H.L. HUNT

[Dealey Joe]

Haroldson Lafayette Hunt, Jr. (February 17, 1889 — November 29, 1974), known throughout his life as "H. L. Hunt," was a Texas oil tycoon and conservative activist. He built one of the world's largest fortunes by trading poker winnings for oil rights, ultimately securing title to much of the East Texas Oil Field, one of the world's very largest. Reputedly the wealthiest person in the world at the time of his death, his many children by three wives inspired the television series Dallas.Hunt was born near Ramsey, in Carson Township, Fayette County, Illinois, the youngest of eight children. He was named after his father, Haroldson Lafayette Hunt, who was a prosperous farmer-entrepreneur; his mother was Ella Rose (Myers) Hunt.He was educated at home, and as a teenager traveled to various places before settling in Arkansas, where he was running a cotton plantation by 1912. He had a reputation as a gambler. He ended up making his fortune in the oil business. In 1957 Fortune estimated that he had a fortune of between US $400 million and US $700 million, and was one of the eight richest people in the United States.Hunt married three times, and had fourteen children. His first wife was Lyda Bunker (died 1955), whom he married in Arkansas on November 26, 1914. They had six children, the best-known of whom are Bunker, Lamar and Herbert Hunt. In 1925, Hunt ("HL") married Frania Tye (who was unaware of HL's other wives) in Florida, and they had four children, including Hugh Hunt. When Frania learned of HL's other wives, they divorced in 1942. Hunt then had four more children with his mistress, a Hunt Oil Company secretary named Ruth Ray, whom he married in 1957.Hunt died, aged 85, in Dallas, Texas. He was buried there in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.