From the highway, its pastures seem timeless and impregnable. By contrast, Bucky is reserved, private, and serious about his business affairs. They ride the trails of their forebearers, living a life and practicing skills that have almost disappeared. We met in the boardroom at the Waggoner building, Roberson told me. Joe Roberson, who was the estates auditor for many years, describes him this way: Big belt buckle, expensive boots, a bottle of whiskey. E. Paul had a good eye for horseshe bought Poco Bueno, the great cutting horse sireand loved to be seen as the ultimate cattle baron, but a retired Waggoner Ranch foreman named G. L. Proctor told me, He wasnt much of a rider. They include a bunkhouse for single cowboys, more homes for the foreman and senior cowboys, a cookhouse, several maintenance sheds, and a truck barn. As a boy, Bucky visited the ranch at Christmas and during the summer, but he was never close to his father and knew nothing about cattle or oil. [6] His children would elect a Board of Trustees, who would make decisions with him at the helm. Ranching operations began with 230 head of longhorn cattle and some horses. That became the seed money for the Waggoner empire. Some of the wells discovered in the 1920s are still in operation. Since Electra IIs death, in 2001, the board has been composed of these two men who rarely speak to each other. But when I talked to Judge Neely in October, he told me, No, that wasnt my ruling. The two sides had agreed to this wording: An event has occurred [Buckys notice of termination] which requires the winding up of. Some area ranches have rural water systems available, but still principally rely on creeks and ponds as their major water source. He offered him pennies on the dollar for his fifty percent share., It was a paltry amount, Roberson agreed. [7] Parts of it can be seen from highways U.S. 183 [6], The ranch was originally established in 1852 near Vernon, Texas, by Daniel Waggoner under the name of Dan Waggoner & Son; his son being William Thomas Waggoner, who was an infant at the time. So it was the King Ranch whose legend was set down for posterity by the distinguished Texas author Tom Lea, while the Waggoners escapades were left to be recorded by the English author John Bainbridgea few passages in his 1960 book called The Super-Americans, about the excesses of Texass oil millionaires. For the past 15 years, champions at both the National Reining Association and the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity have had Waggoner bloodlines in their pedigree. Some people dont see it, but shes beautiful. To make the trip, Dan gave Tom $12, a group of drovers, and 50 saddle horses, all of which had sores on their backs from heavy use. We have unique items that feature our brand. Or you draw a line and Ill take first pick.. In later years, W.T. He began buying land in western Wise County in 1870. WHAT WE DO: We deliver strategic, brand-driven marketing communications solutions and deploy content that truly resonates . I ask him what he thinks of the family feud that threatens to end the way of life that he knew. John and Electra had two daughtersa third Electra and Helen. Apparently they just agreed to continue to disagree. Either Guys two children would become their partners or E. Paul and Buster would have to buy them out. This will still be ranchland, for thats all its fit to be, but not ranching on the grand scale that allows men to be cowboys. In 1869 Dan made seventeen-year-old W.T. The Municipal Airport at Wichita Falls is served by American Eagle, and the runway is 13,100 feet long. By the 1880s, the Waggoners Victorian mansion, El Castile, was the most prominent structure in Decatur. There are none to be seen, because there is not a drop of groundwater. The substantial structural improvements, thousands of miles of fences and roads, hundreds of earthen pond dam sites, rolling stock, waterlines, natural gas and oilfield lines, oil field equipment, the Waggoner office building, the included livestock (horses and cattle) and the entire operation are offered as a turn-key sale on an as-is, where-is basis. The party bagged seventeen wolves (some of which were really coyotes), and the president beat a five-foot rattlesnake to death with his quirt. The dispute seemed to highlight Bucky and Genes contrasting attitudesone loved the land, the other loved the money. Though there are more than two thousand miles of road inside the ranch, there are hardly any road signs or navigational landmarks. The major block of this farmland, which is located on the northwest side of the ranch, contains approximately 14,000 acres. After Guy died, E. Paul and Buster faced the issue of what would become of his shares in the Waggoner estate. What he got was just the opposite. At one dinner party, two Texans pulled six-guns from their dinner jackets and shot up the ceiling. Waggoner Ranch with all of its history and be a part of its future unbridled potential. The majority of the cultivated land is farmed on a dryland basis, but three circle pivot systems are used to irrigate a small portion of the farmland. Add to cart. It would be Helens husband, Gene Willingham, who would one day become Bucky Whartons main opponent in the struggle over the Waggoner Ranch. Either way, your shopping cart will be active until you leave the store. Waggoner left behind in East Texas the grave of his wife. The facility is equipped to do embryo transfers and has both indoor and outdoor arenas, two barns, and over 30 stalls. All I ever knew is the Waggoner Ranch, he tells me. One of the most interesting properties at Zacaweista is the gothic stone barn where Buster Wharton bred his polo ponies. A full moon hangs over West Diving Board Pasture. Because of Toms great influence on the horse industry, he became a founding member of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Thats the only reason anyone would want to sell.. The W.T. The squabbling that has ensnared the ranch for almost a century began on Christmas Day of. Now 56, Bucky is one of the protagonists in the battle over the future of the ranch. Its now the residence of Gene and Helen Willingham. The history of the land and the Waggoner family is so entwined with myth and legend that nobody can untangle the truth. These lakes were built by the Corps of Engineers as a major source of municipal and irrigation use water for Wichita Falls, area towns and nearby farming communities. Some of these were bred strictly for ranch work, and others for the show arena, but they all had one thing in common, they were cow horses., Poco Bueno was foaled in 1944 and was purchased by E. Paul Waggoner in 1945. At the time of acquisition, the ranch comprised 520,527 acres (210,650ha), or 800sqmi (2,100km2) but additional acreage was included in the sale making the total closer to 535,000 acres (217,000ha). The Bronc-busting, Cow-punching, Death-defying Legend of Boots ONeal, At Texas Swingers Clubs, the Lifestyle Is Booming. Thats what folks in Vernon, Electra, Seymour, and other towns near the Waggoner Ranch are asking as they watch one of Texass greatest ranching empires teeter on the brink of disintegration. Biggss brother-in-law was the president of General Motors, and he later named a Buick model for Electra. In addition to Lake Kemp and Lake Diversion, the ranch boasts several other large private lakes, some of which, such as Santa Rosa Lake, are reserved for the exclusive use of the families. The second Electra was, like her namesake, a globe-hopping socialite (she was once linked romantically to Cary Grant by Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons), but she also was an acclaimed artist, who knew all the celebrities of her day and sculpted busts of many of them. Richard King and Captain James Walworth's King Ranch brand was registered June 27, 1859 3. It was notable for being the largest ranch within one fence in the United States. Who was going to be responsible for it? They have been up since three and have had a hefty cookhouse breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, and gravy. Skyfood Supermarket (six locations in New York) - Asian Oriental Supermarket. By all rights the Waggoner Ranch ought to be the equal of the King Ranch in Texas lore. They communicate by written memos, even though their offices are separated by only a few feet. A unified decision has now been made by the shareholders to sell this legendary ranch. He sits across the table from me in his starched jeans and freshly shined boots, ramrod straight, his hat resting in his lap, his gray hair slicked down. Electra died in 1925 at the age of 43, her life and much of her fortune spent on extravagance. . [11], The ranch has been surveyed by the United States Department of Agriculture for matters of preservation. In May, Judge Neely heard the motion for partial summary judgment and made his ruling. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The last e-mail I got from him, he testified, [was] five years ago.. LOCATION Brooks, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, and Willacy counties. He first settled on Catlett Creek near the site of present Decatur. was determined to keep Electra nearby. Hed consult with him and get back to us. Sign up to hear from us about specials, sales, and events. Consequently, climate data can vary over such a large area of the state. The W.T. Guy, who eventually settled on another ranch the family owned in New Mexico, married eight times. In 1923, W. T. formed what is known today as the W. T. Waggoner Estate. Both were famous for breeding, the King Ranch for Santa Gertrudis cattle, the Waggoner Ranch for cutting horses. (Tom) Waggoner had a good eye for quality horse flesh and developed a herd of broodmares to produce working ranch geldings for his cowboys. Maybe thats why Judge Neely told me that he has no intention of setting a deadline. Killen told Bucky, Take this, go back to New Mexico, and live your life. As the large ranches of Texas, such as the Waggoner, 6666, JA, Slaughter, King Ranch and others, were established, fenced and began to operate, these legendary holdings were, at times, confronted with the problems of Indian raids and cattle rustlers. Quality horses are always the pride of a true rancher, and this original set of broodmares became a huge influence in the development of the Quarter Horse breed. In later years, W.T. Waggoner Estate Ranch and related assets are now, for the first time ever, being offered for sale at a guideline listed price of. He secretly wanted his favorite, Electra, to draw Zacaweista, because it was nearest to his homestead. The only thing I can figure, it was give to them. Seafood City (California, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada, Illinois) - Filipino American. Both lakes offer good fishing, boating, and water skiing, and the Waggoner Ranch leases out approximately 500 privately-owned housing sites surrounding these two lakes. (Tom) Waggoner was heard to say, There I was with more t, han 5,000 big, wild steers, 50 sore-backed horses, $12 and 16 years of my life.. It is the nations biggest ranch within the confines of a single fence, a spread so vast that it extends across six counties and covers more than eight hundred square miles. They are already being augmented by Kroenke Ranches' world-class commercial Angus herd. Sep 1989 - Present33 years 6 months. Then, twelve years ago, the two branches of the Waggoner family that control the W. T. Waggoner estate, which in turn controls the ranch, locked themselves in a lawsuit no one can win. Proctor, whose daddy was a Waggoner cowboy too, went to work for the ranch in 1937, at age thirteen. [6] Meanwhile, Electra Waggoner Biggs became a renowned sculptor. The Waggoner Ranch can be characterized as a potential sportsmans paradise. Meanwhile, the Waggoner family tree was sprouting more branches. We opened it up. Today the home is bright and welcoming. He pointed to an impenetrable thicket of mesquite and told me, Thirty years ago we cleared that pasture, all the way to Beaver Creek. [14] After Electra Waggoner Biggs's death, her share was inherited by Electra Waggoner Biggs's daughter Helen Biggs and her husband, Gene Willingham.