FREESTONE PAST/PRESENT J. R. (Sonny) SESSIONS SHERIFF 1965-2001 OLD MILLER HOME #1 The information in this comes from a close relationship with the family and premises and a Mexia Daily News article published in 1980. Located northeast of Wortham on Miller family land where the dirt bike races and such held today. This old plantation homestead today sits in poor repair and deserted. There is much history involved here over the years going back to 1853 when Fredrick Haro Miller (1812- 1879) born in North Carolina came to Texas by 1837 when 25 years old. A land owner in Shelby Co. where he served one term as Sheriff then sold out and headed west. Fredrick purchased land on the west side of Big Tehuacana Creek, married and built a log house a few feet from where the big house is today all in 1853. The log house which had two rooms on each side of the dog trot with a fireplace on the west end that burned in 1875. Fredrick Miller and wife along with their slaves was a typical rugged frontier life of first generation pioneers. At this time Wortham a wagon yard, two stores and a blacksmith shop. Once each year Fredrick made a trip to Houston after supplies. This sometimes took several weeks. As there little permanent water the slaves dug by hand and built a large stock removing the dirt to form a dam on (slides) made of split rawhide pulled by yoked oxen. The slaves also cleared land in the creek bottom for cultivation. A family cemetery is located on a crest of a steep rise overlooking the creek bottom. Fredrick and Mary Elizabeth had nine children, the oldest Rufus May died at age 13 and buried here. The cemetery located a short distance from the house with several generations of the family buried here A public road once existed besides here that crossed the Big Creek to Woodland on a steel one way bridge from Couchman that donated to the War Effort in early WW II by the Commissioners Court. `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` After the Civil War Union occupation forces bivouacked here for several weeks due to water needed for their horses and the large stock pond here about all that permanent. These were very trying times and many felt the Millers in sympathy with the soldiers and with their departure planned to retaliate. A group of vigilantes formed to hang Fredrick Miller, my great- grandfather G.A. Sessions knowing Mt. Miller innocent rode ahead of the group and helped save his life. One story says they had a rope around Mr. Millers neck but out of respect of G.A. Sessions let him remove the rope and ride off on his horse with him. Another story is G.A, Sessions rode and warned him they coming and rode away in such a hurry he didn’t put his saddle on. Whatever happened here created a binding bond between the families. At Fredrick and Mary Elizabeth’s deaths the land was divided among the eight surviving children who raised their families on their respective portions. By tradition of Fredrick Haro’s German ancestry the homestead went to the youngest son John Boyd Miller. John lived here until his death in l944 and much of the distinctive Miller imprint is his. This house was built in l909. there were two large rooms 18 X34’ separated by a 9’ hallway all with 10 ceilings, plus additional rooms on the east side for kitchen and dining area. Today it is elevated about 7’ off the ground. This was done by John who thought going up and down stairs prolonged life (Probably correct but not for the reason he believed. It is not known how he raised the house including the chimneys. The area below served for storage. It had a 12’ by 12’ larder with walls filled with sand from Kirven. The door to this room had a device where it could only be opened from inside the house by a rod thru the floor. Another room contained bee keeping and honey extracting equipment. There was a concrete scalding vat used in butchering hogs with a lift for removing the hog without straining. There was also a concrete hog wallow, and a concrete mantel in the living room. From earlier times there was an insulated “ice house” where blocks ice cut from the ponds in the winter and stored for summer use. They had their own blacksmith shop. I had hoped to get the whole story in one article but found too long so will continue next week. *** From the Original Sheriffs Report l972 Young man jailed for drawing Saturday Night Special after disagreement in ice cream parlor, released after all cooled off. Wortham Police Bueford reported checking car parked on country road, determined all ok told couple to go on with their rat killing, was told quickly they weren’t out there killing no rats. Deputy on report Teague DWI sweeping bar ditches clean and all hiway signs too. Two runaway girls picked up with parents notified and wanting to know if we could hold till came for as big city police wouldn’t. Told her they be here if didn’t tear the jailhouse down Teddy Bears (who works late nights) business picking up since back on job, delivered coffee to truckers unloading at depot. Carried man hospital where wife having baby 3am, came in on bus without further transportation. While at hospital nurses found out he the Teddy Bear and came out to look and visit. *** Grandpa’s Report Didn’t learn of lifelong friend Clifton Childs Jr. death until received weekly newspapers. Clifton Jr. one of longest friends I had left, we had many experiences together and will be missed. Also learned of loss of Gary Koester who was our first Juvenile Officer and later moved to Limestone Co. Enjoyed good working relationship and friendship over the years. “Aunty” one of early dispatchers mistakenly called him Mr. Kessner and did as long as she around. Grandson Kyle doing dozer work around old Daniel Gin tank built to furnish the cotton gins steam engine brought to mind of tragedy here in the early 1940’s where young girl, whose parents ran and maintained the local telephone system swimming with friends drowned. If memory correct Coach and school teacher Mervel Wood damaged his ears diving for the body. ...