Who was William Herbert Hunt? Texas Flood claims life of oil baron’s 9-year-old great granddaughter

The tragic floods that ravaged Texas in early July have taken many lives, including the great granddaughter of the late oil magnate William Herbert Hunt, nine-year-old Janie Hunt. Janie was supposedly present at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Kerr County, when the area was swept up in catastrophic floodwaters.

The Hunt family, with deep roots in the Texas industry and philanthropy, is now reeling from a new loss coming less than two years after the death of William Herbert Hunt in 2024 at the age of 95.

William Herbert Hunt was born in El Dorado, Arkansas, on March 6, 1929, into the storied Hunt oil family. The son of H.L. Hunt, one of America’s earliest oil drillers, Herbert made his way in the petroleum world.

1/ Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt were two of the wealthiest persons in the world in the late 1970s.

They were sons of Texas oil billionaire Haroldson Lafayette Hunt, Jr. pic.twitter.com/s2d5hacRq5

— . (@TheMrMoneySmart) February 4, 2021

After graduating from Washington and Lee University with a degree in geology in 1951, Hunt joined the family business and went on to establish Petro-Hunt LLC, one of the 10 largest privately owned petroleum companies in the United States.

According to Yahoo Finance, during his career, Hunt also played a key part in the discovery of major oil deposits in the Sarir Field in Libya in 1961, as well as oil finds in the North Sea during the 1970s.

His legacy included far more than just oil and gas, as he played a crucial role in real estate development across Texas and beyond.

Hunt was widely regarded in his industry, including as the president of the Dallas Wildcat Committee, the chairman of the National Ocean Industries Association, and on the board of the American Petroleum Institute. He was a member of Hart Energy’s Hall of Fame and the last survivor of the original All-American Wildcatters.

A look into Janie Hunt's recent death and William Herbert Hunt's family

William Herbert Hunt was married for 72 years to his wife, Nancy Jane Broaddus, whom he wed in 1951, and they had five children together. The couple had dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Janie Hunt, whose death has renewed attention on the family’s legacy.

According to recent reports, at least 82 people have died in catastrophic flooding that has swept the Texas Hill Country, including 15 children.

Janie Hunt, who was at Camp Mystic for the first time and was with six cousins, was among those who died. Her family announced her passing and referred to her as a shining, happy little girl.

FLOODING: So many families we know are in mourning. Just overwhelming. Chiefs owner Clark Hunt’s family lost 9 year old Janie Hunt in the flood at Camp Mystic. https://t.co/h7jQHDq5Sf

— @amuse (@amuse) July 6, 2025

Clark Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, and a relative of Janie’s, along with his wife, Tavia Hunt, professed heartbreak at the loss and announced a $500,000 donation to aid the region in flood relief.

"Our hearts are broken by the devastation from the floods in Wimberley and the tragic loss of so many lives — including a precious little Hunt cousin, along with several friend’s little girls." Tavia Hunt wrote in an Instagram story.

While the Hunt family grieves this loss, Texans and people all around the world are remembering William Herbert Hunt’s legacy and expressing their support towards the Hunt family.