Historical Commission Board

Sandra Neeley - Chair

Andy Asberry - Vice Chair

Amy Nichols - Secretary

James Neeley - Treasurer

Nita Redmon - Johnson County Historical Landmark Plaques Chair

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Sandra Harris Neeley - Chair

Sandra's Harris family came to Johnson County in 1893 from Arkansas after her grandfather Larkin L. Harris, MD finished medical school.  He and wife Nellie Goldman (daughter of a Georgia CSA soldier) lived near his office at Cuba (now called Sand Flat) where 9 of their 11 children were born, including Sandra's father Lowell.  The family moved into Cleburne in approx. 1910 where Dr. Harris and his brother Robert Lee Harris, MD shared a medical office and their hospital (Cleburne Sanitarium).

Sandra Harris attended Cleburne schools, graduated from Cleburne High School in 1967 and attended Hill College.  She then began a 40+ year career in the materials handling industry from which she retired in 2013.  She designed screw conveyors, bucket elevators and related materials handling equipment for distributors in 10 states.  Sandra remains one of only a very few women to do this type of work.

Married to retired railroader and Johnson Co. deputy S.W. "Dub" Osborne for over 32 years, the couple raised, trained and showed spotted donkeys and mules from a bloodline still famous today.  They were officers in Southwestern Donkey & Mule Society and registry inspectors for the American Donkey & Mule Society.  Dub Osborne died in 2005 and in 2012 Sandra married James Neeley, a retired cotton farmer from Lamesa, Texas.  

A longtime member and 2-time president of the Johnson Co. Genealogical Society, other organizations include the United Daughters of the Confederacy (as a real great-granddaughter) and founding member of Neeley's Roughnecks Cannon Battery - serving as a cannoneer at living history events from Virginia to Arizona and as far north as Illinois.  She also speaks at school days and to civic organizations about women who served as soldiers in the War Between the States.  Sandra wrote a soon-to-be-published article about her Georgia CSA ancestors which will appear in a national magazine.

She coordinates and submits items from JCHC to The Portal to Texas History and frequently speaks to clubs and libraries about using the site.  

The Neeley's enjoy travel and toured South Vietnam in 2018 visiting sites where James Neeley served with the 1st Cavalry and was wounded twice.  They attend his Army reunions whenever possible.  

Appointed to Johnson County Historical Commission in 1998, Sandra Osborne Neeley has served as the Commission's secretary, vice-chair and now is Chair as of February 2022. She is currently the longest tenured appointee to JCHC.

Andy Asberry - Vice Chair

I was raised on a farm midway between Godley and Joshua that my Great Grandfather bought in 1892, where I live today. I went to school at Godley, graduating in 1963.
I worked in the service department of a Goodyear store for a couple of years.

Married Diane Riza from Cleburne in 1965. We will celebrate our 60-year anniversary in 2025.

The Vietnam War was ramping up so I joined the Army in order to choose training. After a year of school, I was off to Vietnam as a helicopter mechanic - promoted to crew chief one month later a Huey gunship. The crew chief is also a door gunner.  We were shot down three times. I was awarded 15 Air Medals plus 6 other medals for valor; two the day our base camp was over run.

Returned home in 1970 and went back into the tire business. In 1977, we opened our own store. In 1985, we were the number three 1 store Goodyear dealer in the country. Retired after 42 years in the tire business.

I'm the fourth generation to raise sheep on this farm. I was appointed a director of the Suffolk Sheep Association in 1982 and re-elected until retiring in 2004. I was then appointed National Coordinator for the Junior Association, riding herd on 600 kids. I retired from that position in 2012.

In 2006, I joined the Tri-Cities Post 6872 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars - holding several positions including three years as Commander.

An active member of The Friends of the Cleburne State Park I also serve as President of the Friends of the Johnson County Historical Commission. My hobby is restoring old garden tractors and showing them all over the country.

Amy Nicholas - JCHC Secretary

Amy Livingstone Nichols is a Grandview native who lives on a farm that has been in her family for over a century. She graduated from Grandview High School and Texas Wesleyan University and then was employed by the Texas Department of Human Services for 30 years of service before retiring.

 Amy is married with a grown son and is a member of the Johnson County Master Gardeners, First Methodist Church and the Grandview Cemetery Association board. Interests include gardening with native plants, history, and genealogy. 

James Neeley - JCHC Treasurer

A native of Lamesa in Dawson County, Texas, the Neeleys grew cotton there and in other west Texas counties since the 1930s.  James graduated from Lamesa High School and attended Rice University on a full scholarship before entering the US Army in 1967.  Sent to Vietnam with the 1/12 US Cavalry, James was wounded in action twice.  After being discharged in 1969, he returned to west Texas and served the family overseeing their cotton growing operation in Dawson and Gaines Counties until retiring in 2005.

 A 33rd degree Mason, James belongs to many Masonic-related organizations, including Blue Lodges in O’Donnell and Grandview.  Others include Chapter, Council, Commandry, York Rite College, St. Thomas of Acon, Red Cross of Constantine, Operatives, and Allied Masonic Degrees (AMD).

He belongs to Military Order of the Purple Heart, Terry’s Texas Rangers SCV Camp #1937, and the Johnson County Genealogical Society.

Married Sandra Harris Osborne in 2012, he enjoys reading, history, and genealogy. The couple travels to 1/12 and “D” Co. Army reunions all over the US and to England and Scotland whenever possible. They attend Cornerstone Methodist Church in Cleburne. 

Nita Redmon - Johnson County Historical Landmark Plaques Chair