Freestone County, Texas
Biographies 



Biography of Timothy Samuel Willard
      (Oct 12, 1895-19 Mar 1928, buried Lake Chapel cemetery)
      
Timothy Samuel Willard was born Oct 12, 1895 in Freestone County, Texas to James
Madison Willard and Ida L. (Lake) Willard.  Tim was the 6th child out of 13 
children born to his parents.  His siblings were "Jim" James Louis, "Gussie" 
Augusta L. who married Herbert Sammons, John Fletcher, Sallie Michael, Ernest 
Corbett, "Mattie" Martha J. who died young at 3, Jerry Franklin, Mr. Lillard 
Lorilland, "Harry" Henry R. who died at 1, Eula Irene who married Robert C. 
Gilmer, "Casey" Chester Earl, and Woodrow Wilson.  

Timothy enlisted in the "Great World War" (World War I) on July 12, 1917 serving 
with America's 144th infantry.  As part of 144th infantry, preliminary training 
was held at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth and arrived as part of the 36th Division in 
France in July 1918 receiving more training near Bar-sur-Aube until September.  
In October, 1918, the 36th Division was transferred to the Fourth French Army and 
participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive (Champagne), October 7-26, when the 
relief of the division began.  The division moved into the Triacourt Area and the 
144th Infantry remained with it as a part of the First American Army until the 
signing of the Armistice. Shortly after the conclusion of hostilities, the 
regiment, with other units of the 36th Division, moved to the 13th Training Area 
around Tonnerre. In May, 1919, it returned to the States to be demobilized at 
Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, in June.  The 1920 census done in early January shows 
Tim and his brother Jerry with their family in Precinct 1 as soldiers in the 
U. S. Army.  

After returning from the war, Tim joined the Texas Rangers where he served until 
his death in 1928.  Timothy was killed at the age of 31 while conducting raiding 
illegal whiskey stills that populated Freestone County during Prohobition.  He 
was shot and killed by William James Fagan and his two sons.  Tim was laid to 
rest at Lake Chapel Cemetery at was described as the largest funeral gathering 
known in the county.

Over the next three years, William James Fagan was tried, sentenced to 99 years, 
reversed, retried, second trial resulted in a hung jury, and a judge dismissed 
the case.  William James Fagan returned to Freestone County when he was enumerated
in the 1930 census.   William James Fagan died a year later on March 17, 1931 
from gun shot wounds while resisting arrest from a different incident.