Freestone County, Texas
History


[Narrative about buildings encountered from Coriscana to Fairfield
Written in 1861.]

Navarro Express newspaper of Coriscana, Navarro Co., TX - Mar. 20, 1861 edition 

In company with a friend we, last Saturday, made a short visit to Fairfield,
31 1/4 miles from this place, by the lower road. We noticed along the road,
new farms being opened by new comers, and fine dwellings being erected by the
older settlers; among which might be enumerated the new residence of Thos.
Meador, Esq., who has erected a neat frame building just this side of Richland
Creek, and the fine two-story house of Col. Jos. Burleson, recently built on
the opposite side of the Creek, in this county. Scarcely a mile from Col.
Burleson’s, Mr. Byrd has put up a commodious frame store house, and put into
it a large stock of good, amounting to some $30,000. worth we were informed -
where a good many of the citizens of the lower part of the county do their
trading in preference to coming to town. At this place (which we believe is
called Byrdville), some sixty or seventy men had collected for the purpose of
forming themselves into a military company. 

As we returned the next day we learned that they had succeeded in doing so,
styling themselves the Richland Invincibles, and electing as Captain, Mr.
Bonham; First Lieutenant, Dr. Felder; Second Lieutenant Gus Burleson; Third
Lieutenant, Mr. McGilbry; Orderly Sergeant, Richard McConico. Upon our arrival
at Fairfield, we visited the "Pioneer" office, and found Caldwell & Anderson
"fat and saucy," with more work than they could do, which accounts for our
getting their paper so irregularly. Anderson looks like he wanted to marry, but
we’ll bet a section of ginger bread that if he finds a girl willing he’ll back
out. C. H. Johns, one of the best tinners in the State, whose work shop - a two
story building - was blown down in a storm last year, has built a very nice
house on the old site. We put up at Marsh’s Hotel, and fared as well as the law
allows a man to in this country. 

Fairfield can boast of one of the handsomest courthouses in the state, the yard
of which has been very tastefully enclosed by a neat railing, which is
decidedly an improvement to the square. We would suggest that the pond on the
northwest corner of the square be filled up. The fine college built here some
time ago by subscription, was sold recently by the sheriff for money due the
contractors. It cost originally some $12,000. or $15,000. And brought $5,000.
It was purchased by Rev. H. L. Graves, who has been conducting a female school
in this building for some two or three years. Many handsome dwelling houses
adorn the suburbs of this place.