Israel Spikes was a pioneer patriot for whom Spikes Prairie was named along with his family. In 1875-1876 he served as an elected spokesman from this district in the state convention to reestablish free government. He rode horseback to Austin with John H. Reagan, former Confederate Postmaster General and later United States Senator. The constitution these men helped write had been in force for nearly a century. Spikes was a Confederate veteran and Mason who had ten children.