FREESTONE PAST/PRESENT
J. R. (Sonny) SESSIONS
SHERIFF 1965-2001

COMFORT-LST ASSOCIATION

   For a number of years Peggy and I have been involved with the Texas LST 
Association that consists mostly of WWII and Korean War veterans that 
served on amphibious vessels in those conflicts and their widows. This 
group meets in the Fall and in the Spring in different Texas locations. It has 
carried us to various and usually historic places we would not or could no
normally visit. Due to this group and others there not many places we 
haven’t been or seen in Texas.
  We recently joined this group in the little town of Comfort, in the Texas 
Hill Country. While here we visited the abandoned railroad tunnel where 
Mexican bats call home much of the tear, we witnessed their exit one 
evening in search of insects which quite a sight. In Comfort there is a 
memorial marker in memory of 68 local men who sympathetic to the Union 
cause during the Civil War and all killed while trying to make it to Mexico
by Confederates. There were many abuses by both sides in this struggle.
  While in Comfort our friends Marie and Guy Pickett (retired Sheriff of 
Bandera Co,) picked us up and gave a tour of the area. We first visited the 
Centre Point Cemetery which has more former Texas Rangers buried here 
than any other place known, many of these I knew personally  and worked 
with and some I had only heard of.
  The Pickett’s then carried us to the location of old Camp Verde near 
Kerrville. This the location of one of the Camps and Forts used in trying 
Camels in the western deserts for transporting goods and equipment. Built in 
l857 while Jefferson Davis Secretary of War (Davis later President of the 
Confederacy) and abandoned as the war clouds gathered and railroads built 
after the war. It was never too successful as the Camel and their Arab 
handlers were quite different. Camp Verde along with others were left to 
ruin, I visited here many years ago when some of the original buildings were 
still standing, nothing remains today. 
  The Camel program was Jefferson Davis attempt to find a better way 
across the arid southwest. The Camels and Arab handlers came into 
Indianola  which no longer exists on sailing ships. I have never heard of any 
coming to Freestone Co. Jefferson Davis who had relatives in Fairfield I 
have been told visited here briefly during this time . Years ago this the Davis 
family who owned the block where the old Federal Building located and 
lived in I think the only brick home in Fairfield at the time+ and large 
property owners some of them. 
  When the attempt to use Camels ended I have heard some were turned 
loose to fend for themselves and reproduced for a while. There were reports 
of wild Camels in Arizona and other areas for years. Nothing is known about 
what happened to the Camel drivers.
                                                  ***
             From Original Sheriff’s Report 1969
  Seventeen year old a regular back again, wanted out real bad so could get 
divorce and married again..
  Deputy’s Sue and James Gregory to Mexia honky tonking, really checking 
on mother of child in hot child custody case for District Judge.
  Woman handled found long knife in her purse, asked why she advised had 
quit carrying her pistol and thought she needed something.
  Judge Young married couple during week that we hope more blissful than 
the last.
  Gregory’s new color TV in for repair found shorted out by large jailhouse 
cock roaches.
  Burglary of Minter’s in Teague with large number of guns taken. (Later 
some of these weapons recovered in Dallas.
 Burglary suspect given polygraph test admitted woman with him and having 
to steal to support two families and a lawyer.
  Woman arrested on theft advised would have to wait till she changed her 
underwear out of unexpected necessity. 
  Man wanted Limestone Co. for murder reported in Kirvin area; TDC dogs 
located hiding in road culvert.
  Jersey cow missing had only one horn and bob tailed.
    Woman arrested DWI with man calling, saying she the only woman he 
ever loved and couldn’t think of her going to jail, thought about him going 
with her.
  Mothers complaint grown son raising cain because two pieces of chicken 
he left in ice box not there when he returned, ate jailhouse food after.
  Man with long history of DWI and running to VA mental hospital 27 times 
to get out of trouble didn’t work this  time, asked me if I could prove I was 
sane, said he could as proceedings from sanity trial.
  Family to office with teenage daughter needing advice on how to make 
husband pay hospital bill when baby born, Can’t make him before but can 
after.
  Amused when dancer-actor Gene Kelly makes appearances on TV as has 
more hair on bald head than did in Navy Boot Camp. When boots finished 
he sent to Washington to have picture taken with President Roosevelt, rest of 
us sent to parts unknown.
                                               ***
                         Grandpa’s Report
  Tour of old Jail that part of the Freestone Co. Museum with group 
interested in restoring and preserving for future generations, be a shame if 
this is lost.