H. L. Hunt

Who was H. L. Hunt?

Haroldson Lafayette "H. L." Hunt, Jr., known throughout his life as "H. L. Hunt," was a Texas oil tycoon and political activist. By trading poker winnings for oil rights, he ultimately secured title to much of the East Texas Oil Field, one of the world's largest oil deposits. From it and his other acquisitions, he accrued a fortune that was among the world's largest; at the time of his death, he was reputed to have the highest net worth of any individual in the world. His personal life, which featured many children by three wives, was among the chief inspirations for the television series Dallas, whose character J.R. Ewing was largely based on popular perceptions of Hunt. The Texas city of Hunt is named after him.