From Proud Heritage, Volume III by DCPA. This 352 page hardcover book is available online.
Fred Braden Spainhouer was born September 16, 1889 in Russellville, Arkansas. He was the son of Aaron and Emma Pittman Spainhouer, both of whom are buried at Cottonwood Cemetery.
Myrtle Viola Houston was born in the community of Elm Grove on April 26, 1893. She was the daughter of John and Martha Kazar Wood Houston)” . Her father was born near Elm Grove on July 6, 1858, and donated land for the Elm Grove School. Family members say that John Houston was buried in an old Indian cemetery just northeast of Liberty Grove. Myrtle’s mother, Martha Wood Houston, was known as “Aunt Mat” Wood. She was the daughter of Joel Wood and Sophroni Vaughn. Joel was born in Tennessee during January of 1817.
Fred and Myrtle Houston Spainhouer were united in marriage at Liberty Grove, Texas, on November 10, 1912. Fred and Myrtle then tended several farms in Collin, Dallas, Wichita and Van Zandt Counties before settling on the John Houston farm at Liberty Grove in 1928.
After John and Martha Houston passed away in the early 1940s, Fred and Myrtle moved to the Clear Lake Community in Collin County. That farm was sold in 1945 because the proposed building of Lake Lavon would prevent them from attending the Cottonwood Church of Christ.
Children of Fred and Myrtle Spainhouer were: Cleddie Wallace, who married Lois Allen; Helen Viola, who married Frank Klima; Freddie Philmon, who married Anna Klien, and Golda Ellen, who married Jim Young.
Fred was a member of the Liberty Grove School Board for many years. He could always be depended on to light a fire in both of those big old coal stoves, even on the coldest of days. “He’d cut a big Christmas tree for the school kids every year. Then he’d bring it home and that would be our Christmas tree,” according to Golda Spainhouer.
Myrtle died on April 28, 1967, and Fred followed on July 21, 1971. Both are buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas.
By Jim Foster
