Allen, Bascom Zirkle

Elm Grove Teacher

Bascom Z. Allen

Bascom Zirkle Allen was born on December 18, 1882. Bascom was the seventh born child of Charles Fauntleroy Allen and Hannah Zirkle. He was also their first child born in the Lone Star State. Charles Fauntleroy Allen was born near Lacy Springs, Virginia on June 7, 1840 and served under Stonewall Jackson during the Civil War. Bascom grew up in the Cottonwood area and taught school in the State of Texas, County of Dallas for Elm Grove School, District Community Number 73. His Daily register, for the term commencing November 11, 1907 has a note printed at the top of each page which states: "To County Superintendent - Have each month for white schools close on the same day, and each month for colored schools close on a different day."

The names and ages of Bascom Allen's students for the 1907 - 1908 term were as follows: Orie Riggs 15; Ed Houston 16; Charley Body 7; Chester Pelton 12; Willie Keith 9; Horace Pelton 8; Clarence Pelton 11; Thomas Smead 15; Willie Smead 12; Jesse Gibson 13; Albert Rozelle 9; Curtis Pelton 7; Lottie Robinson 9; Hisbie Laughlin 12; Ethel Laughlin 9; Lydia Laughlin 7; Kate Raney 12; Susie Raney 10; Emma Forster 14; Sadie Forster 9; Mollie Forster 7; Valisia Turner 9; Kate Robberson 12; Minnie Wells 10; Annie Smead 8; Jessie Whitley 12; Mary Whitely 15; Edna Pelton 14; Annie Mae Griffin 17; Jane Rupe 12; Lucy Rupe 9; Mamie Rozelle 15; Nammie Rozelle 15; Lizzie Callahan 10; Leonard Stone 14; Jesse Stone 11; Joe McCallum 8; Allen Turner 8; Winfred Hutchins 8; Hobert McCallum 16; Frank Zirkle 18; Hubert Hutchins 6; Tiny Ross 8; Roy Laughlin 17; Sylvester Laughlin 14; Johnie Thomas 14; Willie Pelton 14; Arthur Callahan 13; Myrtle Houston 14; and Johnie Rozelle was listed as being eleven years old.

Bascom Allen wrote a letter to his mother from Austin where he had been working for $14 per month during the summer while school was out. He returned to the Cottonwood Community where he was breaking a young buggy horse at the home of his brother-in-law, Marion McCallum, just north of the old Cottonwood Church. He was thrown from a training cart into the side of the barn, breaking his neck. He lived but two hours. Bascom Zirkle Allen died on August 8, 1908. He was twenty-six years old.