El Paso Police Officer George Herold - 1889 - 1916

George Herold is proudly wearing his badge, mounted and dressed in field gear in this wonderful rare outdoor photograph, which is unmarked but probably taken in El Paso, Texas. Herold is officially credited with firing the shot that eventually killed outlaw Sam Bass in Round Rock, Texas on July 19, 1878. This is a Boudoir card with very strong tonality, measuring 5"x 8". There is a chip out of the top of the photo above Herold's Sombrero and a slight split over his hip, in addition to extensive handling wear, flaking and chipping on the corners of the card itself. An original period script on the reverse in pencil reads, "January 2, 1900 - George Herold leaves this picture for his sons to remember him by." This rare and unique image is the earliest known portrait photograph of Texas Ranger and El Paso Lawman George Herold. George Herold (1840-1917) was a Texas Ranger from 1877 to 1879 serving in Company E under famous Lt. N.O. Reynolds and twice in Company D under Capt. D.W. Roberts and Lt. George Baylor respectively. Herold established himself as the City Marshal of Laredo, Texas in the 1870s. He later served as an El Paso Policeman from 1889-1916 and is considered one of the finest officers to ever walk the streets of the roughest border town in Texas, and perhaps the entire Southwest during that time. He was involved in a notable gunfight and killed a man in 1890. While in El Paso he served under his old friend Clayton "Dick" Ware, who was a Sergeant. Legendary Texas Ranger Captain John R. Hughes personally appointed him "Special (Texas) Ranger" in 1894, while he was serving as an El Paso Policeman concurrently.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: El Paso Police Department, Boudoir Card

Uploaded by: Harry Kirk