The Mexia Evening Ledger (Mexia in Limestone County, Texas) Selections from the "Purely Personal" column Usually ran on page 1 of the newspaper. by Eric Bonner Wood [I picked those going to or from Freestone County.] January 6, 1899: "Frank Tate, of Fairfield, came in on the noon train." "Miss Myrtle Martin went to Wortham this evening." -------------------------------------------- January 9, 1899: "W. M. Seely came down from Wortham at noon." -------------------------------------------- January 11, 1899: "N. Prager went up to Wortham on the afternoon train." "Constable Geo. Wilder, of Wortham came down on the noon train." -------------------------------------------- January 13, 1899 edition - Page 1: "STRAYED OF STOLEN From Rev. BASDEN's place near Wortham, on Thursday night Dec. 29, a red cow with a nearly black head, branded H and a heart on the left hip; marked swallow fork and under bit in left and upper bit in right. Five dollars reward of cow to me. C. W. HEROD, Pursley, Texas." -------------------------------------------- January 16, 1899 edition - Page 1 "Rev. J. F. McKINZIE returned from Wortham today." -------------------------------------------- January 18, 1899 edition - Page 1 "G. E. PETTY returned from Wortham last night where he has been on business." ============================================================================= The Evening News (Mexia in Limestone County, Texas) August & September & October of 1899 Selections from the "Local Lore" column Usually on page 3 of the newspaper. by Eric Bonner Wood [Note - I did these formatted as it appeared in the paper.] August 10, 1899: "Tom Bryant went to Wortham last night on business." "John Kirven of Wortham was in the city last night." "W. B. Moses, of Fairfield, was on the noon train for Houston and Beaumont on a business trip." "Geo. A. Bell is attending court at Wortham today." ------------------------------------------------------------- August 11, 1899: "Hon. L. D. Lillard and Son, of Fairfield, were in the city last night and went to Dallas on the early morning train." "It turns out that the coal find at Wortham was a big joke, perpertrated just for fun." "J. A. Wright from in from Freestone today." "L. N. Barbee came down from Wortham today." "Jim Short was in from Freestone County today." "Mrs. A. G. Anderson, of Fairfield, is visiting Mrs. Beason." "Jack Loader was in from Cotton Gin today." "W. E. Richards came up from Galveston this morning and returned to his home in Fairfield." "Carter Sessions of Woodland was in the city today." ------------------------------------------------------------- August 18, 1899: "Capt. Roberts came down from Wortham at noon to visit his family." "Mrs. Susie David returned from Fairfield today, where she has been visiting relatives." ------------------------------------------------------------- August 23, 1899: "Miss Aba Ransome, of Wortham, is in the city visiting Miss Elenor Bell." "Miss Alma Drumwright, of Fairfield, is visiting in the city, the guest of Miss Nettie Sterling." ------------------------------------------------------------- August 25, 1899: "Will Drake died at his home in Cotton Gin this morning. He was in town the early part of the week, and his death is there- fore somewhat sudden." "Mrs. Miller died at her home in Fairfield yesterday and her many friends here sympathize with the sorrowing family." "It was reported today that oil had been struck at Wortham." ------------------------------------------------------------- August 28, 1899: "Miss Ava Ransom, after a week's visit to Miss Elenor Bell returned to her home in Wortham yesterday." "Mrs. Morris, after a pleasant visit to relatives in Fairfield returned to her home in Austin at noon." ------------------------------------------------------------- August 30, 1899: "Misses Lillard and Bradley, of Fairfield, are the guests of Miss Georgia Watson." ------------------------------------------------------------- Sept 6, 1899: "L. N. Barbee, of Wortham, was in the city today on business." "J. E. Brown went up to Wortham this afternoon." "Joe Schuster left this afternoon for Wortham." "B. W. Jackson and son Henry went to Dew today on a business trip." ------------------------------------------------------------- Sept 6, 1899: "Miss Annie Laura Johnson returned home from Wortham today." "John Riley, of Fairfield, went on the noon train for Galveston." "Mrs. Monte Hurst left on the afternoon train for Wortham." "Jack Bryant went up to Wortham this eve." ------------------------------------------------------------- Sept 11, 1899: "Congressman Bob Henry came in yesterday on his way to Fairfield to attend court." "Mrs. John Stephens returned from a visit to relatives in Fairfield." "Dr. W. F. Moore went up to Wortham this afternoon." ------------------------------------------------------------- Sept 15, 1899: "M. H. Harris, of Bonner, was in town today." "Mrs. J. R. Ross, who has been visiting relatives at Fairfield returned to her home in Hillsboro this afternoon." ------------------------------------------------------------- Sept 20, 1899: "Dr. Traynham was in from Cotton Gin today." "Dr. Clark and wife, of Cade, were in the city today visiting relatives." "What Walker, of Fairfield, went down to Groesbeck on the after- noon train." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 3, 1899: (Page 2) "John Riley, of Fairfield, left last evening for Dallas to attend the fair." (Page 3) "J. B. Watson, of Fairfield, went to Waco today." "L. N. Barbee came down from Wortham at noon." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 5, 1899: "L. N. Barbee, of Wortham, was in town today." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 10, 1899: "J. T. Strain was over from Fairfield today." "A Magnetic Healer Uncle Dan Turner came down from Wortham today to see Capt. Q. L. McDonald. He was here last Saturday and rubbed the Captain and thinks he can do him some good. Dan is an ordinary modest looking old darkey who lives on his little farm near Wortham, but he is a magnetic healer with quite a local reputation and has some cures to his credit that would be a great advertisement to some doctors. The writer knows something about his work and can certify to his merits as a destroyer of pain." [The couple are Charles Henry Watson and Johnnie May Beauchamp:] "Married - Just as we were going to press this afternoon Rev. T. J. Duncan drove up and informed us that he had just performed a marriage ceremony at the residence of A.P. Anderson, the contracting parties being Mr. Charles N. [sic] Watson and Miss May Beauchamp. Both of the young people are too well known in Mexia to require any flattering notice at our hands, and we join their many friends in extending hearty congratulations and wishing them a long and happy journey through life." "Mrs. J. C. Brewer of Fairfield was shopping in the city today." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 12, 1899: "J. B. Walker, wife and niece were over from Fairfield today shopping." "Miss Bessie Waller went up to Wortham on the afternoon train." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 14, 1899: "Mrs. Bib Watson and her sister-in-law Miss Annie Watson came over from Fairfield yesterday on a shopping tour - getting ready to go to the San Antonia fair." "Carter Kirvin came back from the Dallas fair yesterday and went to his home in Fairfield." "Prof. Lee Ellison, of Ennis, and Miss Hattie Retus, of Wortham, were in the city yesterday, the guests of Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Denning." "Miss Grace Beauchamp is visiting in Dallas and taking in the fair." "Miss Josie Steele has returned from a visit to friends from Wortham." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 19, 1899: "W. K. Burford has returned from Fairfield." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 21, 1899: "Judge H. B. Davis was over from Fairfield last night on his way to Dallas." "Jack Bryant returned at noon from Wortham." "J. L. Miller was down from Wortham today." "Dr. Traynham, of Cotton Gin, left this afternoon for Dallas." ------------------------------------------------------------- Oct 24, 1899: "J. T. Strain, of Fairfield, was in town today." "Miss Alice Anderson was over from Fairfield today." "Mrs. Womack, of Fairfield, is visiting the family of C. T. Harris."