Freestone Past\Present By J. R.(Sonny) Sessions, Jr. Early Fairfield Court in Freestone County, Etc. “Monday morning the 8th inst., found us at Fairfield, Day for District court. Gave my horse over to friend Pool. Judge Baylor (R. E. Baylor) did not arrive in Fairfield, from Springfield, until after dinner. Court convened at two-thirty. Grand jury organized and charged. This is the second time that District court has been held in the county. Civil docket was quite light, criminal docket more full, though comprising cases mostly of a petty character. Last Grand jury made a clean sweep and the present one had little to do. Up until Wednesday evening no bills had been found. Lawyers present, Mr. Pendergst, Limestone; Mr. Croft, Navarro; Mr. Barsearer, Robertson; Mr. Cravens, Freestone; Mr. Alexander, Anderson; Mr. Mallard, Freestone; Mr. Willie, District Attorney; Mr. Jewett, Freestone; Mr. Durant, Leon; Mr. Gould, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Whitt, Mr. Moody, Mr. Daniel, Mr. Gammage, all Freestone. Leon Pioneer, December 7, 1853 District Court—Fall Term—1853 “Grand Jurors, in and for the county of Freestone, suggest to the county court to adopt all such prudent measures relative to the public improvements of the county as will induce immigration to settle the vacant and unoccupied lands of the county, and render the homes of the present settlers creditable and comfortable…To accomplish this end the first object of importance is to enable and assist the officers of the law to execute the duties of their office, the building of a comfortable and commodious courthouse…creditable to the …county and its citizens. Recommended that the county court petition the Legislature for a donation of the State taxes for the next two years to come, for the purpose named; and, also, for power to levy a special tax on the citizens of Freestone County, should same be necessary…. Signed William Cotton Nathan Powell T. A. Gaston B. P. Hammett James Clarage Thomas G. Mayes M. Bateman Caleb Hughes J. S. Suttral Jimmerson Welch Joseph Burrass Enoch Sevier R. A. Gorden N. D. Acock John T. Huckaby Jesse Weaver J. T. Egger (Foreman) (November 1853) J. M. Henderson, Dist. Clerk June Issue 1853 Adv. WALKER HOUSE Fairfield, Freestone County, Texas The Subscriber having opened a New House on the Northeast corner of the Public Square, in the town of Fairfield, and having had an experience of twelve years as a hotel keeper, he flatters himself that he is prepared to render complete satisfaction to those who may favor him with their patronage. He would inform his friends and the public that he is the veritable Walker who used to keep the Walker House in Springfield (Limestone County). G. Watts Walker Fairfield, Texas, June 29, 1853 In regard to the accommodations at the Walker House House, he says, “He does things up in his line a little browner than the brownest.” LEON PIONEER November 30, 1853 This building was still standing on the corner east of the Post Office where the drive-in mailboxes are today when we moved to Fairfield in 1931. We lived in the old Jail and I visited there several times, a Mr. Lee who was very elderly lived on the ground floor and was all that was occupied at the time. The building faced south and I believe had a porch, it was in very bad repair and I heard people remark that hoped it didn’t fall in on Mr. Lee, where I believe he had a small shoe repair shop. When we moved to Fairfield in late 1930 there was no city water or sewer system. A little black man named Bud Carter was a professional “out house” cleaner and “night soil” hauler who had a small cart and jenny for transportation. He was seen often slowly moving about, I imagine every community had someone who did this. I remember visiting where there was an indoor “outhouse”, I thought this really uptown. The Courthouse and Jail had running water that was pumped from a pond into a water tower located on the Square. Drinking water was drawn from a well located near the Jail for it and Courthouse. Buckets with drinking dippers were used.