Freestone County, Texas 1887 Agriculture Census First Annual Report of the Agricultural Bureau of the Dept. of Agriculture, Insurance, Statistics, and History 1887-1888 Freestone County Was formed from Limestone County in 1850. It is situated on the Trinity River which forms its eastern boundary. Leon County joins it on the south, Limestone on the west, Navarro on the north. The general surface of the county is level; southern and eastern portions, however, are gently rolling. The larger portion of the county is covered with the leading varieties of timber. The different varieties of oaks grow on the upland, while in the bottom, in addition, grow pecan, walnut, hackberry, elm, cottonwood, etc. The soil, both of the upland and bottoms, is productive. That of the upland is a gray sandy and chocolate. The river and creek bottom is mostly alluvial. Cotton and corn are grown in great abundance, which yield especially well in the bottoms. The other cereals common to the State do well, and fruits and vegetables are raised with moderate success. The county is watered by the Trinity River, Richland, Tehuacana, and Keechi creeks, and other smaller streams. The Houston and Texas Central Railroad passes across the northwest corner, and the International and Great Northern its southeast corner. The two roads have a mileage in the county of 9 miles, with a property valued at $71,457. Number of marriages during 1887, 188; divorces 17, births 122, deaths 46. There are in the county 20 merchants, 9 lawyers, and 16 physicians. The Baptist, Methodist, Prebyterian, and Christian churches are represented by church organizations. Improved land sells for $5 to $10 per acre, unimproved $2 to $4 per acre. Acres of State school land in the county 6103. The county was organized in 1851, and contains an area of 883 square miles. Population in 1880, 14,921; in 1887, 17,846. Males 9335, females 8511. There are in the county 451 white and 166 colored families. The assessed value of all property in 1877, $2,108,739; in 1887, $2,715,706. Gain in ten years, $604,967. Fairfield is the county seat, population 450. The other principal towns in the county are: Cotton Gin, population 100; Wortham, population 100; Butler, population 50. There are 2 weekly newspapers published in the county. Schools - This county has a total school population of 3216, with 4 school houses, and gives employment to 85 teachers. Average wages paid teachers: White-males $49.69, females $34.70; colored-males $44.43, females $31. The total number of pupils admitted to the schools in 1887 was 2939, average attendance 1849, and average length of school term 90 days. The estimated value of school houses and grounds is $775, of school appartus $350, making the total value of school property $1125. Total tuition revenue from all sources $21,886.42. Farm and Crop Statistics - Acres in prairie 19,135, in timber 116,205, in pasture 15,288, in cultivation 41,470. Product and Value of Field Crops for 1887 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Crops Acres Avg product Avg Total Total per acre Value Product Value ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [in bushels] Corn 17,960.00 17.42 $0.49 312,863.02 $153,302.96 Oats 2,220.00 18.20 $0.48 40,404.00 $19,393.00 Barley 3.58 10.00 $0.50 35.80 $17.90 Sweet Potatoes 260.80 70.11 $0.51 18,284.68 $9,325.18 Irish Potatoes 10.59 75.91 $0.64 803.88 $514.48 [in barrels] Sugar Cane 34.90 3.25 $15.00 113.42 $1,701.30 Sorghum Cane 111.87 1.81 $15.25 202.48 $3,087.82 [in tons] Millet 9.84 1.81 $13.65 17.81 $243.10 Hay 2.68 2.66 $7.25 7.12 $51.62 [in bales] Cotton 21,916.76 0.283 $40.36 6,202.44 $250,330.27 Stands of bees 452; pounds of honey 2590, value $311.80. Tons cotton seed 1545.81, value $7159. Hogsheads of sugar 89.81, value $523.50. Number of farm laborers employed on the farms during 1887, 170; average length of time employed 6 months; average wages paid per month $11.83. There are 12 farms mortgaged in the county, the total amount of said mortgages being $11,665. Sixty-eight farmers in the county gave chattel mortgage on crops in 1887, to produce the same, the total amount of said mortgages being $6790. Thirty-four per cent of the cotton crop was destroyed by worms, and the injury to all crops by drought was 43 per cent. The famrers of this county purchased during the year 64,919 pounds of bacon, 6,256 pounds of lard, 10,036 bushels of corn, 3544 gallons of molasses. Number of renters on farms 505. Fruits and Garden - Acres in peaches 160.65, value of product $2,480.97; in apples 17.9, value $35.80; in plums 919.76, value $10,740; in melons 378.58, value $87,710; in garden 52.39, value $3816.28. Poultry and Dairy - Chickens 15,861, value $2318.67; ducks 273, value $38.12; turkeys 832, value $338.31; geese 474, value $158.14; dozen eggs sold and used 16,904, value $1,824.72; milk cows 1056, value $14,772.80; gallons milk 61,500, value $6359; pounds butter 14,106, value $1961.84. Live Stock - Horses and mules 6390, value $261,009; cattle 27,752, value $172,003; jacks and jennets 26, value $2342; sheep 3531, value $4446; goats 783, value $859; hogs 11,420, value $12,473. Farm Animals Died - Horses 111, value $4413; mules 112, value $5700; cows 294, value $1967; stock cattle 1098, value $8140; hogs 1323, value $2106; sheep 20, value $40. Animals Slaughtered - Cattle 397, value $3386; hogs 1729, value $12,248; sheep 52, value $113; goats 18, value $20. ------------------------------------------------ Table No. 19 Giving the Number of Persons Incarcerated in the County Jails of the State during the Year 1887, together with Crimes Charged. Freestone County: Murder - 5 Theft - 26 Arson - 1 Robbery - 0 Burgarly - 3 Forgery - 2 Assault and Battery - 14 Rape - 3 Miscelleanous - 25 Total - 79 ------------------------------------------------ Table No. 20 Showing the Number and Causes of Deaths, Whites, in the Several Counties of the State during 1887. Freestone County: Causes of Death - Males Consumption - 1 Infantile Diarrhea - 0 Dysentry - 0 Pneumonia - 4 Typhoid Fever - 1 Congestive Chills - 0 Black Jaundice - 6 Bright's Disease - 0 Chills and Fevers - 1 Scarlet Fever - 0 Measles - 0 Malaria - 2 Sunstroke - 0 Suicide - 0 Accident - 0 Murder - 0 All other Diseases - 3 Total - 18 Causes of Death - Females Consumption - 0 Infantile Diarrhea - 0 Dysentry - 3 Pneumonia - 0 Typhoid Fever - 1 Congestive Chills - 0 Black Jaundice - 1 Bright's Disease - 1 Chills and Fevers - 1 Scarlet Fever - 0 Measles - 0 Malaria - 1 Sunstroke - 0 Suicide - 0 Accident - 0 Murder - 0 All other Diseases - 7 Total - 16 ------------------------------------------------ Table No. 21 Showing the Number and Causes of Deaths, Colored, in the Several Counties of the State during 1887. Freestone County: Causes of Death - Males Consumption - 0 Infantile Diarrhea - 0 Dysentry - 0 Pneumonia - 2 Typhoid Fever - 1 Congestive Chills - 0 Black Jaundice - 0 Bright's Disease - 0 Chills and Fevers - 1 Scarlet Fever - 0 Measles - 2 Malaria - 0 Sunstroke - 0 Suicide - 0 Accident - 0 Murder - 0 All other Diseases - 4 Total - 10 Causes of Death - Females Consumption - 0 Infantile Diarrhea - 0 Dysentry - 1 Pneumonia - 0 Typhoid Fever - 0 Congestive Chills - 0 Black Jaundice - 0 Bright's Disease - 0 Chills and Fevers - 1 Scarlet Fever - 0 Measles - 0 Malaria - 0 Sunstroke - 0 Suicide - 0 Accident - 0 Murder - 0 All other Diseases - 4 Total - 6 ------------------------------------------------ Table No. 22 Showing the Number Marriages and Births in the State for the year ending December 31, 1887. Freestone County: Marriages - 188 Births White Males - 37 Births White Females - 48 Births Twins - 4 Births Triplets - 0 Total 85 Births Colored Males - 11 Births Colored Females - 18 Births Twins - 4 Births Triplets - 0 Total 29 ------------------------------------------------ Table Showing the Number of Paupers in the State, by Counties, how Kept, and the Average Cost per Month of Supporting Them Freestone County: Number - 3 Colored - 1 Foreign Born - 0 Average Cost Per Month - $9.33 ------------------------------------------------ Mileage of the International Railroad Exempt from Taxation, and Counties in which Located Freestone County - 5 Miles ------------------------------------------------ RAILROAD STATISTICS Showing Amount of Captial Stock, Indebtedness, Receipts and Expeditures of Railroads in Texas for the Year ending September 30, 1888 [Only list railroads that go thru Freestone Co.] Houston and Texas Central Railway Company Authorized Captial Stock $10,000,000 Captial Stock Paid In $7,276,900 Tons of Freight Moved 585,898 Receipts from All Sources $2,774,031 Amount Expended for All Purposes $1,068,292 Total Indebtedness $28,033,972 Amount Due Companies $1,518,589 No. Men Employed 1,928 No. Men Killed 22 No. Men Injured 74 International and Great Northern Railway Company Authorized Captial Stock $9,750,000 Captial Stock Paid In $9,750,000 Tons of Freight Moved 1,637,762 Receipts from All Sources $2,874,339 Amount Expended for All Purposes $30,346,644 Total Indebtedness $15,008,000 Amount Due Companies $578,854 No. Men Employed 2,563 No. Men Killed 21 No. Men Injured 54