Roscoe
Relatives

Post Office opened.

The Roscoe Times weekly newspaper begins.

The town of Roscoe, Texas, is officially incorporated.

The Altom family arrives in a covered wagon. Cecil is born in 1911 in Snyder. His dad was a railroad laborer for RSP (Roscoe, Snyder, Pacific Railway) and then farmed in the area until 1944.

The West Texas Electric Co. brings electricity from Sweetwater to Roscoe!

The Faust family arrives from Alabama (where Essie’s mother passed away in 1913). Essie is now age 14 and a big help to her step-mother Emma (a cousin of Essie’s mom). Along with the move to Texas, the spelling of their last name seems to change from Foust to Faust.

The Blankenship family arrives in Roscoe. William Edward is age 19.

Farmer John A. Butler and his wife Lizzie move near Trent, Texas (specifically the Goodman Community), and they live there for the remainder of their lives. In 1924, their granddaughter Elva moves with her family to Roscoe, which is 25 miles west of Trent, so they can be nearer to her grandparents.

William E. and Essie Blankenship marry in Roscoe. They have four children over the next eleven years.

The John H.H. and Mollie Butler family comes from Rankin, Texas. Elva is age 12 and the oldest of seven children. Two more sisters will be added over the next few years in Roscoe.

The Baptist church holds summer baptisms at the local creek, following their annual tent revival meetings which usually lasted for two weeks. These summer tent revivals went on until 1951 when, with the advent of air conditioning, the meetings were moved inside the church.

Leslie Velpo Blankenship is born in Roscoe, delivered by Dr. J.W. Young, the town doctor since 1907.

Cecil Altom marries Elva Butler in Roscoe. They will have their only child, Dorothy, a few years later.

Nancy Blankenship dies in Roscoe. Her husband William Matthew moves near family in Alabama, where he dies in 1938.

Dorothy Faye Altom is born in Roscoe, delivered by Dr. J.W. Young, the town doctor since 1907.

The Butler family temporarily moves to Ellis County (near Dallas). During their marriage, they end up living in Ellis, Parker, Hamilton, Dallas, Jones, and Nolan counties. They spent the majority of their lives farming around Roscoe, Texas.

Historic documents and photos from Roscoe.

William J. and Lula Jane Altom retire in-and-around Dallas, Texas. They are buried at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Combine, Texas.

John A. Butler dies in Roscoe (father of John H.H. Butler).

Alfred G. Faust dies in Roscoe (father of Essie Blankenship).

Historic documents and photos from Roscoe.

After Dorothy graduates from high school, Velpo and Dorothy get married! Over the next eight years, four children will be added to their union.

Velpo serves in the Korean War. Vange Blankenship is born while her dad is deployed. Little brother David arrives two years later.

Vicki Faye Blankenship is born in Sweetwater.

Velpo and Dorothy move their family near Sulphur, Louisiana. Their fourth child, Elvalena, is born the following year.

Emma Faust, resident of Roscoe, dies in Sweetwater. She is the step-mother to Essie Blankenship.

Lizzie Butler (mother to John H.H. Butler) dies in Sweetwater. She is buried in Trent, Texas.

Velpo and Dorothy move their family to Ingleside, Texas. Dorothy’s parents are soon to follow!

John H.H. Butler and wife Mollie die one week apart in Roscoe.

Velpo and Dorothy Blankenship celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

William Edward Blankenship (father to Velpo) dies from a heart attack at home in Roscoe.

Leslie Velpo Blankenship dies in Kerrville, Texas, after a courageous battle with cancer. His beloved wife, Dorothy, is left a widow at age 48.

Cecil Altom (Dorothy’s father) dies from Alzheimer’s Disease in Kerrville, Texas.

Jesse Faust, Sr. (Velpo’s uncle and former employer) dies in a local nursing home at age 90. His shop in Roscoe is shown in 1962 with the large "Champion" sign. Velpo worked here as a mechanic before the Korean War.

Essie Estelle (Faust) Blankenship dies in an Abilene hospital, resident of Roscoe most of her life.

Elva (Butler) Altom dies in Sandia, Texas, after suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease for many years. She is buried near Portland, Texas.

Dorothy Faye (Altom) Blankenship dies in Corpus Christi, Texas, after battling Alzheimer’s Disease. She is buried near Portland, Texas. Her entire family in shown at the graveside service.