First Court in Kimble County

In the spring of 1876, the first court in Kimble County was held at Old Kimbleville under a live oak tree with a hive of wild bees in its trunk, at a site that had been suggested as the county seat. District Judge W. A. Blackburn of Burnet arrived by horseback, and Frank Wilks served as district attorney. The jury sat on two logs, another log served as the judge's bench, and a piece of gnarled live oak limb was used as the gavel. Prisoners awaiting trial were chained to nearby trees, the major trials involved horse thefts, and Texas Rangers were present to testify and guard the court during a lawless era.

Texas · United States