1966 Courthouse Time Capsule
The now empty cooper box and one of the binders holding its previous contents.
The cooper box was behind this mortar on the northeast corner of the courthouse. The cornerstones in the photo above are from the 1888 courthouse.
The cornerstones below, from the 1966 courthouse, are the ones removed before the photo above was taken. Most of the men named on the two cornerstones below placed items in the time capsule.
On February 24, 1966 the ceremonies were held for the cornerstone for the newly remodeled courthouse.
Newspapers, county officials and other officials were asked to contribute items to be placed in a copper time capsule box behind the cornerstone. This box was bricked in at that time. At the ceremony Judge Choice Moore expressed the wish that when the box was opened it would tell officials of that day "much of today's" history.
This copper box was removed in 2018 during the demolition phase of the courthouse renovations. Items from the box were removed, examined and read over several sessions of Commissioner's Court. The items were loaned to the Fannin County Historical Commission for scanning and safe keeping.
Below is the index to the items in the box. These items can be viewed by clicking the links below. The originals can be viewed at the Fannin County Historical Commission.
1 First Baptist Church, Bonham, by Ms. Stella Kennedy
1. 1919 Building postcard
2. 1958 building postcard
3. Centennial Celebration Bulletin
2 Billy Barnette, County Treasurer
1. Excerpts from Carter’s 1885 Fannin County History
2. Billy Barnette biography
3 Hoyt Ivey
1. 1966 letter from Walter & Mary Vaughn
2. Photo – Honey Grove Fire Department
3. William Hoyt Ivey Jr. Signature
4. Photo: Honey Grove First Responders
5. Photos: 1964, Hoyt Ivey Sr. wife & Jr. at Corpus Christi Sheriffs Convention
6. Hoyt Ivey family information
7. Hoyt Ivey biography letter
8. Bonham Daily Favorite 1959 article on the Nudist Camp Trial
4 Robert H. Bellows, County Commissioner, Precinct 1
1. Photos: John Carroll Hill 1966
2. Ernest E. Hill 1966
3. Ray Bellows & Wife Jannie
4. Judy Lee Hill 1966
5. Archie, Robert, Hezzie, Gregory Bellows
6. Robert & Mary Bell Bellows
7. Juliann Elizabeth Bellows
8. Nancy Joevelyn Bellows
9. Robert & Mary Belle Bellows Reunion
10. Biography of Robert Bellows.
5 John Kent, County Commissioner, Precinct 2
1. Election card
2. Biography of John Kent
6 Dudley Jackson, County Sheriff
1. Letter
2. Newspaper Article
3. Business Card
7 Russ Fitzwater, County Commissioner, Precinct 4
1. Crew names
8 Neal Thomas, Courthouse Concessionaire
1. Letter
2. Newspaper Article
9 G. L. Holman, County Clerk
1. County Clerk family and staff names
10 Bradford Miller, County Auditor
1. Rotary Spokesman Newsletter
2. Claude Leatherwood Obituary
3. Newspaper photo of his sister Mary K. Grunert
4. County Auditor Letterhead
5. Photos: Carla Simpson
6. Gail Grunert
7. Janna Simpson
8. Jim Grunert (2 photos)
9. Mrs. Sam Miller & Bud Miller Christmas 1965
11 Pat Beene, County Attorney
1. List of grand jurors
12 A. M. Harrison, District Judge
1. Biography letter
13 J. B. Fink, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4
1. Newpaper article about Bugtussle
14 Victoria Morrow
1. Remembrance of Laying of 1888 Cornerstone
2. Choice Moore Business Card
3. 1888 Indian Head Penny
4. Key Chain with piece of bell clapper from 1929 fire
15 Color Guard
1. Biographies for Courthouse Cornerstone ceremony. (Army National Guard)
16 Bob Dorough, District Clerk
1. Photo/newspaper article about newly elected officials
17 Choice Moore, County Judge
1. Prayer
18 Choice Moore, County Judge
1. Cornerstone ceremony agenda
19 Choice Moore, County Judge
1. List of Fannin County Officials
20 City of Bonham
1. City of Bonham letterhead
2. Charter of City of Bonham
3. Choice Moore Card
21 Henry J. Fletcher, Tax Assessor Collector
1. Three photos of people with license plates
A. First photo may be, front row, l-r. Ruth Claxton, Allie Cunningham, Eula Montgomery
Back row, middle, Mary Helen Parker Keener
B. Second photo: Marcell Stroud
2. Photo of county officials taking oath of office
22 Choice Moore, County Judge
1. 1966 Calendar
2. Article from the Leonard Graphic 12 Nov 1965
3. Two election articles
4. Three cards
5. Fort Worth Star-Telegram article on Mr. Rayburn’s death
6. Envelope with Choice Moore as President of County Judges and Commissioner’s Association
7. Choice Moore Biography
23 Choice Moore, County Judge
1. Copies of Original Lists from Courthouse Cornerstone, 1888
Click HERE to view items 1-23
24 Fannin County Budget, year ending 1965
25 Mary Alice Avery
1. John Avery business cards (8)
2. Photo, April 1965, Johnny & Mary Alice
3. A Tribute to my Granddaddy – John R. Avery
4. A Tribute to my Daddy – Johnny E. Avery
26 John Avery, County Commissioner
1. Biography, hand-written
2. Photo of Dial Water Supply Corp. Water Plant – December 1965
3. Courthouse Photo – December 1965
4. Postcard of Ray Roberts & LBJ
5. Photo of Pauline & Mary Alice – February 1966
6. Business Cards
7. Photo of County Barn Precinct 3
8. Various newspaper clippings (5)
27 American Red Cross, Fannin County Chapter
1. Letter
28 Bonham Savings & Loan
1. Statement of Condition
29 Ashley Lodge No. 681, Bailey, Texas
1. Officers & Members
30 B-F-W Construction Co., Inc.
1. List of Key Personnel
31 Roy H. Doyle, Chairman, Fannin County Democratic Party
1. Business Card
32 First National Bank, Honey Grove
Statement of Conditions
33 G. L. Holman, County Clerk
1. Letter
2. Newspaper articles
3. Family Photos
34 Windom School Board
1. Letter
35 Ruby Thomas Moore (wife of Choice Moore)
1. Letter
2. Business Cards
3. Photo of Choice Moore
36 Bi-County Publishers
1. Article from the Leonard Graphic about the courthouse
37 Dorothy Johnson
1. Short note
38 W. H. Harper
1. Letter
39 The Smart Shoppe
1. History of the Smart Shoppe
40 Paul Fletcher
1. Letter
41 City of Dodd City
1. City Resolution with Kennedy Half-Dollar
42 City of Honey Grove
1. Envelop with photo of City Hall
2. Letter
43 Roy H. Doyle, Fannin County Democratic Party
1. Brief History of My Family
2. Business Cards
44 The Daily Favorite
1. List of Staff
2. Front pages for January 7, 1966 and April 1, 1965 (not scanned)
45 Mrs. Jack Kennedy
1. Program of the dedication of the Fannin County Courthouse, June 5, 1889
46 First National Bank of Bonham
1. Postcard
2. Report of Condition 1888
3. Statement of Condition 1965
47 Wayne Cranfill, County Agricultural Agent
1. Letter
48 Mrs. Edwardine Couch, Fannin County Bar Assoc.
1. Newspaper clipping
49 Avery A. Jones, County Service Officer
1. Letter
50 City of Ector
1. Letter
51 First National Bank of Trenton
1. Letter
2. Community Profile of Trenton
3. Statement
52 Nell Gass Nunn
1. Resolutions on the death of Charles Greenwood Nunn
53 Trav Currin
1. Man’s necktie from Trav Currin’s Man’s Shop, Bonham, Texas
54 Leonard National Bank
1. Stamps
2. Coins
3. Statement of Financial Condition 12-31-1965
4. Document: To Be Called An American
5. Futures Prices
55 Sam Rayburn Library
1. Library Brochure
2. Sam Rayburn Foundation brochure
Click HERE to view items 24 - 55
56 Mabel London, Home Demonstration Agent
1. Letter
57 Daughters of the Republic of Texas
1. Officers and Members
58 Bonham State Bank
1. Statement of Condition
59 Virginia Stocks
1. Obituary of Judge Cunningham
60 Myrtle Hancock
1. Letter
61 Mat Wilshire
1. Newspaper Clipping about the 1946 Bonham Softball League
62 Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Ladonia
1. Statement of Condition, December 31, 1965
63 M. L. Brent, County Superintendent of Schools
1. Letter with employee list
64 Beth Wishard
1. Letter
65 Jack Leonard
1. Letter from Jack Leonard as Constable and Quarter Master of Barracks I073 World War I regarding placing a bronze plaque in memory of WWI veterans in the cornerstone. (Note: this plaque was actually not placed in the cornerstone but was installed in the rotunda of the first floor of the courthouse. As of August 2018, this plaque is at the Fannin County Historical Commission.)
66 City of Ladonia
1. Letter with obituary for Dr. Gordon Marcom
67 Robert E. Albright, Mayor of Leonard
1. Envelop with “Albright for Mayor”
2. Business Cards (2)
3. Letter
68 C. A. Nash
1. Letter
69 City Council of Windom
1. Letter dated 7-28-1964
2. Letter dated 2-15-1966
3. Article about Ruby Pulliam
70 Maude Wheeler Cooper
1. Letter about the Wheeler family
71 Kathleen Sudduth Wright
1. Report on welfare expenditures in Fannin County for 1965
72 Fannin National Bank
1. Letter re employees and directors
2. Statement of condition 12-31-1951 (First National Bank, Windom)
3. Statement of condition 6-15-1960 (First National Bank of Windom)
4. Statement of condition 12-31-1965 (The Fannin National Bank in Windom)
73 Hamilton Securities Company
1. Letter from company that handled and underwrote the financing for the courthouse improvements
2. $1000 Fannin County Courthouse Improvement warrant
74 G. S. Vincent, Mayor of Trenton
1. Letter about his family and about Trenton
75 E. B. (Cap) Barrett
1. Business card
76 Fannin County Historical Survey Commission
1. Information on historical markers
77 Fred Buford & Associates, Architects – Engineers, Dallas, Texas
1. Specifications for Site Improvements to Courthouse Plaza, Fannin County. 1966 (only cover scanned)
2. Specifications for Refurbishing and Alterations to Existing Courthouse, Fannin County. 1966 (only cover scanned)
3. Envelop containing (1) Copy of Construction Contract and Bonds of B. F. W. Construction Company of Temple Texas for refurbishing and alternations to the Fannin County Courthouse and (2) Copy of Construction Contract and Bonds of Joe Williams & Sons of Sherman, Texas for construction of the Courthouse Plaza Improvements. (only envelop scanned)
4. Envelop containing (1) Microfilm of drawings for Refurbishing and Alterations to the Fannin County Courthouse and (2) Drawings of Courthouse Plaza Improvements. (only envelop scanned)
Click HERE to view items 56 - 77
The following items have not been scanned:
1. Package: INO Smoking Tobacco, Manufactured by Martin Bros. Tobacco Co., Bonham, Texas
2. Constantine Lodge No. 13
List of Officers
By-Laws, Adopted 1952
Envelop
1966 Directory of the Grand Lodge of Texas
Laws of the Grand Lodge of Texas, 1962
3. Ladonia News, February 25, 1966
4. Honey Grove Signal-Citizen, February 25, 1966
5. Trenton Tribune, February 18, 1966