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
For Officer David Chavez, law enforcement was never just a job. From his earliest days hunting with his uncles to a family friend in uniform who treated him like a son, the seeds of service were planted early. He first pursued his dream of becoming a Texas Game Warden, serving in that role for 15 … Read more
Kendall County, with its rolling hills, spring-fed creeks, and rich cultural history, has long been shaped by men and women whose stamina and vision built community from the rugged Texas frontier. Among those early builders stands E. O. Rust (1855–1937), a figure whose entrepreneurial drive and deep commitment to civic life left a lasting imprint … Read more
Ken Nietenhoefer likes to say he’s lived six different lives. He even wrote them down once, in a manuscript he calls My 6 Lives. But listening to him tell it, those chapters don’t sit neatly side by side. They stack on each other, like wood grain running through a beam, all adding up to the … Read more
This month’s review by Mr. Clay the Cigar Guy from The Cigar Society, is the 1875 Bully (5 x 50) by Romeo y Julieta. Since I do not smoke many cigars with Indonesian wrappers, I would be lying to you if I said this cigar is always present in my humidor of go-to cigars. I … Read more
The most important people in my life are not on billboards or TV. The most important and influential people in my life are not famous. They are not world leaders or politicians. The most important and influential people in my life, I run into and meet every day. They are the ones who are walking … Read more
Most men I know aren’t looking for applause. They’ve got families to care for, work to do, and burdens they rarely speak aloud. That’s the part we often miss. Not because we’re too proud to ask for help, but because somewhere along the way, we started believing we were supposed to carry it all alone. … Read more
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been concentrating on ideas for this article. I knew what I needed to write about, but I have been avoiding it. I have endless stories to share of the outdoors, and I enjoy doing so, but the truth is, I feel I owe it to myself and … Read more
Memories are instant flashes where all our senses converge, transporting us back to another moment in our past. The smell of an ingredient while cooking. The color of a stranger’s hair. The perfect summer coastal breeze in the evening. A song is playing overhead while shopping at HEB. Each of these brief things invokes an … Read more
Kevin Klaerner’s roots in law enforcement run deep. His great-great-uncle John Klaerner, great-grandfather Alfred Klaerner, and grandfather Hugo Klaerner each served as Sheriffs of Gillespie County. “Continuing that family tradition is something I take great pride in,” he said. “It drives me every day to uphold the values they lived by.” Now a Kendall County … Read more