DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll try to do it justice. The name on this Hill County stone is J. W.
Freeland, and if ever a man was built for the long game of law and order in Texas, it was him. He started out as city marshal of Hubbard, riding herd on that town from 1895 all the way to 1907 — and the marker makes a point of noting that was a period of local option prohibition and great lawlessness. Both of those things, at the same time.
You do the math on what that combination looks like on a Saturday night. From Hubbard, Freeland moved to Hillsboro and took on something quieter for a spell, serving as superintendent of the county poor farm. Not exactly glory work, but the kind of steady, unglamorous service that tells you something about a man's character.
Then in 1910, Hill County elected him sheriff. He served two terms, and when he was done with that, they turned around and elected him mayor. Most men would've called it a career.
Not Freeland. In 1928, Hill County reached back and elected him sheriff a second time. He served in that office until 1933.
Now. Here's where the story stops being local color and becomes something else entirely. It's 1933.
Freeland is still on the job, still doing what he's always done — and he tracks down and arrests Raymond Hamilton. Raymond Hamilton, member of the famous Clyde Barrow Gang. The marker calls Hamilton notorious, and that word is doing honest work.
J. W. Freeland, a man who'd been keeping the peace since before the century turned, reached out and put his hands on one of the most wanted outlaws in Depression-era Texas.
Some lawmen burn bright and fast. Freeland just kept showing up — and in the end, that was more than enough.
What the marker says
Served as city marshal of Hubbard 1895-1907, a period of local option prohibition and great lawlessness. Moved to Hillsboro and became superintendent of county poor farm. Elected sheriff 1910. After serving 2 terms, was elected mayor. Elected sheriff a second time in 1928; served until 1933. In 1933, he tracked down and arrested notorious Raymond Hamilton, member of the famous Clyde Barrow Gang. Recorded, 1968