Step into the vibrant tapestry of history and meet the indomitable Pleasant Wimberley, a man whose life story reads like an adventure novel. Born in Wake County, North Carolina, on May 2, 1823, he possessed a restless spirit that led him to Texas, but not before a detour through Mississippi and Arkansas with his siblings. The Wimberley clan finally planted their boots on Texan soil in Brenham, arriving on a momentous Christmas Day in 1847.
Pleasant's love story intertwined with history when he married Amanda Jackson in Brenham on January 9, 1849. Their family soon grew to ten children, and alongside their growing brood, they amassed a substantial herd of longhorn cattle. In 1855, the family embarked on an ambitious cattle drive northward, settling on Walnut Creek, along the Blanco-Llano county line. For eighteen years, they nurtured their land, raising cattle and breeding stage horses. Notably, Pleasant's Percheron stallion's lineage yielded horses renowned for both size and endurance, making them highly sought after.
The pages of history reveal Pleasant Wimberley's valor during the Civil War. In 1861, he wore the insignia of a corporal in the Blanco County Thirty-first Brigade, Texas Militia, and later, in 1864, a second lieutenant in the Blanco and Gillespie County Third Frontier District under Brig. Gen. John D. McAdoo.
Post-war Texas held new chapters for the Wimberley saga. Seeking respite from Indian unrest, the family relocated to Hays County, where they made an astute investment—a mill on Cypress Creek. Purchased from the heirs of William Carvin Winters, the Wimberley Mill proved a multi-purpose marvel, boasting capabilities as diverse as a gristmill, sawmill, shingle mill, molasses mill, and even a cotton gin. Joined by his son Zachariah and grandson Calvin Hickman Wimberley as partners, the mill became the beating heart of the community, eventually lending its name to the town itself.
Amid the passage of time, Pleasant Wimberley's journey reached its final rest on January 30, 1919. Yet, his legacy endures within the fabric of Wimberley, Texas. A final inscription on his tombstone eloquently captures his influence: "Pleasant Wimberley—For Whom The Town Was Named." With every rustling wind and every creek-side stroll, his spirit lives on, a testament to the audacious pioneers who shaped the landscape and wrote history's script.