Texas Ranger Leo Bishop: His Legendary Life and Times . . . A Personal Glimpse

Leo Henderson Bishop (1903-1973) was among the first of the "new" Texas Rangers appointed by James V. Allred upon his inauguration as Governor of Texas in 1935. Two boxes of Bishop family memorabilia at the estate sale of Bishop Family Historian Bettye Bishop Robbins in 2016 provided the basis for this personal glimpse into her father's life, along with supportive articles from the San Augustine Tribune.

Of special interest in Bettye's collection were the transcribed Dictabelt tapes from an interview by Dr. Ben Proctor in 1968 at the Carta Valley, Texas ranch home of retired Texas Ranger Leo Bishop. Primary-source stories from those who lived them are always significant, especially when spoken in the unvarnished vernacular of the person doing the telling. Published in 1991 by Eakin Press, Dr. Proctor's Just One Riot, Episodes of Texas Rangers in the 20^th Century, included a Leo Bishop chapter.

Ranger Bishop's life story embodies all the traits that make him an icon within the annals of law enforcement: perseverance, honesty, seeking the truth, attention to detail, and a watchful eye.

BETTY OGLESBEE is a graduate of San Augustine schools and the University of Texas at Austin. A lifetime resident of San Augustine County in the Forest Trail Region of Texas, Betty and her late husband John Oglesbee chose their hometown of San Augustine to live and raise their four sons, Dr. John Oglesbee, Vance Oglesbee, Chris Oglesbee, and Forrest Oglesbee. Together, John and Betty authored six mostly regional history books. In 2014 Betty wrote Letters from Stella, a recounting of her friendship with world-renowned pediatric cardiologist Dr. Stella Van Praagh. The publication in 2021 of stories based on the life of the family's St. Bernard, entitled I'm Samson, Maybe a Dog, was the culmination of a long-planned promise fulfilled. Active in civic beautification and historical restoration projects over many years, Betty was the recipient of the Texas Historical Commission's Governor's Award for Historic Preservation in 2018, and the Texas Forest Country's Silver Bucket Award in 2019.

KIM WHITTON is a self-taught artist from the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada whose heart brought her to the Piney Woods of East Texas. She and her husband Scooter live in San Augustine on the historic Whitton Family Farm. Kim paints in every medium, with watercolor being her favorite. She is inspired daily by the people in her life, especially her daughter Kyla and her granddaughter Reese, both of whom have inherited Kim's artistic talents. Known as Artist on the Farm, Kim is always on the lookout for that special image to be painted, capturing the essence and innate attributes of her subjects...people from every walk of life, animals large and small, and the beauty of nature. A signature member of Women Artists of the West, Kim received the Award of Excellence at the 47th National Juried Exhibit. She enjoys membership in Watercolor Art Society of Houston and Oil Painters of America. American Art Collector has featured Kim's work in an Artist Focus.