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SIPE SPRINGS,
TEXAS(Pronounced
"Seep")
Texas Ghost Town
Comanche County, North Central Texas
FM 1477 and FM 587
17 miles NW of Comanche
40 miles SW of Stephenville
16 miles W of De
Leon
Population 15 (est) 2000
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"Francis
Ella “Frank” and Margrette Ellen (Small) Barnes, my great grandparents."
- Lea Peacock, Roaring Springs, Texas |
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History
in a Pecan Shell
The town was named for springs that "seeped" out of the earth. First
settlers arrived around 1870. The town was organized in 1873 and the
first school was built that same year.
A post office was granted in 1883, and the town had a thriving population
of 130 the next year.
Around 1890 the town had their own newspaper, and in 1911 the Texas
Central Railroad built through - just north of the town. A short-lived
oil boom occurred from 1918 - 1921 with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000
people arriving to share in the wealth. The town built an opera house
and supported a professional baseball team. Buildings went up overnight,
but many disappeared in a 1922 fire after most of the population had
already left (only 575 in 1924).
In 1937 two Sipe Springs schools served 152 pupils with instruction
provided by six teachers. Dwindling ground water added to the depressed
economy and many simply farmers gave up. By 1940 the community had
200 persons and it went down to only 120 by 1949.
The state-wide school consolidations of the 50s eliminated the Sipe
Springs schools and students were sent to De
Leon or Sidney. The population was reported to be 110 in 1974.
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At
the foot of the small grave, located on the northern edge of County
Road 185 in Comanche County about a mile-and-a-half east of the ghost
town of Sipe Springs, is a granite marker with these words: "Little
girl, age 3 died 1870, moving west." - Mike
Cox |
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The
Sipe Springs Cemetery
appears on the detailed TxDoT county map of Comanche County. The cemetery
can be reached by driving north from FM 587 (.3 of a mile from the
former townsite). A fork appears in the road and the left fork will
take you to the cemetery after a half-mile drive.
Excerpted text from the historical marker reads:
Pioneers settled this area about 1870, after finding water seeping
from a spring. There was controversy from the beginning over the correct
spelling of the name, which is pronounced "seep". Upon the death of
Pratt Scarlett in 1873, John C. Smith gave five acres for a cemetery,
but the title was not clear. A large stone carved with Scarlett's
death date was buried at the foot of his grave. Several burial sites
in the old part of the cemetery have plain sandstone markers. In 1890
the area residents built a tabernacle at the burial ground. Enlarged
in 1951, it is still used for gatherings such as the annual homecoming
in July. Nels and Sarah Crain acquired a clear title to the cemetery
tract and their heirs gave it to the Sipe Springs Cemetery Association.
The graveyard is still in use today with about 1,150 gravesites.
© John Troesser
See also:
Sipe
Springs by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" Column) |
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Sipe Springs
oil well
Photo courtesy Chris Jefferies |
Sipe Springs
Texas Forum
Subject:
Sipe Springs oil well photo
I have an image titled “My first Oil Well at Sipe Springs Texas”.
I have no idea if it is related to our family, or how it came to
be in our collection. I am attaching the image in the hopes that
there may be something familiar to someone there. The image has
been cut, possibly to highlight someone else in another presentation.
Please let me know what this may be about or who it might refer
to. Thanks. - Chris Jefferies, December 04, 2006
Subject:
Sipe Springs Memories
Your article brought back a lot of memories for me of my Great Grandparents
who moved to Sipe Springs in 1892 from Arkansas. I used to visit
and stay with them a week at a time as they only lived 17 miles
from us at De
Leon, Texas. Great Grandpa Francis Ella “Frank” Barnes and I
would go to town every afternoon to Sipe Springs in the buggy with
“Old Joe” the gray horse hitched up and spend the after noon. Great
Grandmother Margaret Ellen “Maggie” would take her nap while we
were gone. It was especially a fun time when my brother R.C. Henderson
and Helen, Bobby, Genevieve and Peggy Barnes, children of Edwin
Barnes some times would be there and we had many a good time at
that old farm. We rode an old buggy frame down the hill to the bottom
to the bridge, played in the wheat barn, and drove the old Case
Car miles and miles while it was setting in the barn. Ole Joe the
horse, would go to the back of the pasture and we would chase him
many a mile until we caught himh, so we could all ride him.
My grandfather James Calvin Marvin Barnes and great grandfather
would sit out on the porch and Great Grandfather would talk and
talk and tell of his days in the Mexican War and Civil War, but
I was at that time too busy playing and did not listen to them.
Oh, how I wish now that I had.
Great Grandfather Barnes was Justice of the Peace there for years.
I remember one time a couple came to get married on a Saturday night.
We kids were all told to go out side. We did, but were peeping in
a window and watched the wedding. We would read the Justice of Peace
book, Great Grandma would let us know when Great Grandpa was coming
and we would scatter quick.
Those buried there in the Sipe Springs Cemetery that are my folks
are: Francis Ella Barnes & wife Margrette Ellen(Small) Barnes, Minnie
(Barnes) & Frank Morrison, and son Paul Morrison; Myrtle Barnes
Richardson, Daisy Barnes Williams & husband A..Z Williams, Marvin
& Annie Nolen Barnes, and son George E. Barnes, Margaret (McFarland
) Arnold Todd (has no stone); James Nolen, son of Wm. E. & Minerva
Jane (Mauney) Nolen. Carrie (Small) & Eli McGinty, Cora L. McGinty,
Katy Small, Willie May Small (daus of J.W. Small); 2 children of
Nelse and Sarah (Adar) Crain , Nelse and Sarah Adair Crain, So many
stories I could tell, but this is already too long. - Lea Peacock,
Roaring Springs, Texas, May 28, 2006
My Mother lived
at Sipe Springs as a child and graduated from high school (or should
I just say 'school') there. Her name was Leetie Placker, and during
her junior and/or senior years there, she was paid a small sum to
teach classes.
Mom was really the class valedictorian but that honor was only given
to male students at the time. She had the highest grade average.
Mom always spoke about Sipe Springs with fond memories about life
there. She lost her little sister to diptheria or some disease.
They were real pals and spent most of their time together until
her sister died.
Her Father, Lazarus Baird Placker was a transplant from Menard,
Texas where he grew up on a ranch. He was a good man, and heavy
on principles. Mom helped him make syrup for area people who grew
sugar cane. He had a press that was a turntable pulled around by
a horse. They cooked the cane sap down and made syrup for a share.This
helped give the family extra money. Other than that, they farmed
and raised their meat and chickens.
Grandmother was …Susie Etta Welsh…, a tall happy woman who was from
a family of singers. They went around singing in Churches etc. and
I believe that is where Grandad (Poppa) Placker met her. I could
go on, but I don't know If this will fall on receptive ears. Thank
You - Ray Gaines (Son of Leetie), January 5, 2004
Anyone
wishing to share history, stories, memories or photos of Sipe Springs,
Texas, please contact
us.
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