Bob Kleberg and The King Ranch A Worldwide Sea of Grass By John Cypher Signed

Description: Estate FindSigned First Edition"Bob Kleberg and the King RanchA Worldwide Sea of Grass"1995Elizabeth Stella Turcotte Collection We offer gently read first edition and signed copy of the John Cypher book "Bob Kleberg and The King Ranch A Worldwide Sea of Grass" The book is signed and inscribed to Mrs. Turcotte.As seen in the photographs there is discoloration to the cloth cover at the front upper edge. John CypherFrom "Remembering John Cypher" by Lucille KruseKingsville Record Nov 12 2016John Cypher, oldest of the Cypher children, spoke as his sister, Pat showed slides. He told of his father being a contented bachelor until in 1966 he met a tiny young lady with a bright sparkle and a charming accent, Patricia Riba. She was from a ranching family in Mexico.As Patricia related the meeting, while in the U.S., she and a friend came to visit the fabled King Ranch. Her uncle had bought a horse from the ranch. She wanted to see where the horse had come from. John was chosen to give them a tour. A long distance courtship followed. John and Patricia were married in Mexico City in 1971.John was from an early Kingsville family. His father owned stores and was prominent in the commerce of the town and was mayor of Kingsville from 1940 to 1948. John earned a degree in history and political science from Cornell University, returned to Kingsville and later studied agriculture at Texas A&M University. John was a rancher.For over 40 years John was with the King Ranch. He became the assistant to Bob Kleberg, distinctively known as "Mr. Bob." John later wrote a book, "BOB KLEBERG and the KING RANCH a worldwide sea of grass." John was the close associate during Mr. Bob's years as chief executive, architect and "overlord" of the domain. Mr. Bob was constantly searching for new and innovative ways to improve the ranch operation – the dipping vat for ticks, the addition of nutrients to the feed, bringing in new grasses and experimental cross breeding of the cattle.After the death of Bob Kleberg, James Clement, husband of Ida Larkin Clement of the King Ranch family became chief executive of King Ranch operations. John continued as assistant and helped familiarize the new leadership with the various procedures and world-wide holdings.When their children were older, Patricia was free to travel with John to the ranches outside the U.S. Her complete command of Spanish made her the interpreter in many of the Latin American countries and Spain.Together they traveled with James Clement and Ida in the ranch's private plane to multiple countries and ranches established by the King Ranch. They met rulers, royalty, high officials, dignitaries and famous people of the time. They were welcomed with festivities and flair. The journeys were an adventure. There were King Ranches in nine countries and five continents.The distinctive Santa Gertrudis breed of cattle developed by the King Ranch was introduced and promoted widely. It was John who made the contacts and arrangements as well as managing the large and small details for the travels. Later in writing his book, John paid tribute to numerous workers and people who were important in contributing to the ranch research, operation and success of the ranch.Mrs. Helen Kleberg Groves, ("Helenita"), daughter of Bob and Helen Kleberg, was in attendance and complimented John Cypher as being a great storyteller. This is shown in his book along with reading his tales of their travels, the people they met in foreign countries, those who visited the King Ranch and the workers who lived on the ranch and were a daily part of its life.Mrs. Groves told of the time King Mohammed the fifth of Moroco and his entourage visited Kingsville and stayed at the Main ranch house. Before his arrival, a suite was furnished with fine new furniture just for him.He was shown the room, walked through and onto the balcony, saw an iron cot and declared that is where he would sleep! He did and had his valet sleep curled up on the floor at the foot.In 1981, John and Patricia had the treasured honor of being invested into the Catholic Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. They were recommended by Bishop Drury of the Corpus Christi Diocese. In the following years John served as section representative with Bishop Gracida.It was an evening of remembering the life of John Cypher, a man who experienced and was a part of an era when big visions were achieved and lived, and great strides and improvements were made along side "Mr. Bob" and James Clement who operated the ranches on a scale never seen before. ProvenanceElizabeth Stella Turcotte(1939 - 2022) Elizabeth was a Carmelite Sister located in Blissfield, MI, and taught school at St. Cyril Methodius in Corpus Christi, TX. After leaving the Sisterhood, she obtained a nursing degree and worked as a nurse in Albuquerque, NM. After her retirement, she moved to Corpus Christi. She was the only daughter of Louis Edgar Turcotte Sr. and Elizabeth Anderson Turcotte. Louis Edgar Turcotte, Sr. was a prominent rancher in South Texas who managed the ranch lands within the 400,000 acre Kenedy Ranch held by his cousin Sarita Kenedy East, daughter of John Gregory Kenedy, Sr. and Marie Stella Turcotte Kenedy. John Gregory Kenedy, Sr. was the son of Mifflin Kenedy who with his friend and business partner, Richard King, first found wealth as steamboat captains on the Rio Grande and after the Civil War, they invested in land garnering thousands of acres of South Texas land. In popular fiction Edna Ferber based her novel “Giant” on the King Ranch and Colleen McCullough’s “The Thorn Birds” touched on Sarita Kenedy East’s friendship with Christopher Gregory, a Trappist monk known as Brother Leo, who became her advisor and traveling companion. After her death, Gregory unsuccessfully attempted in the courts to take control of her one hundred million dollar charitable foundation which he had guided in it’s creation. We are offering on eBay several items personally collected by Elizabeth Turcotte and items descended through the family which once graced the Big House on La Parra Ranch built by Mifflin Kenedy and the Turcotte ranch home of Louis Edgar and Elizabeth Anderson Turcotte, Sr..

Price: 240 USD

Location: Corpus Christi, Texas

End Time: 2025-01-04T16:22:36.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD