Freestone County, Texas
Reflections




[SPECIAL THANKS to Linda Mullen for transcribing and Margaret Tolar for locating.]



Diary of Mrs. Frances “Fannie or Frankie” (Noland) Anderson
(Fannie was born in 1850.  She married Judge Asa Green Anderson on May 14, 1868 
 in Freestone County. )
 
Freestone—Past & Present By J.R. “Sonny” Sessions
The Teague Chronicle; 2004:  Mrs. Andersons Ledger #10

“Politics”
  When Jim Hogg and Clark were candidates for Governor they were invited to speak 
at the Reunion Grounds, at that time it was pro and anti, A.G. Anderson being pro 
was for Hogg.  A former law partner met Clark and party of four or five men half 
a mile out of town with the brass band horseback, escorted them across town to 
the reunion grounds where Mr. Clark spoke in the forenoon.  A bountiful dinner 
was prepared especially for Clark and party but invited A.G., myself and several 
other to eat with them.  While standing around the table just one man between 
Clark and A.G. on the opposite side in front was one of the party, young lawyer 
Mr. K, we knew him.  While we were eating and talking A.G. asked him to pass him 
a certain dish, he took hold of the dish whispering will you vote with us?  A.G. 
never said a word, just took his fork and began eating.  Me, with a winkling 
smile on my face leaned forward and in a low tone of voice said, would you expect 
him to sell his vote for a mess of pottage, his eyes dropped, he passed the dish 
over, A.G. helped himself and passed it back neither one speaking but I was still 
smiling, some time after that the State Anti Chairman was talking with a friend 
of ours, said he admired A.G., knew he was a man of influence and would like to 
see him State Senator, but if he preferred to be representative to the 
Legislature, he would guarantee A.G. election to either one if he would just 
vote with us.  This friend looking him straight in the face said I don’t mind 
deliver your message but it will do no good for I know his vote is not for sale.
  Then one of our prominent lawyers who claimed to be pro was elected a Member 
of the Legislature and we knew he had the backing of the Anti Chairman.  Though 
women did not vote at that time they did wield an influence and today they not 
only vote many of them holding some county or State Office and can sit with the 
Jury to clear or convict, yet Politics is the same.