Long Valley pioneer, Jacob McKissick created a large ranching empire in Lassen and Washoe counties. It would all come crashing down with his death in 1900. McKissick was a life-long bachelor, so there was a lot of speculation as to who would receive what. The bulk of his estate he left to his nephew, Benjamin Howard McKissick, who had a spent the greater portion of his life working for his uncle. Of course, this did not set well with other family members, and lawsuits were filed to contest the will. In 1903, Benjamin Howard McKissick could no longer handle the stress of these conflicts and committed suicide in a most painful way, by swallowing carbolic acid. This event, of course, created even more estate litigation.
On February 4, 1914, H.G. Humphrey, W.H. Moffat and J.L. Humphrey. incorporated as the McKissick Cattle Company. They slowly began purchasing many of the McKissick Estate properties. In 1926, J. L. Humphrey went solo, and part of the dissolution process he took possession of the McKissick Ranch in Secret Valley, and holdings at Amedee. Humphrey had two children—Jack and Lucille. Jack would inherit Amedee, Lucille married Hugh French and received the Secret Valley property.