November 13, 2015 - In the 1920s through the 1950s, Timpson had an annual Memorial Day program that was attended by thousands of people from the surrounding counties of Deep East Texas. Most years there would be over 5,000 people in SoSo Park for this event. The reason for Timpson being the center of this activity was the fact that Timpson had a military unit here. At first it was the Texas Volunteer Guard and then later became the Texas National Guard. Many young men from the surrounding counties who joined these units came to Timpson to do their training. As a result of the training unit being located here, Timpson had more servicemen in both World War I and World War II than any other town the same size in East Texas.
On October 29, 1919, a group of 21 young men, who had survived WWI, met in Timpson for the purpose of establishing a local post from newly founded American Legion. They applied for a charter for the Timpson Post, and the charter was signed by W.R. Mills, who was the first elected Post 90 Commander. The charter was approved by the National Headquarters on November 6, 1919 with twenty-one charter members who formed the Timpson American Legion, Post 90. Of the 21 young men who were charter members of Post 90, nine were born right here in Timpson. Those nine men include: James S. Taylor, Peyton C. Clements, W.R. Mills, Rex Brinson, George M. Haden, Herman F. Billingsley, and Arthur T. Thorton.
Today, the Timpson American Legion, Post 90 is 96 years old and the current Commander is Richard Hightower. The members of American Legion Post 90 are respected throughout the Timpson community and their sacrifice for our country and their contributions to the local community is greatly appreciated by all.
