Upland, Texas
Upland was located near the geographic center of Upton County about 10 miles northwest of the site of present-day Rankin. The town was platted by Henry M. Halff in 1908 and grew quickly to include numerous businesses, a church, and a school that began in October 1908. A post office opened in 1907 with Edward B. Coatwright as postmaster. Mr. Miller drilled the first water well in Upland. To encourage development, Halff sold both businesses and residential lots and built a hotel and a general store. Upland was named the first county seat on May 7, 1910. W. D. Riser established the Upland Roundup, the first county newspaper in 1910. The County courthouse and a two story jail were built in 1913 of Limestone at the cost of $22,000. The builder was L R Wright and Company of Dallas, Texas. The same year the Orient Railroad built south of the town bypassing the town of Upland. It is said that landowners refused to let the railroad cross their lands thus, leading to the demise of the town of Upland. A new town site near the railroad became into existence because of a man named F. E Rankin. Rankin donated a half section of land for the town site and the Orient established a depot on the land. Within a year the town of Rankin, had two general stores, a tent cafe, a post office The hotel was moved to Rankin in 1914, and the newspaper followed three years later. In 1914 John R Johnston, moved his hotel and general store to the new railroad town. By breaking his building in half and placing in onto large wooden rollers, the building was trucked to its new location. Soon all of the residents followed suit. The last of the settlers of Upland to leave was County Clerk R. C. Harlan. In 1921 Rankin became the county seat. By the time the post office closed in 1918, Upland's population had dwindled to a few families. The only remaining thing for the past residents of the Upland community to do was to pay for the Courthouse that was hardly used. It would take 12 years for the courthouse to finally be paid off.
There are only 3 known burials in Upland
AINSWORTH, Georgia 1872 – 1913
BLANTON, George (Infant) 3-11-1913