Freestone County, Texas Towns Bond's Prairie - The area was known as Bond`s Prairie in 1905, when the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railway was built through the area. School: Bond's Prairie School Had 18 pupils in 1887. Churches: Cemeteries: Social Organizations: Businesses: Nearby Communities: Known Former Residents: ------------------------------------------------------ Freestone Freestone is at the junction of Farm Roads 489 and 80, six miles south of Teague and two miles west of Luna in southwestern Freestone County. Freestone began in April 1906 *1*, believed to be named by Mrs. Allie Beene. Dr. J. L. Autry of Luna and Bob Gilliam, laid off the town immediately after the advent of the railroad, while only a few months old. *1* By August 1906, Freestone already had six businesses. Later that same year, W. T. Hopson opened a general store there. Also in 1906 a cotton gin was built, and a post office opened with Thomas T. Chester, a railway agent, as postmaster. The town also had a blacksmith shop. A school opened there in 1907. By 1914 Freestone had a population of 100, five businesses, and two churches. In 1918 an oil well was brought in near the town, and a townsite was laid out two years later. In 1936 Freestone comprised a school, two churches, and a population of 100. The Freestone school was consolidated with the Teague Independent School District in 1955, and by 1969 the community reported thirty residents and two businesses. Its post office was closed in 1976, and local mail was rerouted through Teague. Freestone's population was estimated at thirty-five from 1970 to 1990. Post Office (Nov. 6, 1906 to June 30, 1976): Frank Savage was the first postmaster. School: 1906 - 85 children under Professor William Black of Dew Churches: Cemeteries: Social Organizations: Businesses: Jim A. Beene, groceries (first to open) Beene & McGilvary, general merchants (moved from Mexia) Gillam & Gillam, general merchants Lee Spillers, groceries Terry & Savage, drugs N. A. Lucas's cotton gin W. T. Hopson, general store W. M. Trotter's blacksmith shop Nearby Churches: Enon Church of Christ (still existed in 1918) Nearby Communities: Enon Mills Luna (1.9 miles east) Nearby Cemeteries: Philpott Cemetery (3.6 miles northeast) Known people of Freestone were: Allison, J. I. Autry, Dr. J. L. Beene, Aulie Beene, Jim Beene, J. A. Beene, Ollie Biggs, Virda Black, William (moved to Teague in 1907) Chester, Thomas T. Driver, Wash Eppes, John Eppes, R. E. Epps, E.E. Fulton, Henry Garlan, James & Ruby Langdon Gilliam, Benjamin C. Gilliam, Edna Gilliam, Robert C. "Bob" & Emily Allison Hawkes, Elmer Hopson, William T. Knight, Muriel Lambert, J. L. Lambert, Lena Lambert/Lamberth, James Richard & Dora Jane Lamberth, Manuel Harrison & Lucy Haley Lambert, W. H. Lowry, Dr. David Lucas, N. A. McSwane, Roger Miller, Troy Lee Moore, Wharton R. Prater, Will Richley, John Savage, Frank Spiller, S. L. Spillers, Lee Terry, Mr. Trotter, W. M. Webb, G. W. West, Delbert ==================================================================== SOURCES: *1* = Teague Chronicle - August 3, 1906 edition " AT FREESTONE We found a new, clean, hustling little village, beautifully located on the Brazos Valley railroad two miles west of Luna, and six miles from Teague. The town proudly wears the name, "Freestone." in honor of the county which gave it birth. The streets are covered with sturdy oak trees, shading mother earth with their long green arms gently tempering the scizzing[sic] rays of Old Sol. Dr. J. L. Autry of Luna and Bob Gilliam, laid off the town immediately after the advent of the railroad, while only a few months old, we note the following business houses there in operation: Jim Beene, groceries; Beene & McGilvary, general merchants; Gillam & Gillam, general merchants; Lee Spillers, groceries; Terry & Savage, drugs; all doing quite a nice business. N. A. Lucas has about finished building his large new building in which will be one of the more modern plants [a cotton gin] in the county..." ------------------------------------------------------