Old Judge Allegre House - Built about 1895 by Warren Allegre, who ran a
drugstore nearby. Born in 1849, he came to this town in 1869. Here he gave
music lessons and dispensed legal advice. Was later justice of the peace and
mayor. This typical Victorian house has foundations and fireplaces of handmade
brick. Stair rail and some woodwork are handcarved; 2 rooms are octagonal.
Present owners, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Beaver, restored home, 1968. Recorded Texas
Historic Landmark - 1969 

Antioch Cemetery - Shortly after the Civil War, Edward Ezell, Sr. (d. 1903) and
his wife, Frankie (Howard), gave about two acres for this cemetery. It was
later enlarged under the direction of the Antioch Cemetery Association. In
1905, residents of the Luna community began holding an annual memorial service
here. The community, with a population of 250, was once the site of a church,
grist mill, school, blacksmith shop, and general store, but in 1906 the
railroad bypassed Luna, and the settlement began to decline. The pioneer burial
ground is all that remains. 

Rev. George Washington Baines - Noted Texas religious leader. Pastor, 1850, to
Gen. and Mrs. Sam Houston. Founded first Baptist paper in state, 1855. In
difficult Civil War years, served as president of Baylor University, 1861-63,
and pastor of the First Baptist Church in Fairfield, 1864-66. A North
Carolinian. Uneducated, at 21 he cut and rafted timber to pay for schooling.
Received A.M. Degree, University of Alabama. Moved to Arkansas. Founded 7
churches. Served in Arkansas Legislature, 1843-44. Lived and preached in
Louisiana, 1845-49. He had 10 children. His wife, Melissa Ann (Butler), died
here in wartime. He made her coffin with his own hands. One of their
great-grandsons, Lyndon Baines Johnson, became 36th President of the United
States, the first Texan to receive this high honor. Churches were vital to
military and civilian morale in Confederate Texas. Rev. Baines and other
ministers led their congregations in prayer days, soldier relief work, aid to
families, distribution of Bibles. They also inspired numerous conversions.
Later Rev. Baines served as agent for the Baptist State Convention and its
education commission

Bonner Cemetery - Established in 1867 as a final resting place for William
Bonner, Dr. John Bonner, and their descendants. The two brothers, natives of
South Carolina, came to Texas in the early 1850s, settling in Freestone County.
Here they massed thousands of acres of land which they developed into great
cotton plantations. Patriarch of the Texas Bonners was William Bonner
(1783-1877), who started his career as a waggoner. With a modest education and
no financial help, he piloted his Texas land investments into a fortune. A
veteran of the War of 1812, he married Ann Lee Joel in 1816. Of their eleven
children, seven chose to live in this area. William Bonner was a staunch
Presbyterian who was known for his shrewd judgment, unusual energy, humor, and
common sense. John Bonner (1794-1879) was one of three physicians among the
five Bonner brothers. A person of great intelligence, he scorned sham and
ignorance. He and his wife Eliza (Williams) had nine children, seven of whom
moved to Freestone County with them. Among the five generations of Bonners
interred here are teachers, doctors, lawyers, merchants, and farmers. For over
a century the family has figured prominently in the development of Freestone
County. 

The Rev. G. W. Bounds - (January 25, 1854 - November 13, 1944) Born in Hickory,
Miss. Family came to Texas, 1864. Preached his first sermon in 1880. Was
ordained in 1890. Helped organize and was charter member of the Wortham
Methodist Church. Instrumental in organizing area churches and serving their
people. Beloved for good works. 

William Rufus Boyd, Jr. - (January 7, 1885 - November 6, 1959) Licensed to
practice law at age 19; became Teague's first mayor at 21. Regional manager of
U. S. Chamber of Commerce during World War I. Joined the American Petroleum
Institute in 1920, rising to positions of executive vice president, 1928-1941,
and president, 1841-1949. In World War II, as chairman of War Council of
petroleum industry, he aided Allied victory. Married Gertrude Watson and had
one son, William Rufus, III. 

Captain L. D. Bradley - (1831 - 1886) Came to Texas from Alabama in 1855. In
Civil War commanded Co. B, 2nd Battalion, Waul's Texas Legion. On May 22, 1863,
was a leader of one of most daring defensive actions in the Siege of Vicksburg.
Volunteered, along with 20 of his own men and 18 others, to seal off a Federal
penetration into the Confederate fort defending the Mississippi River; acted
under fire. Later commanded a regiment in defense of Texas coast and in 1864
Red River Campaign to prevent Federal invasion of Texas. 

Bradley House - Built 1860 by W. L. Moody, noted county merchant, for his
bride, Elizabeth Bradley; sold after he moved to Galveston to his
father-in-law, F. M. Bradley, one of this county's most influential men. Price
was $2,800 in gold. In Greek revival style, house has, preserved at rear, a
well once used to cool milk and butter. Moody, a Civil War hero, became a civic
and business leader in Galveston. Both families have given much to Freestone
County. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1967 

Hopson Burleson Memorial Cemetery - Hopson Burleson (1806-1882) moved his
family from Goliad to this area in 1835 after receiving a land grant from the
Mexican government. He immediately set aside two acres of the land for a
cemetery. The first marked grave, dated 1872, is that of the infant son of A.
G. and Zillah Pullin. Names of families who have used the graveyard include
Burleson, Coleman, Henderson, Kelley, Newman, Pullin, Humphrey, Pinkard,
Spires, Rowland, and McClelland. Several of Burleson's slaves are buried near
his grave. The cemetery is a reminder of the early settlers in this area. 

Butler Church Bell - Said to have come from riverboat "S. A. Ruthven", which
plied Trinity River until it was sunk in 1873 at Parker's Bluff. Butler Church
acquired bell and used it for many years. In 1963, after the church was razed,
Mrs. Clay Burkhart purchased bell, donated it to county museum in 1964. 

Butler Soldiers' Homes, C.S.A. - Commissioners courts in Texas usually
furnished to soldiers enlisting in the Civil War their uniforms, guns,
blankets-- and sometimes even their horses. The county courts also aided
dependents, war orphans and widows. Further, they recognized local people who
had "soldiers' homes," and reimbursed them for meals given men en route to and
from the army on furloughs and special missions. Freestone County had at least
11 soldiers' homes. Near this site, one of 2 in Butler was run by Hillary
Manning, a plantation owner. A soldiers' home usually was set up as an act of
neighborliness. The Rev. Thomas Castleton, who lived near Houston, organized
many homes. Also he commended the people of Butler, Fairfield, Goliad and
Hillsboro for setting up soldiers' homes of their own accord. At Christmas in
1864, Rev. Castleton received for the benefit of the soldiers donations of 4100
in gold, 3 beef animals and 2 milk cows, gifts of private citizens supporting
the work. He also was given a 3-story brick hotel to be used as a soldiers'
home. Other soldiers' homes were at Columbus, Crockett, Palestine and Richmond
(Fort Bend County) like many other productive activities carried on
voluntarily. These homes showed the concern of Texas for her men. 

Caney Baptist Church - Hopson Burleson (1806-82) and others in this
congregation settled this area in the 1830s. The church was organized before
1858 and met in homes or in nearby schoolhouses. The Rev. E. J. Browne
ministered to this fellowship for many years beginning in the mid-1870s. Called
"Tehuacana" for a nearby creek, the church shortened its name to "Caney" by
1884. Oliver Carter (1801-76), Gus A. Sessions (1827-1909), County and District
Judge Oliver Kirvin (1875-1924), and other leaders of the community have been
members here. The church's first sanctuary, built in 1896 on land donated by
Gus Kirvin, is still in use. 

Carter Log House - (originally located 3 miles east of Kirvin) Typical of
pioneer dwellings in early Texas, this house was built in 1845 by David L.
Carter, from Alabama. He later served in the Confederate Army and helped start
Woodland Boys' College. The tongue-and-groove logs were joined with wooden
pins. Square nails were used on the rafters. Materials for floor and ceiling
were hauled 70 miles by ox-wagon from near Rusk. A huge fireplace stood in each
room-- two downstairs, one upstairs. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1968 

Chancellor Union Cemetery - Reuben and Mary Chancellor moved to Texas from
Wilcox County, Alabama in the 1850s with their ten children and eleven slaves.
They settled on 576 acres in the rural community known as Brown's Creek. The
Chancellor family donated four and one-half acres of land for church, education
and burial purposes. The regular Predestinarian Primitive Baptist Church was
organized in 1854. The church structure also served as a school and a community
center, and was the site of many gatherings for area residents. The Chancellor
Union Cemetery was established here. The earliest marked grave is that of an
infant child of J. B. and Sarah Chancellor Lee in 1857. A separate section of
the cemetery was dedicated to the former slaves. The earliest marked grave in
that section is that of John E. Ingram in 1915. Among the 90 marked and
unmarked graves are four generations of Chancellors, pioneer settlers to the
area, many infant burials, and veterans of the Civil War and World War II. The
Chancellor Union Cemetery continues to serve the vicinity as it has for more
than 140 years and is maintained by an active association of descendants of
people that are buried here. 

Colonel Wm. L. Moody - (1828 - 1920) Came to Texas from Virginia, 1852.
Organized and was captain of Co. G, 7th Texas Infantry, the first Freestone
County unit to go into battle in the Civil War. Captured at Fort Donelson,
Tenn., Feb. 1862. exchanged, soon won promotion to colonel for bravery on
battlefield. Commended for personally leading and rallying men in hand-to-hand
combat in thick woods. Wounded and returned to Texas, where he served till war
ended. In 1866 moved to Galveston. Became leader in financial business,
philanthropic and civic affairs. 

Compton Cemetery - William Scott Compton (1805-1882), and his wife, Angelina
Louisa Gunn Ward (1806-1880) purchased over 3000 acres here in the settlement
of Avant Prairie (later Dew) in 1852. On this acreage the Comptons built a log
home, barns and quarters for their slaves. An attorney and banker, William
served as a county judge and state senator in Alabama before moving to Texas.
This cemetery began in 1855 with the burial of the Comptons' eldest daughter,
Elizabeth Blackmon Compton Johnson. Also buried here are the Comptons' sons,
Joseph (Jodie) and Felix Richard, both Confederate veterans of the Civil War;
and their granddaughter, Martha (Mattie) Jane, and her husband George Walton
White, Texas State Legislator (1889 and 1891), Baptist minister, and charter
member of the Corinth Baptist Church in Dew, Texas. George White's heirs
formally set aside the cemetery property in 1943 and for the next 40 years the
cemetery received modest care from family members residing in the original
settlement home built by William and Angelina Compton. Descendants of the
Compton and White families formed an association in 1983 for the purpose of
maintaining the cemetery. Compton Cemetery represents a well-preserved example
of a small family cemetery. 

Ghost Town of Cotton Gin - Settled prior to 1848, when Dr. J. S. Wills
established a mule-drawn gin here. Post office was founded in 1851, the year
county was organized. Dr. Wills gave a block of land for courthouse, but voters
declined to make Cotton Gin the county seat. Town had 3 churches, a good
school, a newspaper, a Masonic Lodge, stores and saloons. In the 1870's when
Houston & Texas Central Railroad built a few miles to the west, business
interests left here. Cotton Gin illustrates fate of hundreds of early Texas
towns by-passed by railroads, highways and industry. (1967) 

Cotton Gin Cemetery - Margarette Wills, her slaves and her son James S. Wills
came to this area in 1845. Dr. James S. Wills is credited with the
establishment of the Cotton Gin community in 1848. According to family history,
Dr. Wills gave the land for a public cemetery with separate sections for Anglo
and African Americans. Though it is likely that there were earlier burials, the
oldest legible gravestone in the Anglo section is that of Mary Manning, who
died in 1854 at 59. The next identifiable death date is that of an infant
daughter of J. W. and A. A. Story, buried in 1858. Among the military veterans
interred here is Abraham Roland (ca. 1794-1868), who fought in the War of 1812.
There are at least 67 Civil War veterans interred here, as well as veterans of
other major conflicts. (2000) 

Dew Cemetery - The first families in this community migrated from Alabama i the
1850s. Originally known as Avant or Avant Prairie, the settlement became
Sunshine after the Sunshine Methodist Church moved here from Harrison Chapel in
1870. In 1869 W. S. Compton, one of the early settlers, and D. A. Self, local
merchant and dentist, donated land for this community cemetery. First burial
was that of a young girl, Missouri A. E. Humphrey (1869-1871). Other early
graves date from the yellow fever epidemic of 1873. The town was renamed in
1885 when Dew Post Office opened. The name "Drew" was requested to honor a
local resident, but postal officials misread the application. A market center
for cotton farmers of the area, Dew had a cotton gin and several stores. Rural
delivery replaced the Dew Post Office in 1909. A land donation by Wiley Black
in 1901 enlarged the graveyard, which lies adjacent to Dew Methodist Church
where funeral services are held. About 1912-13 a cemetery association was
organized. Descendants and community residents gather at annual Memorial Day
observances to tend the 11 and 1/3 acre site. The 1000 graves here include many
from the 1918-19 influenza epidemic. 

Old Division Point Office for The "Boll Weevil" Railway - Important Texas
transportation artery. Chartered as Trinity & Brazos Valley Railway. Nicknamed
for special trains roaring down its tracks, taking men to "Boll Weevil
Conferences"-- in turn of century alarm over pests attacking cotton and the
economy. Another nickname for road was "Turnip & Bean Vine". The T. & B.V. was
founded by an investor-statesman, Col. Edward M. House, famed for his national
political power as advisor of U. S. President Woodrow Wilson. House's
associates included Frank Andrews, formerly assistant attorney general of
Texas; Robert H. Baker, statesman and insurance executive; and Benjamin F.
Yoakum, lifetime railroad man and agriculturist. Road was built 1902-07 from
Houston to Cleburne, and with special trackage arrangements it became a
short-cut hauler from Galveston to Fort Worth and Dallas. It introduced diesel
passenger streamliners to Texas; belonged to Burlington-Rock Island complex
during most of its first 60 years of service. Texas attained a peak of 17,078
miles of railroads in 1933. Trains still have respected roles in freight
hauling. But the era of regulating family clocks by passage of the "Boll
Weevil" or some other train is now largely a matter of warmly-cherished
history. 

Driver Cemetery - Julius Driver (1795-1883) migrated from Georgia in 1852,
buying some Faulkenberry headright land, and later giving 4.5 acres for this
cemetery. A daughter-in-law, Mary Groover (Mrs. William G.) Driver, was first
person buried here, in 1869. Driver also gave site in 1878 for nearby Hicks
Spring Church and school. There the Confederate veterans of Freestone County
had their first reunion in 1890. The recorded deed of cemetery to the public
was made by a subsequent landowner, John Hays, in 1901. The Driver Cemetery
Association has governed the property since 1915. There are now (1975) 673
graves. 

Fairfield Female College - Erected in 1858 by the Freestone School Association.
Opened in 1859 with Dr. Henry Lee Graves as president. Chartered February 8,
1860. 

First Baptist Church of Teague - This church traces its history to 1877, when a
small Baptist congregation was organized in the village of Brewer Prairie. It
became known as the First Baptist Church of Teague when the town was renamed in
1906. Located at the corner of 6th Avenue and Walnut Street since 1906, the
congregation has met in several buildings on this site. The first sanctuary was
replaced by a second facility in 1929. After the 1929 building was destroyed by
fire, a new brick sanctuary was completed in 1948. The church has been part of
Teague history for over a century. 

First Methodist Church Bell - Soon after Fairfield Female College opened here
in 1858, plans were made to have a bell cast. The students gave some of their
money and jewelry to give "tone" to the bell and the citizens added several
hundred dollars in silver. The bell was made in England, then shipped to
Galveston and hauled here by ox-wagon. Because of its great weight, college
officials had the bell placed in a special frame on the front porch. When the
college buildings were torn down in 1909, the bell was given to the Methodist
Church, where it is still in use today. 

First Presbyterian Church of Teague - Organized in 1907 under the leadership of
the Rev. S. F. Kirby, this congregation began with 31 members. The first church
building, erected one block north of this site, was replaced by this structure
in 1914, during the pastorate of the Rev. James MacIntosh. Exhibiting
influences of the Gothic revival and Romanesque styles, it features
round-headed Romanesque front windows, buttresses, and a corbelled cornice.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988 

The Fridolin (Fred) Fischer Home - German native Fridolin (Fred) Fischer
(1850-1921) came to Freestone County from Indiana in 1876. In 1893, the same
year he opened a local hardware store, he had this home constructed by David P.
Winfrey. Built in the Eastlake style, the residence features elaborate metal
ornamentations, including some designed by Fischer who had been trained as a
tinsmith in Germany. After Fischer's death, the home remained in the ownership
of his descendants. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 

Old Freestone Jail - Built 1857 to meet fortress-like specifications: interior
walls are 18 inches thick, outer walls, 30 inches. Constructed of brick and oak
timbers. Prison, upstairs, had floor of thick oak planks, with subfloor of
iron. Jailer lived on ground floor. Folklore says the notorious gunman John
Wesley Hardin once spent a night here. This was used as a jail until 1913. It
became a museum in 1967. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967 

Freestone County - Formed from Linestone County; created September 6, 1850;
organized January 6, 1851. So named from the nature of its stone. County seat,
Fairfield. Formerly known as Mound Prairie. 

Grange Hall Community - Settlement of this community began in the 1850s, about
the time the Texas legislature created Freestone County out of Limestone
County. Early settlers included the Smith, Claypool, Henderson, Wooldridge,
Kennedy, Lemmon, Manahan, Cannon, Carroll, Ward, Freeman, York, Willard, Tate,
Baker and Johnson families. They were primarily farming families who became
active in the Texas State Grange movement, which began in 1873 with nearby
resident Joseph Burton Johnson serving as first master of the statewide
organization. Originally known as Pin Oak, the community eventually came to be
called Grange Hall. In keeping with its overall mission to offer cooperative
farming pursuits, social contacts for farm families and educational
opportunities, the Pin Oak Grange acquired three acres of land in 1877 on which
the members built a two-story lodge hall and school. They used the upper story
of the building for Grange activities, with the lower floor serving as a public
school and as a worship space for the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (organized
in 1879). In 1886 the Grange conveyed the land and building to the school
trustees for church and school purposes. Soon thereafter the organization
became inactive, and about 1908 the upper floor of the Grange hall was removed.
After the building burned in 1929, the Pin Oak School joined the Fairfield
school district. The building was reconstructed in 1937 and served the Pleasant
Grove Baptist Church until the congregation became inactive in the early 1980s.
(2001) 

Site of Law Office, General John Gregg - In 1854-61, Fairfield civic and
political leader. Helped found first newspaper here. Served as district judge.
A key member of Texas Secession Convention. 1861 Confederate congressman.
Organized the Texas Infantry. As brigadier general, led troops near Vicksburg;
at Chickamauga. Commanded Texas Brigade, Battle of the Wilderness. Was killed
near Richmond, Oct. 7, 1864. Gregg County is named in his honor. His widow went
in person by wagon, through battle lines, to Virginia to get his body. Later
she was among ladies whose efforts began U. S. Memorial Day. 

Captain Richard B. Haley - (July 27, 1810 - July 19, 1877) A veteran of 1835
Texas armed resistance to Mexican forces. Participated in the Grass Fight (Nov.
26), and in victory at San Antonio on Dec. 10, 1835. Haley was born in
Tennessee. In 1824, he moved to present Shelby County, Texas. For his services
as an early colonist and soldier, he was given six land grants. After 1850 he
lived in Leon and Freestone counties. Twice married, he had three children. 

Harrison Chapel - Organized in 1850s, with twelve members. Site for the
Methodist church was given by a pioneer, George Harrison. With influx of
settlers, church grew firm in faith, and worked with people from a large
surrounding area, through annual camp meetings. The Rev. Horace Bishop, the
Rev. A. M. Eubank and the Rev. A. C. Littlepage were noted pastors. Site for
cemetery was given by Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Harrison. Many early settlers,
including numerous Confederate veterans, are buried here. Heirs gather for
annual commemorations. The church moved to Dew in 1870. 

Harmony Church - Stewards Mill People-- Bonners, McCrerys, Watsons, Robinson,
Stewards, others-- After 20 years of worship in homes, in 1876 built for all
faiths Harmony Church. Texas Presbytery, A.R.P., was founded here Dec. 9, 1876.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965 

The Dr. Emmet Headlee House - Built 1906 in Brewer (now Teague). Builder (b.
1848 - d. 1918) was son of a Methodist preacher who was also a Confederate Army
surgeon in Civil War; in turn was father and grandfather of doctors. Came to
Texas 1866; became a planter, church leader, Brewer's first postmaster; a civic
leader, peace officer, banker, druggist, school trustee, Mason, citizen
influencing railroad building. This is Teague's oldest home. Recorded Texas
Historic Landmark, 1965 

Blind Lemon Jefferson - Born near Wortham. As a young street musician, played a
guitar and sang spirituals and blues. Composed many of his songs, and had a
distinctive vocal style. From Dallas' Deep Ellum district went to Chicago in
1920's with a talent scout; made 79 great jazz and blues recordings. One of
America's outstanding original musicians, influenced Louis Armstrong, Bix
Beiderbecke, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Bessie Smith, and other great artists. 

Homesite and Burial Place of General Joseph Burton Johnson - (April 7, 1816 -
January 18, 1874) Planter, soldier, civic leader. Born in Georgia. Commissioned
a captain in U. S. Army in Florida in 1837; a major, 1846. Came to Freestone
County in 1854. For headquarters on his 10,550-acre plantation, built (1860) at
this site a 12-room stone mansion. Served as brigadier general of Texas State
Troops in Civil War. A county commissioner; first master of Texas State Grange;
a Royal Arch Mason. Made gifts to worthy causes and to minorities. He married
Patience Ponder; had 5 children. Descendants include lawyers, merchants,
doctors, law officers, printers, teachers. 

Lake Chapel Cemetery - Pioneers Simeon and Nancy Lake and their seven children
settled in this area in the mid-1850s. They built a home, cleared the land, and
began farming. The settlement which gradually built up around the Lake farm
became known as Lake Chapel community after a small church was built on their
property about 1856. Known as Lake Chapel Methodist Church, it was also used by
other denominations in the area. A schoolhouse was also constructed nearby, and
two acres of land were set aside for a community burial ground. The earliest
documented burial in the cemetery is that of the infant daughter of W. L. and
Laura Lake Thornton. A granddaughter of Simeon and Nancy Lake, the child died
at the age of five days in 1874. The church and school buildings were later
moved from the property, and the graveyard's size was increased over the years.
Among those interred here are members of the Lake and other pioneer families,
as well as veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, and
Vietnam. The diverse styles of grave markers which can be seen in the cemetery
reflect the social history of the area, offering a glimpse into the customs and
traditions of the past. 

Mrs. Lucy Haggard Longbotham - (1793-1873) One of nine children of the Rev.
Henry Haggard, Baptist minister, and his wife Dorothy (Randolph), both natives
of Virginia. Born in U. S. Territory south of the Ohio River (now Tennessee),
Lucy Haggard moved to Alabama Territory about 1814. There, in 1820, she married
Robert Brough Longbotham. In her lifetime, she lived under nine territorial,
national, and state flags. She was the mother of nine children. 

Robert B. Longbotham - (Dec. 29, 1797 - Aug. 6, 1883) Born in Sunderland,
England. Came to America as carpenter's apprentice on a ship. Married Lucy
Haggard, 1820, in Alabama. Came to Texas, 1832. Obtained land grant from
Mexico, 1835. In 1836 fought in Texas Revolution and in 1839 in Indian wars. In
1848 located here. Township was named for him until post office was renamed
Wortham in 1874. Descendants prominent in texas. Longbotham Lodge No. 428, A.F.
& A.M. named in his honor. 

David Hall Love - (January 12, 1816 - April 21, 1866) A Texas War for
Independence veteran. At Battle of San Jacinto, April 21, 1836, he and 11
comrades captured 220 enemy soldiers, and on orders of Gen. Sam Houston he
walked next day to Harrisburg with news of Texas victory. For military service
he was granted 640 acres of bounty land, from which he later donated Fairfield
townsite. He held offices in his church and as precinct justice. A native of
Tennessee, he was married twice; had 8 children. 

The Manahan House - Greek revival structure with cistern and chimneys of local
handmade brick. Lumber, hardware came by wagon from Galveston. Siding is
cypress; interiors of hand-planed heart pine. Unusual smoke spots decorate a
ceiling. Started 1855 by Dr. W. D. strain, who died Feb. 16, 1856. Widow had
his funeral held here, completed house and occupied it, later sold to R. M.
Edwards. In 1912 it was purchased by Mrs. a. C. Manahan, whose heirs still
preserve it. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1972 

Birthplace of Harvey Means - (1868-1943) Noted Negro civic leader and barber to
two generations of prominent Texans. An adventurous youth, Means began work at
age 18 as shoe-shine boy in a west Texas barber shop. When rowdy cowboys
demanded haircuts one day, Means (though inexperienced) complied with their
wishes, and thus began a 54-year career. His last 31 years were spent in Fort
Worth, where he helped establish a hospital and city park for black citizens.
He led in civic, religious, and fraternal affairs and worked continually to
improve race relations. His 10 children all attended college. 

Mt. Zion Methodist Church and Cemetery - First church-- a log building located
1/8 mile east of Doddy Hollow-- was built 1854 by early settlers. The Revs. G.
W. Walker, Timothy Green were founders. In 1860 church relocated 1/4 mile
southwest of here on land given by Mary Holder. In 1880 J. L. Moody gave a
tract situated 1-3/4 miles west. At that site a structure was built to house
church, school, and Grange Hall. Site is now a "Prayer Park" (on Hwy. 84). Land
for this cemetery, where many Confederate veterans are buried, was given by J.
C. James and A. P. Vaughn.

New Hope Baptist Church and St. Elmo Cemetery - This locality was settled about
1849 by pioneers from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Cotton and corn
plantations thrived. A school was opened in the 1850s, but closed during the
Civil War (1861-65). A site on the centrally-situated Manning land grant became
a public burial ground. Earliest documented grave is that of J. W. Darden, who
died in 1869. The Little Hope Baptist Church was organized in the community in
Aug. 1872, by a Freestone County missionary, the Rev. J. M. Gambrell, who
served as the first pastor, with R. B. Anderson as church clerk. In 1875 a
schoolhouse was built near the burial ground on the Manning grant. The school
was called "St. Elmo", probably for a popular 19th century novel. The Baptist
held services in the schoolhouse until 1886; then they adopted "New Hope" as
the church name, bought a 6-acre tract that included the cemetery and school
grounds, and built a church. Present sanctuary, which replaced that original
building, was remodeled in 1954. St. Elmo Cemetery Association administers the
affairs of the cemetery, which now (1974) contains about 850 graves.

Llewellyn Notley - (October 9, 1888 - April 27, 1970) Outstanding educator,
scholar, civic leader, and historian. Born in Paris (Tex.), son of W. J. and
Elizabeth Kilpatrick Notley. Took B. A. and M. A. degrees, University of Texas.
Served as teacher and school administrator, 1912-53. Chairman of Freestone
County Historical Survey Committee, 1962-70, and Burlington-Rock Island
Railroad Museum Association. Won civic service and history awards. Married Mary
Ettie Waterman; was father of two daughters. 

Oak Island Presbyterian Church and Cemetery - First church organized in what
was to become Freestone County. Started Sept. 11, 1847, by five charter
members: Mrs. Mary Archibald, Samuel N. Archibald, Thos. W. Archibald, Eloisa
Patton and Mrs. Mary S. Patton, whose husband donated land for church. The Rev.
John Limber presided. By 1873 had 102 members and 88 children in Sunday School,
but congregation declined after railroad came through Mexia in 1870s, causing
many people to move there. Discontinued in 1899. Many area pioneers are buried
in church cemetery. 

Potter-Watson Log Cabin - Built about 1852 by Daniel Potter, farmer who tamed
wild horses. Has cedar floor, split board roofing joined by pegs. Hewn logs
interlock securely. Cabin became family room in house erected by W. A. Potter.
He sold it to A. T. Watson of Stewards Mill in 1901. His son Edward M. Watson,
rancher and merchant, brought his bride here, 1904. His son Edward, Jr., born
in the cabin, gave it to museum for preservation, 1967. Recorded Texas Historic
Landmark - 1969 

James Bonner Rogers - (Nov. 27, 1836 - April 13, 1872) Freestone County sheriff
1872, during lawless era. Rogers pursued several horse thieves alone, after
deputy was shot in hot pursuit; but later was shot from ambush by 2 strangers,
supposedly the vengeant thieves. Died, leaving widow, 3 children. 

Salem Predestinarian Baptist Church and Cemetery - Among oldest in county.
Founded Dec. 3, 1853, by the Lee families, Elders Thomas Dossey and C. T.
Echols certifying to constitution of church. Elder Dossey named it. Five-acre
site given by W. H. McSwane family. First building of logs was replaced later
by frame structure. The present chapel was erected in 1961. 

Sessions Cemetery - This cemetery is the largest of three slave graveyards
which local tradition indicates were established in the area in the early
1850s. It was named for delegate to Texas' Constitutional Convention of 1875
and prominent local citizen Gustavus Adolphus (G. A.) Sessions (1827-1902), who
donated the land. The oldest burial here is believed to be that of Anderson
Carter, who died in the 1850s. The cemetery is closely associated with the
nearby Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church and contains the grave sites of many
notable former area slaves and their descendants. 

Shanks Cemetery - Matthews and Robert Shanks of Alabama settled here with their
families in 1859. A small farming community developed, and in 1870 a school was
built on a one-acre site donated by R. C. Murray. Land beside the schoolyard
became a public burial ground, known as Shanks Cemetery after Shanks Post
Office opened in 1896. The earliest recorded burial was Burgess A. Whatley
(1854-1892). In 1893 G. W. Bell deeded another half acre east of the graveyard.
The school building was torn down in 1917. Shanks Cemetery Association has
maintained the site since 1935. 

Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church and School - Area slaves used a brush arbor for
informal church services held by white minister Jeremiah Seely in the early
1850s. The congregation formally organized as Freedmen in 1866; Boney Moffett
was elected first elder. Shiloh School, which was inspired by the church, began
about 1867. Shiloh Church served as the "mother church" of the Zion Rest
Primitive Baptist District Association. Prominent benefactor Minyard Harriss
deeded two acres here to the church in 1891. The fourth sanctuary was built
here in the 1920s. Shiloh School closed in 1949 but the church continues to
serve the local community. 

Stewards Mill Store, 1869 - In settlement begun 1849 at Washington Steward's
grist mill-- only one in area. Later had post office, brick plant, sawmill and
county's first phone exchange. Still owned by heirs of early partner. Doorstep
is original millstone. 1964 fixtures include first counters, bins, cabinets.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1964 

Town of Teague - In 1905 this town was a drowsy country village called Brewer--
named for 1835 land grantee Green Berry Brewer. It had been settled in the
1870s. Prosperity rolled into Brewer in 1906, however, when the Trinity &
Brazos Valley Railroad selected it as site for the railroad shops and as the
main division point between Houston and Fort Worth, the town was speedily
renamed for the Teague family, relatives of noted railroad builder B. F.
Yoakum. In August, 1906, promoters held a town lot sale. Customers arriving on
a special train were met by a band playing "Dixie" and before the day was over,
they had consumed 5,000 pounds of barbecue. By 1907 Teague was transformed.
Dozens of brick buildings were under construction, population soared, and the
Ten Thousand Club advertised "10,000 by 1910". Teague's first opera house was
soon projected, and citizens once watched 2 merchants struggle happily to the
bank carrying large baskets of "greenbacks". During the first decade of the
1900s, population hovered at 5,000 but then momentum decreased. With the
decline of passenger train service, Teague began to dwindle. Today it is again
a quiet town and the railroad depot-office building houses a museum. 

Union Cemetery - Used as a burial ground since 1860. This two-acre tract was
given in 1860 by Jacob W. Tacker for use as cemetery and school site. Area was
known as "Tacker School and Graveyard Community." First church on the land-- a
log building-- was erected in 1866. It also served as school. A second, frame
structure was built 1891, named "Union Church." At same time the cemetery was
renamed "Union." The premises were cared for yearly by local people until the
"Union Cemetery Association" was formed in 1900 to maintain property and
buildings. Present brick chapel was built in 1962. 

United Methodist Church of Wortham - Congregation organized in 1867 by the Rev.
J. Hill Bounds, an immigrant from Mississippi who brought his family to Texas
by ox-wagon in 1865. At first this church, as well as others in Wortham, shared
a two-story building with the local Masonic Lodge. T. A. Bounds (son of J. Hill
Bounds) donated this present, centrally located site. Bishop Kenneth Copeland
(born 1912) of the Texas Conference joined this church as a boy, and at 17 held
a revival here. A 1930s revival leader was Bishop John C. Broomfield. Present
edifice was built 1925. 

Val Verde Battery, C.S.A. - Six brass field guns taken by Lt. Joseph D. Sayers'
Company in Civil War Battle of Val Verde, N. Mex., 1862, and brought back to
Texas with incredible difficulty, armed a new unit of hand-picked men. Sound of
the Val Verde guns in action set pace for other outfits, helped secure such
victories as the recapture of Galveston, 1863. At Mansfield, La., April 1864,
captured new, longer-range guns. Unwilling to lose their guns when the war
ended, the men buried four. The last commander, T. D. Nettles, brought this one
home to Freestone County. 

John F. Wallace House - Pharmacist John F. Wallace (1861-1966) moved to Teague
in 1908. He lived at this address as early as 1912 and built this house for his
family about 1928. John F. Wallace represented Freestone County in the Texas
House of Representatives from 1921 to 1930 and was later appointed to the State
Board of Control for three terms. The "Tudor Revival" style home features a
high-pitched front gable and a gabled central entry vestibule. Recorded Texas
Historic Landmark - 1987 

Ward Prairie Baptist Church - Ward Prairie, named for an early pioneer family,
was the site of Lake Chapel Methodist Church as early as the 1860s. The chapel,
on land donated by another pioneer family, was used as a meeting place for
other denominations, as well. Ward Prairie Baptist Church, officially organized
in 1869 under the direction of the Rev. J. C. Averitt, met in the Methodist
Chapel until 1893, when land two miles south was given to the church by the J.
W. Grand family. The Lake Chapel Methodist congregation had been consolidated
with another area church in the mid-1880s, and, according to local tradition,
the chapel building was moved here and became the Ward Prairie Baptist Church.
Membership in the church has varied over the years. Originally meeting only
once a month, the congregation held services twice monthly beginning in 1952,
and soon began to worship together each Sunday. Various events have combined to
change the structure of the Ward Prairie community, but this church has
continued to survive despite economic difficulties and area population shifts.
A good example of a rural Texas church, Ward Prairie Baptist Church has been an
integral part of the community's heritage for over a century. Texas
Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 

Woodland College for Boys - Established in 1863. Enrollment more than 300
students. Colonel L. R. Wortham donated ten acres of land for use as a campus,
church and cemetery. Charter trustees: Col. L. R. Wortham, Thomas Lamb, Dr.
Rueben Anderson, Oliver Carter, John I. Winn, D. L. Carter, Noland Womack, T.
L. Sessions, G. A. Sessions. Prof. Hellery Moseley was its only president.
Mattie, Mary and Thomas Dixon were its teachers. The college became a grade
school at the close of the Civil War. Discontinued in 1905 and moved to Kirvin. 

Woodland Cemetery - In a community founded 1848 by pioneers mostly from
Alabama, this cemetery was opened with burial of Capt. John L. Wortham
(1841-62), who died in Galveston while in Confederate Army in the Civil War.
Col. Luther R. ("Dick") Wortham (1820-74), a merchant and planter who came from
Kentucky, gave land around the grave for a cemetery, Woodland College, and a
Baptist church. In 1906, Woodland College building was given to the people of
nearby Shiloh for their school. This cemetery with over 1,000 graves -- burial
place of many local leaders -- marks center of the historic community. 

The Wortham Oil Boom - The city of Wortham rejected a well drilled by C. L.
Witherspoon in 1912 when it produced gas, not water. However, oil and gas wells
in 1919-23 gave prosperity to neighbors north and south, and petroleum
exploration began here. Discovery well for the Wortham Field, Roy Simmons No. 1
(1 mi. S), came in as a gusher on Nov. 27, 1924. Within three weeks over 300
drilling rigs were in the field. 3,509,768 barrels of oil were produced in Jan.
1925; total for the year was 16,838,150 barrels. Wasteful drilling slowed yield
to 3,000 barrels a day by Sept. 1927, and the boom was concluded. 

Wortham Schools - The first recorded school in the town of Wortham was a
two-story frame structure built in the 1870s by the Masonic Lodge and local
Methodist church. The Masons provided supplies and textbooks; ministers served
as teachers. The first public school opened in 1883 in a one-room building;
Professor Miller and Mrs. Thyrsia Garrison served as the first teachers. A
two-story frame building was built in 1890, and in 1891 Wortham became the
first independent school district in Freestone County. In 1902 the school
building was destroyed and replaced by a brick structure with a bell tower. New
facilities were built in 1922 to accommodate increased enrollment. The
discovery of oil around Wortham in 1924 caused the town of 1,000 to swell to
20,000 almost overnight. The impact on the school was immediate; one classroom
of 18 pupils increased to 84 in a four-day period. Through the years several
rural community schools were annexed to and consolidated with the Wortham
school system. In 1966 the F. W. Wheeler School for African American students
merged with the main Wortham schools. Buildings were renovated and new
structures were added to serve the district. (1997) 

City of Wortham - Situated on grant given 1834 by Mexico to Robert B.
Longbotham (1797-1883), a Texas colonist from England who settled here in 1839.
Years later, in 1871, when Houston & Texas Central Railway was planned through
the area, R. B. Longbotham sold right of way through his land for token sum of
$5, and townsite was bought from him by investors. Although town was platted as
"Tehuacana", post office was established Nov. 10, 1871, as Long Bottom, for
original landowner. In 1874 name again changed, to honor Col. Luther Rice
Wortham, a merchant instrumental in securing railway for area. Wortham was
incorporated in 1910, but remained a modest market town until the 1920s, when
rumors of oil attracted such prospectors as hotel man Conrad Hilton, who soon
left when wells yielded salt water. A Thanksgiving Day gusher in 1924 opened
the boom. Population leaped from 1,000 to over 30,000 at once. Law enforcement
was impossible, housing inadequate, but in time the town met its obligations.
Churches and schools prospered. The municipal band was the official band of
1926 United Confederate Verterans' Convention in Birmingham, Ala. Intensive
drilling had ended the boom by late 1927. In 1972 a few wells are still
pumping, and new horizons are being explored.