William E. Kimbrell

William E. Kimbrell
Carrizozo, New Mexico
From the WPA Files of the Library of Congress
by Edith L. Crawford

I was born at Picacho, Lincoln County, New Mexico, on July 16, 1877, and have lived all of my life ln Lincoln County. I was the youngest son of George and Paulita (Romero) Kimbrell. My father and mother lived on the Chaves Flats until 1877 when they moved to Picacho, New Mexico, and homesteaded on one hundred and sixty acres. He lived on this place until he died on March 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 precinct 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 1880 and Pat Garrett defeated him by one hundred and forty votes. There were only five hundred votes cast in this election.