Texas culture has involved ranching for centuries. 

There are many pioneers that helped to make ranching the industry that it is today. 

One of the most important pioneers in Texas history was a man named Charles Goodnight.

Charles Goodnight was born in Illinois on March 5, 1836. He traveled 800 miles to central Texas with his mother, step-father, and siblings when he was just 10 years old. 

Charles loved the land around him. When he was a young boy he learned to hunt and ride horses. 

At age 11 he began working for neighbors on their farms and on plantations and when Charles was a teenager he worked as a jockey.

He enjoyed working outdoors and with animals. 

When Charles was 17 years old his mother married a Reverend named Adam Sheek. Adam's son, John Wesley Sheek, became Charles' work partner. 

Charles and John ran 400 head of cattle for ten years and eventually took them north to Palo Pinto County. 

After reaching Palo Pinto County, Charles began transporting cotton to south Texas. 

In 1860 when Charles was 24, he was a guide for a group of citizens that were in a fight against the nearby Indians.

Charles led the group to the tribes chief, whom they killed. 

Charles Goodnight and the group he was a part of continued fighting Native Americans during the Civil War. Charles was part of the Frontier Regiment; he helped protect the Northern and Western regions of Texas. He finished his service in 1864 and went back to Palo Pinto County. 

After the Civil War, Charles found that Native Americans had ran off about 2,000 of his cattle. He spent the years following the Civil War getting his cattle business back together. 

Charles ventured to New Mexico where he could sell his beef for more money. 

Charles organized a cattle drive with a man he made a partnership with in the late 1850s named Oliver Loving. This cattle drive went along the Pecos River from Fort Belknap to Fort Sumner. This route was named the Goodnight-Loving Trail. 

In the late 1860s, Charles would help with transporting cattle from New Mexico to Colorado and Wyoming. He would also sell cattle to many other ranchers. 

In 1870 Charles married a teacher named Molly Dyer in Hickman, Kentucky. For six years they lived together in Colorado. 

While living in Colorado, Charles and neighboring ranchers formed the states' first stock raisers' association.