Hello everybody, I'll begin by posting an article from the "Kountz Times" dated 13 June 1896. Then I'll tell you about the people. KOUNTZ TIMES, (newspaper) 13 June 1896 OLD TROUBLES REVIVED Pitched Battle Fought in Court House in Woodville TWO OF HUMBLES WOUNDED The affray [?] grew out of the Assas....(could not read) of Ferguson's brother and occurred during noon recess. Beaumont, Texas, June 8th, between 12 and 1 o'clock today at the court house in Woodville, Tyler County, a battle with pistols took place between Ped Ferguson and friends of Nona [sic] on one side and the Humble family and friends of Hardin county on the other, with the results that Bill Humble is fatally [sic] and old man Humble seriously wounded, and Ples Humble has a bullet hole through one of his legs. The shooting is the second act of a tragedy, the first set of which took place at Kountz, Hardin County, in October 1894, the dead body of Mr. Lewis Ferguson, a prosperous merchant of Kountz, was found in the middle of public highway a few miles from that town. The body gave evidence of assignation of murder and Ples and Sam Humble, two brothers, were immediately arrested for the crime. The two men were brought to Beaumont the same afternoon and that night were taken to Houston for safe keeping. While in Harris County jail, Sam Humble confessed to murdering Ferguson. The confession being published in the Post. In substance it set forth that Sam Humble and Ferguson had a fight in a saloon 12 o'clock Monday night, and at 1 o'clock Humble met Ferguson in the road and shot him dead. The Humble boys were brought back to Kountz for trial, but Judge Hightower transferred the case to Woodville, in Tyler County, Judge West's district. At the first trial of the case in Woodville, which was several months ago, a jury acquitted Pleas Humble. Sam Humble was found guilty of manslaughter, or murder in the second degree, and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary;, but he was granted a new trial by Judge West. District court convened in Woodville, this morning and the case against Sam Humble was again called, and following is the story of the shooting which followed, as told the Post correspondent by a gentleman who came down from Woodville on the train this afternoon. "The Fergusons and their friends and the Humbles and their friends [were]in the room when court convened this morning" said the gentleman, "and old man Humble several times made bragging remarks to Ped Ferguson, a brother of the murdered man. At 12 O'clock court adjourned for dinner. Both crowds started down stairs and just as they reached the north door Ped Ferguson made some sort of a remark to old man Humble. A shot was fired, followed by a regular fulisade [?] from both sides and when the smoke cleared away none of the Humbles and their friends could be .....except old man Humble and Will, the youngest son. The old man had been twice shot through the hips and the right leg. Will had been shot through the body. It is not thought that he will live and the wound in the old man's hip is regarded as serious. Pleas Humble was wounded in one of his legs, but it was not sufficiently serious to impede his flight. When the shooting began Sheriff Enlo was at the jail, where he had accompanied Sam Humble from the court house. But the officer hurried back to the scene and disarmed every man he ..... around. When the train left several arrests had been made and the understanding was that preliminary examinations were to be had immediately. It is understood that in the affray between forty and fifty shots were fired." The trial of Sam Humble has been postponed until next Monday--The Houston Post reports. From a disinterested eye witness the Ferguson-Humble shooting affray [?] in Woodville last Monday, we gathered the following facts connect[ed] with it: After the adjournment of court at noon Ped Ferguson and Jim Humble were coming down the stairs when Humble made an insulting remark about the Fergusons to which Ped made some reply. Where upon Humble drew his pistol and begun firing. Ped Ferguson began to return the fire as soon as he could get his pistol from his pocket. By this time Humble had been reinforced by his two boys, Pleas, and Bill and Mr. Lyon ex-sheriff of this county and several of Ferguson's friends had rallied to his support. Then the fun commenced in "dead-Ernest." There was at least thirty shots fired before Sheriff Enloe and his deputies arrived at the scene of action. When the smoke of battle had cleared away Jim and Bill Humble were found to be seriously wounded, when Pleas and Mr.Lyons, had evidently made themselves conspicuous by their absence as neither could be found for some time. In an hour or two afterwards Pleas was found about half a mile from town with a slight gun wound in the leg, while Mr. Lyons had not been heard of since. Ferguson and his friends came out without an injury. J.B. Hooks, Ped Ferguson and Capt. H.A. Hooks were arrested and their bounds fixed at $300 each which they readily gave. Complaint was also made against the ex-sheriff but up to this writing he has managed to evade the officers. This trouble grew out of the murder of Lewis Ferguson by Pleas and Sam Humble more than a year ago. They were indited here, but their cases were removed to Tyler County on a change of Venue when they were tried last December, and Pleas was acquitted and Sam convicted of murder in the second degree and given only 5 years in the State Prison. Since that time the Humbles have made many threats against the friends and relatives of Ferguson. The trouble at Woodville was the result of an attempt to carry these threats into execution. When the shooting commenced, Sheriff Roberts of this county was up in the court room talking to attachel [?] witnesses and came down as soon as possible to assist Sheriff Enloe in quieting the disturbance. That is a correct statement of the fact - -- the case and any contradictory statement is a base fabrication originating in the mind of some designing person who either desires to injure some one or to further his own selfish interest. (End of newspaper account) I can't make out whether this article was from the Kountze paper directly or from a Beaumont or a Houston paper. In fact, it might be more than one article. Note that the gufight at the courthouse took place in Woodville. Old man Jim Humble was James Knighton Humble. Jim was a son of Jacob C. (probably Courtney) Humble who was a son of Peter Humble, my 3rd great grandfather. So, Jim was my1st cousin 3 times removed. Jacob C. went to Texas from Catahoula Parish with his brother Isham, my 2d great grandfather. Jim was a Confederate veteran. He served in the "Orange Greys" and in Co. K 13th Regiment, Texas Cavalry. He died on January 1, 1923 at the home of his son S.D. Humble, who might be the Sam referred to in the article. As a matter of interest, Pleasant Smith Humble was another son of Jacob C. Humble. Pleasant was the man who owned the store from which the name of the town of Humble, Texas was derived. Or so it's said. Jim also named one of his sons Pleasant. By the time of this incident my line of Humbles had gone on to West Texas. I wonder what their thoughts were when word of this incident, and the previous killing, reached them. They were strong Baptists. The lady who gave me this article had not done any further research on it. I'd like to know anything anyone might know about the availability of newspaper archives, court records, and the like which might help me to develop a little story about it. Even though they're not in my direct line, this is about the most interesting event I've come across related to the Humbles. Too bad it's about violence and manslaughter. But, it was 100+ years ago, and all of us present day Humbles are sweet, non-violent people :-). Thanks and best regards to all, Bob Humble ------------------------------