Freestone County, Texas Reflections FREESTONE PAST/PRESENT J. R. (Sonny) Sessions More Cotton Gin When the City of Cotton Gin laid off it had a square similar to the Courthouse Squares, some of the churches were located here and the store buildings that became Alderman Bros. At one time Cotton Gin had 3 doctors, a newspaper and as many as 9 saloons. The school had 150 pupils and several hundred people in the town. At times it was hard to find a place to tie your horse or team. At an old house near the blacksmiths shop that no longer stands Mrs. Hearon who now deceased told me many years ago that her aunt told her when she was a child she stood on the second floor porch and waved goodbye to the men marching off to the Civil War. At the Texas Historical Marker Dedication April 21, l968 Mrs. Andrea Alderman gave a history of Cotton Gin and Alderman Bros. Much of the following comes from this: The first to operate a store here was JW Storey, the lot was deeded to him Jan. 1, l855 by JS Wills and faced the Public Square. A two-story building was erected, the lower floor a mercantile house and the upper story to be used by the Cotton Gin Masonic Lodge. The Post Office was also located on the lower floor. In l851 it was one of only seven Post Offices in Freestone Co. The Post Office was discontinued in June l908. Later WL Smith bought the store and in l867 sold to JL and LP Smith who sold the business in l872 and moved to Mexia when the railroad built. After moving to Mexia the Smith family became well known in banking, oil and other business operations, a descendent Blake Smith Jr. a dear friend and civic-minded citizen. JH Sims owned the store earlier occupied by the Smiths, with most of this information given by people recalling from memory. Sims sold groceries as well as tools, hardware and dry goods. Molasses was sold by the barrel, sugar and lard were sold in bulk, and people brought their own bucket to get lard. Kerosene was sold and customers brought their own can. Pepper and Arbuckle Coffee came in bulk; you roasted and ground your own coffee and pepper. Fruit was sold only at Christmas. The store had a hand-operated elevator; a coffin could be purchased from the second floor. The Sims had a private telephone system and there were other phones which served the rural population. At the end of WW 1, Jim and Roger Alderman bought the business from Mr. Sims with the business carried along the same lines. Business was exceptionally good during the Mexia Oil Boom and each year at harvest time. Often a boxcar load of flour and feed bought to be unloaded at Simsboro and hauled to the store. Roger bought and sold cotton as long as the cotton gin was in operation. Jim and Roger farmed extensively and had cattle. About l948 a new store building was erected and the old one torn down. Jim Alderman had been in the store 48 years in l968 and continued until his health failed. E. Williford who came to Cotton Gin in l926 started the blacksmith shop; he also operated a feed meal and ground corn for the public. Mr. Williford was a self-made craftsman with the reputation of being able to fix anything. At his death his son Parmer carried on the business. The vacant store building is all that remains in downtown Cotton Gin today. The Alderman family our family friends for several generations. Jim and Rogers uncle a Confederate hero in the Siege of Gettysburg is buried at Woodland who came to Texas after the War to oversee the Hinds Place and killed in a horse related accident. Jim’s son Joe Roger was Freestone Co. Judge for several terms and served us well.