Freestone County, Texas
Reflections



Freestone Past/Present
JR “Sonny Sessions”

Rock Springs-Sand Town-Sand Cave

  In the spring of l994 joined Mr. Will Creel, now deceased, 
Gene Lewis and some of his family on pilgrimage to eastern
Freestone Co. All the above are located in the area of Troy our
first river port, first Masonic Lodge and early community. At one 
time there was a school church and business establishments, today 
nothing remains but a small cemetery on a nearby hill at
Troy’
   In the area is a rock formation unusual for our area; there is one 
very large rock with small rooms or caverns that can be entered. At 
one entrance there are markings or such in the rock that Gene said 
as children they called Indian markings. Will Creel thought
they were put there by an unknown earlier race of people. It could 
have possibly been used for shelter or protection from the weather 
in olden times.
  There is a natural water spring called Rock Springs with crystal
clear water flowing from the side of tall hill and once had a 
gristmill down stream years ago.  The Lewis’s advised gristmill 
stone was still there when they were children. Above the springs 
on the highest hill Gene advised was where the two story lodge 
building ruins were, it had one room on each floor in his youth.
  This area was cleared of timber and in cultivation in early years,
today all is second growth timber and pastures. Gene said probably 
the last bear killed in Freestone was here about l00 years ago. This 
is very deep sand and Will told of problems traveling in buggies, 
wagons and Model T’s.  The school closed and moved to Blount  
after serious problems involving the male teacher, a student and his 
family. The church broke up after a young woman considered of
questionable character was accepted, it moved to Trinity Chapel.
The Masonic Lodge Pine Bluff #85 was moved to Butler and later    
ceased to exist.

  Mr. Creel told about whisky haulers and hog thieves using Cooks 
Ferry Also Boyd Shields kept a yoke of oxen in the area to pull 
vehicles out of mud holes, one time they pulled the front end out of 
a car. He also told about Cook killing a man during an argument 
over use of the ferry. The man was not local and buried in the 
cemetery near Troy; he was traveling with his young son who 
returned some years later and killed Cook who was also buried at 
Troy beside the man he killed, both are in unmarked graves.
  Sand Cave was not safe to enter, am told that during the whisky 
days it was dynamited to keep the hogs out. Randolph Lee told me  
played in the cave as a child while his mother and other women        
washed clothes at the spring, also told their large rooms with
drawings on the walls made by early occupants. 
  All these sites are on private property and permission must be
granted to visit

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