 KIMBERLIN BUILT RANCH NEAR GUNTER IN 1881 Increased
interest in dirt farming among the early settlers of Grayson County
drove many of the cattlemen farther westward. Cattlemen as a rule
detested the crop farmer and disliked his breaking the soil in the
prairie grazing lands. Whie cattleman like John Chisum, who at one time grazed cattle in Fannin and Grayson counties, moved to West Texas and New Mexico territory, others stayed in this region to carve their names in its history. Among these was Col. I.J. Kimberlin, who came to Texas in 1869. He spent the first winter at Preston Bend, but later moved his family to Denison. Kimberlin turned his attention to the cattle business. He found this a rugged life, filled with discouragements. Days in the saddle, which served as a pillow at night soon accustomed the cattlemen to the smell of leather. In those days the ordinary hardships of the cattle trail were intensified by the presence of unfriendly Indians who would kill or steal or perhaps both. There were a few banks and cattle buyers carried their money in a belt around the waist. Kimberlin was said to have had many narrow escapes from both Indians and trail robbers. Cattle ran wild in those days because there were no fences on the range lands. When ready for market the cattle were rounded up and cut out for the buyers. After several years of this strenous and hazardous life Kimberlin quit the cattle trail, purchased a ranch in Grayson County and moved his family to Sherman in 1881. This was only the first of several ranches established by Kimberlin in Texas, but the beginning of his career which placed his among the leading cattlemen of the state. Kimberlin eventually went into raising pure bred stock, choosing Durham cattle. Around 1900 he produced the only perfect Durham bull in the world, Sargent, which was so judged at the Fort Worth stock show by judges from Chicago and Kentucky. Arrangements were made to show the animal at the World Fair at Paris, France. Before arrangements were completed, however, Sargent suffered a broken leg and had to be killed. At the time of the accident, he was being led from his stall during a rain storm, stepped on a wet board, slipped and fell. Kimberlin died in 1914. With the exception of the ranch near Gunter, all his cattle land has been sold. 1976 
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