[Tim S. Willard was born Oct 12, 1895 and on July 12, 1917 enlisted in
the 114th Infantry in World War I.  After Tim finished his military service,
the Governor of Texas appointed him as a Texas Ranger.  Tim was killed
on Apr 19, 1928 while on duty raiding a still with two other officers in
Simsboro, Texas when he was shot and killed.  Tim was buried at Lake's Chapel
Cemetery in Freestone County.]


Freestone Co. History Volume 1, page 655

THE DEATH OF A TEXAS RANGER
by Mrs. Altha Bond Wren

"Perhaps you've heard the story,
That spread so far and wide;
How brave young Tim Willard,
The Texas Ranger died.

Appointed by our Governor,
He with two other men;
To help enforce the laws, and
The State's right to defend.

While in a raid one evening,
The duty they were to fill;
For a time they watched some young men,
To operate a still.

Approaching then to capture,
Young Willard was ahead,
Only to met his death foes,
Who shot him and then fled.

And rushing to their partner,
The Rangers found him lying;
The summoned aid there to him,
Tho he was slowly dying.

Oh, would could tell the thought of 
His dear loved ones at home,
Who cherished in their hearts that 
The sad news could be wrong.

Before the midnight hour,
The news had fastly spread;
It reached the home at last that
Your darling son is dead.

He had left his loved ones happy,
Left home so fair and bright;
They brought him back in a casket,
To a broken home that night.

And in a lonely graveyard,
On a sad and Sabbath day,
Two thousand there were gathered,
To see him layed away.

They slowly lowered his casket,
There by his mother's side;
God knows she loved her dear boy,
For him she would have died.

His father's heart is breaking,
Tho filled with tender prayers;
For those who bowed in sorrow,
Helping his troubles bare.

May God help that you never,
Shall have a loved one slain;
And may He guide and help us,
To meet our boy again."