Leesburg, Texas

The following information about Leesburg, Texas was taken from Camp County Texas A Sesquicentennial History 1986:

My grandparents came to the Leesburg area in 1858 and lived at various places around Leesburg, always trading in Leesburg. During the Civil War, grandmother, with her two small children, built a home at what is now Arrowhead Point on Lake Bob Sandlin. Grandfather served for three years in the Civil War. After he returned, the family moved just south of Leesburg where he was a carpenter.

Grandfather told about the vote for the county seat of Camp County when it was organized in 1874. Leesburg and Pittsburg were the major contenders, with Center Point also wanting the county seat to be located there. Pittsburg won the election when Major W. H. Pitts donated land for the courthouse. Leesburg ceased to grow when Pittsburg was voted as the county seat.

The first recollection I have of Leesburg is the construction of the first brick building. This was a two-story building with the Florence Brothers General Merchandize downstairs and the Woodmen of the World using the upstairs. The Florence brothers were Lunsford and Lester. Other stores in Leesburg were the Bish Clements General Merchandize, the John Hopkins General Merchandize, the J. A. Coopedge Grocery, the (Hardy) Morris and (Will) Hardway General Merchandize, and the N.B. Moody General Merchandize. There was the Jim Amos Grocery store which also served as the post office. After a post office building was constructed, the Postmistress was Irene King. There were three Rural Letter Carriers - Henry Julian, Ben Porter, and John Hardaway. The routes were consolidated to two routes in 1919 or 1920 and to one route in the 1930's. This route still serves the people of Leesburg. Uncle Billy Odom and Grover Faulkener operated a barbershop for many years and Cy Bullard worked for them.

Dr. J. B. Florence was a physician in Leesburg, Allie Richardson was a banker, and H.R. "Bose" Martin was a constable. There was a one-bucket, on-dipper well in front of the stores for watering horses as well as people. Robert and Beadie Gibson operated a gas station and a small cafe. They sold hamburgers for .05 and the school children called them "Beadie Burgers".

During the "Depression Era" the Florence brothers had a pea threshing operation. When a wagon load of peas arrived, the driver was given a number. At times the number was as high as 40.

Other businesses were two cotton gins, a sawmill, a lumber yard, and a cotton yard. Business was very good in Leesburg, especially on Saturdays. From 1915 to 1920, Newsome (to the west of Leesburg) began to grow and the number of stores in Leesburg began to decline. Two of the stores and the lumber yard burned and were not rebuilt. - By J. B. Hardaway

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