EXTRACTS FROM WALDINE ZIMPELMAN  RICHES HISTORY


     My father had told Mother many times that if anything ever happened to him, she
should go to his father (George B.) in Austin, Texas. He explained that his father was a
wealthy man and would welcome us with open arms. Grandfather wired money to
Mother and sent a telegram reading: "Please bring my baby boy's body home and you and
the children come and live with me. "

     Grandfather never married again after Grandmother Zimpelman died. He had a white
couple in the home for housekeepers and black servants to do the work. He was
Postmaster of Austin, Texas for twenty-five years. He was still serving when he died.
Mother said that in the summer months he always wore white linen suits to the office and
looked so immaculate as he left for work each day.

     He never wanted my mother to do any hard work. One day he came home
unexpectedly from the office. The help had quit and Mother was scrubbing the big, old
kitchen floor.  He was really angry and told her, "I never want to see you do that again.
White women don't do that kind of work in the south." Mother replied, "Daddy, I'm used
to doing my own work in Utah."

     Grandfather had a beautiful library of books, all of the well-known poets and authors'
books. On one wall of the library, there were bookcases. I know now that many of those
books were first editions and would be priceless today.

     I remember two of his friend's names, Mr. Bass and Mr. Low. Mr. Bass became an
ambassador to South America and Mr. Low was a very prominent businessman in Austin.
He, like Grandfather, owned property all over Texas.

     Grandfather served in the Civil War. He was a member of the Texas Rangers, a well-
known group during that war. (Wounded badly in right arm). There is a statue erected on
the Texas State Capitol grounds in their honor. All during the years we knew
Grandfather, his friends always addressed him as "Major Zimpelman". He told my
mother that when he returned from the war, he had a wife and two children and only fifty
cents in his pocket.

     When President Lyndon Johnson was fifty-seven years old, Mrs. Johnson surprised
him with a history of the LBJ Ranch. We learned through a newspaper clipping that our
grandfather had owned that property for thirty years. It is a beautiful piece of property.
The Perdenales River runs through it and the driveways are lined with huge oak trees.

	(In 1876 and in subsequent years, George B. Zimpelman, residing in Mexico
	became the owner of the 3,070 acres).
     Grandfather lived only two years after we came to Austin. He died in January, 1908.
The last few months of his life were spent in bed. A trained nurse took care of him, day
and night.

     Before his death he had told the family and executors that his will was in the little
drawer of his large secretary desk in the library. He had his executors appointed and had
told them of his wishes for his large estate to be divided. He had always told my mother
not to worry that she and her children would be well-provided for.

     When the executors and family went to the desk for the will, they were upset, for the
will was gone. We suspect that someone had taken the privilege of reading it and were
upset with what they were to inherit. So they destroyed the will.  Grandfather had a huge
ranch near El Paso, Texas. Uncle Tom had managed it for years and that was what he
wanted for his part. There was another ranch in the Rio Grande Valley and other pieces
of property all over Texas. A large amount of cash was to be divided. One piece of
property, 700 acres of pasture land in Pecos County, Texas, (Iraan, Texas) was a piece
the rest of the family were not interested in. That was three hundred miles from Austin,
and difficult to get to with horse and buggy. Grandfather would never have left that to
mother to take care of. But the rest of the family threw it into our part of the estate.
Grandfather owned some salt lakes near Van Horn, Texas.  This was what he always felt
would bring the family fortune. Aunt Waldine wanted those badly. In the division she
received them. To my knowledge, they have never brought anything to her family. In the
old days they were considered quite valuable. One time a war nearly started between the
United States and Mexico over those lakes !

     Besides the property, mother was to receive a monthly sum for the care of us children.
At one time, the money was becoming low and she faced a decision to either sell the
Pecos land or the Rio Grande Valley Ranch. She said she prayed many weeks for
guidance to make the right decision. The answer came, "Keep the Pecos property. Sell
the ranch." How fortunate for all of us that she did. (oil).