Born on a plantation in Monroe County, Georgia, John Robinson Ralls came to Texas in 1890. In 1906, he traded a flourishing general store for a 10,000-acre ranch. He founded Ralls in 1911 at the point where the Crosbyton-South Plains Railroad crossed his land, donated land for the townsite, and gave 12 acres for the first school. He built most of the business houses, including the first theater, and gave lots plus much of the construction costs for all churches in town.