Big Bend Genealogical Society

R. J. Carr, the subject of this sketch was one of the pioneers of Southwestern Texas, a vertable old landmark of history. His life began when Texas was young. He held a pension as a soldier of the Mexican War; he was a Confederate veteran and from his earliest manhood has been conspicuously to the fore front in every good cause. He was born January 6, 1830 in Alabama and was at the date of his death, October 23 at Clint, Texas, 72 years old. At the age of 21 years he was married to Miss Hester Ann McCoy of Gonzales, Texas. To them were born fourteen children, eleven of whom are still living, with fifty two grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

To this sturdy company of descendants "Grandpa Carr" has been a patriarch indeed. While yet a boy in his teens, he was suddenly converted and became a member of the Methodist Church, from which faith he never wavered, but through all the vacissitudes of peace and war, successes and reverses, sunshine and shadow, he stood true and staunch for the religion he had so early espoused.

In the valley neighborhood where he attended Sunday School and week night preaching service are monuments to his faith as their organizer. Two years ago he faced death with a heroism which is almost sublime, knowing with a full certainty that he must die and that death was coming steadily and slowly and with awful pain, he mde no mummer, but with an unquenchable trust in God "put his house in order: and prepared for the end. He was a frim democrat in politics, a loyal member of the Masonic fraternity and a Methodist in his religious belief. But combining them all, he was a man true, strong, brave and clean and in his death it may be said of him truly "He rests from his labors and his works did follow him". J. F. Kellogg

Funeral Services For Pioneer Woman Funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon from Young Undertaking Parlor for Mrs. Mary Ellen Chambers, who died Thursday of last week at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Sam Wooley, in Alpine. Mrs. Chambers, a Texas pioneer, was born at Clinton, April 17, 1850. In 1869 she was married to J. H. Chambers,at Bryan, who preceded her in death in 1907. One son, Blub Chambers, died last year.

Mrs. Chambers' mother was forced to go to Louisiana during the "Runaway Scrape" to avoid harm by the Mexican Army. Her husband was a Confederate soldier. Recently Mrs. Chambers received a message of appreciation from the Governor of Texas. As a child, she was selected to represent her school in Victoria, to present Sam Houston a bouquet of flowers. She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. She resided here for a number of years. Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Sam Wooley, Alpine and Mrs. V.M. Mason Dryden; two sons, C. C. Chambers, Alpine and L. H. Chambers, Marfa; ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The Rev. Milton F. Hill was in charge of the funeral services.

Born 1871 in Tennessee, married Miss Lucille Loving in 1895, and moved his family in a covered wagon from Midland to Alpine in 1906. In Alpine he owned and operated the "New Alpine Livery Stable and Transfer Line." After sale of the livery stable he opened a real estate and livestock commission business in Alpine which he operated until he moved to El Paso in 1917. In 1938 he retired and returned to Alpine where he lived until his death in 1950. Mrs. Collins died in 1969.

D. S. Combs came to Texas in 1854 from Missouri. In 1876, he moved to San Antonio and began ranching activities. In 1900, he became involved in major ranching activities near Marathon. He died in 1926 in San Antonio and is buried in San Marcos.

Combs was a Confederate veteran, serving in Company D 8th Texas Cavalry--known as Terry's Texas Rangers. His obituary appeared in the Alpine Avalanche Newspaper on January 7, 1926 and listed his surviving family as: daughters Mrs. Lila C. Matthews and Mrs. Nora C. C. McGhee and one son Guy S. Combs all of San Antonio.

R. J. Carr, the subject of this sketch was one of the pioneers of Southwestern Texas, a vertable old landmark of history. His life began when Texas was young. He held a pension as a soldier of the Mexican War; he was a Confederate veteran and from his earliest manhood has been conspicuously to the fore front in every good cause. He was born January 6, 1830 in Alabama and was at the date of his death, October 23 at Clint, Texas, 72 years old. At the age of 21 years he was married to Miss Hester Ann McCoy of Gonzales, Texas. To them were born fourteen children, eleven of whom are still living, with fifty two grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

To this sturdy company of descendants "Grandpa Carr" has been a patriarch indeed. While yet a boy in his teens, he was suddenly converted and became a member of the Methodist Church, from which faith he never wavered, but through all the vacissitudes of peace and war, successes and reverses, sunshine and shadow, he stood true and staunch for the religion he had so early espoused.

In the valley neighborhood where he attended Sunday School and week night preaching service are monuments to his faith as their organizer. Two years ago he faced death with a heroism which is almost sublime, knowing with a full certainty that he must die and that death was coming steadily and slowly and with awful pain, he mde no mummer, but with an unquenchable trust in God "put his house in order: and prepared for the end. He was a frim democrat in politics, a loyal member of the Masonic fraternity and a Methodist in his religious belief. But combining them all, he was a man true, strong, brave and clean and in his death it may be said of him truly "He rests from his labors and his works did follow him". J. F. Kellogg

L. B. Carruthers arrived in the Brewster County area in the early 1890's with the Frontier Battlion of the Texas Rangers. He was one of the many Rangers who decided to settle in this country after their service with the Rangers. Both Mr. & Mrs. Carruthers are listed amoung the charter members of the First Presbyterian Church in 1892. He was elected as Brewster County Treasurer and served for many years in that capacity before moving to San Antonio. He died in 1933 in that city.

Carruthers married Lena VanHorn in 1883 and the children born to this couple were: Blount and Clark(twins); L. B. Jr; Lawrence, Letcher; Elizabeth and Leota(twins).

P. D. Coulson, Jr. and his wife Caroline E. Coulson were honored pioneers of Brewster County. P. D. lived in Alpine for many years where he was a pharmacist and drug store owner.

P. D. Jr. was born in 1882 and died in 1968. Caroline E. was born in 1884 and died in 1961-both are buried in Elm Grove Cemetery in Alpine. P. D. Jr was the son of P. D. (Perez Dickenson) Coulson and Etheldra Ann Johnson. P. D. Sr served in the CSA forces during the War Between the States.

Dan Carr married Donna Hay in 1885 and shortly thereafter moved to Alpine. He was no stranger to the vast areas in Brewster and Presidio Counties. His father, Robert Jefferson Carr, was a farmer and located in several places in Texas before moving to Presidio County in 1885.

Robert married Hester Ann McCoy in 1852 and they were parents of fourteen chilren. Robert and Hester Ann relocated to Clint, Texas some time after 1885.

Dan Carr, subject of this brief biography was the first Postmaster of Valentine. It was some time after 1888 that Dan and his family moved to the El Paso area.

Lee Cartwright came to Brewster County in the 1880's as a member of the Texas Ranger Frontier Battalion.

J. W. Cobb is considered a pioneer of Brewster County. He is listed as an ex-Confederate Soldier in the obituary of S. W. Watters, CSA veteran in the Alpine Avalanche Newspaper dated Jan 18, 1914.

James Cotter, pioneer rancher and settler of Brewster County first arrived in Murphyville (Alpine) in 1883. He and his partner Tom McMullen purchased land in Pecos County and leased land in Brewster County for the purpose of raising cattle.

He and his partner McMullen also owned a restaurant and general store in the town of Sulphur Springs, Texas. While they operated the businesses in Sulphur Springs, they hired a manager to care for the ranching operations. Cotter married Lula Armstrong in 1888. She was many years his younger and at first her family protested the marriage. The marriage of Lula and James Cotter produced eleven children. Until about 1898, Cotter had made numerous trips to Pecos and Brewster County to check on the ranching operations owned by he and his partner. The cattle business was growing quite dramatically and thus more land was purchased in Brewster County.

It was in 1907 that James Cotter decided to move his large family to Brewster County in order for him to oversee the ranches. After many successful years in this endeavor, the depression and drought forced the sale of the land. This pioneer was in his 80's when he finally sold all the ranch land and retired to Alpine. After leading a very active life, he died in January of 1942. The Alpine Avalanche Newspaper of January 1, 1937 give a vivid detail of the life of James Cotter.

Born in East Texas in 1865, married in 1891 Miss Nancy Evenda Montgomery in Dallas. The family came to Alpine in 1910 in a covered wagon from Estancia, New Mexico. After engaging in freighting from Ft Stockton Alpine, he bought a grocery store in Alpine. This store was destroyed during the disastrous 1911 fire which burned most of the buildings on Fron Street. The store was rebuilt, and he continued in the grocery business many years. Mr. Crawford died in 1928 and his wife in 1961.

Born in Tarrant County, Texas in 1863, married Martha Jane Longacre in 1884. The family came to Alpine in 1906 and opened a real estate office under the name Crawford Real Estate and Cattle Company. Later he became a shareholder in the Alpine Publishing Company, the Alpine State Bank, and the Alpine Electric Company.

These pages have been compiled as a reference/resource for genealogists researching the surnames listed on this page or any spelling derivative found in this page. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material AND permission is obtained from Verna Bonner, the Big Bend Genealogical Society or Ken Short. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other persons or organizations. Organizations or persons desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent from Verna Bonner and Ken Short.