The Agapito Carrasco Family
A Documented Research Report by Bob Wirt
Version 1; May 5, 2010
A
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.
1
Agapito supplemented his income by selling wood to the La Harmonía Company 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
2
taxes 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:
A. Daughter Cruz Carrasco was born on June 16, 1928, probably in Alpine. She
apparently died as a small child.
B. Daughter Lillian Carrasco was born circa 1929, probably in Alpine.
C. An unnamed daughter was born July 24, 1931, probably in Alpine. She died as an
infant.
D. Daughter Cruz Carrasco was born July 3, 1946 in Brewster County.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Daughter Nieves Carrasco was born in El Ojito circa 1920. She married Celso Ramirez.
They had five children:
A. Son Celso Ramirez was born in Brewster County on July 13, 1937.
B. Daughter Julia C. Ramirez was born in Brewster County on February 26, 1939.
C. An unnamed daughter was born in Brewster County on September 13, 1940. She
died at birth.
D. Son Jimmy Ramirez was born in Brewster County on July 17, 1943.
E. Son Agapito Ramirez was born in Brewster County on July 30, 1945.
7. 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
1
The 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:
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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.