Biography
of
Samuel Alexander & Ella Lou Templer
Samuel & Ella Lou With 8 of Their 11 Children
Picture is circa 1904
Back Row= Edwards Woods Templer, William Louis Templer, Leonard Ernest Templer
Middle Row=Eugene Taylor Templer, Samuel A. Templer, Ella Lou (Bagley) Templer, Milo Nuckles Templer
Front Row=Otis Worth Templer, Ona Belle Templer, Edna Lou Templer
Youngest three children (Jimmie Gay, Winnie Fay & Alex Ray) not yet born
Ella Lou & the 5 Youngest Children
Picture is circa 1912
Winnie Fay, Jimmie Gay, Alex Ray, Edna Lou, Ella Lou, Ona Belle
Samuel(1860-1939) was a great-grandson of our oldest known ancestor, James Templer (1755-1846) and Martha Huff. He was born in Frederick County, VA. and married Miss Ella Lou Bagley (1866-1958) in his aunt Emma Nuckol's home in Austin, TX. on 30 March 1886.
In 1909 Samuel and Ella Lou were living in Jackson County (formerly Indian Territory), OK. with all 11 of their children.
They had a good and trusted friend, Uncle Bill Willagough. He was a traveler and prospector who had gone to Dimmit County, TX., near Carrizo Springs. Upon his return to Oklahoma, he told Samuel that he "..had found the land of paradise. You can reach out of the window and pick lemons off the trees."
Uncle Bill's story sounded so good that Samuel sold his two cotton farms and talked their neighbors, the Coker family, into joining them in a move to Dimmit County. They took their nine youngest children, along with the Cokers and their five children in Samuel's two covered wagons and the Coker's one covered wagon.
They left Oklahoma in November of 1909 with nine children, the two oldest choosing to stay behind. They had the very best equipment and finest of mules available. The wagons were equipped with over-jets which allowed a bed to be put on the level of the wagon with side boards allowing a smaller bed underneath. Two of the wagons had chuck boxes attached and Samuel also took along a tent. At times they were able to put up in wagonyards which were equipped with cooking and eating facilities which was neccesary in order to rest their mules. As they passed through various towns, many local fire departments attempted to buy their mules.
The wagon train arrived in Carrizo Springs, Dimmit Co., TX. a few days before Christmas of 1909 where the two families settled temporarily on Carrizo Creek, northeast of town. The town was beautifully decorated, but the children cried for fear that Santa Claus would not be able to find them.
Samuel purchased 31 acres one mile south of Carrizo Springs which remained in the family for over 60 years. He had a deep well drilled and irrigated part of the land to grow onions, strawberries and grain. He also established an express hauling business using two of the mules that had pulled his wagons from Oklahoma. He continued this business until he retired. Samuel died August 8, 1939 at the age of 79. Ella Lou died 19 years later on January 26, 1958 at the age of 91. Both are buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Carrizo Springs.
GENEALOGY
1. James Templer (1751 - 1847)
2.William Templer(1775-1854)
3.John Lewis Templer (1809-1876)
4.Samuel Alexander Templer (1860-1939)
Return to William (& Ann Tritipoe) Templer
03-09-2003