History

Wearing cowboy boots today? Unless you've been horseback riding, you're wearing those boots more because they are Texas icons than for practicality. Boots were specifically designed for saddle sitters: The narrow toes facilitate placing your feet in the stirrups, the high heels help keep them there, the strong soles make it easier to stand in the stirrups and the high tops protect your ankles in brush country. These days, of course, most Texans who wear boots pull them on because they represent us. Yankees expect their vision of a Texan to wear boots.

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Few Texas women ever lived a harder life than Sarah Creath McSherry Hibbens Stinnett Howard. A lady with true grit and more, the way she came by her long name is one of Texas' more gripping tales.

Born Sarah Creath on Jan. 7, 1810, in Jackson County, Illinois, she grew up on her prosperous family's large plantation. Described as "a beautiful blonde...graceful in manner and pure of heart," at only 17 Sarah married John McSherry, a hard-working Irishman.

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This is not a researched history of the lakes, but as related to me by various individuals and personal knowledge. Red’s Lake is located several miles east of Fairfield on U.S. 84; this is a small lake (by today’s standards) but was the largest in county when built. Known for its privacy, beauty, and peacefulness, it's not very noticeable from U.S. 84 but more conspicuous traveling the Freestone County Road known by many as Rabbit Ridge Road where the dam is crossed.
Built in the late 1920’s about the same time as what is now U.S. 84 was built. Located on natural water springs and slough, some call Jolly Slough and others call Jollico Slough. Before the lake was built Walter Durham’s grandfather operated a steam-powered cotton gin, the steam engine boiler remains under water in the lake. 

Written May 2006
Courthouse Uses
A recent inquiry from Molly Fryer at the Freestone County Museum on past uses of the courthouse and if there ever a concession stand in the courthouse hall? When advised her yes, she asked me to write on this and it’s other uses.
During the hard years of the Depression before all the government welfare programs that are available today, the Commissioner’s Court approved letting a disabled person operate a small stand. The cold drinks sold for 5 cents and candy bars for a nickel and some penny candy. Located on the first floor in the hallway near the stairs, the drinks were cooled in an old type drink box with block ice that was delivered by the iceman.

Many today don’t remember the German Prisoner of War Camp built between Mexia and Tehuacana on then U.S. 84 during World War II. It was built to accommodate some of the thousands of General Rommel’s elite Afrika Corps who were captured in the Middle East by British and U.S. Forces.
This was probably the best thing that ever happened to these German soldiers, who received possibly the best care they ever seen before. During the German soldiers stay they were very inventive and made their life more bearable, many very talented and their work remained here for many years after the war. It not unusual to see them doing farm work locally as many from the area left for the cities and defense work.

Published November 2006
One of the most colorful and historical characters to live in early Freestone and its adjoining counties was John Karner. Born in Bavaria in 1817, he was often called "Dutch John." Karner emigrated to America in 1831 with his family and, leaving them, he came to Texas in 1835. At San Augustine, John Karner joined the forces then forming the defense against the invading Santa Anna and the Mexican Army. This command joined General Sam Houston at Gonzales and was with them at the Battle of San Jacinto. At the Battle of San Jacinto, John Karner had charge of a wagon and team which was used after the battle to haul the wounded General Sam Houston and General Santa Anna, who was taken prisoner.

This article was written by A.C. Black some years back and appeared in the Mexia Daily News. I only knew Mr. Black a short time before his death, but I am sorry I didn’t know him much longer as I really enjoyed our short friendship.
Mr. Black a World War II Navy veteran with service in the South Pacific. “I grew up in Wortham during the 1920-30’s. The big oil boom had followed on the heels of the big one in Mexia and was approaching an end about 1926. The large influx of oil field workers and others began departing
rapidly. Soon the town had settled back down to a thriving little farming community of about two thousand or so citizens.

Although I didn’t participate in this I have always felt I probably would have if I had gone into the Army instead of the Navy and the Pacific. I had many friends who were. This was a surprise to the Allies and occurred in terrible winter weather with few of our troops having proper clothing or training, many suffered from frost bitten feet there and the rest of their lives.
Troops with no combat training were thrown in with very high casualties. In Woodland Cemetery many World War II veterans are buried, the only one known whose disinterred body is buried here lost his life in this battle. Ernest Orville Payne was born August, 31, 1925, to Charlie and Mae Bryson Payne in Streetman.

Alcohol in Freestone County
Published November 2006
Probably the most controversial issue ever in our county from its beginning to now is the use and sale of alcoholic beverages, legally or otherwise. Earliest criminal records involve this problem with charges filed for offenses such as selling less than a quart of whiskey, giving or selling to a slave – it was legal to make and sell with certain restrictions.
Saloons were very common and in most areas, Teague had quite a few in its early years. Carrie Nation, the old gal with the hatchet who fought alcohol, visited here. Not sure why but Teague voted dry the next year, not sure if she had anything to do with this as not much information available.

Published September 26, 2007
When Texas bought the large tract of land in Anderson County they also bought a small tract, about 600 acres in Freestone County, for the iron ore deposits to be used on roads and a low water crossing was made on the Trinity River to cut the hauling distance to Coffield. That’s another story that will come later.
Coffield was named for a generous citizen, I think, from Milam County, who was a strong supporter of Texas Department of Corrections (TDC). The land in Freestone County had served as an entrance to the river by the public since the earliest days of Freestone County.
The area known as Tyus Bluff and Board Pile was in this. It also included the old Tyus Cemetery – which created another problem – the public and friend, Bill Tyus, of Teague, was opposed to all of this being closed to the public.