Owsley Park

Alvin C. Owsley. Alvin M. Owsley of Texas: Apostle of Americanism by

Marion S. Adams. 1971.

Alvin Clark Owsley (1856-1938)

In 1994 the City of Denton purchased land in the Owsley Park Subdivision to be used as a neighborhood park. The Park was completed in August of 1995 and the Park Board chose the name “Owsley Neighborhood Park,” on Nov. 20, 1995. It was officially dedicated in a ceremony on February 27, 1996.

The Owsley Park Subdivision itself is part of 160 acres purchased by Alvin C. Owsley from Laura Park in 1909. It was subsequently sold to R.L. McGalliard in 1924 where it was mentioned as Owsley Park for the first time.

Alvin C. Owsley was born in Johnson County, Missouri in 1856. His parents arrived in Denton in 1872. His mother, Dr. Louisa Mansfield Owsley is believed to be Denton's first female doctor and is credited with suggesting Frederick Douglas Moore be named for abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass.

In 1873, Owsley began work as a school teacher in Denton and would be an examiner of schoolteachers until 1884. Schooled in law, Owsley would be elected to the 21^st Texas Legislature in 1888 and again to the 22^nd Texas Legislature as well as the 24^th Texas Legislature. He was selected as the Presidential elector for the 5th District in 1892 and 1904 and would serve one term as District Judge in the 16th Judicial District from 1926-1928. In 1934 he served as the Special Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Owsley's support was instrumental in the founding of the Texas Normal College (now University of North Texas) in 1890 and served as Secretary of the first Board of Regents.

Owsley married Sallie M. Blount in 1880 and together they had 8 children: Eunice, Lousiana, Jessie, Alvin, Stella, Clark, Charlotte and Henry. The current streets of Stella, Charlotte and Louise in the Owsley Park neighborhood are named for their daughters.

Their son Alvin M. Owsley was elected to the Texas State Legislature at the age of 23 and would then become the District Attorney for Denton County prior to serving with the 36^th Infantry Division in World War I. He was a founder and commander of the American Legion and later American Minister to Romania, the Irish Free State and Denmark before returning to Texas.

Dr. Louisa Mansfield Owsley. Denton Public Library.

Alvin M. Owsley at Amalienborg Castle, Denmark. Alvin M. Owsley of Texas: Apostle of Americanism by Marion S. Adams. 1971.

Owsley Neighborhood Park Grand Opening, 1996. Parks and Recreation Department Collection, Denton Municipal Archives.

Mayor Bob Castleberry officiating the Owsley Neighborhood Park Grand Opening, 1996. Parks and Recreation Department Collection, Denton Municipal Archives.

Alvin C. Owsley (seated) with Sons Alvin, Clark and Henry (L-R). Denton Public Library, available on the Portal to Texas History.

Sources:

“City Council Agenda Packet,” February 20, 1996.
“City of Denton City Council Minutes,” February 27, 1996.
“City Council Agenda Packet.”
“Warranty Deed,” September 27, 1924.
“Deed,” December 31, 1909
Gerry Veeder, “Louisa Mansfield Owsley, Denton’s First Woman Homeopathic Doctor,” The History of Denton, Texas, n.d., dentonhistory.net/page21/.
Marion S Adams, Alvin M. Owsley of Texas: Apostle of Americanism (Waco: Texian Press, 1971).
Himmel, Richard L. Owsley, Alvin C. (1856-1938). Texas State Historical Commission Handbook of Texas, May 1, 1995.