Raised by entrepreneurial parents Mary and Washington West, George Washington West became a successful businessman who left a lasting impact on Live Oak County. The West family moved from West Point, Tennessee, to Texas in 1854, settled in Sweet Home, and created the foundation for their sons to build a ranching empire in South Texas. Born in Tennessee in 1851 but raised in Texas, George West learned cattle work young, could work cattle by age ten, and went on his first cattle drive at sixteen. He was also well educated, and his skills in writing and math later supported his business success. West took part in every aspect of the cattle business, from raising cattle to accounting, and became especially known for leading teams of cowboy drovers and thousands of steers from South Texas to railheads in Kansas and beyond. In the post-Civil War economy, cattle drives became the most practical way to reach midwestern markets because shipping livestock was difficult and costly. George West also helped shape Live Oak County; in 1913, he donated land, $100,000, and thirteen miles of railroad right-of-way through his ranch to establish the city of George West.