The Agapito Carrasco Family

A Documented Research Report by Bob Wirt

Version 1; May 5, 2010

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gapito Carrasco was born in Mexico circa 1872. He immigrated to the United States in 1893. On May 18, 1907 he married Petra Gallegos in Alpine. They were married by Justice of the Peace W.H. Ragin. Petra was born in Texas circa 1890. The couple settled in Alpine, where Agapito owned and operated a grocery store. At least two of their children were born in Alpine.

Soon after 1910, Agapito purchased Section 15 of Block 16, a 640 acre tract of School Land along the Rio Grande River just downriver from Castolón. State land records show him as the original owner of this tract. Agapito and his family settled on his newly acquired land, where they engaged in subsistence farming on the river flood plain. The small community about a mile down river from Castolón where the Carrascos made their home was known as El Ojito. Whether it was there when they arrived or developed after their arrival is not known.

Agapito supplemented his income by selling wood to the La Harmonía Company1 in Castolón, where he was an occasional customer at the company store. He maintained a small charge account at the store, which he paid regularly. In 1922 he was assessed $7.48 in state and local taxes2 and $1.75 for poll tax, the latter indicating he was an eligible voter.

He probably moved his family back to Alpine in the early 1920’s. His last transaction at the La Harmonía Store was on September 20, 1922, when he paid $3.15 in cash for shoes. At about that time he sold his land to Richard Derrick, the La Harmonía Company store manager. According to the 1930 census, Agapito was living in “Alpine City”, where he owned his home valued at $1.000. His wife, Petra, was deceased by that time.

Agapito and Petra had seven children:

  1. Son Flavio Carrasco was born circa 1908, probably in Alpine, Texas. He was living with his parents in El Ojito in 1920. In 1930, he was living in Alpine, where he was working as a waiter in a restaurant. He married Cruz Burges and they had four children:
  1. Daughter Cruz Carrasco was born on June 16, 1928, probably in Alpine. She apparently died as a small child.
  2. Daughter Lillian Carrasco was born circa 1929, probably in Alpine.
  3. An unnamed daughter was born July 24, 1931, probably in Alpine. She died as an infant.
  4. Daughter Cruz Carrasco was born July 3, 1946 in Brewster County.
  1. Daughter Otilla Carrasco was born in 1910 in Alpine. She was living with her parents in El Ojito in 1920. She married George Reed Lyne. They had one child: Daughter Ida C. Lyne was born in Brewster County on March 14, 1930.
  2. Daughter Catarina Carrasco was born circa 1914, probably in El Ojito. She was living with her parents in El Ojito in 1920 and in Alpine with her father in 1930.
  3. Daughter Josefita Carrasco was born in El Ojito circa 1917. She probably died as a small child; and very likely is buried at El Ojito.
  4. Daughter Eva Carrasco was born in El Ojito October 28, 1916. She was baptized in Castolón March 3, 1917 by Father Antonio Alonso from St. Agnes Church in Terlingua. Her godmother was Felicita Garcia. She was living with her father in Alpine in 1930.
  5. Daughter Nieves Carrasco was born in El Ojito circa 1920. She married Celso Ramirez. They had five children:
  1. Son Celso Ramirez was born in Brewster County on July 13, 1937.
  2. Daughter Julia C. Ramirez was born in Brewster County on February 26, 1939.
  3. An unnamed daughter was born in Brewster County on September 13, 1940. She died at birth.
  4. Son Jimmy Ramirez was born in Brewster County on July 17, 1943.
  5. Son Agapito Ramirez was born in Brewster County on July 30, 1945.
  1. Son Agapito Carrasco, Jr. was born circa 1925, probably in Alpine. He married Beatrice Reyes. They had one child: daughter Veronica Carrasco born September 13, 1948 in Brewster County.

Notes

1The La Harmonía Company was a Castolón-based partnership between Wayne Cartledge, the general manager, and Howard Perry, owner of the Chisos Mining Company in Terlingua, Texas. The company operated a large trading post, an irrigated farm, and various other business enterprises.

2$7.50 - $9.00 was the typical assessment for owners of single 640 acre sections of land with no significant improvements.

Sources:

  • Brewster County marriage records
  • 1910, 1920 and 1930 census records
  • Brewster County birth records
  • Brewster County land records
  • Baptism Records of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Fort Davis, Texas, copies held by the Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
  • Wayne Cartledge Collection, Archives of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas
  • Microfilm copies of records from St. Agnes Catholic Church in Terlingua, held by the Latter Day Saints Church.