AARON AND HAZEL FREENY

The following bio was taken from page 205 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Shirley Koym

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

 Chappie and Ella Freeny were the parents of seven children.  Aaron was the oldest son.  He grew up in Laneville, Texas on the family farm. 

Charlie Alexander and Clevia (Tatum) Alexander were the parents of four children.  Hazel B., the oldest daughter, grew up in Laneville, Texas on the Morris Farm. 

Hazel and Aaron attended school at Union Grove.  Aaron completed the third grade and Hazel went as far as the sixth grade.  They later met and were married at home.  After they were married they moved to the Freeny Farm for about two years, where the oldest child, Charles Aaron Freeny was born in 1937. 

In 1938 Hazel and Aaron moved to the Morris Farm, where they lived until 1961.  Seven other children were born:  Charlene, 1939; Howard Ray Freeny, 1941; Lue Ella, 1943; Billy Gene, 1945; Jimmy Dan, 1947; Launice, 1949; and Dorothy Bell, 1951. 

While on the Morris Farm, the family picked and chopped cotton, raised hogs and cattle, grew vegetables and harvested ribbon cane for syrup.  The work was hard, but it kept the family together.  It helped us really to love one another and to pray constantly to believe in God’s promises, such as “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ.” 

The family attended Union Grove Baptist Church.  Charles, Charlene, Howard, and Lue attended Union Grove School.  In 1949 the school consolidated with Laneville Colored School.  All seven children graduated from Laneville High School. 

The children did not attend school at the beginning of the school year as the average child did.  We had to work the first two months picking and chopping cotton.  All were, however, good students while attending school.  Charles, Jimmy, and Launice ran track.  Charles was a track star, running the 100-yard dash in 9.7 seconds.  Lue, Billy, Jimmy, and Launice were good basketball players.  Jimmy averaged 28 points a game.  Howard, Billy, and Jimmy played baseball.  Charlene, Lue, Billy, and Launice were participants in school choir.  All went to Prairie View College to represent their school in State Track Meets.  They accomplished a great deal.  Jimmy went to Wiley College for one year. 

After graduating, Charles worked at Henderson Clay Products from 1956 to 1961.  He was inducted into the Army in 1961 and took basic training at Ft. Hood, Texas.  While he was in the Army, he went to Germany for fifteen months and was discharged in January 1963.  After his discharge, he moved to Denver and started working at Gates Rubber Tire Company as a supervisor.  He married Faye.  They have one son, Reggie. 

Charlene married Joe Wesley in 1956 and they moved to Garland, Texas and stayed for about six months, then moved to Borger, Texas, where they resided for seven years and had three children.  They moved to Denver, where two children were born.  They now have three grandchildren. 

After finishing high school, Howard worked at Henderson Clay Products for one and one-half years, then moved to Denver in 1963 and worked at various jobs for approximately two years.  He met Delores Stinette in 1964, dated her and married her in 1966.  They have three children – Denise, Howard Jr., and Demargo Freeny.  They reside in Denver where Howard is employed at Briggs Trucking Company and Delores, at “The Denver Post.” 

Lue Ella married Rade Trimble in 1961.  They had three children – Aubrey Bernard, Lorenzon Fritzel, and Jacqueline Vedette Trimble.  Lue Ella is employed at Gates Rubber Company. 

Billy finished high school in 1963, went into the Army in 1965, was in Vietnam 1966-1967 in the 4^th Infantry Division.  He moved to Denver, where he worked at Gates Rubber for nine years.  He is presently working for the Christian Record Braille Foundation Incorporated.  He married Wanda Parker in 1968 and they have three children – Rodger, Adrianne, and Timothy. 

Jimmy finished school in 1966 and worked at Henderson Clay Products for about two years.  He married Diane Stein in 1968 and they moved to Denver.  They have four children:  Roderick, Katrina, Cherlonda, and  Sophia.  He works for Colorado Southern Railroad. 

Launice finished school in 1968 and married Luther Ward in 1969 in Henderson, Texas.  The couple moved to Houston for approximately six months and later moved to Denver.  Patrick and Toni Devon are the couple’s two children.  Launice married Charles Brown in 1980.  She has been employed by the Federal Government for ten years as an EEO specialist (Health and Human Services). 

Dorothy B. Freeny was born mentally retarded.  At a young age she entered Austin State School and later was transferred to Mexia State School, Mexia, Texas.  After a successful change in her ability to relate to others and understand the importance of being independent, she was transferred close to home at the Lufkin State School. 

On her own initiative Hazel in 1970 went back to school to further her education and received her high school diploma. 

All the Freenys are alive and well today. 

Submitted by Hazel Freeny