Freestone County, Texas
Reflections


Freestone Past/Present
J.R. “Sonny” Sessions

1850’s From Mrs. Andersons Ledger

      Don’t remember the year but Freestone Co. had built at Fairfield her 
first Brick Courthouse, a square two story building, just across the street 
one block east was my father’s two story brick hotel. With the east part 
one story, with dining room, kitchen, store room and the billiard room 
where my father and friends often played, and if not in hearing, then me 
and my little friends would go in take down the Cue’ punch the balls 
around, then hearing someone coming would jump from the window and 
run around the house..
  It was Sunday afternoon I had been with one of my chums coming 
home when I got to Main St. I heard someone at the Courthouse 
screaming so it frightened me, I rushed into Mothers room, no one there, 
but I heard a peculiar flapping noise thru the window, rushing there and 
looking out I saw the largest most beautiful Flag I ever saw on a high 
pole over the underground cistern, just flapping and floating out to the 
breeze. I stopped there spellbound not knowing what to think, I rushed 
through the dining room into the kitchen where I found the faithful cook, 
the other servants had the afternoon off. I ran to her and asking one 
question after another. She said
my Father had that flag placed there, an he and Mother were out riding 
about. I rushed to the back hall, found one of my brothers, he said the 
officers had a crazy man in the Courthouse, going to take him to the 
asylum, and it being Presidential year they were going to have a 
Democratic rally in Fairfield the next day. My Father H.H. Noland never 
ran for any office thought he was an ardent Democrat and loyal to the 
candidates.  Well I clung to Brother Bill until my parents and younger 
sister came home then I was a happy little girl. Of course the day pf the 
Democratic meet, me and my Cousins chums were there and with other 
prominent men to speak was our Governor Sam Houston, and when he 
finished speaking Ellen who was about ten years old said to Sue and I 
come on, we will go and shake his hand, we being timid little girls stood 
back. Ellen ran to her father W.B. Cotten and said she wanted to shake 
our Governors, then when Sam Houston gave her such a cordial had 
shake with a smile and a few words spoken Sue and I felt left out for 
Ellen had something to brag about we could not share.

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Whisky Days

    With the lawless days of the l920-30’s came a surge of evangelistic 
revivals and condemnation of these sinful days. These were held in the 
town and country churches, open air brush arbors and open air 
tabernacles. One that responded was big time Evangelist Joe Jeffries who 
very similar to today’s TV preachers and ended up like many of them as 
he later fell by the wayside yielding to worldly  temptations.
 Coming to Freestone Co. with Jeffries was Gospel Music Singer and 
Leader Mark Short Sr. who married District Clerk Jim and Mabel  
Hardin’s daughter Eloise. They were very involved in our area, their 
son’s Mark Jr. and Frisco personal friends who have seen a few times 
over the years. Religion and evangelistic work did help with this problem 
along with lots of help from many wives.

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Grandpa’s Report
  Teague, Streetman, Kirven, Freestone and Donie will all be celebrating 
its Centennial Year in 2005. Hopefully there some type of observance in 
each of them. The coming of this railroad really changed Freestone Co.
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