Freestone County, Texas History News of 1887 Dallas Morning News January 13, 1887 Hotel Arrivals ST. JAMES - J. W. McColdar, Wortham, ... =============================================================== Fort Worth Daily Gazette - Sunday, January 16, 1887 Page: 2 MARRIAGES J. M. Willard and Miss Ida Lake, Ward Prairie, January 5. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News January 25, 1887 Hotel Arrivals T. W. Bounds, Wortham. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News February 27, 1887 Page: 6 Railroad News of the Day Freight No. 31, bound north on the Houston and Texas Central, struck a box car which the wind had blown across the track at Wortham Friday night, and was derailed. Several of the cars were smashed up and obstructed the track and cause some delay in other trains for a few hours, but there was no one injured in the wreck. =============================================================== The Gazette: Fort Worth, Texas Thursday, March 03, 1887 issue - Page: 3 ALTAR AND TOMB MARRIAGES T.J. Parker and Miss Tyora Sessions, Fairfield, February 20. W.E. Manahan and Miss May Woolridge, Fairfield, February 20. H.H. Chamblee and Miss Laura Mostellar, Freestone county, February 10. DEATHS Mrs. J.W. Humprhies, Freestone county, February 5. Mrs. Alex Black, Freestone county, February 6. Henry Nolan, Freestone county, February 7. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News March 15, 1887 Page: 6 Delayed Society Notes WORTHAM The Sunday school is to come out of winter quarters and reorganize. Mr. Al Snapp has finished a handsome residence. His lady, who is on a visit to her father in Galesburg, Ill., is expected home in a short time to occupy it. Miss Willie Ransom is on a visit to Judge Ransom's family in Corsciana. Mrs. Darwood has returned from her visit to relatives at Cleburne. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News April 3, 1887 Texas Patents P. E. Kerven, Wortham, cultivator. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News May 6, 1887 Freestone County A Fine Rain and a Damaging Wind, Destroying Some Property FAIRFIELD, Tex., May 5 - A tremendous rain began Monday evening. The ground is thoroughly wet and a splendid season is secured. Farmers and everybody else are jubilant and happy. The last general rain was about two months ago. This one came too late to do oats much good, except late late oats, but it will nearly be the making of corn, and will enable farmers generally to finish planting cotton that was still in the ground. Crop prospects are now fine. The rain here was accompanied with some hail and considerable wind from the southwest. It did no damage here but nearly demolished the village of Dew, ten miles sout of this place, blowing down and destroying the dry goods store of W. G. Ham, and demolishing the drug store of W. W. Peyton. The stocks in both houses are almost a total loss from breakage and damage by rain. Felix Musgrove, clerk for Mr. Ham, was slower than several others in getting out of the building, and was caught in the falling timbers and painfully though not fatally injured. Much damage to fencing was also done the Dew neighborhood, a thickly settled section of the county. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News May 15, 1887 Page:7 Latest Postal Notes Changes in star schedule: Route 31,443, Wortham to Fairfield. Leave Wortham Tuesdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m., arrive at Fairfield by 5 p.m. Leave Fairfield Mondays and Fridays at 10 a.m., arrive at Wortham by 7 p.m. Route 31,445, Fairfield to Young. Leave Fairfield Tuesdays and Saturdays at 4:15 p.m., arrive at Young by 7:15 p.m. Leave Young Mondays and Fridays at 8 a.m., arrive at Fairfield by 11 a.m. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News June 5, 1887 The Rain Record Wortham - Tanks are all full of water, and corn crops a fixture. Rain fell last night in torrents. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News June 27, 1887 Page: 5 The Prohibition Campaign ENNIS, Tex., June 25 - This evening it was announced by the ringing of a bell that W. H. Fears would speak at the opera-house against the amendment. A crowd of about ninety-five persons assembled, but as Mr. Fears was detained at the mayor's office, the audience was addressed by Dr. Loggins of Ennis, and Rev. Mr. Sealy of Wortham, both antis. Four or five persons joined the anti club. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News June 27, 1887 Page: 2 The Gay World of Society WORTHAM Quite a number of ladies of the best families of this vicinity met at the Masonic Lodge to witness the ceremony of installation of the officers of the lodge, and the degre of Eastern Star was conferred on several of them, Mr. T. D. Bounds, Kirkpatrick; J. A. C. Hodges of Texarkana; J. C. Lee, Magnis; J. O. Longbotham, Blakely; [page 3] Dr. Johnson of Cotton Gin; J.L. Miller, J. G. Gamwell, Gleghorn; Frank Smith, J. R. Knight, E. Sneed, all brought in baskets of provisions for dinner, which was served in the lodge room. The day was warm, but there was iced lemonage in full supply. Everything passed of pleasantly. .. TEHUACANA ...Miss Ada Bell is paying friends a visit at Fairfield. ... =============================================================== Dallas Morning News July 16, 1887 Page: 7 Wortham Notes Rains and Thunder-Storms - Another Account of the Womack Shooting Wortham, Tex., July 15 - This section of country was visited by a heavy rain and electrical storm last night, flooding some place while only a bare sprinkle fell at others. Crops are in good condition, with a promise of an abundant yield. There was an attempt made to assasinate Mr. Green Womack, an old citizen of this county. Mr. Womack was living on a farm, with no one on the place except some negroes. There was a full confession made to the sheriff by a negro boy 16 years old. He said he was influenced by his father to fire a shotgun at him while he was asleep on the gallery at 1 p.m. Mr. Womack's shoulder is badly injured by the shot, but the wound is not necessarily fatal, the shot being small. The negroes have been jailed. =============================================================== The Day [McLennan County, Texas] Monday July 18, 1887 John Talley was killed Saturday by Conyers Jackson, a negro. The remains of Mr. John Talley were buried at Odd Fellows Cemetery yesterday, Rev. Horace Bishop officiating. A search is being made for Jackson. Bullet hole in his head. =============================================================== The Day [McLennan County, Texas] Tuesday July 19, 1887 Conyers Jackson, who killed John Talley Saturday last, was captured, apparently near Fairfield. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News July 29, 1887 Page: 5 The Prohibition Campaign Brief Synopsis of the Day's Work Throughout the State as Wired The News Wortham, Tex., July 27 - At Pisgah, in Navarro County, last night, a Prohibition speaker was saluted with a fusilade of rotten eggs. He attempted to escape by the door, but was so severely pelted he turned to a window; being met by the same heavy fire he was forced to retreat under the benches. Mr. J. L. Miller, who accompanied him there, met a similar fate. Pistols were fired off and all sorts of yelling indulged in. The crowd was estimated at 200 people. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News August 8, 1887 Page: 4 Wortham's First Bale Wortham, Tex., Aug. 6 - The first bale of cotton was received here yesterday. It was raised by E. Blakely, ginned by M. J. Stewart & Son, bought by J. Leonard and shipped to Kempner, Galveston. Price paid 10 cents. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News August 10, 1887 Page: 3 Sherman Shavings Sheriff Ware of Cooke County arrived in the city to-day at noon with William Hill, alias Williamm Phillips, charged with the killing of Capt. Jack Hill at Dexter forty miles northwest of the city Dec. 10, 1880, and who was captured at Wortham last evening by Sheriff Ware and Sheriff Childs of Freestone County. ... =============================================================== Brenham Daily Banner - Tuesday, August 16, 1887 Page: 2 "THE BANNER acknowledges the receipt of the initial number of the Freestone County News, published at Fairfield by Dies & Irvan. It is a neat, newsy paper and we wish it great success." ---------------------------------------- "The News says an unusual number of divorce suits are being filed in the district court of Freestone County." =============================================================== Dallas Morning News August 24, 1887 Alleged To be Very Much Married PALESTINE, Tex., Aug. 23 - Yesterday Sheriff Davis got a telegram from Sheriff Childs of Freestone County asking him to meet him at the train last night, also to look out for one Dock D. Beckton, a white man, charged with bigamy. Sheriff Childs joining Sheriff Davis here at 3 o'clock last night, the two proceeded in a buggy to Elkhart Station and early this morning while they were telegraphing, Beeton drove in and was arrested and lodged in jail here this evening. Beckton is charged with having three wives, one in Louisiana, one in West Texas and the third he married in Freestone County a few months since. His third wife was with him when arrested. It is supposed he intended escaping by railroad from Elkhart, but the officers nipped his opportunity in the bud. He will be taken to Fairfield tomorrow. =============================================================== Dallas Morning News August 30, 1887 Hungry for Cake Freestone News Why don't some of the young folks get married? We could write up the affair in fine style; and then we could tell you how we enjoyed the nice piece of cake you sent us. =============================================================== [The Mad Dogs of Dr. James Issac Bonner] Fairfield Recorder newspaper Sept 2, 1887 edition "Mad Dogs A dog belonging to Mr. J. I. Bonner of our town showed signs of hydrophobia Tuesday going about town biting every dog that came its way. It was decided that he was mad and the doctor had him and another valuable dog killed at once. For fear of a sad accident, let everyone watch his dogs carefully for two or three weeks; and where a dog is known to have been bitten, it ought to be promptly killed. Dogs are much valued sometimes but the risk is too great to always wait and see if the bitten dogs become diseased. Dogs have been known to go mad a month after they were bit, that is, after they had been turned loose after they had been tied or kept confined. The first premonitory signs of rabies, we believe, are the emitting of a frothy slobber from the mouth, a disposition to be restless, and then snapping at everything in its way." ============================================= Dallas Morning News September 14, 1887 Page: 3 Wortham Notes Wortham, Tex., Sept. 13 - Cotton is coming in, making times lively. The crop is about as last year, but will make mre if the top crop escapes the worm, which is already doing some damage. Large numbers of cows and calves are shipped from here this season. The pasture men are forced to reduce stock. ============================================= Dallas Morning News November 3, 1887 Page: 6 Wortham Local Notes Wortham, Tex., Nov. 2 - The Baptist Church has just closed an interesting meeting here by the pastor and Rev. Manning and daughter, who is a good singer, and whose voice added much to the interest of the meeting. Rev. P. E. Kirvin was elected to the pastorate of this church for another year. The Christian Church is holding an interesting meeting here, conducted by Rev. Sterman of Ennis and Mr. Brady. They have a good attendance. The public school has just opened under the supervision of William Kervin. Quite a number of citizens have gone to the fair. About 1600 bales of cotton have been shipped from here to date. There is a great demand here for homes for another year. ============================================= Dallas Morning News Nov. 21, 1887 edition Page 3; right side of the page The Gay World of Fashion MEXIA Miss Helen Pendergast is spending the week in Fairfield. TEHUACANA Mr. G. A. Bell and wife of Fairfield are visiting relatives at this place. ============================================= Dallas Morning News November 22, 1887 Page: 5 Sheriff's Department FREESTONE COUNTY WORTHAM, Tex., Nov. 21 - A reward of $200 for the parties who blew open and robbed the safes at Wortham on the night of Nov. 18. Described as follows: A man about 25 years old, 5 feet 8 inches, rather round build, weight 165 pounds, auburn hair, blue eyes, sandy mustache about one inch long, very thick and heavy, broad-bottom shoes, No. 9, soft low-crown hat, soiled round the band, dark, small-plaid clothing, blue shirt, no collar, continually smoking cigarettes. The other man is about 5 feet 5 inches high, red complexion, heavy build, brown check clothing and black hat, about 25 years old, coat very short and close fitting. H. J. Childs, Sheriff Freestone County. ============================================= Dallas Morning News November 23, 1887 Page: 7 Wortham Notes Death From the Fall of a Horse - A Clew [Clue] to the Safe Robbers Wortham, Tex., Nov. 22 - Mr. Bates, a youth, was killed almost instantly Saturday by the fall of a horse which he was running after a cow. The burglars who blew open the safes here last Friday night spent Saturday in Corsicana, and bought a drill at a hardware store. ============================================= Dallas Morning News December 23, 1887 Page: 4 Meningitis Prevailing Wortham, Tex., Dec. 22 - There have been some fatal cases of meningitis here, but the general health is good. Emigrants still go east in wagon trains. Corn is selling from wagons at 50 cents. ============================================= Dallas Morning News Dec. 26, 1887 edition Page 3; right side of the page The Gay World of Fashion FAIRFIELD Dr. William M. Griffith celebrated his china wedding last night, Rev. Dr. Bonner officiating. A large number of guests were in attendance and everything passed off lovely, dancing being part of the programme. Judge O. C. Kirven and lady celebrated their first wedding anniversary Friday night. About 100 guests were invited and the young folks had a gleesome time. [100 guests seems excessive, but from what I infer from other articles of the time period, all the younger unmarried attended where it was socially acceptable (and good excuse) to go (this in the era of chaperones) the first anniversary parties of a couple.] The ball given by the F. D. C. Club will take place on the night of Dec. 25, and quite a number are expected to trip the light fantastic. ["trip the light fantastic" = dancing] Santa Claus and Christmas trees will appear on the night of Dec. 24 and eggnog, turkey and a merry Christmas Dec. 25. ============================================= Dallas Morning News December 31, 1887 Hotel Arrivals ... James Butler, Wortham, ...