DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the City of Ralls, out here in Crosby County. Now settle in, because this one's got land, railroads, and a man who gave away more than most folks ever owned. John R.
Ralls was born in Culloden, Georgia, on November 13, 1863. He moved West in the 1880s, and when he finally planted his boots in this corner of Texas, he didn't just settle — he built. The man donated the land for a townsite, then turned around and erected the greater part of the business district himself.
Not content with that, he went ahead and gave free sites to the churches in town, plus much of the cost of putting those buildings up. That's not generosity, friend — that's a whole philosophy of life expressed in real estate. Then in 1911, he contributed twelve acres for a school site.
And here's the one that really stretches the canvas — Ralls offered a donation of two thousand acres as a site for Texas Technological College. Two thousand acres. Just offered it up.
Now, the road to building a city isn't always a smooth one. Ralls had to settle litigation with the C.B. Livestock Company, which was sponsoring the towns of Crosbyton and Cedric.
Once that was resolved, he secured a railroad station in 1916 — and in this part of the world, getting a railroad station meant you were on the map for real. But fate has a way of writing the last line before the story feels finished. John R.
Ralls did not live to see the city incorporated. That happened on January 6, 1922 — after the death of the founder. The city carries his name to this day, built on land he gave, shaped by a vision he saw through almost to the end.
What the marker says
Founded by John R. Ralls, who donated land for a townsite. He erected greater part of the business district and gave free sites plus much of the cost of building each church in town. In 1911, he contributed 12 acres for school site. He also offered donation of 2,000 acres for site of Texas Technological College. Ralls, born in Culloden, Georgia, November 13, 1863; moved West in 1880's. After settling litigation with C.B. Livestock Company, sponsors of towns of Crosbyton and Cedric, Ralls secured railroad station, 1916; city was incorporated January 6, 1922, after death of founder. 1967