Heritage Hall of Honor

Blair Calvert Fitzsimons

served as the former Chief Executive Officer of Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT). Previously, Fitzsimons spearheaded the legislative effort to establish a Purchase of Development Rights program in Texas while she was with the American Farmland Trust, and also worked with the Texas A&M Institute for Renewable Natural Resources. Before her work with land conservation, Fitzsimons ran the day-to-day operations of her family’s San Pedro Ranch, a recipient of the 2016 Lone Star Land Steward award from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Leroy "Shafe" Shafer

retired Chief Operating Officer of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR), began his employment with the Show in 1973 and held various leadership positions before being named COO Emeritus after his 2014 retirement. Shafer is a consultant for fairs and related industries and currently holds leadership positions on civic boards, improvement districts, and redevelopment authorities in the Houston area. Through his substantial youth and community efforts, he developed a student intern program benefiting hundreds of Texas A&M University students. 

Perry L. Adkisson

of College Station is Chancellor Emeritus of Texas A&M University. For his work in sustaining crop productivity in an environmentally friendly way in countries around the world, he was the co-recipient of the 1997 Wolf Food Prize, which is the Nobel Prize equivalent in the field of agricultural science. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1998

L.D. "Don" Anderson

of Lubbock organized and found funding for the High Plains Diapause Boll Weevil Control Program, which prevented the boll weevil from establishing itself on the High Plains, thus saving millions of dollars by eliminating costs for control and preventing losses in yield. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1996

Anne Armstrong

of Kenedy County served her community, state and nation as a team with her husband, Tobin Armstrong. Anne was highly respected and served as a counselor to Presidents Nixon and Ford. She was the first woman to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain and served as a Regent of the Texas A & M University System. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2010

John B. Armstrong

of Kingsville served King Ranch, Inc. in various capacities including corporate president and CEO prior to retirement in 1988. He provided strong leadership for the Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association and National Cattleman’s Association. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

Tobin Armstrong

of Kennedy County served his community, state and nation as a team with his wife, Anne Armstrong. They owned and operated the Armstrong Ranch in Kennedy County – a ranch recognized for its production of beef cattle, breeding stock and wildlife. Tobin served the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association for 48 years. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2010

Henry M. Beachell

of Pearland created and introduced nine rice varieties. At one time, his work accounted for more than 90% of U.S. long-grain production. Beachell’s work with high-yielding, short-statured rice varieties helped alleviate human hunger and suffering throughout the world. He received the 1996 World Food Prize – often considered the Nobel Prize in food and agriculture. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2012

Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Sr.

of Mission oversaw the back-breaking work involved to clear away tenacious weeds and turned thousands of acres of Rio Grande Valley brush land into lush citrus orchards. He subdivided the vast holdings into parcels to attract investors, and with money came the development of the Texas citrus industry. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

Othal E. Brand, Sr.

of McAllen provided Texas with a competitive edge in becoming one of the nation’s largest vegetable producers, processors and shippers. Brand flourished at the helm of Griffin & Brand, whose Valley headquarters became a major refrigeration, packing and distribution center. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2004

Dolph Briscoe, Jr.

of Uvalde served two terms as Governor of Texas. Earlier in his career, as a member of the Texas legislature, he helped secure financing and supervised the eradication of screw worms, which threatened the health of the state’s cattle herds. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

Eugene Butler

of Dallas made his mark as the longtime crusading editor of The Progressive Farmer. He served as an articulate advocate and catalyst for agricultural change during a magazine career that spanned 78 years. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2000

Ogbourne Duke "O.D." Butler, Jr.

of College Station spent 50 years at Texas A&M University during an unprecedented era of growth and accomplishments. In addition to his academic work as head of the department of animal science, he was a successful rancher and served as president of the American Charolais Association. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2008

Fred Campbell

of Paint Rock is recognized as a visionary in the development of better techniques for growing, preparing and marketing wool and mohair. From 1978-1984, he served as executive director of the Mohair Council of America where he was instrumental in developing international markets. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2006

Hoover Carden

Of Fairfield is recognized as an administrator, educator, and community visionary whose legacy includes nearly 40 years with the Texas A&M University Cooperative Extension Program. Specialized in reaching limited-resource families and small farm operators. Credited with stemming the tide of declining land ownership by African Americans. Revamped the system that enabled Black land-grant colleges to develop more meaningful educational programs. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2014

John S. Cargile

of San Angelo served as president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association and the American Sheep Industry Association. He was a strong advocate for the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center now known as Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center. On the civic front, he served as president of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2012

Ben H. Carpenter, Sr.

of Dallas personified the image of the American West — North Texas-style. He made a name for himself in ranching, real estate and life insurance and promoted Brahman cattle raising programs domestically and abroad. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2002

John W. Carpenter, Sr.

of Dallas became president of Texas Power and Light in 1927. He understood that farmers and ranchers had to have electrical power in the modern world, and he provided the necessary blueprints and experienced engineers to achieve this goal. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

Edward Cline

Of Houston, played an important role in efforts to reduce property loss by Black landowners. President, Landowners Association of Texas – sponsor of Annual Black Farmers Conference and supporter of student agricultural projects. Past Chairman of Harris County Appraisal Board Panel, Monitor for Texas Education Agency, and former Assistant Superintendent of Houston ISD. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2014

Susan Combs

of San Antonio was the first woman elected to the position of Texas Agriculture Commissioner in 1998. Combs reduced the Texas Department of Agriculture’s budget by 18 percent while igniting economic growth, promoting Texas products, and launching one of the strongest school nutrition policies in the nation. She has a ranching operation in Brewster County on the same ranch owned by her great-grandfather more than a century ago. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2010

FRANCES RICHMOND COOPER

Of Mercedes, began her career in December 1954 as the secretary to the manager of Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show (RGVLS). In 1959, she became manager of the Show and remained in that position until she retired in 1986. Frances was a key factor in the rise of the RGVLS, becoming one of 10 largest livestock shows in Texas. She received many awards and recognitions from local, state, and national organizations for her work in connection with the Fair and livestock show industries. Some of her most prized awards include: 4-H Club Leader, the International Association of Fairs & Expositions Heritage Award, and the Texas Association of Fairs & Events Lifetime Achievement Award.

Frances Cooper was born in Jamesport, Missouri on July 20, 1920 to Forest Garvey and Libbie Hess Richmond.  As a small child the family moved to a farm north of Mercedes, Texas. She graduated from Mercedes High School in 1937.

During World War II, she lived in Alexandria, Virginia for five years, where she managed a large apartment complex and worked for the Ration Board. After the war, she lived in Vancouver, Washington for one year. She returned to the Rio Grande Valley, where she spent the remaining years of her life living in Mercedes, La Feria, and Santa Rosa.

Frances went to work for the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show in December of 1954 as secretary to the manager, and in 1954, became the first show manager. She remained in that position until she retired in 1986.

Frances was a key factor in the rise of the RGVLS Show to its position of being one of 10 largest livestock shows in Texas. She was the heart and soul of the RGVLS. She was loved and respected by everyone that knew her, not only in the Rio Grande Valley, but throughout the state of Texas.

Upon retirement as manager, she was elected to the RGVLS Board of Directors, where she served until the time of her death. Frances received many awards and recognitions from local, state and national organizations for her work in connection with fair and livestock industries. Her most prized awards were those given by the Texas Future Farmers of America, and those received in recognition of her service as 4-H Club Leader.

In 2004, the International Association of Fairs and Expositions at their annual convention in Las Vegas presented her with the prestigious Heritage Award for her efforts as a volunteer, promoting not only the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, but also fairs and livestock shows across the United States. The Texas Association of Fairs and Events, where she served 13 years as executive secretary, awarded her with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.

RGVLS President Emeritus D. V. Guerra once said, “Frances’s love of children and passion for her work were her defining attributes. She was a fantastic woman and a jack of all trades. She loved youth and she loved agriculture. She did so much for our youth of the Rio Grande Valley. She was an icon here in the Valley and will truly be missed not only by the RGVLS but by her family, her friends and the people that knew her throughout her life.”

Frances Richmond Cooper passed away on October 4, 2009.

Roy B. Davis

of Lubbock envisioned the Southern Plains as the cotton capital of the world. Beginning with his years as a county agent and cooperative banker to his nearly 30-year role as CEO of the world’s largest cotton oil mill, Davis advocated farm laws, farm credit and rural youth programs. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2002

Eligio "Kika" De La Garza

of McAllen served as the U.S. Representative from Texas’ 15th District from 1964 until his retirement in 1998. He chaired the House Committee on Agriculture from 1981-1994. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2002

Isaac Leonard Ellwood

of Colorado City and Lubbock worked on barbed wire patents with Joseph F. Glidden and established Superior Barbed Wire Co. in DeKalb, Illinois, in 1881. He later moved to Texas, where he developed the Renderbrook Ranch near Colorado City and the Spade Ranch northwest of Lubbock. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

Dr. Edward B. Evans, Sr.

of Prairie View was the first licensed black veterinarian in Texas, and after a distinguished career in agricultural education, he served as president of Prairie View A & M College from 1946 to 1967. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

Harold M. Freeman

Harold M. Freeman was an American success story, born to immigrant parents in 1889, and raised in Seguin with his two brothers, Joe and Clarence. “Mr. Harry” was a driving force in Texas business and agriculture for much of the 20th Century, and his legacy of philanthropy continues to this day.

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Charles Goodnight

of Clarendon is best known today for his legendary cattle drive that provided the model for Larry McMurtry’s best-seller, “Lonesome Dove.” He established the JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle, which by 1888, covered 600,000 acres and ran 63,000 head of cattle. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

J. Evetts Haley

of Midland called on his personal experience as a cowboy, ranch manager and ranch owner to write books about the cattle industry including The XIT Ranch of Texas and Charles Goodnight: Cowman and Plainsman. He collected thousands of books and articles about ranching. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

J. Walter Hammond

was known as the “Father of the Texas Farm Bureau” serving as president for 18 years. He invented and performed the first scientific terracing of land in Taylor County and is credited with revolutionizing the method of building stock tanks to alleviate siltation. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2008

Cornelius Taylor Herring

of Amarillo was a native Texan and pioneer cattleman. He was actively involved in the first gas well in the Texas panhandle. Herring was the first president of the Tri-State Fair and West Texas Chamber of Commerce and built Amarillo’s Herring Hotel. He was an active member of the Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, Inc. for 40 years. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2012

William S. Ikard

of Henrietta trailed his herds north, and on one of these drives he passed through the Wichita Falls area where he would eventually build his range to 187,000 acres. Ikard is credited with bringing the first Hereford to Texas in 1876. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2004

Morgan Jones

left his home in Wales and sought his fortune in railroad construction. He sailed to the United States in 1866 and was hired by the Union Pacific Railroad as foreman of a construction crew. His expertise in rapid construction became legendary. Jones is considered a local hero in Fort Worth for completing the Texas and Pacific line to the city of 1,600 residents. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2010

John S. Justin, Jr.

of Fort Worth served as president of the Justin Boot Company from 1952-1968, during which time he instituted major changes in policies, product line and marketing to build the company founded by his grandfather into a national firm. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

Elmer Kelton

of San Angelo is an acclaimed and prolific writer of western fiction. He chronicled the great West Texas Drought of the 1950s as a reporter and later wrote The Time It Never Rained, described as one of the best western novels of all time. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2000

John H. Kirby

of Houston was known as the “Prince of the Pines.” He founded the Kirby Lumber Company in 1901 and served as president of what became one of the largest manufacturers of southern pine in the United States. Kirby served two terms in the Texas legislature. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2008

Robert Justice Kleberg Jr.

of Kingsville took over the management of the massive King Ranch in 1932. During his 56 years at the helm, the King Ranch expanded globally creating a cattle empire that encompassed 13,000,000 acres. He developed the first truly American breed of beef cattle, the Santa Gertrudis. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

T.A. Kincaid, Jr.

Of Ozona, Texas was a rancher, leader, and instrumental in the start-up of Screw-Worm Eradication Program; considered one of the most important developments in Texas agriculture in the 20^th century. Following in his father’s footsteps, he led the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association for two terms as president.

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Herbert L. Kokernot, Sr.

of Fort Davis took over his father’s holdings in the Davis Mountain country of far West Texas in 1897 and invested in land until the O6 Ranch sprawled over 300,000 acres. Kokernot was a staunch supporter of Sul Ross State University in Alpine. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1996

Herbert L. Kokernot, Jr.

of Fort Davis managed the 06 Ranch, long recognized as one of the finest and most unique operations in the country, for 50 years. Cattle on the 06 are worked in the traditional way on an open range. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1996

LAURENCE M. LASATER

Of San Angelo, introduced Beefmaster cattle breed in Mexico. Recipient of 2000 Beefmaster Breeders United (BBU) “Breeder of the Year” award. Past Chairman of Isa Cattle Company and has promoted Beefmasters around the world since 1964. Isa Cattle Company sells genetics worldwide, being instrumental in dissemination of the Beefmaster breed in South America and South Africa as well.

Laurence M. Lasater was born October 21, 1941 in San Antonio, Texas.  He is the oldest son of Tom and Mary Lasater, who were the founders of the Beefmaster Breed.

In 1947, Tom bought a ranch in Matheson, Colorado, east of Colorado Springs. The family moved there permanently two years later in 1949. Laurie attended grade school in Matheson, followed by Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs, and graduated from Lawrenceville High School in 1959, and Princeton University in 1963.

After military service, Laurie married Annette Nixon in 1964, and moved to Coahuila, Mexico with 35 Beefmaster cows, received as a wedding gift from his parents. These cows, and others acquired later, became the foundation herd of the breed in Mexico. In 1967, with backing from a group of investors in Midland, the Lasaters purchased the Santa Cruz Ranch in Coahuila, which consisted of 31,500 acres. Their two children were born in Mexico – Laurence M. Lasater, Jr. in 1968, and Annette Isabel Lasater in 1971.

The ranch was sold in 1974, and the Lasaters moved to San Angelo, Texas, where they established another Beefmaster herd and founded Isa Cattle Co., known for its annual bull sale and international sale of Beefmaster semen and embryos.

In addition to living in Mexico for ten years, Laurie has traveled extensively to Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and South Africa, promoting the Beefmaster breed. He also is the author of The Lasater Philosophy of Cattle Raising, which was first published by the University of Texas at El Paso in 1971 and is now in its 16^th edition. It has been translated into different languages, including Spanish and Russian.

Laurie has served as an elder of the First Presbyterian Church.  He was elected President of the Foundation Beefmaster Association and Director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers.  In 2019, he was inducted into the Beefmaster Hall of Fame.

Annette and Laurie have two married children, five grandchildren and one great grandson.  Their children, Lorenzo and Isabel and their spouses, have since acquired the family business and continue their family’s heritage today.

Tom Lasater

of Falfurrias developed the Beefmaster breed of cattle, a cross of superior Shorthorn, Hereford and Brahman bloodlines. He advocated a practical approach to cattle selection and beef production and was widely recognized for his ecologically sound range and wildlife management practices. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2004

George Washington Littlefield

of Austin was a successful frontier merchant, planter, banker, pioneer cattleman and philanthropist. His extensive West Texas holdings included the LIT in Oldham Co. and LFD (Yellowhouse) in Lamb Co. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

Watkins Reynolds Matthews

of Albany was a widely recognized conservationist of land, wildlife, historic structures and western values. He devoted his life to caring for Lambshead, his ranch in West Texas, and preserving the cowboy’s way of life. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

John Louis Merrill

of Crowley is a fourth-generation Texas rancher who served more than 30 years as the director of the ranch management program and also held the Burnett Ranches professorship at Texas Christian University. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1998

Robert Lee "Bob" Miers

of Del Rio devoted 90 years of his life to the Texas sheep industry. He was one of first ranchers in Val Verde County to depend totally on sheep and was instrumental in developing the Del Rio Wool and Mohair Company. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

Thomas Volney Munson

of Denison was one of the greatest viticulturists the world has ever known. A successful commercial nurseryman and the acknowledged authority on native wild grapes, he was awarded membership in the French Legion of Honor for producing resistant stocks to restore the infested vineyards of France. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor –1996

Wade Lewis Pennington

of Grapeland began a 70 year career in farming and ranching after serving in the U.S. Army. He is legendary in East Texas for growing a small watermelon patch into a nationwide business. He was an award winning peanut farmer and cattle rancher. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2010

Jim L Peterson

Of Corpus Christi, former President and CEO of Whataburger, Inc. – one of the largest beef users and producers in the U.S. and the only fully integrated foodservice company raising and contracting beef cattle from calf through meat processing. Innovator who integrated the entire agriculture linkage from fields and pastures to consumer’s mouths. Past President of the National Restaurant Association. Raised cattle and quarter horses. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2014

Abel Head "Shanghai" Pierce

of Wharton County was a pioneer cattleman who determined that ticks were the cause of Texas Fever. He imported tick-resistant Indian Brahman cattle to Texas, which furnished the base stock for today’s Brahman and Brahman Cross herds. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2000

Lonnie A. "Bo" Pilgrim

of Pittsburg is co-founder and chairman of the board of Pilgrim’s Pride Corp, the second-largest poultry producer in the United States, the largest in Puerto Rico and the second-largest in Mexico. The company processes approximately six billion pounds of poultry and 40 million dozen table eggs each year. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2006

Dr. Alfred Nelson Poindexter

of Prairie View was a professor of veterinary medicine at the Prairie View A&M University in a teaching career that spanned six decades. In 1992, the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture named him one of four Outstanding Black Agriculturalists in the state. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1996

Charles William Post

Of Post City, established Postum Cereal Company in 1894. Experimented with various farming methods and invented machinery that included the plow blade, cultivator, harrow, hay stacker, and seed planter. He was crucial in the formation of Double U Ranch in Garza County (1906-07), introduced Aberdeen Angus Cattle, and created Post City as a self-sufficient agricultural town. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2014

James L. Powell

of Ft. McKavett is a rancher and banker. He is a former president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers Association and the National Wool Growers Association. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2008

Foy Proctor

of Midland formed a cattle-buying partnership that led to purchasing 10,000-15,000 head of cattle annually for shipment to Nebraska following WWI. He later bought ranches in Arizona and New Mexico and a large part of the famed XIT Ranch in the Texas Panhandle. He was an early Brangus breeder. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2006

B.J. Pryor

of Tyler worked as an East Texas country extension agent for more than 40 years assisting agricultural producers, especially limited resource farmers and ranchers. His innovative fisheries programs include catfish stocking techniques which are now used in farm ponds throughout the southern United States. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2000

Col. Ike T. Pryor

of San Antonio drove thousands of head of cattle up the Chisholm Trail, and with the money earned from these drives invested in the cattle business. He developed 100,000 acres into the famed 77 Ranch on the Nueces River in Zavala County. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2006

J. Roy Quinby

of Chillicothe was affectionately known as “Mr. Sorghum.” He developed a system to produce hybrid sorghum seed, and the results were pivotal: U.S. yield tripled, Texas emerged as a major feed grain-producing state and a commercial seed industry evolved. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2004

Clarence Scharbauer, Sr.

was manager of the Scharbauer Cattle Company at the age of 22. He was the founder and director of the First National Bank of Midland and served as president of the local and West Texas Chambers of Commerce. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2002

Charles Armand Schreiner

of Kerrville was a rancher, Texas Ranger, merchant, banker, civic leader and philanthropist. Schreiner was known as the “Father of the Hill Country,” and he helped establish the agricultural loan process through his bank. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1998

Charles G. Scruggs

of Dallas joined the staff of The Progressive Farmer in 1947. He went on to become editor-in-chief. During his long tenure with the popular publication, he authored more than 500 articles and used his vast knowledge of agricultural production, policy and leadership to educate his readers. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2006

William M. (Bill) Sims

of Dallas joined the staff of The Progressive Farmer in 1947. He went on to become editor-in-chief. During his long tenure with the popular publication, he authored more than 500 articles and used his vast knowledge of agricultural production, policy and leadership to educate his readers. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2006

Christopher Columbus Slaughter

of Dallas, known as the “Cattle King of Texas,” at one time controlled over 1,000,000 acres of ranch land and held more than 40,000 head of cattle. He founded the Texas & Southwest Cattle Raisers Association and co-founded Baylor Hospital. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1994

John B. Slaughter

of Sabine County started out with 30 or 40 head given to him by his father and spent a lifetime becoming one of the best known and respected cattleman in the state. He moved his brand, the “U Lazy S,” to Garza County in 1901 and, in 1907, sold 50,000 acres to C.W. Post, cereal magnate and town developer for the town of Post to be built. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2010

Bob Stallman

Of Columbus, was the first Texan to be elected president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Holds numerous recognitions including the Texas Farm Bureau’s highest honor – the Distinguished Service Award, Texas A&M University’s 2008 Distinguished Texas Agriculture, and the 2009 Texas A&M “Friend of Agriculture” award. Instrumental in shaping the current farm bill, holding off implementation of cap and trade legislation, and opposed increased regulations on the agricultural industry. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2014

Wenzel Louis Stangel

helped establish an agricultural school at Lubbock’s newly-chartered Texas Technological College in the early 1920s. He headed the animal husbandry department, and from 1945-1958, served as dean of the school of agriculture. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2004

Charles W. Stenholm

of Abilene was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for 13 consecutive terms (1979-2005) where he was a ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee. He served in leadership roles with the Texas Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau Federation, Plains Cotton Growers and national Cotton Council. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2008

Hallie Crawford Stillwell

of Alpine was a rancher, writer and West Texas legend. Mrs. Stillwell managed to hang onto the family ranch through tragedies and hard times by working as a journalist, justice of the peace, storekeeper and operator of an RV park. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1998

Svante Magnus (S.M.) Swenson

from Sweden immigrated to the US in 1836. In 1854, he purchased large land tracts in the rolling plains of West Texas. He later leased the southern lands to his sons to begin a ranching operation. Swenson Bros. partnership was formed in 1882. The Swenson family efforts through the years spurred economic development in the once unsettled territory and resulted in the establishment of the town of Stamford in 1900. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2012

Ann Burnett Tandy

of Fort Worth was the granddaughter of Samuel Burk Burnett, founder of the famed 6666 Ranch. After her father died, she ran four huge ranches in Texas and Oklahoma and began a new program of breeding quarter horses for racing. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

Dr. T.D. Tanksley, Jr.

Dr. T.D. Tanksley, Jr. received his B.S. in Agriculture Education, and graduated as Valedictorian of his class in 1947 from Texas A&M College. He served Llano County influencing the lives of Llano county producers and students for the next ten years, first as Vocational Agricultural teacher, then in 1954 as County Agricultural Agent. His efforts in Llano County earned him recognition as one of the Five Outstanding Young Texans in 1956 by the Texas Junior Chamber of Commerce. In December, 1956 he joined the staff of the Texas A & M College of Animal Science Department as Extension Swine Specialist while working towards his doctorate. In 1968, he received his Ph D degree in Biochemistry and Nutrition from Texas A&M University. He then assumed leadership of the Department of Animal Science swine research and teaching program at Texas A & M University in addition to part-time Texas Agricultural Extension Service responsibilities. That same year he was promoted to Associate Professor, then to professor in 1973.

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T.L.L. "Tom" Temple

of Diboll purchased 7,000 acres of virgin timber in 1893 and organized the Southern Pine Lumber Company, the forerunner of Temple Industries. The pioneer lumberman’s goal was to establish a permanent operation that depended on a sustained yield forest policy. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1998

Dr. Joe Townsend

S.M. True, Jr.

of Plainview was elected president of the Texas Farm Bureau for ten consecutive terms. He served on committees tackling issues ranging from cotton, the beef industry, farmworkers’ insurance, immigration and agricultural development and the U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 2002

Daniel Waggoner

of Vernon established near Decatur what eventually would become one of the greatest cattle ranches and the greatest oil fields in Texas. At the time of his death in 1902, “D. Waggoner and Son” owned 80,000 cattle and 525,000 acres. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

W.T. "Tom" Waggoner

of Vernon grew up in the world of cattle ranching. In 1923, he formed what is now the W.T. Waggoner Estate, still owned and operated today by family members. He pushed for the legalization of paramutual racing and built Arlington Downs Race Track in 1934. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

W.R. "Billy Bob" Watt

of Fort Worth was named to the board of the Fort Worth Stock Show (now the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show) in 1945. He was elected president the following year and added the role of manager in 1950, presiding over an era of unparalleled growth in programming and facilities. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1996

W.R. "Bob" Watt, Jr.

of Fort Worth assumed the title of president of the Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show upon his father’s death in 1977. During his tenure, show entries increased to more than 18,000 head, and the rodeo became one of the premier stops on the circuit. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1996

Mary Nan West

of San Antonio was the first woman to serve as president and chairman of the board of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition. She was instrumental in creating the Exposition Scholarship Fund for students pursuing agricultural education. Texas Heritage Hall of Honor – 1992

Clayton Wheat Williams, Sr.

Clayton Wheat Williams, engineer, military officer, geologist, oilman, rancher, civic leader, historian, and philanthropist. The fourth child of Sallie (Wheat) and Oscar Waldo Williams, was born in an officers’ building of the abandoned Fort Stockton in the town of Fort Stockton, Texas, on April 15, 1895. He attended Fort Stockton public school and Texas A&M, where he obtained a degree in electrical engineering in 1915. During the next two years he worked as an electrician for a mining company in New Mexico.

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Roy C. Coffee, Jr.

Roy C. Coffee, Jr. graduated from the University of Texas in 1959 with a degree in Business Administration. In 1961, he received a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

Coffee was a practicing attorney with the firm of Coffee & Coffee in Dallas for 57 years and was licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, and by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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James E. “Pete” Laney

Of Hale Center, a multi-generational cotton farmer in west Texas also previously served in the Texas House of Representatives for 34 years, including five terms as Speaker of the House. During Laney’s tenure as Speaker, the legislature enacted the most comprehensive water plan in Texas history, invested the state’s record budget surplus in public education, children’s health care, and tax cuts, passed legislation providing health care coverage for Texas public school teachers and created the Office of Rural Community Affairs to address the needs of rural Texans.

Jim Prewitt

Of Kirbyville, served as founder, president and CEO of Landmark Nurseries, Inc. Prewitt, along with his wife of 58 years, Paula, built the company into one of the largest wholesale grower/distributors in Texas. A tireless proponent of giving back, Prewitt enriched the lives of young Texans through his philanthropic commitments and service. His generous support for FFA, 4-H, the State Fair of Texas, and many other youth livestock shows afforded hundreds of kids’ financial scholarships to attend universities across Texas and the United States.