped landbetween Lake Tahoe and Truckee. Theproject offers a tremendous opportunityto preserve a vast amount of open spaceand is now in the public review stage.

Emmerson Family1,860,000 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 Kelley1,500,000+ acres

No matter how hard he triethis Kentucky native cantstop generating headlines

Last year, the business press tooknote when he acquired the LonelyPlanet guidebook series from theBBC. Next, Kelley was front andcenter in the sports section whenhis Thoroughbred Oxbow won the

Preakness Stakes with Gary Stevenup. This August, the State of Texasannounced the purchase of the17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch onMatagorda Bay. Said Texas Parksand Wildlife Executive DirectorCarter Smith, Its a magical place.Smith noted the seller accepted abelow-market price to ensure aconservation-related outcome,but would not name names. ButThe 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 Family1,370,000 acres

Stop the presses! As the 2014 LandReport 100 was being finalized,the Reed familys Green Diamond

Resource Company announced that it hadclosed on 600,000 acres of Oregon timber-land belonging to the estate of RichardDick Wendt, founder of JELD-WENWindows & Doors. Green Diamond isone of the oldest continuously operatingforest products companies in the PacificNorthwest and can trace its roots backto 1890. Five generations later, GreenDiamond and Simpson InvestmentCompany own and manage forests inWashington, Oregon, and California.

5up 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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TheLand Report

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Irving Family1,250,000 acres

Recognized as one of the wealthiestfamilies in Canada, the Irvings runa 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 dayand supplies almost one-fifth of U.S. oilproduct imports. Through BrunswickNews Inc., the Irvings publish all three ofNew Brunswicks daily English newspapers.And the Irvings are the largest landownersin the Pine Tree State. Irving Woodlandsoversees the familys timber holdings,which include 1.25 million acres inMaine 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 HenrySingleton (1916-1999),cofounded the indus-

trial conglomerate Teledynewith George Kozmetsky in1960. Twenty-five yearslater, he bought the SanCristobal Ranch in NewMexicos Galisteo Basin justsouth of Santa Fe. More thantwo dozen acquisitions later,Singleton Ranches totaled 1.1million acres of deeded land.In addition to the familysNew Mexico holdings, theSingleton heirs own and

operate several propertiesin California, including thePeachtree and Top Ranchesin the Salinas Valley andthe River Island Ranch atthe foothills of the SierraMountains.

7Singleton Family1,100,00 acres

Right: In 2012, the American

Quarter Horse Association

honored Singleton Ranches

with its Best Remuda Award.


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In 2014, King Ranch Inc. marked its 161st year of continuousoperations. 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 growthinto other land-based, agricultural production-focused businesses.King Ranch will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Main Houseon the Santa Gertrudis Division in 2015. The Main House replaced

the two-story wooden homestead that burned to the ground in1912. Mrs. King's grand new Mission-style home served as thefamily residence and ranch headquarters. To this day, the MainHouse remains the primary family residence on King Ranch andstands as a tribute to seven generations of private ownership.The Main House and Ranch have been designated as a NationalHistoric Landmark by the Interior Department and a TexasHistorical Monument by the State of Texas.

8King Ranch Heirs911,215 acres

Above:The Main House on the Santa Gertrudis

Division celebrates its centennial in 2015.

KING


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Earlier this year, media outlets across the country keyed inon Kroenkes acquisition of a not-so-insignificant 60-acretract. Part of the reason was because the land was in Los

Angeles. Another part was because L.A. is the largest mediamarket in the country without an NFL franchise. The last part isthe clincher: Guess who owns the St. Louis Rams, a team that wasbased in Southern California from 1946 to 1994? To top it off, inall 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 BrokenO Ranch to his holdings, which already included the largestcontiguous ranch in the Rocky Mountains, Wyomings540,000-acre Q Creek Ranch.

Stan Kroenke848,631 acres

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In addition to his landholdings and

several sports franchises, Kroenke

also owns the Napa Valley cult

cabernet Screaming Eagle.

up 60 acres


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In the mid-19th century, David Pingree, a shippingmagnate 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 soin nearly 100 different Maine townships. Today, his heirsSeven Islands Land Co. is FSC and SFI certified. In 2012,Seven Islands acquired MooseWood Millworks, whichmanufactures products from flooring-grade lumberproduced at the familys Maine Woods Company.Now Pingree hardwood, from a 170-year sustainablymanaged forest, is available as MooseWood Flooring.

Pingree Heirs830,000 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 ranchhistory in Oklahoma, and theres plenstory left to tell. The patriarch emigrafrom Scotland as a teen and married native Addie Gentner. All three of thebecame successful cattle ranchers, an

descendants still manage thousands oin Oklahoma and Kansas.

Simplot Family

422,500 acres

Jack Simplot (1909-2008) created thecommercially viable frozen French frithe 1940s. His familys agribusiness hplants in Australia, China, New Zealaand North America, including 15 ranin Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah, more than 30 irrigated farms in IdahoNevada, Oregon, and Washington.

Holding Family

400,000 acres

Robert Earl Holding (1926-2013) ownranches, Sinclair Oil, ski resorts in Ida(Sun Valley) and Utah (Snowbasin), aSalt Lake Citys Grand America Hotebasis of his fortune? A 12-room Wyotruck stop called Little America.

Briscoe Family

560,000 acres

During the Texas Revolution, AndrewBriscoe served as a captain at the Battle

of San Jacinto. His descendants have beensimilarly distinguished. Cattle rancherDolph Briscoe Sr. (1890-1954) fueled thefamilys fondness for land. His son, two-term Texas governor Dolph Jr. (1923-2010),grew the familys holdings along with itsranching operations, which are basedoutside of Uvalde and spread out overnine 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 GeneWillingham. The two oversee the massivecattle operation, a horse breeding program,crop production, and more. For a more in-depth look at this historic holding, which hasjust come to market, read Henry ChappellsThe 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 rankedas the largest land holding in Texas. Itsprawled across six coastal counties,numbered more than half a millionacres, ran 100,000 head of cattle,and was valued at $4.5 million.

Philip Anschutz

434,500 acres

Denver-based Anschutz made his firstfortune in oil, railroads, and telecom. His

second he made with Anschutz Entertain-ment Group (AEG). His landholdingsinclude the Overland Trail Cattle Companyin Carbon County, Wyoming, which clocksin at 320,000 acres. Recently, the Overlandwas recognized by the Bureau of LandManagement for its investments in rangeand water improvements, especially as itrelates to grazing management practice.

Ford Family

625,000 acres

In the 1930s, Kenneth Ford (1908-1997)started out with a single sawmill nearRoseburg, Oregon. He bought timberlandsthat had been repossessed for non-paymentof taxes. When the post-World War II hous-ing boom hit, Roseburg Forest Products was

poised to expand. Today, the company makesengineered wood products, lumber, plywood,and particle board. Second-generation CEOAllyn Ford oversees timberlands in WesternOregon and Northern California, along withmanufacturing plants around the nation.

Lykes Heirs

615,000 acres

In 1870, Dr. Howell Lykes opted to forsakea career in medicine. Instead, he took overhis familys 500-acre farm in FloridasHernando County where he raised citrus

and cattle. In 1900, Lykes and his sevensons incorporated Lykes Bros. Inc. Morethan a century later, the family is stillinvolved in citrus and cattle. It has alsoexpanded operations to include forestry,sugar cane, insurance, and other endeavors.Lykes Bros. added 275,000 acres to itsholdings when the company bought the o2Ranch south of Alpine in Far West Texas.

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No. 11 No. 18

Kenneth Ford Jack Simplo


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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 theyveinvested a portion of those profits in land.Recent purchases in Montana, Wyoming,and Texas upped their total acreage by 17,000acres. The majority of land is used for cattleranching, grazing, and hunting leases.

Malone Mitchell 3rd

384,000 acres

One of this energy entrepreneurs smartestmoves? Selling a redeveloped South Texas oilfield to Chevron in 1994. That set the stagefor several of his West Texas acquisitions,

including the mineral-rich Pinion Field.The family takes particular pride in its350,000-acre Longfellow Ranch, amecca for deer and elk hunters.

Wilks Brothers

347,500 acres up 36,000 acres

The two Texans have been steadily addingto their Montana holdings, which now

total more than 311,000 acres, mostly inthe eastern part of the state. According toForbes.com, they acquired an additional

36,000 acres in Idaho. The Wilks launcheda website, MontanaPublicAccess.com, todispel rumors about their plans for the62,000-acre N Bar Ranch, which theybought in 2011: Simply said, the Wilksesare interested in reestablishing a premierBlack Angus ranch at the N-Bar.

Collins Family

310,472 acres

Before his death, Truman Doud Collinspieced together a profitable collection oftimber forests, manufacturing plants,

railroads, and Pennsylvania-based sawmills.Son Everell Collins relocated the forest-product company headquarters to Portlandand purchased even more forestland alongthe way: in California, Washington, andOregon. The familys firm was an earlyadopter of biodiversity and sustainabilitypractices put forth by the U.S. ForestStewardship Council.

Nunley Brothers

301,500 acres

Legendary Texas cattleman Red Nun

took up ranching more than seven deago and partnered with other landowimprove breeding techniques. Today,Brothers Ranches is owned and manaReds grandsons, Richard and Bob. Thrun cattle on ranches spanning from Texas to the Texas Hill Country and athe Trans-Pecos to Alpine.

Jeff Bezos

290,000 acres

Last December, Bezoss private aerospfirm announced it had successfully

test-fired a rocket engine at its Far WTexas launch facility, located on Bezo290,000-acre Corn Ranch.

Collier Family

280,000 acres

For more than a century, the Colliers had a hand in shaping Southwest FlorUnder the leadership of the late Barro

KE

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 than1 million acres in the Sunshine State. Totalacreage has dropped, but the descendants

holdings and their respective companieshave grown to include everything fromoil production and agriculture to mineralmanagement and real estate development.

Kokernot Heirs

278,000 acres

Among the most storied ranches in FarWest Texas, the o6 brand was registeredas early as 1837. It was purchased by JohnKokernot in 1872, who, with his brotherLee, began grazing cattle on open rangewest of the Pecos. In 1912, Lees son, Herbert

Lee Sr. (1867-1949), began to piece togetherthe immense property now known as theo6 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 bought100 head of cattle from Frank Crowley, andevery one of them wore the 6666 brand.

Babbitt Heirs

270,000 acres

In 1886, five Babbitt brothers arrived inFlagstaff from Cincinnati and began one ofthe most storied livestock operations in theSouthwest. Babbitt Ranches cattle graze onprivate and public lands with views of thePainted Desert in one direction and the

Grand Canyons North Rim in the other.Quarter Horse aficionados pay particularattention to the familys annual colt sale,which is overseen by fourth-generationfamily member Bill Cordasco.

Llano Partners

265,000 acres

Llano is a Texas-based family partnership

owned by the Abell family of Austin, is managed by Hughes Abell, foundergeneral partner. Its farm and ranch ho

span Texas, New Mexico, and Florida

Mike Smith

263,066 Acres

Mike Smith has amassed significantholdings in the Texas Panhandle and New Mexico. The majority of his acris farmland and grassland. Smith, whbased in Amarillo, also has holdingsbetween Dallas and Waco.

D.R. Horton

262,805 acres up 176,805 a

This summer, the Texas homebuilderadded the Great Western Ranch to hiholdings, which include Camp Horto86,000-acre ranch in West Texas. At time, the Media Relations DepartmenDR Horton, Inc., had not responded temail request about specific ownershdetails. Jeff Buerger of Hall and Hall hthe listing on the Great Western.

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No.

D.R. Hortons purchase of the Great W

Ranch from No. 76 Patrick Broe vaulte

onto the Land Repo


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Lyda Family

260,035 acres

The Lydas La Escalera Ranches are both inTexas and include 229,635 acres near Fort

Stockton and 30,400 contiguous acresnorthwest of Fort Worth. Recent studiesindicate vast quantities of fresh water belowthe former in the Capitan Reef Aquifer. LaEscalera is also known as a wildlife havenfor desert mule deer, pronghorn antelope,elk, Rio Grande turkey, and blue quail.

Jones Family

255,000 acres

The Jones family found early success withcattle ranching and real estate along theTexas coast. Today, A.C. Jones IV manages

the familys holdings, most of which arelocated near Corpus Christi. They includethe Alta Vista Ranch, the Alta ColoradoRanch, and the Borregos Ranch.

Killam Family

255,000 acres

David Killam is the third-generation CEO ofthe family-owned Killam Companies, which

are based in Laredo, Texas. Killam earned adegree in ranch management from TexasChristian University. Last year, the Killamspurchased the Dana Ranch, a stunning

60,000-acre property situated along theMissouri River in the geographic heartof Montana near Great Falls. Assembledalmost a century ago by Edwin Dana, thecattle king of the Northwest, the ranchboasted the largest purebred herd ofHereford cattle in the U.S. during Danasownership tenure. Lacking an heir, Danaturned the ranch over to John Cameron, atrusted friend and confidante, whose familystewarded it until 2013.

True Family

255,000 acresSince the 1950s, the True familys businessholdings have been closely linked to success-ful oil-field development and production inWyoming. The familys ranch holdings areequally impressive: True Ranches includesseven productive properties, two farms, andfeedlots. Some of the ranches are dyed-in-the-wool Western icons, such as the LAK

Ranch, which straddles the WyomingDakota border, and the VR Ranch, whwas established in the late 1800s.

Reynolds Family250,000 acres

In the years following the Civil War, tReynoldses began ranching along theFork of the Brazos River near the fronoutpost of Fort Griffin, Texas. BrotheGeorge Thomas and William DavidReynolds registered the Long X branand the two began running their herdas far west as the Davis Mountains anfar north as Wyoming, Utah, MontanNebraska, the Dakotas, and Canada.Thanks to their success, they were ab

establish a base of operations on rancHaskell, Shackelford, and ThrockmorCounties. In 1884, they incorporatedFirst National Bank in Albany. In 189acquired 232,000 acres in Jeff Davis Con which they established the Long XThe brothers heirs own ranches in TNew Mexico, Arizona, Montana, andNorth Dakota.

TheLand Report

100Conservation philanthropist

Louis Bacon received the Land

Trust Alliances Presidents Award

for Conservation Leadership in

Providence on Sept. 18.

No. 44


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Paul Fireman

247,000 acres

Dreaming big has never been a challengefor Fireman. The former chairman of Reebok

owns Nevadas Winecup-Gamble Ranch,one of the largest ranches in the AmericanWest. Fireman also built Liberty NationalGolf Course in Jersey City.

D.K. Boyd

244,332 acres up 3 acres

This rancher, oilman, and West Texas nativeupped his tally by three acres last year. Hisholdings include the 137,372-acre FryingPan Ranch and the 106,065-acre LE Ranch,two of the most historically significant cattleoperations on the South Plains.

Koch Family

239,000 acres

Koch Industries is a multinational enterprisewhose holdings include Koch Pipeline, KochFertilizer, and Koch Minerals. The familysranch holdings date back to 1952, whenFred 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 andSoutheast. But in 2014, it was his Montanaranch that made news. According to TheWall Street Journal, Griffith is marketing hisWillow Creek Ranch for $22.5 million, orroughly $5.5 million less than he paid for itin 2007. Joel Leadbetter of Hall and Hall hasthe 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 NewMexico, has outlasted blizzards, fires, andrecessions. Third-generation operator PhilipBidegain and his family are currently inanother tough spot as they battle a lengthydrought that has crippled other operators.(See No. 95 Richard Evans.) Their cow-calfoperation recently added two neighboringranches and stretches across three counties.

Scott Family

220,000 acres

Homer Scott was fresh out of engineeringschool when he was sent westward in 1935

to open new territory for his then-employer.The rangelands agreed with him, and in 1943he bought the 3,000-acre Padlock Ranchin Wyoming to graze Hereford cows.The Padlock is still family owned, but itsborders have grown into neighboringMontana where the family runs morethan 10,000 cattle on a mixture of privateand leased land located on or near theCrow Indian Reservation.

Louis Bacon

218,331 acres (U.S.) up 2,620 acres

210,678 acres (conservation acreage)Bacons longtime advocacy of landscape andwildlife conservation recently earned himthe Land Trust Alliance Presidents Awardfor Conservation on Sept. 18. The awardhonors an individual whose leadership hasenriched the land conservation movementand whose contributions encourage commit-ment and action throughout the land trustcommunity and private landowner commu-nity. In presenting the award, Land TrustAlliance President Rand Wentworth said,Mr. Bacons bold actions are inspiring other

landowners to protect and steward theirlands, encouraging them to protect Americasnatural heritage to create a lasting legacy forgenerations to come. Previous recipientsof the Presidents Award for ConservationLeadership include the Colorado Coalitionof Land Trusts in 2007, Jim Lentowski ofthe Nantucket Conservation Foundationin 2010, and David Beaver of the U.S.Department of the Interiors Bureau ofLand Management in 2012.

East Wildlife Foundation

215,000 acresRobert East was South Texas ranchingroyalty. His estate established the nonprofitEast Wildlife Foundation, which operatessix ranches in Jim Hogg, Starr, Willacy,and Kenedy Counties. All lands are usedas working cattle ranches as well asliving laboratories for accomplishingEasts research and educational goals.

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Media magnate William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) made history withhis 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 TheLand Report.) The elder Hearst was a Missouri native who ventured to Californiaas 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 sundryother mining interests, including South Dakotas Homestake gold mine and Montana

Anaconda copper mine. He also bought 48,000 acres of ranchland near the tiny townof San Simeon in Central California. He eventually expanded that initial purchaseto 270,000 acres. Today, the familys rural landholdings in California include the80,000-acre Piedra Blanca Rancho at San Simeon, the 73,000-acre Jack Ranchnear Cholame, and 61,000 acres of timberland in Northern California.

46Above: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.


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Gage Heirs

213,730 acres

Big Bend cattle baron Alfred S. Gage spentdecades building his Far West Texas cattlekingdom. At its height, the A.S. Gage Ranchencompassed more than a half a millionacres. Today, visitors to the Big Bend canwine and dine or even spend the night athis headquarters. Gage commissioned ElPaso architect Henry Trost to design whatis 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 toMaine, John Cassidy accumulated a fortunein timberlands, mills, and other real estate.His son, J.W., inherited those original200,000 acres and continued to manageand expand the family holdings. The planworked: Cassidy Timberlands is still amongthe nations most successful Maine andFlorida timber management firms.

Eugene Gabrych

200,000 acres

Gabrych is a California businessman whotakes land investment very seriously. He andhis family own many noteworthy farms andranches throughout the Golden State andNevada. Take Gabrychs 18,200-acre RockSprings Ranch near King City, north of LosAngeles. Rock Springs is one of the premierhunting cattle ranches in the San JoaquinValley. To this day, it is unspoiled by manand machine.

Langdale Family

200,000 acres

The familys success in the timber industrydates back to the 1890s, when John W. Lang-dale began harvesting turpentine and rosintimber from Georgias Okefenokee Swamp.Today, Langdale Company is still focused onforestry management and forest products.The third-generation owners stay true to thecompany mission by maintaining sustainablepractices.

Bogle Family

192,000 acres

Tennessee native Hal Bogle left theVolunteer State for health reasons in He settled in Southern New Mexico whe ended up building a ranching empthe decades since his death, Bogles hehave continued his legacy, including tdevelopment of a much-lauded QuarHorse program. Bogle Ltd. now consithree separate farms, a farming operaand a feedlot.

Hunt Family

190,000 acres

The history of Hunt Oil Company daback to a starry night in 1934. AlthouHunt initially focused on the East TexOilfield, his son Ray and his family noown and operate farms, ranches, andother landholdings in Arizona, MontNew Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyomthrough their family-owned Hoodoo and Cattle Company.

TheLand Report

100The historic Hoodoo Ranch is located between

Yellowstone National Park and Cody, Wyoming.

No. 52

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TheLand Report

100Considered 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 Companyshome ranch outside the West Texas town

of Guthrie marks its livestock with a telltaletrident. The Pitchfork Gray, a sturdy ranchhorse, is another icon found on the ranch.The Pitchfork is still operated by descendantsof Eugene Williams of St. Louis.

Robert A. Funk Sr.

175,000 acres

Express Employment Professionals ChairmanBob Funk knows how to have a good time, beit four-wheeling on his UU Bar Ranch inNorthern New Mexico or hosting a steakdinner for 1,800 guests at his Yukon home.

(Turn to pages 30-31 for a closer look at hisBig Event.) The gregarious Oklahoman wasthe subject of a cover story, Trail Boss, inthe 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 Mountainsof Far West Texas resulted in a decreasedtally for this extended Texas family, whichtraces its ranching heritage back to EmmettMcCoy, founder of McCoys Building Supply.

Russell Gordy

170,129 acres

Texas energy investor Russell Gordy earnedhis fortune on smart buys and good timing.Many would say hes been equally smartabout his land investments. Gordy ownslarge 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 withheadquarters in Evanston, the BroadbentRanch is one of Wyomings largest and mostdiversified outfits. With land in Californiaand Utah, the Broadbents raise Rambouilletfor their in-demand wool. The familysuffered the tragic loss of Joe Broadbent, 74,late last year in a traffic accident in UtahsProvo Canyon.

Irwin Heirs

170,000 acres

Horses with the RO brand bred at thehistoric Arizona-based O RO Ranch were

among the first registered by the AQHA.John Irwin II purchased the O RO in 1973from the Greene Cattle Company. His son,John Irwin III, still runs the ranch as a cattleoperation under the JJJ Corporation moniker.

Sugg Family

166,655 acres

Established in West Texas, the 7D Ranchwas already well known when the SanAngelo-based Sugg family acquired it.Brothers Cal Sugg Jr. and Joel Sugg still runcattle operations the way their parents did,

with cowhands and drift fences.

Fasken Family

165,000 acres

Canadian David Fasken bought right whenhe acquired the C Ranch from the estate of aChicago meat packer. Faskens son, Robert,moved to Midland to help oversee ranchmanagement. Then oil was discovered.To this day, Fasken Oil & Ranch stillowns the land on which it drills.

Mike Mechenbier

163,800 acresThis cowboy philanthropists New Mexicoholdings include the Four Daughters Ranch,the Dockery-Collins, the Pie Ranch, and theLoveless-Romero. Mechenbier also manages2,000 acres in the Middle Rio Grande Valleyand operates two cattle feedlots.

Cogdell Family

160,000 acres

The descendants of D.M. Cogdell continuetheir familys Texas Panhandle ranchinglegacy. Holdings include the Tule Ranch,

a cow-calf and Quarter Horse operator inArmstrong and Briscoe Counties.

Fanjul Family

160,000 acres

The familys Florida Crystals Corporation is aleading domestic sugar producer and the firstand only producer of certified organic sugargrown and harvested in the U.S. The Fanjuls

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have been longtime supporters of Evergladesrestoration. Pepe Fanjul Jr. manages thecompanys land assets.

JA Ranch Heirs

158,500 Acres

Founded in 1876 through a partnershipbetween Irish businessman John Adair,Cornelia Adair, and Charles Goodnight,

the JA is the oldest continuously operatedfamily cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle.Today, operations are overseen by fifth-gen-eration family member Andrew Bivins, whouses GPS technology to manage the sizableranch. The JAs pioneering efforts earned a2013 Lone Star Land Steward Award fromthe Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Ellison Family

152,000 acres

In the 1930s, Stanley and Mae Ellison cameto Elko County, Nevada, to manage their

familys ranching company. The Ellisonsbought and sold many properties, includingthe 1995 purchase of the 36,000-acre71 Ranch.

Bass Family

150,000 acres

Family patriarch Sid Richardson was a peer-less wildcatter. According to the Texas State

Historical Association, when Richardwas still in high school in his hometoAthens, he netted $3,500 trading catthis peak, his holdings included produin the Keystone Field in West Texas aEola Field in Louisiana. He also owneloved) St. Josephs Island, a 17-mile-lofive-mile-wide sanctuary off the Gulfof Texas. Richardson hunted on St. Jo

welcomed friends and family to his isand ran some 2,000 head of cattle thewell. He died on St. Josephs in 1959. four great-nephews Bob, Ed, Lee, Sid Bass of Fort Worth enjoy simities to the land.

Emily Garvey Bonavia

150,000 acres

This heiress of the family who startedNevada First Corporation inherited hfathers cattle and farming operation.Bonavia still runs the company, whic

expanded into ranching and timber otions in Nevada and Oregon.

Boswell Family

150,000 acres

J.G. Boswell Co. is the largest cotton gin the U.S. The company mills and secotton to textile makers worldwide anmanufactures cotton byproducts.

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Monte Ritchie on his familys JA Ranch.

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Auscott, its Australian subsidiary, is amajor grower and marketer of Australiancotton. J.G. Boswell is also a grower and

supplier of tomatoes and operates realestate 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 celebratesits sesquicentennial this year. Based in thePacific Northwest, holdings include PacificLumber and Shipping and Port Blakely TreeFarms, in Washington and Oregon. Thefamily has a tradition of opening its private

forestlands to the public for recreation.

Green Heirs

150,000 acres

Three generations of Greens maintain aranching legacy that defines life aroundAlbany, Texas. Today, grandson Billy Greenruns Hereford, Angus, and Black Baldies.Green Ranchs Quarter Horse program is

also recognized for its award-winning brood-mare band.

David Murdock149,702 acres

The 91-year-old Dole Food CEO has builta fortune, and not just by selling pineapples.Murdocks privately held Castle & Cooke isheavily invested in real estate developmentin Hawaii and California.

Wells Family

149,000 Acres

Established just prior to the turn of the 20thcentury by Thomas Wells, the familys RushCreek Land & Livestock stretches out over

eight counties in Nebraska. Its still run as aworking cow-calf operation. The family alsoraises alfalfa and grass hay for feed and runsa commercial hunting program.

L-A-D Foundation

146,000 Acres

In 1962, St. Louis businessman Leo Dreyorganized the foundation and got things

going by making sizable donations ofin the Missouri Ozark Highlands. Todthe L-A-D Foundation owns significa

tracts in Southeast Missouri. Most reit negotiated a small but critical additits Ball Mill Resurgence tract along BlSpring Branch, which provides protecof the streamside and bottomlands althe streams banks. L-A-D is now worwith the Mark Twain National Forestpreserve the resources of the valley.

Gerald J. Ford

144,580 acres

The chairman of Dallas-based HilltopHoldings, Ford owns Rio Hondo Lan

Cattle Co., New Mexico-based DiamA Ranch, and Kentuckys Diamond AFords runner Pleasantly Perfect won 2003 Breeders Cup Classic and the 2Dubai World Cup and retired as thefourth-winningest runner with $7,789Pleasantly Perfect now stands at Laneand is the sire of Rapid Redux, winnerrecord 22 straight races.

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David Murdock owned Lanai from 1985 to 2012,

when he sold it to Larry Ellison

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Stefan Soloviev

141,700 acres

Solovievs Crossroads Agriculture, which

he established in 1999, was originally set upto produce, purchase, and store cash wheatin the Wichita area. Soloviev subsequentlydeveloped a large-scale cow-calf operationin New Mexico between Portales andRoswell, where he has acquired three largetracts. The New York City natives SS brandis increasingly recognized throughout theSouthwest. His latest endeavor is the PayneMountain Wind Farm Project northwestof Austin. Read more about this innovativelandowner in Nancy Myerss in-depth profilein the Winter 2013 issue of The Land Report.

Patrick Broe

140,862 acres

In 2014, Broe sold his largest holding, NewMexicos 457-square-mile Great WesternRanch, to D.R. Horton (see No. 32). The292,779-acre ranch included 176,805 deededacres and 115,974 acres of leased land. JeffBuerger of Hall and Hall represented Broe.

Harrison Family

140,000 acres

Almost a century ago, Dan Harrison

partnered with legendary Houston oilmanJim Abercrombie. Working in tandem,the two ended up discovering Texass OldOcean Field southwest of Houston inBrazoria County. Dan Jr. made a name forhimself as a breeder of champion QuarterHorses. He registered his first with theAQHA in 1941. In 2010, Royal DutchShell wrote Dan III a check for $1 billionplus a share of the royalties on future oiland gas production from the familys100,000-acre South Texas ranch, whichis perched atop the Eagle Ford Shale.

Lane Family

140,000 acres

In the 1960s, Montana natives Tom andRobert Lane formed Lane Brothers CattleCo. Tom traded cattle and land throughoutMontana, while Robert ran the home ranch.Today, third-generation members of thefamily manage the still-growing enterprise.

Don Oppliger

140,00 acres new to LR100

Based in Amarillo, The Oppliger Com

are a diversified agribusiness operatiothat operates in Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska. Among their holdings are afour large-scale feedlots, more than 5acres of irrigated farmland, and four racross the Nebraska Plains.

Crosby Family

135,000 acres

Based in New Orleans, Crosby Land Resources celebrated its 75th anniverlast year. The family-owned forestry bis led by Robert H. Crosby III, who w

named the 2013 Forest Landowner ofYear by the Forest Landowners Assoc

Monahan Family

130,000 acres

Based in Montana, Monahan Cattle Cstarted as a 160-acre homestead in 18Today, the family raises commercial cand registered Herefords.

Cash wheat was the

original driver behind

Stefan Solovievs foray

into land.

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TheLand Report

100Somebody 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 wasone of the first ranches to be fenced in Texas.Today, the Renderbrook is joined by WagonCreek Spade, Panhandle Spade, BordenSpade, North Spade, and Alpine Spade.

Davis Heirs

127,500 acres

In 1873, Frank Springer founded the CSRanch, a New Mexico outfit that straddlesthe 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 Lesswidow, Linda, and their six children.

Booth Family

125,000 acres

Booth Land and Livestock Co. is a cow-calfoperator with locations in both Coloradoand Wyoming. The family is known for itsforward-thinking wildlife management.

Brite Heirs

125,000 acres

Lucas Charles Brite established his Bar

Cross brand at the foot of Presidio CountysCapote Mountain in Far West Texas. Today,the fourth generation of the family overseesBrite Ranch operations, including the sale ofline-bred Herefords and a hunting program.

Reese Family

122,200 acres

In 1914, the original Reese homesteadwas just a half-section (320 acres). In 2014,the familys Rockin' 7 Ranch in Wyomingcelebrated its centennial. But we didntstop working long enough to celebrate

our 100th," says Brad Reese.

Milliken Family

119,500 acres

Roger Milliken Jr. is president of the familysBaskahegan Company, which owns andmanages more than 100,000 acres of Mainetimberland. He also serves on the boardof Milliken & Co., a South Carolina-based

textiles and chemicals empire cofounin 1865 by his great-grandfather SethMilliken. In October 2008, he was na

chairman of The Nature Conservancyboard of directors. Says Roger, A heaforest is an essential foundation for afinancially healthy company.

Roxanne Quimby

119,000 acres

In 1975, 24-year-old Roxanne QuimbMassachusetts native with an art degarrived in the North Woods of MaineVW van. She and her boyfriend had dfrom California to homestead 30 acrethe edge of the largest expanse of wild

east of the Mississippi. Nine years lateQuimby entered into a collaboration a beekeeper named Burt Shavitz. Thehistory. After selling Burts Bees to theCompany for $350 million, Quimby uthe proceeds to buy huge swaths of Mwoodlands. She and her son are currecampaigning to donate more than 10acres to create two new parks.

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Moursund Family

115,000 Acres

With working ranchland that stretches

from Texas into Oklahoma, Nebraska, andSouth Dakota, the Moursunds continue aranching tradition that began generations agoon both sides of the family tree. Today, WillStribling Moursund and Mary MoursundReagor 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 shinein West Texass Permian Basin. The family

manages various ranches, including ValorFarm 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 twoare dedicated ranchers, avid hunters, and

active preservationists who have placed morethan 70,000 acres of their holdings underconservation easements. The couple has

been recognized by the Texas Parks andWildlife Foundation for innovative tech-niques to restore and conserve ranchland.

Stan Harper

111,977 acres

As the owner of Lenders & MembersService Group, Harper obviously knowsthe auto-loan business cold. But the Harperclan also knows a thing or two about ranch-ing. Harper Cattle runs a sizeable operationin New Mexico and has additional holdingsin 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 itssuperior Quarter Horses, while IdahosRiverbend Ranch is famous for its purebredBlack Angus.

Linnebur Heirs

110,000 acres

The descendants of Gene, Emmett, an

Lloyd Linnebur continue their familydiverse farming and cattle operations Eastern Colorado.

Richard Evans

109,000 acres

As hard-luck stories go, having 270 hof emaciated cattle seized by the NewMexico Livestock Board is bad news.Letting another 25 perish frommalnutrition is far worse. But beingcharged with animal cruelty is as low it goes. This woeful series of events fr

2013, which made national news, maywhy Richard Evans has listed his DouRanch in Chaves and DeBaca CountiNew Mexico. Ben Scott of Scott Landhas the $24 million listing on the Douwhich includes more than 13,000 acreBLM and State of New Mexico leasesKeep in mind that New Mexico has hdriest two years on record since 1895

TheLand Report

100The Scharba

Alysheba wo

1987 Kentucky D

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LIBRARYOFCONGRESS

Luther King

108,000 new to LR100

This Texas Christian University alumnusowns Central Texass 4K Ranch, which iswatered by Brady Creek and the San SabaRiver. A chartered financial analyst (CFA),King is currently a trustee and the formerChairman of the Board of Trustees at TCU,where he received the DistinguishedAlumnus Award in 1992. As of June 30, 2014,the firm he founded in 1979, Luther KingCapital Management, had $15.2 billionin assets under management.

Arthur Nicholas

105,119 acresThe cofounder of Nicholas InvestmentPartners, an independent, SEC-registeredinvestment advisor, Nicholas owns theWagonhound Land and Livestock ranchin Douglas Wyoming The Wagonhound is

Robinson Family

103,000 acres

Niihau, the Forbidden Island of Hawaii,has been privately owned by the Robinsonsfor 150 years. Current owners Keith andBruce Robinson are great-great-grandsonsof Elizabeth Sinclair, who famously pur-chased the island from King KamehamehaV in 1864 for $10,000 in gold. The brotherscontinue to make good on her promise topreserve the islands traditional culture.

Riggs Family

102,822 acres

In the late 19th century, back when

Arizona was a territory, not a state, BrannickRiggs settled in the still-wild foothills of therugged Chiricahua Mountains in CochiseCounty. Along with his siblings, great-grand-son John Riggs has developed master plansto keep the familys ranch holdings intact

Butler Heirs

101,315 acres

The Butlers Fort Union Ranch, whichdates back to 1885, has been stewardethe family for six generations since itsfounding by Gen. Benjamin Franklin While serving in Congress, Butler meThomas Benton Catron, a lawyer whwould later serve as the first senator fthe State of New Mexico. Catron waslargest landowner in the West at the thaving bought several Mexican land gSoon, Butler and his son-in-law, AdelAmes, began to purchase interests in Mora Grant. Butler held his land inte

the Union Land and Grazing Companwhich he established in 1885. The ForRanch, now a 95,315-acre working caranch near Watrous, is crossed by trathe Santa Fe Trail and surrounds the FUnion National Monument It border

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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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