Freestone County, Texas
Reflections


FREESTONE PAST/PRESENT 
By J. R.(Sonny) SESSIONS

END OF PROHIBITION 

Prohibition where the sale and use illegal brought many problems to Freestone Co. It very 
hard for most to make a decent living on our land in the 20’s and 30’s jobs scarce 
and money hard to come by. What started in desperation evolved into a serious disregard 
of the laws for the easy money. 

In times when most families didn’t have $20 it not unusual for children of illegal whisky 
makers to come to school with a $20 bill. Crime was common, Mr. P.D. Browne referred to 
these years as “Freestone’s Tragic Years” in his writings. Though many made 
lots of money in the whisky business few came out with anything, easy made and easy 
gone. 

Prohibition was repealed in early 30’s with Freestone Co. had local option election with 
beer only remaining legal. Beer brewers geared up for  
Production and green beer put on the market first. Former big time whisky maker had 
wholesale beer dealership but didn’t do too good and it changed hands. State laws few 
and State enforcement officers few or none, they could sell beer 24 hours day with no 
curfew. Some even delivered truck loads of beer to dry areas. Dime a dance girls worked 
many of the beer joints just to survive. Been told there were about 40 girls in Teague area 
at one time. 

Illegal slot machines and punch cards became common. To my knowledge there no 
organized or public gambling in most. I have been told the only size offered in the early 
days were 12 ounce bottles, this before cans and such. The early brands Grand Prize, 
Southern Select, Jax, Falstaff and Pabst, none are still in business. These were wild and 
wooly days. 

These were tough times and some of the joints just as tough with no respect for law and 
order with officers having to fight often to arrest. During this time there a oil boom in 
Anderson Co. which legally dry, rough necks and workers would come across river to 
those in Freestone Co. I am told bottle beer was 10 to 15 cents which high, a case of some 
was $1.50 The beer was cooled with ice house ice as this before electricity in some areas 
and electric coolers. Many honky tonks located on east 84 and US79 towards Oakwood 
had their own electricity plants, rest rooms very crude and most outside.

The Wildwood was beer and dance hall, some of the others were The Log Cabin on 79, Nite 
Owl and Silver Moon on E 84, The Midway on 79 supposed to be the best, River Crest at 84 
&79 one of good oen’s. Others around the County were Dug Out Inn, Roundhouse in 
Fairfield where Parker Motor is today, Casey’, Shamrock, Rainbow and others in 
Teague and Wortham. I am sure there black joints but not familiar with any, do know some 
were located south of the business area on the south courthouse square, most of these 
destroyed by a fire.

After several heated and hard fought elections Freestone Co. went legally dry in l939 . 
Over the years there been several attempts to vote areas wet but none successful until few 
years ago the City of Wortham approved off premises consumption and today there one 
package store and couple places that sell beer. Today with the private clubs and such 
there not as much problem. 

In law enforcement during this time were a number of local oficicals , the   
Sheriffs Office had Jim Sessions, Sheriff, Deputies Homer Robertson, Marshall Whitt, Jim 
Wasson, Dick Keaton and Henry Tisdale and possibly others. The only Constables I 
remember during this time was Mr. Mobley and his son O’Neal (Gobbler) who his 
deputy and Constable Harry Robinson in Fairfield and Raymond Davis Constable in 
Teague, Dave Claridge was once Constable in Fairfield. 

There was lots of activities here sometimes they out all night especially on Saturday 
nights. Some kept busy just transporting those arrested near the River to Jail, there was 
no overtime then or during my time as Sheriff.