Freestone County, Texas
Reflections



Freestone Past and Present
FREESTONE COUNTY, August 17, 2006 

Leaves from the Pages of Memory 

This article appeared with an advertisement in local paper many years ago by the
Williford Co.

“The Hanging of the Red River Valley Horse Thieves” 
as told to Carl Williford 
by Frank 

Here is the story. In l890 a party of ten or twelve well-mounted men rode into the little village of 
Cotton Gin and asked for help in pursuing a bunch of horse thieves. 
 
“We are close on their trail. They have been stealing horses in North Texas, Indian Territory and 
Arkansas and driving them to this County where they meet a bunch of horse thieves from South 
Texas. There they exchange horses and go back home with fresh horses. We want four or five good 
men to go with us”. 
 
The Cotton Gin men readily agreed. Mr. Matthew Drake, Mr. Joe Sims, Mr. Colgin and two other 
men whose name I cannot recall went. They trailed the horses from Cotton Gin east on the old 
Fairfield-Mexia Stagecoach road to Caney Creek where the thieves had their holding place to meet 
and exchange horses. The South Texas bunch had not arrived. 
 
The vigilantes over-powered and captured five horse thieves, took them west about one mile, 
hanging them, and threw their bodies into an old abandoned well on what was known as the old 
Cheat Place. 
 
There was a local boy present and they started to hang him. But Mr. Drake saved the boy by telling 
the posse that the boy was in no way connected with the thieves. The thieves for years had been 
buying eggs, milk, and butter from the widow Loader. This boy was delivering it to them. He had a 
narrow escape. 
 
Note: about 30 yeas ago I began buying land in this area and heard grapevine stories from the 
Negroes about this holding place the thieves had on Caney Creek. This area is now in our pasture. 
 
The particular old darkey I talked to was Aunt Martha Calhoun who claimed to be 130 years old. She 
remembered the Cherokee Indians being driven out of Alabama, and she remembered the stars 
falling in Alabama. This is another story I will tell later. Which I don’t think he did. 
 
*** 
 
August meeting of the Freestone Co. Historical Commission at the Freestone Training Center with 
little different program, Cowboy Poet and Historian David Dill of Hill Co., Authentic cowboy music by 
Rick Tinner of Hill Co. and Richard Ratley from Cross Roads who opened the program with the Star 
Spangled Banner. Most enjoyable and entertaining. Those not attending missed a good show, all 
greatly appreciated. Friend Sara Eugenia Sims helped put it all together which also appreciated. 
 
The September meeting will be Tuesday evening September 5th at the Freestone Co. Training 
Center starting at 7:30pm, Wortham-Butler groups will be responsible for refreshments. Our guest 
speaker will be Corsicana Daily Sun columnist, archeologist and historian Bill Young.  
 
All are invited and encouraged to attend. Mr. Young has been involved in various projects in 
Navarro, Freestone and other areas.


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