WILLIAM GILLIAM KINGSBURY

William Kingsbury was a dentist, agriculturist, and immigration agent. "Born in New York in 1823 and having learned dentistry in Baltimore, he came to Texas in 1846 to set up his practice. He served in the Mexican War as a civilian dentist accompanying his friend Texas Ranger Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker. Even though a civilian, he suffered 18 wounds in the war and was there when Captain Walker died. Upon his return he worked as a dentist in different West Texas towns, eventually settling in San Antonio in 1851. His practice in San Antonio continued for 25 years, but his love was in Boerne. He purchased a large ranch where the present day Wal-Mart is. Appropriately named the Molar Ranch, the ranch house still stands today in the parking lot of Walmart. Previously the Visitor Center, it is currently an interior design business.

Dr. Kingsbury's contributions to Boerne included his work in stock raising and agriculture. He pioneered ideas on the silo system of storing grain and wrote articles to promote Texas. His speeches and writings encouraged thousands of people to come to Texas."

Dr. Kingsbury died in 1896 and he is buried in the Boerne Cemetery."


Source:Boerne Area Historical and Preservation Society, Spring Newsletter, 2020.