Still Standing: The Scott Carlson Story

Scott Carlson of Boerne Texas, July 2026 cover subject of The Kendall Gentleman

STILL STANDING The Scott Carlson Story The first thing you notice about Scott Carlson is that he still carries himself like a firefighter. Even sitting in a chair on the back porch of his Boerne home on a warm May afternoon, there’s a certain alertness about him. Broad shoulders. Thick hands. The posture of a … Read more

A Trip of a Lifetime – Edinburgh, Scotland

Scotch whiskey distillery experience in Edinburgh Scotland, Boerne whiskey sommelier

A Trip of a Lifetime – Edinburgh, Scotland Ever have a trip you dreamed about? One you just knew you would take someday, when you had the time. I completed my Whiskey Sommelier Level 3 certification a week before my family’s 10-day trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, in late May. Every person in our group had … Read more

Passion and Christ

Boerne Bass Club youth fishing team with sponsor boat Ron Hoover Kendall County Texas

Passion and Christ Each time, just before I turn the lights off, I stop and stare. Her uniform is clean and ready for inspection. Belly full of fuel, weapons stowed, and hatches battened down for the haul. She’s ready for battle. The time I spend in my shop prepping the boat for the next round … Read more

Hope for Heroes: Jose Javier Escalante

Deputy Jose Javier Escalante of Kendall County Sheriff's Office, Hope for Heroes Texas

The American Dream in Uniform For Deputy Jose Javier Escalante, service has been a defining theme throughout his life. Long before he joined the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, he was learning lessons about discipline, faith, and perseverance growing up in the mountains of Venezuela. Escalante spent his childhood near the Colombian border, where life revolved … Read more

The Signature We Leave

American flags and Fourth of July patriotism, publisher's note on stewardship and legacy in Kendall County

The Signature We Leave By the time this issue reaches your hands, Independence Day will be just around the corner. Across Kendall County, flags will be flying. Families will gather around backyard smokers and picnic tables. Children will wave sparklers long after sunset, and somewhere over the Hill Country, fireworks will light up the summer … Read more

Musings of JEV: Earl Wellborn

Historical photo of soldiers at Camp Hood Texas 1948, Musings of JEV Earl Wellborn Boerne

Earl Wellborn In July of 1948, the government offered a one-year term of enlistment to any 18-year-old who would enlist in the U.S. Army. At that time there was no draft, and very few people were going into the service. Most of the men and women who had served during WWII were getting out, and … Read more

Men of the Hill Country: Kendall County’s Legacy in America’s 250-Year Story

Historic Kendall County Texas Hill Country pioneer families Kuhlmann Fabra Herff Dienger Boerne

Men of the Hill Country: Kendall County’s Legacy in America’s 250-Year Story Featuring the Kuhlmann, Fabra, Herff, and Dienger Families As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, communities across the nation are pausing to reflect on the people who shaped their corner of the American story. Here in Kendall County — where limestone bluffs … Read more

Finding Home Through Service

Portrait of Boerne Police Officer Eduardo Murillo in tactical uniform, illuminated by dramatic blue lighting and smoke, featured in the Hope for Heroes article by Jonathan Mallard for The Kendall Gentleman.

For Officer Eduardo Murillo, service has always been tied to responsibility. Long before he wore a badge in Kendall County, he was learning what it meant to protect and serve through military service, volunteer work, and helping people in crisis. Murillo was born in San Pedro, Mexico, before his family relocated to Del Rio, Texas … Read more

Felipe and the Schwarz Field

Sepia-toned interior of a vintage Buick automobile with worn dashboard and steering wheel, evoking memories of early Boerne, Texas and small-town life in Kendall County.

Published in 2011, the late John Eddie Vogt’s book, Witches, Bitches, and Other Small Town Folks, brings to life the quirky, unforgettable, and entertaining tales of growing up and living in Kendall County from the 1930s through the 1960s. Thanks to the gracious permission of his family, The Kendall Gentleman is honored to share excerpts … Read more

August Hoffman (1843–1862): A Young Freethinker’s Final Journey

Solitary tree on a grassy hill at sunset with a colorful sky behind it, silhouettes of branches spread wide.

Correction and Retraction: This article previously indicated that August Hoffmann died in the 1862 Nueces Massacre (also known as the Battle of the Nueces). Subsequent research has confirmed that August Hoffmann survived that tragic event and went on to live a long and productive life, contributing significantly to the growth and development of Comfort and … Read more