Julius Canselor Bird (1863-1925) was born in Round Mountain, Blanco County, and came to West Texas at age 18 as a Texas Ranger, protecting crews during construction of the transcontinental railroad. He later homesteaded and ranched on ten sections of land south of Alpine along the drainage of Calamity and Ash Creeks. In 1885, he married America Walker, and they raised Durham cattle on their ranch. He later opened Alpine’s first Buick dealership, was a charter member of First Baptist Church, was instrumental in its financing and building, and was a founding member of the Paisano Baptist Encampment. After he died on March 8, 1925, Mrs. Bird had a home built on Lockhart Avenue and moved to town.