Freestone County, Texas History News from 1895 Cameron Herald newspaper (of Cameron in Milam County, Texas) Vol. 13, No. 26 (Whole No. 650) --- Thursday, January 3, 1895 "The cotton gin at Freestone Co. was destroyed by fire Saturday night. " Dallas Morning News – Jan. 21, 1895 edition - Page: 4 Fire Record TOWN DESTROYED Mexia, Limestone Co., Tex., Jan. 20 – Almost the entire business portion of Cotton Gin, in Freestone county, was destroyed by fire last night. W. F. Storey lost his entire stock and building, valued at $6,000; insured for $1,500 in the Greenwich and $1,500 in the Mechanics and Traders. Dr. Mean’s drug store was burned without any insurance. The other buildings burned were vacant. Dallas Morning News – Feb. 10, 1895 edition - Page: 7 Oglesby Adjudged Insane Fairfield, Freestone Co., Tex., Feb. 2? – J. P. Oglesby, the ex-tax assessor of this county, was adjudged insane and taken to Terrell. His insanity is suppose to have been brought on by neuralgia in his head and face. [same issue – page 12] WEATHER NOTES [original printed this title upside down! but everything else on the page is right side up.] Fairfield, Freestone Co. – two degrees below zero was the register on the 7th. Dallas Morning News – Feb. 23, 1895 edition - Page: 5 Courthouse Double Marriage Fairfield, Freestone Co., Tex., Feb. 20 – A couple came in to-day from Birdston accompanied by another young lady and gentleman and went into the county clerk’s office, where a marriage license was procured, and by the assistance of Judge Rufus Hardy they were soon made one. Both couples retired to a store for a while, and after a few minutes another young man came in and the march was again taken up to the courthouse. Another license was procured and Judge Hardy’s services were again required. He soon comforted the other loving pair, and they departed happy. The first bride was but 14 years old, but they had an order from her parents for a license. [Freestone County, Texas Marriage Book #5: Myers, Joseph Asher, Annie Feb. 20, 1895 by Judge Rufus Hardy O’Neal, Oscar Worthy, Lona Belle Feb. 20, 1895 by Judge Rufus Hardy I still do not know who was the first couple and who was the second.] Dallas Morning News – March 6, 1895 edition - Page: 2 Small-Pox …In Freestone county, near Cade, the same advices state there have been five cases and one death. This is about ten miles from the district mentioned above and from which it contracted the contagion. ….” Dallas Morning News- April 9, 1895 - Page: 5 700 ACRES OF LAND – All enclosed with seven barb wire; 300 acres of same in high state of cultivation; improvements first-class; located in Freestone county, 4 ½ miles from Oakwoods, on the I. & G. N. road; healthy location; one mile to good school and church; good value at $15 per acre; will exchange for good business property in a good size town. J. B. McDaniel, Hubbard City, Tex. Dallas Morning News- April 12, 1895 - Page: 7 Sheriffs' Department FREESTONE COUNTY Bonner, Tex., April 6 – Stolen from H. M. Harriss, Bonner, Freestone county, Tex.: One iron-gray mare, 8 years old, branded a turned B on left thigh, heavy-set, 15 hands high, one iron-gray mare, 7 years old, 15 hands high, branded a C on left thigh; one flea-bitten gray mare, 15 ½ hands high, branded a C on left thigh, 8 years old; one bay mare, 15 ½ hands high, 6 years old, branded 1D on left shoulder. Above stock was bred to jack last spring and are only partially halter-broken. Any information leading to the recovery of stock will be liberally rewarded. I will give $50 reward for the arrest and conviction of thief. Address M. H. Harriss, Bonner, Tex., or D. F. Hughes, city marshal Mexia. Dallas Morning News- April 19, 1895 - Page: 5 REPUBLIC SUED Waco, Tex., April 18 – The jury in the United States district court is deliberating on the case of W. J. Faust, ex-assistant postmaster of Thornton, Freestone county, who is indicted on a charge of embezzlement of money order funds. At a late hour no verdict had been returned. Dallas Morning News - April 12, 1895 edition - Page: 7 Sheriffs' Department FREESTONE COUNTY Bonner, Tex., April 6 -- Stolen from H. M. Harris, Bonner, Freestone county, Tex.: One iron-gray mare, 8 years old, branded a turned B on left thigh, heavy- set, 15 hands high; one iron-gray mare, branded C on left thigh; one flea-bitten gray mare, 15 1/2 hands high, branded C on left thigh, 8 years old; one bay mare, 15 1/2 hands high, 6 years old, branded 1D on left shoulder. Above stock was bred to jack last spring and are only partially halter-broken. Any information leading to the recovery of stock will be liberally rewarded. I will give $50 reward for the arrest and conviction of thief. Address M. H. Harriss, Bonner, Tex., or D. F. Hughes, city marshal Mexia. Dallas Morning News – May 17, 1895 edition - Page: 6 Wortham, Freestone Co. – A light rain fell here again this morning with good prospects for more. Farmers badly behind with their crops. Cotton very grassy. ============================================================================= Dallas Morning News - July 1, 1895 - Page: 2 WORTHAM MEETING --- Minutes of the Closing Session of the Corsicana District Conference ---- ENNIS CHUCH DEDICATION ---- Coming Fourteenth Internal Convention of Christian Endeavor at Boston Will Include 200 Texas Delegates ---- Wortham, Freestone Co., Tex., June 29 - The evening session of the this the fourth day of Corsicana district conference of the Methodist Episcopal church south was quite interesting and President Annis, who is a very fine presiding officer, rushed business in order to wind up to-day. Rev. J. M. Wynne led the devotional exercises. The minutes of the morning session were read and approved. Rev. Mr. Hemphilee, a visiting minister from the Methodist Protestant church, was introduced to the conference. ============================================================================= Cameron Herald newspaper (of Cameron in Milam County, Texas) Vol. 14, No. 5 (Whole No. 680) --- Thursday, August 1, 1895 "Wm. Williams, negro, at Fairfield, Freestone Co., was found dead in front of his cabin, having died from hemorrhage of the lungs." Dallas Morning News- August 19, 1895 - Page: 9 Wortham A Thriving Town on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in Freestone Wortham, Freestone Co., Tex., Aug. 14 – The thriving town of Wortham is situated on the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in the northwestern corner of Freestone county, near the boundary line of Limestone and Navarro counties, eight miles north of Mexia in Limestone county and twenty-two miles south of Corsicana in Navarro county, and 189 miles from Houston and seventy-five miles from Dallas. The town of Wortham does perhaps as much business and has as much push and enterprise as any town of its size in the state. It is surrounded by productive prairie lands easy of cultivation and yielding bountiful returns to the husbandman. It is known and spoken of as the beautiful little city on the prairie. The locality is high, well drained and healthy. Timber abounds in profusion four miles east of town, extending to the Trinity river, the eastern boundary of the county. Water is obtained at form forty to forty-five feet, good freestone water with occasionally a flow of limestone water. The population of Wortham is 753 souls. The Houston and Texas Central railroad did the following business at this place during the last twelve months: Freight received: 4,854,912 pounds, earnings $1294.53; freight shipped, 11,573,683 pounds, earnings $3168.84. Ticket sales, $428.85. There was shipped from here during this time 185 cars of cattle. In will be remembered that small-pox quarantine regulations affected very seriously and damagingly the business interests of the town of Wortham during nearly three months of the present year, beginning on the 18th day of February, yet the report of nearly every business man in town shows that his sales and cash collections have been larger and more satisfactory than the year preceding, notwithstanding the extremely low price of cotton in connection with the quarantine regulations. There are thirty-one business houses. There is one weekly paper here, the Freestone Vindicator, A. Eubanks editor. There are four churches, in which seven denominations of Christians worship, one Masonic hall, one Knights of Honor, one temperance and one alliance organization, four Sunday schools, one Christian Endeavor and one Epworth League organization, one cornet band, a large and commodious hall for public exhibitions, two cotton yards, three gins with mills attached and one large school building with a large and flourishing school. There is an opening here for a bank. The business of the town would amply justify and support such an institution. Much inconvenience unavoidably results in transacting the financial business of the town through banks at Corsicana and Mexia. Much of the cotton raised tributary to this place goes to other places on account of the absence of banking facilities. Enterprising business men contemplate putting in a brick block in addition to the present number of business buildings already occupied. Dallas Morning News- August 24, 1895 - Page: 4 PENSIONS Washington, Aug 23 – (Special) – Texas – Reissue: Thomas Roberts, Fort Worth, Tarrant County; Nealy H. Cummings, Ben Franklin, Delta county; James Medcalf, LaPorte, Harris county. Mexican war survivors: Increase, Jas. S. Payne, Bonner, Freestone county. ============================================================================= Cameron Herald newspaper (of Cameron in Milam County, Texas) Vol. 14, No. 10 (Whole No. 685) --- Thursday, September 5, 1895 Miscellaneous News. Texas State News: "A. Mims, farmer, near Cade, Freestone Co., while hauling bailed hay, was thrown from the wagon and kicked by the team. He died." Dallas Morning News- Nov. 10, 1895 - Page: 17 Religious Meetings CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR Mexia, Tex., Nov. 9 – The sixth semi-annual session of the Waco district convention of Christian Endeavorers met last night at the Cumberland Presbyterian church. …Rev. J. S. Groves of Mexia invoked divine blessings, followed by praise service led by Henry Bounds of Wortham. … Dallas Morning News- Nov. 12, 1895 - Page: 3 KILLING FROST Wortham, Freestone Co., Tex., Nov. 11 - Heavy frost and some ice last night. Green vegetation all killed. Cotton picking about over. Very little being held by farmers. Receipts here will be a little less than half ???? year. Dallas Morning News- Nov. 25, 1895 - Page: 6 Leon County Difficulty Buffalo, Leon Co., Tex., Nov. 23 – News was received here this afternoon that a sewing machine agent by the name of W. C. Hicks of Freestone county had a difficulty with a white woman by the name of Mrs. Sallie Schaver of this county, living nine miles south of this place. The woman was shot in the foot and the ball ranged upward and lodged in her ankle. Amputation is thought necessary. Mr. Hicks came in and gave himself up to the officers this afternoon. The cause is about some trouble the parties had several years ago. Mr. Hicks was put under $1,500 bond to appear Tuesday a week, Dec. 3, for preliminary trial. Dallas Morning News- Nov. 28, 1895 - Page: 4 MASONIC DISTRICTS … No. 14. Leon and Freestone. … Dallas Morning News- December 2, 1895 - Page: 8 Sheriffs' Department FREESTONE COUNTY Fairfield, Tex., Nov. 28 – Stolen, on night of Nov. 22, from J. A. Tucker, one mile north of Fairfield, one bay mare, 4 years old, split in right ear. Will pay $5 for recovery of mare or $15 for thief and mare. Address J. A. Tucker, Fairfield, Tex., or J. N. Haydon, sheriff Freestone county. Dallas Morning News- December 3, 1895 - Page: 2 FIFTH SUPREME DISTRICT Dallas court of civil appeals Affirmed – James F. Bonner vs. A. W. McCreary, survivor, from Freestone; [This is actually James Isaac Bonner vs. Arabella W. McCreary (wife of William Hemphill McCreary) according to the court case.] ============================================================================= Dallas Morning News December 5, 1895 Page: 8 High Masons Meet Sixtieth Communication of the Texas Grand Lodge THE ANNUAL REPORTS ... Houston,Tex., Dec. 3 - ... Longbotham 428, T. E. Longbotham, W. M.