Sheriff Leonard Edgar Morehead

Leonard Edgar Morehead

Sheriff Leonard Morehead was shot and killed while attending a magic show in the Kurten community of Brazos County. He was seated in the back row when a man approached him and fired a shotgun at his head. The shotgun was loaded with nails, screws and bolts. The suspect, 35, a former mental patient, declared cured and released from a Texas insane asylum 12 years earlier, was adjudged insane and committed to Austin State Hospital.

Sheriff Morehead had been elected on November 5, 1918, and re-elected on November 2, 1920 and November 7, 1922. He was buried in the Bryan City Cemetery. His wife was appointed to complete his term in office on March 30, 1924 and served until January 1, 1925. She became the second female sheriff in Texas history. When interviewed in 1959, she said one of the things she remembered the most when she was sheriff was pouring out 718 quarts of illegal liquor during prohibition which took her five hours.

Sheriff Morehead was survived by a child by his first wife who proceeded him in death and his second wife and two children.