Freestone County, Texas Reflections FREESTONE PAST/PRESENT J. R. (Sonny) Sessions MEXIA GRAINERY During WWII the Mexia and Wortham oilfields were nearly depleted as ran wide open to furnish fuel for the war and home front. The bigger oil Companies began to pull out, some smaller ones operated till in the 1960’s. Many in the area lost jobs and moved, after the War good jobs were hard to come by. A large number of large oilfield storage tanks similar to the ones used in Oil Company pump stations for storage were used during the Mexia Oil Boom for storage until sold or used. There were about 40 tanks used by Pure Oil and abandoned. There were many others in the Field, I don’t know of any remaining today. grain production exceeded the demand for many years after WWII. The government had a guaranteed price on it. Much of the grain was shipped overseas by way of Houston and Galveston, hauled on trucks and railroad. They could not keep up with the production. Harvest Queen a large grain company bought some of the old tanks and made storage tanks for grain. This started in the early 1950’s. They used them several years; they also built the large grainery seen for miles away south of Mexia were it sits I think abandoned today. During the grain operations many were employed, most were local farm people who know how to do whatever needed for its success. Steve Johnson, former Freestone Co. Chief Jailer worked here also his father and many locals. Much of the first equipment used was surplus WWII equipment and vehicles. Jeeps, weapon carriers and half-tracks, all with power wenches which were needed and used everyday. A spur was built by the railroad was used to haul the grain in from the Midwest. Roads were nearly non-existent; some had a pole road to them. All the tanks had to be cleaned out before grain stored in them, this was a hard job. One of the mechanics converted a half-track into a switch engine to move the railroad cars on the tracks; one man working here was killed that got caught between the cars. There were no safety or OSHA then and accidents occurred often. Three were burned severely with an explosion. The moisture in the grain had to be checked often and the level of bugs, if badly infected cyanide gas was used to control them, if not too bad EBS (high life) was used. This was done by John Albert Rogers and Ray Cates. Several accidents occurred with loss of limbs and life. All this much more complicated over a longer period of time than shown here but it an important part of our area history Steve told of working 84 hours one week with a pay check of $115.00 which very large for the times, a friend of his working at the furniture factory took home $35 a week. Steve said the men here were hard working and honest, mostly ex farmers. Not many of the old hands left today. *** Sheriffs Office l966 Freestone Co. had its share of problems from the Midwest grain, its haulers in every kind of truck that would run and driven by subjects from every walk of life except truck Driving. The Railroads also very involved in hauling it to market, they boarded up old livestock cars and boxcars with ply board and sent it south. Much of it ended up in the Teague railroad yards on the way back to be cleaned out, the locals found that they could sell this grain for quick profit and even broke into fully loaded cars. Had friend called Hog who had the contract to clean them out who told me he threatened by grain thief whom I knew well with large knife and wanted to know what to do, jokingly told him to shoot him if occurred again. That same night called on police radio that the subject been admitted to local hospital with gun shot wound of same caliber as Hog had, felt sure he did it and going to say I told him to. Fortunately occurred while involved in an armed robbery of illegal aliens in the old cotton oil mill, never told anyone again to shoot somebody. Milner Drug Store safe burglarized by dopers looking for narcotics. Cattle stolen Freestone Co. recovered Booger Co. Cousin Butch Carter had two horses he thought more of than his wife, also two bad sounding dogs he bragged nobody could steal from him because of, went out one morning found horses and saddles gone and dogs never barked, two youths took them with intent on living off country and going to grandpa on Lock N Dam in Leon Co. Followed them thru rural area with burglary’s caught up with near present prison farm, leaving the horses, found hiding in US84 culvert by Game Warden Brent Bergstrom. *** The Freestone Co. Genealogical Society meets monthly on the second Monday evening each month usually at the Fairfield City Hall. Monday evening May 7th there will be a special program at the Driver Cemetery starting at 6pm on locating and identifying lost graves. All our rural cemeteries have this problem and hopefully something can be gained from this. The Driver Cemetery is located between Teague and Fairfield and joins the Country Club on the south end. All are invited and encouraged to attend.