Although King Ranch management maintained that the suit had no merit, its legitimacy was upheld in appellate courts and went under review of the Texas Supreme Court. These transplanted villagers went to work on the ranch. While it is perhaps most famous for its agribusiness segment (cattle breeding; horse breeding; farming; commodity marketing and processing; commercial hunting leases), King Ranch also explores and develops oil and gas properties through its King Ranch Oil and Gas, Inc. subsidiary. Many of the villagers accepted King's offer and relocated to Texas. In addition, the number of company shareholders had increased over the years through inheritances, and the very future of the ranch as a single entity was called into question. He bought his shares of the NBA team in 1998. After the MexicanAmerican War, King made a good living hauling merchandise on the Rio Grande, as far up river as Camargo, and Rio Grande City. By 1952 the company was sending livestock to outposts in Cuba and Australia in hopes of boosting production by introducing Santa Gertrudis genes into the mix. Finally, in 1899, an artesian well was drilled. Dawn Buckingham to run for Texas land commissioner. In terms of ranches in the U.S., Waggoner Ranch is smaller in acreage only than King Ranch, a Texas ranch that once stretched to 825,000 acres across multiple parcels. Liver King boasts of a successful career as a bodybuilder and social media influencer. By this time, the newer, nonagricultural businesses were accounting for more than half of the company's income, and Tio Kleberg was the only King descendant still actively working the ranch. He owns more land than Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, the 28th-largest landowner in the US. In 1987, he assumed responsibility as General Manager of Florida operations. . In order for this to happen, the cattle had to be driven thousands of miles to railroad points as far away as St. Louis, and later, Abilene, Kansas. The mergerstructured as a stock swap worth $53 million between King Ranch and St. Mary shareholdersincluded properties in the Gulf of Mexico and the onshore Gulf Coast. In 1855, Lewis was killed by the husband of a woman with whom he had been having an affair. The King Ranch Saddle Shop, once exclusively a supplier of cowboy gear for the kienos, went into the retail clothing and luggage business. Shortly thereafter, locals organized a group to force their way onto the ranch around the area where they were known to have gone hunting. In the meantime, Kenedy was able to make money by carrying goods overland into Mexico. Yarborough to take control of King Ranchs oil and gas business. Annoying wild mustangs and donkeys were captured and shipped elsewhere. We create forward thinking solutions. The average Canadian household net worth is surprisingly huge at roughly $680,000 in 2021, up from $400,151 in 2012 according to Statistics Canada. . On a trip through the Wild Horse Desert, King noticed a promising piece of land along the Santa Gertrudis Creek. He was hired by King Ranch Inc. in 1984 as a management trainee and traveled to various operations in the United States and throughout South America and Australia. From its beginnings in the mid-nineteenth century as a family cattle ranch, the company has evolved into a major multinational operation active in a variety of agricultural and energy-related activities. The Muzzo family's business empire, including drywall giant Marel Contractors and condo developer Pemberton Group, is fiercely private. What is King Charles's net worth? A breakdown of royal family wealth Even in this time of loss, by 1869, King was able to round up 48,664 of an estimated 84,000 head of cattle. 23 Feb. 2023 . It was founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis. King Ranch remained focused on its oil holdings as well and in 1999 spun off its King Ranch Energy Inc. subsidiary just before its merger with St. Mary Land and Exploration Co. Gonzalez, John W., "Nostalgia, Prestige Rules Kingsville, Texas, Ranch Auction," Houston Chronicle, October 5, 2003. Mrs. King, who outlived her husband by 40 years, made Kleberg the full-time manager of the ranch. King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. He also began to cross his cowherd with Shorthorn and Hereford bulls, since the expansion of the railroad made the Longhorn's ability to walk long distances irrelevant. Both served under General Zachary Taylor (later the 12th US president) operating steamboats from Brazos Santiago Harbor in Texas, USA, to Matamoros in Mexico, and on up river to Camargo, Tamaulipas, in support of the U.S. invasion of Monterrey and Saltillo. Tax filings show his foundation donated to the Alliance Defending Freedom and the National Christian Foundation as recently as 2015. "He is the man behind the curtain pulling the levers. Leroy Denman, a longtime company affiliate, was elected chairman of the board in 1990. Click here to learn more about the history and current operations of King Ranch, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. Another turnover in management took place in 1995. It became too tempting to simply herd cattle across the Nueces or Rio Grande. For one hundred years, the private residence of the most powerful cattle family in history has been hidden from public. Hunter's estimated net worth is $3 Million. Russias War On Ukraine: Daily News And Information From Ukraine, Sen. Feinstein Hospitalized With ShinglesStraining Democrats Narrow Majority, hedge fund billionaire Louis Bacon bought in 2007 for $175 million, the (former) St. Louis Rams were relocating to Los Angeles. Anschutz's company did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment on his behalf for this story. Kroenke emerged the winner of six final bidders who submitted buying proposals in the fall in what was a highly competitive process, Uechtritz said. Encyclopedia.com. )NAIC: 112111 Beef Cattle Ranching and Farming; 448320 Luggage and Leather Goods Stores; 444210 Outdoor Power Equipment Stores; 11192 Cotton Farming; 111199 All Other Grain Farming; 111930 Sugarcane Farming; 111310 Orange Groves. During the lean year that followed, King continued to fence his land, and manage his cattle, horses and sheep. Chapman, Art, "Texas Supreme Court Ruling Adds Appeal to Legendary King Ranch Celebration," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, September 21, 2003. The General Land Office is Texas' oldest state agency and manages public lands and is in charge of enforcing the Coastal Beach Act, which provides for "free and unrestricted right to access Texas beaches" along the Gulf of Mexico. In Australia, one of Kings partners was Swift& Co., the biggest buyer of the ranchs U.S. beef output. Hunter's Instagram Hunter's Twitter Next In 1884 a young lawyer named Robert Kleberg began handling the legal affairs of King Ranch. Dick Kleberg died in 1955. "Tio" Kleberg was born in Austin, Texas, to Richard M. Kleberg Jr. and Mary Lewis Scott Kleberg. In 1854 King brought north not only all of the cattle from one particular Mexican village suffering through a drought, but all of the village's humans as well. The Running W eventually became one of the most widely recognized marks in the history of the cattle industry. Nobody sees him, yet he has a huge impact on Los Angeles.". Some examples include a community garden, Recipe For Success program for our local school, raising money for Kingsvilles downtown preservation through our Ranch Hand Breakfast, Toys for Tots at Robstown Hardware and The American Heart Association walk in Houston. Within a decade, through a combination of strategic horse purchases and the application of its fabulously successful breeding techniques, King Ranch had established a dynasty of champion cutting horses. International Directory of Company Histories. The Board of Directors of King Ranch, Inc. appointed Mr. Underbrink as Vice President of Farming Operations in June 1998. We add value Votin, Jecholiah By the early 1970s, King Ranch controlled about 11.5 million acres of land worldwide. The Colorado billionaire's personal fortune is estimated at $11.7 billion, according to Forbes. As the years passed, more land was added, growing to 1.2 million acres (1,875sqmi, 4,900km) at its largest extent, until reaching its current total. Suh, a non-practicing lawyer,is a founderof Immunize Texas, an advocacy organization thatsupportspro-vaccine legislation. Tio grew up on King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas, working summers with ranch operations. [14], In 1999, the Ford Motor Company began using the King Ranch brand on its vehicles. This snub, combined with legal haggling over oil payments to family members, led to Sheltons departure from the company a few years later. Internet: http://www.burgerking.com The 10 Biggest Ranches In The Entire State Of Texas - Wide Open Country State Sen. Along the way, the ranchs selective breeding efforts intensified. And we all feel we have a lot of resources to manage.". Romero, Simon, "Betting the Ranch, a Really Big One," New York Times, August 17, 2003. 4861, 89109. While the details of Anschutz's real-estate holdings are unknown, he reportedly owns a 500-square-mile cattle ranch in Wyoming that he plans on turning into the world's largest wind farm. His son, Dick Jr., had been playing an increasingly important role in company affairs since the 1940s, and in 1969 he was named chairman of the King Ranch board of directors. A steamboat pilot by trade, King had arrived in southern Texas about eight years earlier to run a shipping operation on the Rio Grande with partner Mifflin Kenedy. He quickly formed a partnership with another friend, Texas Ranger Captain Legs Lewis. Lea, Tom, The King Ranch, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1957 McGraw, Dan, A Fistful of Dollars, U.S. News& World Report, July 24, 1995, pp. The billionaire started conservative magazine The Washington Examiner in 2005and later bought another conservative publication, The Weekly Standard, whichshut down at the end of 2018. That year, Jack Hunt, formerly the CEO of Californias Tejon Ranch, was named president and CEO of King Ranch. The cruise line was recently voted the Best Small Ship Cruise Line by AFAR and earned a top spot as Best Small Ship in Cond Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards. ." At the same time, Lewis sold King undivided half-interest in the ranchos of Manuel Barrera and of Juan Villareal for the same sum, on November 14, 1853. Judge Dan Mike Bird of the 46th Judicial District Court allowed the Waggoner Ranchs owners to proceed with the sale. It takes an army to run the company and our diversified business offers many opportunities for employment. King Carl XVI Gustaf received $7.6 million in funds for official duties in 2015, and the Palace Administration received nearly $7.4 million from the state the same year. King purchased the land and he and Lewis launched the livestock operation that would eventually grow into the King Ranch. They began crossbreeding Brahman bulls native to India with their own Shorthorn stock. The company began actively exploring for oil and gas, rather than passively waiting for royalties on the oil and gas found on its property by others. Tio Kleberg continued to run the ranch's day-to-day operations. Mrs. King, who outlived her husband by 40 years, made Kleberg the full-time manager of the ranch. In order to expand the ranch during its early years, King hired a lawyer to seek out the owners of the old land grants throughout the area. Young Richard distinguished himself as a tireless worker and a fast learner with an ever-keen eye for opportunity. From its beginnings in the mid-19th century as a family cattle ranch, the company has evolved into a major multinational operation active in a variety of agricultural and energy-related activities. Regal has 7,211 screens in 549 theatres in 42 states, as well as in American Samoa, Washington DC, Guam, and Saipan. ." PRIMARY USE cow-calf, feed yard, farming, horses, oil and gas, wild game hunting, birding . Under Kleberg's management, operations at the ranch were streamlined and made more efficient. One by one, the problems of running a growing ranch were addressed. Modern game management and preservation systems were also set up. Pronunc, King of the Jews: A Novel of the Holocaust, https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/king-ranch-inc-0, https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/king-ranch-inc. He and business partner Gideon Legs Lewis purchased the 15,500-acre Mexican land grant then known as the Rincon de Santa Gertrudis the first foothold of what would become the legendary King Ranch of Texas. The enterprise required two types of steamers the Grampus and Comanche. He's also donated to the American Red Cross, the Children's Hospital Denver, and Denver Public Schools. Henrietta King died in 1925, at the age of 92. Meanwhile, brother Dick served the company from the outside as president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and, beginning in 1931, as a seven-term member of the U.S. Congress. All rights reserved. 23 Feb. 2023 . King Ranch Corporate Offices In 1858 King built the first ranch house at the Santa Gertrudis site on a spot suggested by his friend Robert E. Lee, a young lieutenant colonel at the time. He negotiated a long-term lease for oil and gas rights on the entire ranch with Humble Oil and Refining Company, which later became Exxon. Dick Kleberg Jr. died in 1979, and soon after that his son, Stephen Tio Kleberg, took over management of King Ranch South Texas, the companys core ranch operation. Upon the sale of the herd to the northern buyers, the trail bosses could relieve their indebtedness, and earn a profit greater than their ordinary wages. Richard King was born in New York in 1824 to Irish immigrants and, by age nine, was apprenticed to a jeweler in New York City. King Ranch, Fortune, December 1193, pp. The company represents a colorful part of Texas history. King split his time between his two businesses, steamboating and ranching, during this period. reported donations to anti-LGBTQ organizations, a rare public statement on the matter in 2017, started conservative magazine The Washington Examiner in 2005, He also owns the Los Angeles Kings hockey team, one-third of the. Canada's Richest People: Muzzo Estate - Canadian Business (February 23, 2023). The company eventually established a presence in Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela, where the techniques developed to clear mesquite brush in Texas could be used on South American rain forest. After moving to South Texas, he founded a steam boat line with his lifelong friend Mifflin Kenedy setting up ports and moving goods and people along the lower Rio Grande River. In 1884 a young lawyer named Robert Kleberg began handling the legal affairs of King Ranch. The Ranch is conscious of the environment in all farming, ranching, and wildlife endeavors. Anschutz has only given two press conferences ever, according to Bloomberg. The Kleberg familys choice to replace him as president and chief executive officer of the company was James H. Clement, the husband of Ida Larkin, one of Richard Kings great-granddaughters (and Robert Kleberg Sr.s granddaughters). While he could not say how close to the $725 million asking price it sold for, Bernard Uechtritz, advisor to Briggs Freeman Sothebys International Realty in Dallas who led the marketing of the property, said "I think you can assume it was close enough to make both sides very happy.". (February 23, 2023). The Liver King has a net worth of approximately $100 million dollars as of December 2022. While King Ranch remained a powerful entity in the business world, a new thorn threatened to shadow its anniversary celebration. His bride Henrietta played an important role in guiding daily activities on the ranch when the Captain was away on business. In a rare public statement on the matter in 2017, Anschutz said: "Recent claims published in the media that I am anti-LGBTQ are nothing more than fake news it is all garbage. We do the right thing Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Lauro Cavazos, who served as the first Hispanic United States Cabinet officer, was born on the King Ranch during his father's service as a ranch foreman in January, 1927. Between 1869 and 1884, over 100,000 head of cattle from King Ranch made the trip. Captain King, ever the innovator, did a new thing on the land he was taming. After his departure, Roger Jarvis, who had been running the company's petroleum operations, was named president and CEO. When King died in 1885, he left his entire estate to his wife, Henrietta. Other venues under AEG ownership include the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, the O2 in London, and the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Regardless of its future path, the King Ranch name and its Running W brand would surely continue as one of the most widely recognized identities in the industry. Did the King Ranch sell? This well, originating more than 500 feet below ground, provided enough water to support all of the region's livestock and agriculture. [10] At the time, the ranch grazed cattle, horses, sheep and goats. When We Were Kings - Texas Monthly Under Klebergs management, operations at the ranch were streamlined and made more efficient. The Founding of King Ranch - King Ranch Yarborough, an independent petroleum operator and former Humble Oil geologistnot to mention the husband of Richard Kleberg Sr.s daughter Katherinedecided to take on the task on a part-time basis. Sales: $683.9 million (1998) The story starts in the mid-1830s with an eleven-year-old boy indentured by his destitute family to a jeweler in New York City. As of March 2023, King Bach's net worth is roughly $3 Million. Hunter King Net Worth She has served in her professional acting career for over two decades, there is no doubt she has attained admirable fortune. Boxing promoter In 1854 King brought north not only all of the cattle from one particular Mexican village suffering through a drought, but all of the villages humans as well. The ranch also boasted several Brahman bulls, as well as Beef Shorthorns and Herefords. Kleberg, whose family is the namesake of Kleberg County, said he was raisedon the King Ranch and now is aco-founder of a company called Explore Ranches, that offershigh-endranches for rent. King could drive his cattle for a hundred days to the railheads of Kansas. [CDATA[ However, the date of retrieval is often important. The land commissioner also chairs the state's Veterans Land Board, which provides low-interest property loans for qualifying military veterans and oversees state veterans'homes and veterans' cemeteries. It premiered at the 2019 South by Southwest Film Festival. He then bought the parcels and annexed them to the ranch. King Ranch is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Kleberg married King's daughter Alice the following year. [12] In 1933, Robert Jr. leased the exploration and drilling rights on the ranch to Humble Oil of Houston, Texas, for $127,824, in exchange for the usual royalty of 1/8 of every barrel of oil (20 L) pumped from the property. Meanwhile, brother Dick served the company from the outside as president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and, beginning in 1931, as a seven-term member of the U.S. Congress. The vehicles include dark brown leather seats, and the badges show the King Ranch 'Running W' brand. As the company developed its Santa Gertrudis cattle, it also engaged in the King Ranch Quarter Horse program. The festival, which typically takes places over two weekends in April in Indio, California, has been moved to October 9 to 11 and October 16 to 18. Smiths reign lasted only a year. By the end of the Civil War, the Texas Rangers were disbanded by the following reconstruction of the United States. The 1860s were busy, challenging years for Richard King and his new bride Henrietta, the refined daughter of Presbyterian minister from back East. [citation needed], Forever Texas, the 2022 historical western novel by bestselling authors William W. Johnstone and J.A. https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/king-ranch-inc, Jacobson, Robert R.; Stansell, Christina M. "King Ranch, Inc. King Ranch is dedicated to improving our communities and the families within them.Our employees participate in events that benefit the communities we live in. The jeweler was a difficult man, and the boy was chafing under the mans mistreatment. The 18631864 winter pushed uncounted cattle south toward the Nueces River and Rio Grande. In the United States Civil War, initially, the disruption of the flow of cattle to market caused a drop in beef prices. Staples Center, which has a capacity of 19,000, hosts more than 250 events, Coachella is famous for its flashy outfits and Instagram-worthy attractions, more than 100,000 people attended Coachella. In choosing Clement to lead King Ranch into the next generation, the family passed over Robert Shelton, a vice-president and King relative who had been raised by Bob Kleberg. "Biggest Ranch Jumps Some Oceans," Business Week, May 17, 1952, pp. Nascent greatness would not be shackled or ever satisfied with such circumstances. By 1870, 300,000 head of cattle made their way from the West to the railroads of Kansas, and thence to the stockyards of Chicago. It was purchased from the heirs of Juan Mendiola of Camargo on July 25, 1853, for $300. Yarborough, an independent petroleum operator and former Humble Oil geologistnot to mention the husband of Richard Kleberg, Sr.'s, daughter Katherinedecided to take on the task on a part-time basis. Those experiences, Kleberg said, helped him "learn the value of hard work and land stewardship.". Stephen J. Wealth-X estimates Prince William's net worth is around $40 million. Chapman's heirs published the letters home from his wife in the 1992 book The News From Brownsville. Although several King heirs wanted to break up and sell the ranch to turn a quick profit, the family decided to keep it intact. Although 60,000 head of cattle continued to graze King Ranch's sprawling acreage and the company remained a major force in the cattle industry, King Ranch evolved into a distinct agribusiness and energy corporation during the 1990s. To view a current listing of our open positions and submit applications, please Click Here. Robert graduated in 1983 from Texas A&M University-Kingsville where he received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. In choosing Clement to lead King Ranch into the next generation, the family passed over Robert Shelton, a vice-president and King relative who had been raised by Bob Kleberg. Robert Kleberg died in 1932, signaling a complete generational shift in the ranchs management. Denhart, Robert Moorman, The King Ranch Quarter Horses, Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970. Our people possess a diverse range of skills, education and expertise while performing many different kinds of jobs. "King Ranch, Inc. ." To datethe most expensive ranch to sell in the U.S. was the Forbes family's (yes, this Forbes) 172,000-acre Trinchera Ranch in Colorado, which hedge fund billionaire Louis Bacon bought in 2007 for $175 million. The divisions are the Santa Gertrudis, the Laureles, the Encino and the Norias. By 1952 the company was sending livestock to outposts in Cuba and Australia with the hope of boosting production by introducing Santa Gertrudis genes into the mix. King Ranch, Inc. operates one of the largest and most famous cattle ranches in the world. Meanwhile, as an outgrowth of the King Ranch Quarter Horse program, the company became involved in competition cuttingan arena event in which horses try to separate individual heifers from the herdin the mid-1970s. Our Founders | Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. To date the most expensive ranch to sell in the U.S. was the Forbes family's . Our people possess a diverse range of skills, education and expertise while performing many different kinds of jobs. Morocco and Spain soon followed as well. Three Riverway, Suite 1600 In 1976 Clement hired W.B. King Ranch began selling Santa Gertrudis bulls to other ranchers in the 1930s, and in 1940 the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognized Santa Gertrudis as the first ever American-produced beef breed. I unequivocally support the rights of all people without regard to sexual orientation.". Copyright 2023 King Ranch. These innovations included mechanized brush control methods, the identification of new and better grasses, and the development of better corrals for working cattle. #42 Name: Dan Wilks Net worth: $1.5 billion Age: 58 Primary residence: Cisco, Texas Forbes 400 ranking: 352 Forbes World's Billionaires ranking: 1,171 Source of wealth: Natural gas Stake in Aspen: Two Aspen homes, total value of $11.1 million Notes: The son of a man who once housed the family in a goat shed, Dan and his brother Farris (see no. The Average Canadian Household Net Worth Is Huge! - Financial Samurai King Ranch Holdings, Inc.; King Ranch Properties, Inc.; King Ranch do Brasil S.A. (Brazil); Big B Sugar Corp.; King Ranch Saddle Shop, Inc.; King Ranch Oil and Gas, Inc.; King Ranch Power Corp.; Kingsville Lumber Company; Robstown Hardware Company; Kingsville Publishing Company. The first brand was the ere flecha (an R with arrow through it).[6]. Jones Family Ranch - 255,000 acres Located on the South Texas coast near Corpus Christi, the Jones family ranches were founded by W. W. Jones in 1897 on land that had been part of the Las. Copyright 2023 King Ranch. His buying trips frequently took him into Mexico. "I'm about to say something so simple. We expect the best from our amazing employees to keep King Ranch going for centuries to come. Join Our Family - King Ranch Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. King Ranch cares about our employees and their families. The people at King Ranch dont just consist of Cowboys and Ranch Hands. "The King Ranch: The Last Frontier Empire Confronts the Modern World," Texas Monthly, October 1980, pp. King Ranch Saddle Shop - King Ranch To get the company back in the black, Kleberg turned to petroleum. Not only is the average Canadian net worth larger than the average American net worth, the Canadian housing market is also hotter than the American housing . worth $7.3 billion by Forbes' latest count . Despite living in Colorado, Philip Anschutz is deeply embedded in California's largest city. Crews were assigned to slow the encroachment of mesquite brush, which was quickly displacing the favorable climax grasses. During the horrible drought years of the 1890s, Kleberg experimented with various ways of getting water to the land. The buyer in turn could ask $31.50 at the Union Stock Yards. King first saw the land that would become part of the King Ranch in April 1852 as he traveled north from Brownsville to attend the Lone Star Fair in Corpus Christi, a four-day trip by horseback. By 1871, though, 700,000 head of cattle caused a market glut, which King avoided by personal negotiation in Abilene. During the American Civil War, the steamboat fleet was reflagged under the name of the Matamoros, Mexico citizen Francisco Iturria and the Mexican flag. The company represents a colorful part of Texas history. It was the first stream he had seen on the Wild Horse Desert. The Kleberg family's choice to replace him as president and chief executive officer of the company was James H. Clement, the husband of Ida Larkin, one of Richard King's great-granddaughters (and Robert Kleberg, Sr.'s, granddaughters). Stephen J. "Tio" Kleberg - Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Humble struck oil and gas by 1939. Four years later he became the first president of King Ranch Oil and Gas, Inc., a new wholly owned subsidiary formed to handle all of King Ranchs petroleum affairs. The story starts in the mid-1830s with an eleven-year-old boy indentured by his destitute family to a jeweler in New York City. By the end of the Civil War, thousands of head of cattle were roaming the ranch, which had grown to nearly 150,000 acres in size. International Directory of Company Histories. It includes portions of six Texas counties; most of Kleberg and much of Kenedy, with portions extending into Brooks, Jim Wells, Nueces, and Willacy counties. In 1867 King began using the Running W brand to mark his cattle. Bob Kleberg, the driving force behind the program, also became interested in thoroughbred racing horses. In one notable case, King traveled to the village of Cruillas, Tamaulipas, Mexico in the early months of 1854 (the village having been decimated by a severe drought) and purchased the village's entire cattle population.