NOTABLE PEOPLE CALLING RISING STAR HOME
About Rising Star
Rising Star is located at the intersection of U.S. highway 183 and State Highway 36. It is about 56 miles southeast of Abilene in southeastern Eastland County.
The families of Andrew Agnew, Isaac Agnew, Fletcher Fields, David McKinley, Allis Smith and W. W. Smith came to the area in January 6, 1876. Among indian raids, vigilante activities, and gunfights, a stable community began to develope with the erection of a log school-church building in 1876. Thomas W. Anderson and his son, William, founded the first store about 1879. The Post Office opened in 1880.
The community was originally called Copperas Creek until D. D. McConnell of Eastland suggested a new name of Star. The settlers submitted a name for their community to the U.S. Postal authorities but was turned down as it was in use by another town in Mills County. They argued all through the night over the name selection and, not able to come to a decision, started to their homes. On their way home, they notice the “morning star” rising. They were all in agreement that the community would be called Rising Star.
There were five businesses and three doctors by 1889 and by 1904 a bank, hotel, school, five churches, two newspapers, and dry goods and drug stores. The economy of the area was agriculture with corn, cotton, oats and fruit.
1911 witnessed the Missouri, Kansas and Topeka Railroad coming through Rising Star from Cross Plains to De Leon. The line was abandoned in the 1940s.
Oil was found near Rising Star in 1909. Rising Star was spared the boom that was seen in Ranger and Breckenridge. After a major discovery was found in 1920, city officials maintained order in the city by passing strict regulations. The oil field workers did not bother the city and built a camp 5 miles to the west of Rising Star. The boom was over a year later and the new town disappeared.
Eugene Morris “Gene” Alford
April 3, 1905 – December 1975
Quarterback/halfback at Daniel Baker in Brownwood and then transferred to Texas Tech and later to Sul Ross State. Pete Shotwell, then at Sul Ross, called Alford the best player he ever coached. He scored the first touchdown in Texas Tech history. He also starred in track and baseball in college. He played for Portsmouth Spartans (which later became the Detroit Lions) and St. Louis Gunners professionally from 1931 – 1934.
Richard Brooks Holder
November 2, 1914 – June 7, 1986
Brooks Holder was a professionl baseball playe who spent 17 seasons in the minor leagues. He played for the Pacific Coast League: San Francisco Seals, Hollywood Stars, Oakland Oaks and Portland Beavers. In 2004, he was inducted in to the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame.
Joe Madison Kilgore
December 10, 1918 – February 10, 1999
Joe Kilgore was a U. S. Representative from Texas’ 15th congressional district from 1955 to 1965. Born in Brown County, he started his education in Rising Star until his family moved to Mission, Texas. He attended Trinity University and then the University of Texas before enlisting in the Army Air Corp in 1941. He was discharged as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1945 after earning a Silver Star, DFC, and Air Medal with two oak leaf cluster. After leaving the political arena, he continued as a lawyer in Austin, Texas, until his death.
Lexie Dean Robertson
July 25, 1893 – February 16, 1954
Born in Canton, Van Zandt County, Lexie grew up in a teacher household. Graduating from North Texas University, she married fellow student, J. F. Robertson, in 1911. She and her husband settled in Rising Star to teach in 1920. She was the Poet Laureate of Texas from 1939 to 1941 thus becoming the first native born Texan to hold the position. In 1944 she was president of the Texas Insitute of Letters of which she was a charter member. She was the vice-president of the Poetry Society of Texas and had won every prize that they offered. The Poetry Society of America and the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs were listed as memberships. She is buried in Rising Star and the Poetry Society of Texas established the Lexie Dean Robertson Award in her honor.