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Edith L. Crawford,
ilarrIzozo, N. Max.
PIONFZR STORY
William E. Kimbrell,
Carrizozo, N. Max.
Words 597 AUG 9 -1938
I was born at Picadho, Lincoln County, New Mexico, on
.Tuly 16, 1877, and have lived all of my life in Lincoln County.
I attended the public schools near home and for one term of
nine months I went to the New Mexico Military Institute, at
Roswell New Mexico. I was the youngest son of George and Paul-
ita (Romero) Kimbrell. My father was born in Huntsville Arkansas,
March 31, 1842. He went to Colorado with the Pike's Peak Crowd
in 1859, with two of his friends. They traveled by freight wa-
gons, and paid for their board and transportation by doing odd
jobs for the freighters. He got sick while working in Colorado
and in 1860 he left there to come to New Mexico. He came on an
ox train and landed in Las Vegas New Mexico. He did any kind
of work he was able to do there until be regained his health.
He left there in 1663 and came to Fort Stanton, New Mexico,
and worked there for awhile as a government scout. In 1864
he squatted on a place on the Chaves Flats, about twelve miles
east of Lincoln, New Mexico, where he farmed and raised cattle.
He raised lots of corn and freighted it to Fort Stanton by ox team
and sold it for ten dollars a fanega,(which was one hundred and
fifty pounds). The Indians stole all his cattle but his oxen
and he had to do all of his farm work and plowing with his oxen.
He married my mother in 1664. My mother's people came from Manzano
New Mexico to Lincoln, but I do not remember the date. My father
and mother lived on the Chaves Flats until 1677 when they moved
to Picea°, New Mexico, and homesteaded on one hundred and
sixty acres. He lived on this place until be died on March
Edith L. Crawford, 2.
-Carrizozo, N. Mex.
,iords 597
4
25, 1924. He had lived in Lincoln County sixty-one years, at the
time of his death. He served as Justice of the Peace in his pre-
cinct for a great many years. He was elected sheriff of Lincoln
county and took oath of office on January 1, 1879 and served
until December 31, 1880. He succeeded George W. Peppin, who was
appointed by the County Commissioners in 1878 to fill out the
unexpired term of William Brady, who was killed by Billy the Kid,
The Lincoln County War was just about over when Father went in
office, but it was during his term that Billy the Kid came in
and surrendered. Father never took sides with either faction
during the war. He ran against Pat Garrett for sheriff in
November leeo and Pat Garrett defeated him by one hundred and
forty votes. There were only five hundred votes cast in this
election. I was married to VirGinia Romero on January 1,
1904. de have nine children, six girls and three boys, all
living in Lincoln County at this time. I have been County
Clerk of Lincoln County, serving for two terms, (eight years),
from January 1, 1905 to December 31, 1908. I was Probate Judge
for two terms, from January 1, 1915 to December 31, 1919, and
was County Assessor for two terms, from January 1, 1931 to
December 31, 1934. I have served as Deputy County Assessor for
the past four years. I still own the old homestead at Picacho
that my father filed on in 1877, and call it home, as I live
there when I am not working in the county seat of Lincoln
County.
NARRATOR: Killiam E. Kimbrell, Carrizozo, N.M. Aged 61 years.