Origins & Early Life

Haroldson Lafayette Hunt Jr. (February 17, 1889 – November 29, 1974) was an American oil tycoon and the founding patriarch of the Hunt business dynasty. Most likely through money he gained by speculating in oil leases (though legend claims it was poker winnings), he gradually secured title to much of the East Texas Oil Field, one of the world's largest oil deposits. His first such land purchase was from oil speculator Columbus Marion Joiner for $30,000, and he founded Hunt Oil in 1936.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

From that acquisition and others including diverse interests in publishing, cosmetics, pecan farming, and health food producers, he accrued a fortune which was among the world's largest. In the 1950s, his Facts Forum Foundation supported far-right newspaper columns and radio programs, some of which he authored and produced himself, and for which he became known. At the time of his death, he was reputed to have one of the highest net worths of any individual in the world, estimated between $2 billion and $3 billion. Hunt was born near Ramsey in Carson Township, Illinois, the youngest of eight children. He was named after his father, Haroldson Lafayette Hunt, who was a prosperous farmer-entrepreneur...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Anna Akhmatova — Contemporary (Born in 1889) (1889): A seminal Russian poet whose work chronicled the trauma of the Soviet era.
• Anne Lee Guinness — Contemporary (Died in 1889) (1889): Irish philanthropist known for establishing nursing homes and supporting the poor in Dublin.
• António de Oliveira Salazar — Contemporary (Born in 1889) (1889): Portuguese academic and economist who established the authoritarian Estado Novo regime.
• Adria Petty — Contemporary (Born in 1974) (1974): American director, editor, and artist known for music video work with Beyoncé.
• Alanis Morissette — Contemporary (Born in 1974) (1974): Iconic singer-songwriter known for raw emotion and confessional alt-rock anthems.
• Charles Lindbergh — Contemporary (Died in 1974) (1974): Pioneering aviator famous for the first solo transatlantic flight.
• Adolphe Quetelet — Shared historical date (02-17 · Died) (1874): Pioneering Belgian statistician, founder of anthropometry, and social scientist.
• Andrzej Żuławski — Shared historical date (02-17 · Died) (2016): Pioneering Polish film director, celebrated for intense art-house cinema.
• Béla IV of Hungary — Shared historical date (11-29 · Born) (1206): King of Hungary and Croatia, known for rebuilding the state after Mongol devastation.
• C. S. Lewis — Shared historical date (11-29 · Born) (1898): Influential British author, theologian, and scholar known for Narnia and Christian apologetics.
• 1889 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1889
• February 17 (02-17) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 17
• 1974 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1974
• November 29 (11-29) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 29