WILLIAM M. KIMBRELL

 The following bio was taken from page 268 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of Texas

 In February 1937, W. M. “Slim” Kimbrell, his wife and their four children left Wortham, Texas and traveled in their 1930 Dodge coupe with Laura’s brother, Roy T. Bunch, to Carlisle in Rusk County, now know as Price, Texas.

 William McKinley “Slim” Kimbrell, born in Limestone County, Texas on January 16, 1903, was the first son of Timothy Roscoe Kimbrell born in 1875 in Alabama, and Dela Ann Tidwell Kimbrell, born in 1878 in Alabama.

 Laura May Bunch Kimbrell, born in Limestone County, Texas on August 2, 1911, was the first child of John Thomas Bunch born in 1890 in Texas and Hattie Gertrude Crewshaw Bunch, born in 1892 in Alabama.

 Slim Kimbrell married Eva Sheets in 1924.  They had one daughter, Lela Belle, who was born January 31, 1926.  She later married W. C. Ervin.  Eva S. Kimbrell died March 2, 1926.

 Slim Kimbrell’s second marriage was to Laura Bunch, December 2, 1928, in Dawson, Texas, Navarro County.  Three children were born to Slim and Laura in Wortham, Texas, Freestone County:  Katie Mae, January 19, 1930.  She married G. W. Ivey; Maud Dean, born December 20, 1932, married B. R. Norman; and Kenneth Allen, born December 18, 1934, married JoAnn Berry.

 Slim was a carpenter by trade.  He worked out of Mr. Wooten’s lumberyard in Carlisle.  He rented a one-room “tent” with rolled roof, canvas sides, and a wood floor, located on the Horace Burton farm, for $5 a month.  Water was provided in the yard from a spigot and the toilet facilities consisted of a “one-holer” out back.

Slim brought his family and household goods, consisting of : a wood-burning stove, two full beds, a crib, a dresser, a trunk, a kitchen cabinet, two wash tubs, a black wash pot, a table, and six cane-bottomed chairs to Carlisle in February 1937.

 On March 16, 1937, another son, Donnie Ray, was born.  Donnie Ray married Darlene Scott.  Then twin sons were born to Slim and Laura on April 8, 1940.  Johnnie, one of the twins, married Deanne Wetzel, and Lonnie, the other twin, married Joyce Hardin.  A daughter Lela Margaret was born November 8, 1942 to Slim and Laura, she later married J. C. Spencer.  All these children were born on the Burton place.

 Slim purchased the “tent” for $20 and paid $1 ground rent in 1937.  He added two rooms plus a shower room.  In 1945 the “house” was moved to two acres on the M. Schuyler’s farm which Slim had leased.  Six months later he purchased the original two, plus ten more acres for $600.

 The last two children were born in Henderson Hospital:  Annie Marie who was born October 7, 1945 and married Michael Doan; and Thomas Roscoe who was born April 17, 1948, and he later married Patsy Haynes.  All ten of Slim and Laura Kimbrell’s children graduated from Carlisle High School.

 Slim continued in the carpentry trade plus fruit peddling after the peach orchard they had planted in 1947 started to produce.  He operated a fruit stand in Henderson on South Highway 79 from 1960 until 1962.

 Having acquired an additional three and three-fourth’s acres, Slim and Laura built a new home in 1968, and the old house was sold and moved.  

 William M. “Slim” Kimbrell died on May 19, 1971 and is buried in Duncan Cemetery.

 Laura Kimbrell, the Traveling Grannie, continues to live on their home place and is active in the Carlisle Baptist Church, where she has been the church custodian since 1963.  On August 2, 1981, Laura celebrated her seventieth birthday with her family and friends attending.

 Submitted by Deanne Kimbrell