HISTORY OF ALTO SPRINGS TEXAS
HISTORY OF ALTO SPRINGS, FALLS COUNTY, TEXAS
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Leonard Kubiak
The area around the central Texas region that briefly came to be known as Alto Springs was initially part of a shallow sea and during the ice ages became the
seashore of Texas. Around 10,000 years ago, the Paleo people their way on foot from Asia across the Region
that is now the Bering Sea. With a massive amount of water frozen at the poles, the Bering sea became a land
bridge for perhaps a thousand years. These ancient settlers followed the herds of wooly mammoths as they
crossed the land bridge near present-day Alaska and headed southward.
By the 1500's, the region was home to several nomatic Indian tribes including the Yeagues, the Huecos, the
caddos, the Apaches, and Tonkawas.
Alto Springs Location
ALTO SPRINGS ESTABLISHED IN 1846
Alto Springs was established in 1846 with a combination post office and stage stop near the banks of Tucker Creek between present-day Kosse and Reagan.
Alto Springs had a church, a school, and a brush arbor that was used as a community center and served for several years as a gathering place for political rallies and stump speeches.
Alto Springs was considered a possible county seat when residents of Falls County were deciding on a location in 1851. The possibility faded, however, when it became clear that the Houston and Texas Central Railway would bypass the town by about three miles.
Some of the early-day postmasters of Altos Springs included:
Livingston, Middleton, 28 Sep 1857
Trigg, Abram S., 18 Aug 1858
Johns, Wm. H., 10 Apr 1861 (Resigned)
Trigg, A.S., 21 Aug 1861 (CSA)
Steele, R. G., 3 Jan 1865 (CSA)
Leetch, John N., 5 Jan 1866
Winn, Chas. W., 1 Aug 1866
Kidd, Wm. L., 7 Dec 1866
The Alto Springs post office was discontinued on June 8, 1868 and the mail routes were transferred to Kosse.
However the village of Alto Springs, located between Kosse and Reagan, maintained its segregated school system. By 1900, the Alto Springs white school
had one and forty-nine white students. The colored school system included two one-teacher schools with a total of 140 black students.
Alto Springs School, Class of 1915 (photo curtesy of Milton Turnipseed).
Alto Springs School, Class of 1934 (photo curtesy of Milton Turnipseed).
Alto Springs School, Class of 1937: Top Row:LEFT-TO-RIGHT: Annie Lee McCarver, Wanda Jean Johnson, Margaret Laxson, Mr. W.G. Curry, Miss Nola Hobbs, Daron Laxson, and Robert O. Springfield.
2ND Row: GC. Stone, Travis McCarver, Dorothy Jones, Billy Ed Perdue, C.G. Smith, Bivin Johnson and Darwin Crabb.
3rd Row: Jean Smith, Howard McCarver, Donald Jones, Julia Lee Kay, Ercel Laison, Billie Jean Curry, and Ruby Nell Lloyd.
4TH ROW: Vera McCarver, Jean Lloyd, Louise Williams, Nelda Faye Fenner, Olene Hill, and Charles Stone. (photo curtesy of Milton Turnipseed).
In the 1940's, the community had a school, a church, and several residences. According to Milton Turnipseed, his older sister, Imogene Turnipseed, started school in Alto Springs at the age of five (1942). Her teacher was Miss Mary Truett who later taught first and second grades in Reagan from 1946 until her retirement in the 1950's.
In 1949, the Alto Springs schools were consolidated with the Marlin Independent School District and by the 1980s only a church marked the community on county highway maps.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Walter W. Brawn, The History of Falls County (M.A. thesis, Baylor University, 1938). Marlin Daily Democrat, July 16, 1936.
Milton Turnipseed interview.
PROMINENT FAMILIES IN EARLY-DAY ALTO SPRINGS
In 1900, Delilah and Johnnie Pamplin were living in Wilson County, Texas.
In the early 40's,
Roland Guy and Hazel Pauline McCarver Turnipseed
Roland Guy and Hazel Pauline McCarver Turnipseed
Children: Dorothy Imogene- Born in McClennon County on
March 12, 1937.
Dorothy Imogene Turnipseed, Attended Altos Springs School in 1942.
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ALTO SPRINGS CEMETERY LISTING
Buttrill,
J.W., born
Sep 16 ??; Died
Feb 04 83
Cain,
Sallie A.; Born
Aug 08 1847; Died
Jul 02 1927;
Mother.
Cain,
Rev Thomas R.; Born
Sep 02 1854; Died
Mar 19 1929.
Cain,
Catherine; Born
Jan 19 1900; Died
Feb 16 1928;
D/o Thos. R. & S.C.
Cain,
Mrs. Mary R. (Swann);Born
Sep 25 1817; Died
Oct 18 1915;
W/o Thomas J.
Cain,
Thomas J.; Born
Jul 29 1813; Died
Aug 17 1886.
Cain,
James A.; Born
1847; Died ??
Cain,
Mrs. Louisa; Born
1849; Died
1907;
W/o James A.
Davidson,
Dr. G.L.;
Died
Nov 30 1887.
Davis,
Sallie; Born
Sep 16 1859; Died
Feb 21 1885.
Davis,
Robert; Born
Mar 02 1859 ; Died
Aug 08 1860;
S/o W.M. & M.E.
Davis,
William; Born
Jun 05 1832; Died
Aug 23 1874
Davis
Davis,
Ada Lee; Born
Dec 04 1891; Died
Aug 30 1902;
D/o Wiley & Icy
Fenner,
Mary J.; Born
Apr 11 1843;Died
Nov 10 1897;
W/o S.J.
Garrett,
R.; Born
Oct 04 1901; Died
Aug 13 1902.
Hudgins,
S.L..
Hunt
(Infant); Born
Aug 07 1892;Died
Aug 07 1892;
D/o W.G. & L.R.
Kidd,
Rev Wm L.;Born
Jul 24 1825; Died
Dec 30 1892.
Kidd,
Rebecca; Died
Jun 22 1885;
Age: 87 yrs 4 mos.
Kidd,
Webb;Born ???; Died
Jan 18 1883:
Age: 87 yrs 10 mos
Kidd,
Maggie V.; Born ??; Died
Apr 04 1873;
W/o E.Z.
Age: 33 yrs
Kidd,
Dr. T.O.;Born ??; Died
May 27 1867
Kimball,
Claud Livingston; Born
Sep 22 1878; Died
Dec 04 1879;
S/o S.M. & E.V.
Lehn,
J.H.; Born ??; Died
Jul 22 1883
in Falls Co, TX
Lewis,
Mrs. P.G.; Born 1830; Died
Sep 24 1878
Age: 48 yrs
W/o F.A.
Oliver,
Beary H.; Born
Dec 14 1870; Died
Sep 12 1880.
Owen,
Oscar T.; Born
Nov 24 1875; Died
Jun 13 1899.
Price,
G.W.
;
Co E 35th TX Cav CSA
Riddle,
T.J.G.; Born
Jan 14 1858; Died
Sep 15 1900.
Riddle,
R.F.; Born
Nov 30 1857; Died
Mar 25 1899.
Riddle,
V.; Born
Sep 21 1876; Died
Jun 19 1900.
Riddle,
E.R.; Born
Jun 28 1897; Died
Aug 14 1900.
Riddle,
E.W.; Born
Feb 20 1900; Died
Oct 08 1900 (infant death)
Rogers,
Charles W.; Born
Nov 20 1867; Died
Jul 19 1892;
Born in Kosse, Limestone County, TX
S/o Larkin & Mary (Aycock)
Rogers,
Joseph B.; Born
Jun 06 1806; Died
May 02 18--
Rogers,
Thomas; Born
May 12 1872; Died
Jun 29 1873;
S/o H.J. & L.M.
Tally,
Alma A.;Born
Mar 13 1868; Died
Aug 26 1880;
D/o A.D. & J.H.
Thompson,
Maggie C.;Born
Nov 03 1902; Died
Nov 03 1902;
D/o W.R. & M.C.
Thompson,
James Foy; Born
Jul 14 1891; Died
Jan 24 1908; S/o W.R. & M.C.
Thompson,
Sarah L.; Born
Apr 01 1884; Died
Apr 01 1884;
D/o W.R. & M.C.
Warren,
Emery Gillis; Born
Nov 02 1893; Died
Jul 30 1907,
S/o G.W. & M.E.
Warren,
G.W.; born
Sep 18 1856; died
Mar 06 1925
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LEONARD KUBIAK's ONLINE TEXAS HISTORY WEBPAGES
TEXAS HISTORY
Letters by Early-Day Texas Settlers.
Officers and Men of the Republic of Texas
How Texas Got It's Name.
Officers and Men of the Republic of Texas
Old 300 Anglo Settlers in Texas.
Important Documents of Early-Day Texas
Battle of San Jacinto-Victory for the Republic of Texas Army
Military Forts in Early Day Texas
FALLS COUNTY, TEXAS
History of Busksnort and Marlin, Texas
Eye Witness Accounts of Busksnort and Marlin, Texas
History of Cedar Springs, Wilderville, and Rosebud
Pleasant Grove, Falls County, Tx Webpage
Rosebud, Falls County, Tx Webpage
Highbank Webpage and History
History of Reagan, Texas
History of Reagan Baptist Church
History of the Reagan Methodist Church
Reagan Homecoming Page
Reagan Obituaries
Map of Reagan, Texas
Former Residents of Reagan, Texas
Former Students and Teachers of Reagan, Texas
Fond Memories of Life in Reagan
FALLS COUNTY CEMETERY LISTINGS
North Blue Ridge (Stranger)Settlement History and Cemetery
Blueridge History and Cemetery Roll
Mustang Prairie Settlement History and Cemetery Listing
History of Cedar Springs, Pleasant Grove, & Wilderville, and cemetery Listings
Waite (Reagan)Cemetery Listing
Blue Ridge (Reagan)Cemetery Listing
Hog Island (Reagan) Cemetery Listing
Johnson (Reagan)Cemetery Listing
Powers/McCaleb(Reagan)Cemetery Listing
LIMESTONE COUNTY
Kosse Cemetery Listings.
MILAM, COUNTY, TEXAS
History of Rockdale, Thorndale, Bushdale
History of Hamilton Chapel, Cemetery Listing
History and Listing of Rockdale IOOF Cemetery
ROBERTSON COUNTY
Bremond and Wootan Wells
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS
Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas Home Page
Prehistoric History of the Liberty Hill Region
Liberty Hill Settlement in the 1850's
History of the Liberty Hill Stage Coach Stop (1852)
Liberty Hill -Then and Now
The Founding of New Liberty Hill (1882)
Historic Liberty Hill Cemetery Listing.
FAMOUS TEXANS AND VISITORS
Governor John Conally
State Representative Daniel James Kubiak
Jean Kubiak Cundieff Memorial Page
Indian Captive Cynthia Ann Parker
Sam Houston-Early-day Texas History
General George Custer
Generals Robert E. Lee and U.S. Grant
Famous Sam Bass Outlaw Gang
General Santa Anna
Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the U.S.
HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION
History of Trains in Texas
INDIAN RELEATED HISTORY
Indian Treaty Signed With the Comanches, Kiowas, and Apaches in 1867
The Story of Cynthia Ann Parker.
History of the Tarahumara Indians, a primitive tribe living in modern times.
OLD WEST RELATED
Another true life tale of life in Early-Day texas
History of the Cowboy and Cattle Drives in Early-Day texas
History of The Western Stagecoach
Cowboys of the Silver Screen.
MISCELLEANEOUS
History of Thanksgiving.
History of the Hesston Belt Buckle.
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