Freestone County, Texas History News Dallas Morning News April 17, 1943 Section: II; Page 3 Presbyterians Named to Attend Assembly CORSICANA, Texas, April 16 -- At the closing session of the Presbytery here commissioners to represent the Presbytery at the General Assembly of the Church at Montreat, N.C., May 27, were named as follows: The Rev. Joe L. Spears, clerk of the Presbytery and pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Marlin; the Rev. R. C. Williams, pastor of the Patterson Memorial Church, Eureka; John H. Sullivan, Corsicana, and Brice Bonner, Eureka. The Rev. W. Frank McElroy was installed as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Fairfield, and the Rev. A. W. De Guire will be installed as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Mexia Sunday. The Rev. E. C. Williams was installed as pastor of the Patterson Memorial Presbyterian Church at Eureka. =============================================== The Fairfield Recorder, 22 July 1943 ‘Old Landmark’ Destroyed By Fire – The dwelling on the “John Lake” farm, on Ward Prairie was destroyed by fire Friday morning at 8:30. The house was occupied by Vernon Willard and family, who lost practically all their household goods. Mrs. Willard and small son were the only ones at home, and succeeded in saving a sewing machine, a cedar chest, and a few bed clothes. Over 500 cans of fruit and vegetables were lost. The building was owned by Mrs. W.O. Keaton of Teague, and there was no insurance on either the building or its contents. The fire originated from an oil stove. The building was a landmark in the Ward Prairie neighborhood. It was built for John Lake, a pioneer settler in 1884, by Lewellyn Johnson, W.D. Pittman, and Jas H. McIlveen, all old time and well known citizens of Fairfield.