That Sheriff Russell, a farmer from the Lanham
country (Small town between Hamilton and Fairy
and Twin Mountains to the north, and he
was a pretty good man. [A. J. Russell was sheriff
from 1898-1900.--Elreeta Weathers] That was in ‘90 [1890] Then Ramsey
Moore went in on the Populist ticket. [Ramsey C.
Moore was sheriff from 1894-1898.--Elreeta Weathers] Bill
Lemmons, later and for years sheriff, had lived on the Cotton
Lease." [William M. "Bill" Lemmons was sheriff from
1914--1926. --Elreeta Weathers.] Long before he came to
Hamilton and served as deputy under Sheriff Edd
Beck. (This was while I was in school here.) [Ed
Beck was sheriff from 1910-1914.--Elreeta Weahters]
(Uncle Bill Lemmons was originally from south Coryell County, well
known there. He was a large man, kind, and generally popular, and rather
resourceful. He was raised up with General Graves, who became commander of
our expeditionary force in Siberia in W. W. One. His brother, Mr. Dan
Graves, president of the National Bank in Gatesville, told me this story.
Lemmons had written a letter to my friend Terry Saxon who was in the army
there. When he came up to the General in Vlindivostoc, saluted and asked
the General if he could have a word with him. "Certainly, my
man." That Terry punched Bill Lemmons’ letter right in the General’s
stomach, and said, "Read this, ... and see who I am!" I think
the origin of the "Cotton Lease" is that Major C. W. Cotton,
lawyer, once lived out there, and possibly handled the land for a wealthy
lady in West Texas, whom he represented.)
