Freestone County, Texas Reflections Freestone Past & Present By J. R. ‘Sonny’ SESSIONS -Special to The News DAVIS CARTER MICROFILM Some ten years ago after Mr. Davis Carter completed his research for the historical novel “The Story Uncle Minyard Told” he donated a large collection of Micro Film used to the Freestone Co. Historical Comm. At this time there was not a microfilm reader and copier available to the public in Freestone Co. It seemed a shame to not have this valuable source of information and no way to really use it, we offered to loan it to the Corsicana Library for use until needed here, which they graciously accepted. Recently the Freestone Co. Historical Comm. purchased a Micro Film Reader/Copier for the Freestone Co. Historical Museum with the microfilm returned by the Corsicana Library and now at the Museum for public use. This purchase was possible through the gracious grant from the Dorothy (Watson) and Frank Bragg estate. The Davis Carter microfilm collection consists of Miscellaneous Texas Newspapers 4/30-5/4/22 & 3/3/98-2/9/99 from Mesquite, Moody and Mexia. The Trinity Advocate (Palestine) 4/22/185712/12/1860, The Wortham Journal 8/26/04 - 8/2/1918. The Mexia Weekly Herald 1 9 10,1 91 2,1 9 1 4 and the Mexia State Herald 1 9041909. There are Waco Daily Examiners 1874 - 1885. Also various Fairfield Recorders from 9/23/1876 to 1895. There a total of some 0 microfilms which is a bunch. Anyone with interests in such years might find valuable information here. For use of the Reader/Copier contact Molly Fryer, Curator at the Museum on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. -4 p.m. The phone number is 903-389-3738. E-mail: fcmuseum@airmail.net. These were a very gracious gift from Davis and Mary Carter and greatly appreciated. Mr. Carter authored “The Story Uncle Minyard Told” which brought out many things concerning his Uncle Minyard and the community of Woodland a very historic in Freestone Co. He also authored “Star- Over Dixie” on General John Gregg. Today copies of “The Story Uncle Minyard Told” are hard to come by. The Museum might still have copies of Gen. Gregg’s book. ————— Over the years have observed this historic date in many places and ways, locally and otherwise. My most enjoyable was about ten years ago at a re-union of my WWII ship the USS LST 666 in Booth Bay, Maine. Booth Bay an early ship building location with tourism today’s big thing. Not far from here there still ship building and launching we we’re allowed to tour. On July 4th eve all the existing Clipper sailing ships still in service on the East Coast (most too expensive except for the rich) gather at Booth Bay and come in under full sail and regalia. A very spectacular sight, we viewed it from an excursion ship that went out to meet the sailing ships coming in. They all sailed into Booth Bay Harbor and spent several days here. That evening there was a large fireworks display from barge in the middle of the Bay. We stayed in a historic old house located on a hill overlooking the Bay where we found the owner to be from Texas. Lobster traps common in the Bay lobster found plentiful and enjoyed. The ship Bounty used in the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty” berthed here being rebuilt found interesting.