"At the end of each sketch, to the extent possible, is shown the source and date of original publication. There are numerous sketches from the Fannie O. Jones Scrap Book. These will be identified by the term, 'FOJ Collection'. In some cases, dates of publication were unavailable." Wayne Spiller , Compiler of McCulloch County History, Vol. I. 1976
J. A. Cottle, 66, was born near old Black Jack Springs, Fayette County,
Texas, February 21, 1870. His parents moved to Bell County in 1872,
and then later to Deep Creed, in the northeast part of McCulloch, December
10, 1882. among his early recollections is the building of the first
school house on the head of Deep Creek. The money was made up by
the men in the community. His father, H. S. Cottle, Uncle Joe Farris,
and Neal Foster went to Lampasas, bought the lumber and hauled it to the
selected building spot. Then the men got together and built
the house. A man by the name of Jeff Graham taught the first school
there. This was the first school house built on Deep Creek, south
of Milburn. It was called Round Mountain.
The children who attended this school were: Starks, Lees, Fosters, Lyons,
Jones, Gamblins, Wickers, Farris, Waddills and Cottles.
This, however, was not the very first school taught in this part.
The first school was taught in a log house which was bought from a man
by the name of Freman, who lived on Richland Creek, about nine miles east.
The house was loaded on wagons and hauled to a place about one mile north
of the Waddill old place on Deep Creek and set off. This school was
taught in 1882-some two years previous to the building of the Round Mountain
school house.