He Stayed Ahead Of The Herd Be Bold: Richard King, with grit and innovation, built the world's largest ranch.(A)

Byline: PETE BARLAS

In the mid-1800s, Capt. Richard King was determined to launch a new career as a rancher and landowner.

King had already made his fortune as a river man and steamboat entrepreneur, but that didn't make him pretend that he could enter this new venture on his own. He sought partners to make land and livestock purchases and also recognized the need to add skilled labor.

When King purchased cattle from a drought-stricken town in Mexico, he hired the vaqueros, the local ranch hands, to care for the livestock on his property rather than leave them out of work, says Jack Hunt, president of King Ranch for the last eight years.

"He was a very strong businessman. He had a lot of common sense, with a lot of judgment and ability," he said.

Many other ranchers would just try to do things their own way with no help, says Hunt. "He was a lot more flexible than others who were trying to ranch at that time," he said.

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