XIT Ranch (Tex.)

In 1879, the Sixteenth Texas Legislature appropriated three million acres of land to finance a new state capitol building and established the XIT Ranch to utilize the land until its sale.

The $5 million dollars necessary to develop the ranch were provided by wealthy British investors and largely managed by the Capitol Syndicate. Though ultimately intended for piecemeal sale, an initial survey of the acreage recommended immediate fencing and stocking with cattle. The syndicate appointed Colonel B. H. ⁰"Barbecue" Campbell, an experienced rancher and breeder from Wichita, Kansas, as the XIT's first general manager. In 1887, reports of inconsistencies in the ranch's management, including inferior cattle and the presence of outlaws on the range, led to an investigation by state senator Avery L. Matlock. Consequently, Campbell resigned and returned to Kansas. In January 1888, Albert G. Boyce became general manager and insisted on strict adherence to the syndicate's prohibitions against gambling, drinking alcohol, abusing stock, and killing cattle without permission. Under his management, the XIT reached peak production with 150 employed cowboys, who branded 35,000 calves in one year. In the 1890s, the Capitol Syndicate began selling off the land to purchasers including George W. Littlefield, William E. Halsell, and John M. Shelton. The last parcel sold in 1963.

Source:

Anderson, H. Allen. "XIT Ranch." Handbook of Texas Online. Accessed March 15, 2011.

From the description of XIT Ranch, Records, 1885-1889, [ca. 1936-1937] (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 772527557