History of the Lake Creek Settlementin TexasandThe Founding of the Town of Montgomeryin July, 1837(From: The Early History of Montgomery County, Texas)by: Kameron Searle
Artistic Rendering of How the Store of W. W. Shepperd May Have Appeared in the Lake Creek Settlement Courtesy of Marisa A. Searle The Lake Creek Settlement On July 8, 1837, the advertisement below appeared in the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper in Houston, Texas.1 This advertisement was the first time the names, Montgomery or town of Montgomery, had ever appeared in print to refer to a place in Texas. It is important to remember the names W. W. Shepperd and J. W. Moody located at the bottom of this advertisement as we discover the actual history of the Lake Creek Settlement and the Town of Montgomery.
Prior to the founding of the Town of Montgomery, Texas in July, 1837; the lands between the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and the stream called Lake Creek were known as the Lake Creek Settlement, District of Lake Creek, Precinct of Lake Creek or simply Lake Creek. The Lake Creek Settlement was located in what is commonly referred to as Austin's Second Colony. On June 4, 1825, Austin signed an empresario contract with the state of Coahuila and Texas that called for him to introduce 500 families in Texas. Order No. 24, March 7, 1827 defined the boundaries for purposes of this contract as follows: Beginning on the west bank of the river San Jacinto, at the ten border leagues of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico; thence following its course with the right bank of said river to its source; thence on a straight line north to the road leading from Bexar to Nacogdoches; thence with the said road westward to a point due north from the headwaters of Lavaca Creek; thence on a line due south towards the sources of the aforesaid creek; thence down said creek, on the eastern bank of the same, to the boundary line of the ten littoral leagues of the Gulf of Mexico; thence eastward, leaving clear the ten littoral leagues, parallel with the coast, to the place of beginning. Miguel Arciniega was appointed commissioner for this colony in November, 1830.2 Below is a scan of an 1861 map of Montgomery County which has been highlighted to show the lands previously known as the Lake Creek Settlement.3 Use this map to locate the land grants of persons named in the records included on this site. To see this map enlarged, click on the map.
Map of Lake Creek Settlement
The Lake Creek Settlement was bounded by the West Fork of the San Jacinto River on its east side and by the stream named Lake Creek on its south and west sides. A number of early settlers recieved land grants within the boundaries of what became known as the Lake Creek Settlement. The land grants highlighted on this map indicate the land owners and/or real estate mentioned by name in the Lake Creek Settlement documents listed below. These documents give us a very good idea of where the Lake Creek Settlement was located and its approximate size.
The Montgomery Myth Definition of myth (noun) - a fictitious narrative presented as historical but without any basis of fact. Over the last 90 years or so, numerous theories have been postulated regarding the early history of the Town and County of Montgomery, Texas. Speculation as to the origin of the name of the Town and County of Montgomery, Texas has often been included in these theories. These theories have evolved and culminated into what this author denominates the "Montgomery Myth." According to the "Montgomery Myth" a trading post known as Montgomery Trading Post was owned and operated by one or more of the following people: Andrew Montgomery, Jacob Shannon, Owen Shannon and/or Margaret [Montgomery] Shannon. According to the myth, the Montgomery Trading Post was located either north or northeast of the present town of Montgomery on the Owen Shannon League near what is now known as Town Creek OR the Montgomery Trading Post was located a few miles west of the present town of Montgomery. [Note the various historians cannot even agree on details such as ownership, location and years of operation.] The "Montgomery Myth" further alleges that the lands around the Montgomery Trading Post were known as Montgomery Prairie or Montgomery Settlement and that the Town of Montgomery derived its name from this place and subsequently the County of Montgomery derived its name from the town. This article will prove the "Montgomery Myth" is not true. All the recent histories of Montgomery County, Texas are wrong. The Town of Montgomery and Montgomery County, Texas were NOT named after Andrew Montgomery, Jacob Shannon, Owen Shannon or Margaret [Montgomery] Shannon! Furthermore, the town and county of Montgomery were not named after a place known as Montgomery Trading Post, Montgomery Settlement or Montgomery Prairie. The evidence will also show that no one named Montgomery or Shannon had anything to do with the founding of the Town of Montgomery, Texas and that the founder of the Town of Montgomery had no reason to name the town after any of them. The overwhelming evidence will show the place where the Town of Montgomery would be founded on July 8, 1837 was in fact known as the Lake Creek Settlement. Harry G. Daves, Jr., a descendant of Owen Shannon and Margaret Montgomery Shannon, wrote the following in The Herald, Volume 24, Issue Number 4, Winter 2001, "Owen Shannon’s Grave," pp.161-169:
In Stephen F. Austin's "Register of Families", the professions of Andrew Montgomery, Owen Shannon, Jacob Shannon and William Montgomery are all listed as "farmer."4 None of them are listed as "trader" which was the term Austin used to describe the operators of stores or trading posts. As an example, C. B. Stewart's profession is listed as "trader."5 As Austin' s Register of Families and the evidence below will show, The Montgomery Trading Post is a total fabrication. In all the histories of Montgomery County, Texas, the history of the place known as the Lake Creek Settlement has been neglected or intentionally omitted. These lands, where the Town of Montgomery was founded in 1837, had not been known as Montgomery, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Trading Post or Montgomery Prairie, prior to 1837, as many of these histories have mistakenly reported in recent years. It is quite amazing that the Lake Creek Settlement has been almost completely omitted from these histories given the great quantity of primary historical evidence available which clearly refers to it. This article currently lists more than 70 different primary documents (with digital scans) proving the existence of the place known as Lake Creek Settlement, Lake Creek District, Precinct of Lake Creek and Lake Creek; AND disproving the existence of a place known as Montgomery Trading Post, Montgomery Settlement or Montgomery Prairie. Many people have wasted decades looking for the archaeological site of the Montgomery Trading Post when they should have been looking for a single document to prove its existence. There is not one primary document pre-dating the founding of the town of Montgomery in 1837, to prove the existence of the so-called Montgomery Trading Post. Note that when the name, Lake Creek, has appeared in the published Montgomery County histories, it is almost always used to describe the stream called Lake Creek and almost never used to describe the place called Lake Creek or Lake Creek Settlement. The reader is encouraged to compare the hard evidence in this article to any of the recent histories of Montgomery County, Texas and you will be amazed at how inaccurate and lacking they are with regard to the early history of the Montgomery County, the founding of the Town of Montgomery and the origin of the name of Montgomery County. The population of Montgomery County has been growing rapidly in recent years, and it is now more important than ever that Montgomery County's early history be correctly told. Many of the primary sources supporting the conclusions in this article have been scanned to provide future Montgomery County historians with the information needed to correct future published histories of Montgomery County. This article will also assist school students writing histories of Montgomery County.
July 8, 1837 It is important to remember the date July 8, 1837. July 8, 1837 is the date the names Montgomery and town of Montgomery appeared in print for the first time in the Telegraph and Texas Register. See "Montgomery" advertisement above. Before July 8, 1837, deeds and other land records, newspapers, business records, marriage records, election records, etc. refer to Lake Creek Settlement, Lake Creek District, Precinct of Lake Creek or simply Lake Creek. After July 8, 1837, these names pass out of common usage rapidly and are replaced with Town of Montgomery or simply Montgomery.
Time Line First Settlers Received Mexican Land Grants - 1831 John Corner, William C. Clark, William Atkins, Mary Corner, Owen Shannon, Zachariah Landrum, Jacob Shannon, William Landrum, William Rankin, Benjamin Rigby, Raleigh Rogers, etc. receive Leagues of land from Empresario Stephen F. Austin.
William C. Clark Purchased 600 acres - January 1, 1831 William C. Clark purchases 600 acres land on the John Corner League from John Corner. The six hundred acres were "contained within the following lines and boundaries, to wit, commencing at the North West corner of the aforesaid [John Corner] League and running thence South half mile English measure. Thence due East a line parallel with the East and west line of the same League such a distance as will make Six hundred acres or will inclose that amount of land and the upper line of the Tract to commence at the North west corner of the League and run East the distance requisite." See Montgomery County Deed Vol. B. pp. 317-319. Clark paid John Corner $250.00 on January 1, 1831 before John Corner actually received his land grant. Given the fact that this payment pre-dated Corner's receipt of his land grant, it appears that William C. Clark helped to pay John Corner's costs and fees to clear his title out of Stephen F. Austin's land office at San Felipe.
John Corner Received Mexican Land Grant - May 10, 1831 John Corner receives his Mexican land grant for one League of land [League No. 27] from Empresario Stephen F. Austin in Austin's Second Colony on May 10, 1831. Corner had already sold 600 acres of this land to William C. Clark. See Montgomery County Deed Vol. B. pp. 317-319.
Lake Creek Settlement Initially the lands between the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and the stream called Lake Creek become known as the Lake Creek Settlement. This area would also be described by the terms District of Lake Creek, Neigborhood of Lake Creek, Precinct of Lake Creek or simply Lake Creek. Later the terms Lake Creek Settlment and Precinct of Lake Creek Precinct would also be used to describe the territory comprising most of what is present day Montgomery County, Texas. W. W. Shepperd Purchased 200 Acres - September 15, 1835 The Indian Trading Post William W. Shepperd purchases 200 acres of land from William C. Clark in the northwestern most corner of the John Corner League on September 15, 1835. These are the two hundred western most acres of the six hundred acres that William C. Clark purchased from John Corner on January 1, 1831. See William C. Clark to Wm. W. Shepperd, Montgomery County Deed Vol. A, pp. 29-32. It is here, in the middle of the Lake Creek Settlement, that W. W. Shepperd will found the first trading post or store. Here, he will trade with the Indians and early settlers. Known as "the store of W. W. Shepperd's on Lake Creek", this is the Indian trading post that preceded the town of Montgomery. See the letter written by Charles Bellinger Stewart's son Edmund B. Stewart to Mrs. J. W. Brosig on July 7, 1922. Also, see the numerous deeds and other records executed at the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek scanned below. C. B. Stewart will marry Julia Shepperd on these two hundred acres of land at the house of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek on March 11, 1836.
Town of Montgomery Founded - July 8, 1837 "Old Montgomery" or the "Old Town Below the Hill" "Montgomery" and the "Town of Montgomery" appear in print for the first time in the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper on July 8, 1837. The Town of Montgomery is founded in Washington County by W. W. Shepperd in partnership with J. W. Moody, the First Auditor of the Republic of Texas, with the assistance of Texas founding father, C. B. Stewart. The town is founded on the 200 acres of land W. W. Shepperd purchased from William C. Clark on September 15, 1835. Shepperd had founded his trading post or store here. Later historians will refer to this town as"the old town under the hill" or "old Montgomery." By July 1837, the town already had a store, a gin, a stockyard and a blacksmith shop. W. W. Shepperd and his wife, Mary Steptoe Shepperd, lived here in a house with their minor children. Their adult children also lived here. By July 1837, it appears that C. B. Stewart was living here as well. The blacksmith was named Thomas Adams and he had built a house here. W. W. Shepperd owned a number of slaves. His wife, Mary Steptoe Shepperd owned eight slaves that she had inherited from her father. Of course these slaves lived in houses here as well. Following the July 8, 1837 advertisement, Shepperd would begin selling town lots on these two hundred acres. As an example, Charles Garrett, the son-in-law of Owen Shannon and Margaret Montgomery Shannon purchased a lot from Shepperd here in 1837. See William W. Shepperd to Charles Garrett, Montgomery County Deed Vol. B, p. 304. W. W. Shepperd and his partner, J. W. Moody, named the town Montgomery. J. W. Moody had been the Clerk of the County Court of Montgomery County, Alabama, for many years before coming to Texas. Montgomery County, Alabama was named for Major Lemuel P. Montogmery who was the first man killed in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.
County of Montgomery Created - December 14, 1837 Originally part of Washington County, the Congress of the Republic of Texas creates Montgomery County five months after the Town of Montgomery was founded. This act is signed into law by President Sam Houston on December 14, 1837. The county is named after the town.
Nine Commissioners Select Montgomery as County Seat The Act creating Montgomery County authorized nine appointed commissioners to select the place of the "seat of justice" [county seat] of Montgomery County. These commissioners selected the town of Montgomery as the county seat. By February 1838, Jesse Grimes was recording documents in "open court" in the town of Montgomery below the hill established by W. W. Shepperd in July of 1837 on the land he purchased from William C. Clark in 1835. The original town of Montgomery below the hill on the creek, that later became known as Town Creek, was the first county seat of Montgomery County.
W. W. Shepperd Purchased 200 Acres from John Corner - February 26, 1838 On February 26, 1838, just three days before the first Montgomery County Commissioners' Court meeting on March 1, 1838, W. W. Shepperd purchased 212 acres of land from John Corner. These 212 acres were located immediately south of the two hundred acres he had purchased from William C. Clark on September 15, 1835. See John Corner to Wm. W. Shepperd, Montgomery County Deed, Volume A, pp. 21-28. The tract described as Tract No. 4 in this deed is important. On March 1, 1838, W. W. Shepperd will donate a one half undivided interest in 200 acres of these 212 acres of land to Montgomery County. Tract No. 4 will later be known in future deeds and documents as the "Town Tract" or the "Montgomery Town Tract."
County Seat Moved on March 1, 1838 to New Town of Montgomery on the Hill At the first meeting of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court on March 1, 1838 through his agent, C. B. Stewart, W. W. Shepperd induced the Commissioners to move the location of the Town of Montgomery from his 200 acres of land below the hill to 200 of his 212 acres of land on the hill due south of the orignal site of the town. He did this by donating an equal half undivided interest in 200 acres of land and sixty acres of pine land adjoining the town to the county.
The site selected as the county seat on March 1, 1838 is the same land purchased by W. W. Shepperd from John Corner just three days before on February 26, 1838. Later historians will describe this as "the new town of Montgomery."
Conclusion of Time Line W. W. Shepperd founded the Indian trading post or store on the 200 acres of land he purchased from William C. Clark on September 15, 1835. William C. Clark had purchased these two hundred acres from John Corner on January 1, 1831. When Shepperd created the town of Montgomery in July of 1837, the town of Montgomery was located on the two hundred acres he bought from Clark. This will be referred to by later historians as the "old town", "old Montgomery'', "the old town below the hill" and "the old town under the hill." It is important to note that Montgomery County officials such as Chief Justice, Jesse Grimes, and Montgomery County Clerk and Recorder, Gwyn Morrison, had already been conducting county business in the town of Montgomery as early as February of 1838. On February 26, 1838, W. W. Shepperd bought 212 acres of land from John Corner directly south of the two hundred acres he purchased from William C. Clark in 1835. On March 1, 1838, 200 acres of these 212 acres will become the site of the "new town" of Montgomery. No one named Jacob Shannon, Owen Shannon, Margaret Montgomery Shannon, William Montgomery or Andrew Montgomery had anything to do with the founding of the Indian trading post/store, the "old town of Montgomery" or the "new town of Montgomery." Many decades after the town of Montgomery was founded, the coincidence of a family name, Montgomery, was mistakenly used by amateur historians to try and explain the source of the name of the town and county. Over time, this story was repeated so many times, it became accepted as fact. Those not emotionally attached to the Montgomery Trading Post story can quickly see it for what it is, myth, folklore and legend.
Facts are Stubborn Things American founding father, John Adams, spoke of the irrepressibility of facts and evidence when he said:
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. John Adams Argument in Defense of British soldiers in the Boston Massacre Trials There is nothing like first-hand evidence. Sherlock Holmes The Study in Scarlet Lake Creek Settlement - The Proof 1833 Shannon Family Articles of Agreement Below are "Articles of Agreement" made between Jacob Shannon and his sister, Rutha (Ruth or Ruthy) Shannon Miller. Jacob Shannon and Rutha Shannon were children of Owen Shannon and Margaret Montgomery Shannon. It is very important to note in reading this deed that both Jacob Shannon and his sister Rutha believed they lived in a place known as the Lake Creek Settlement and not a place known as Montgomery, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Prairie or Montgomery Trading Post. Some histories report Jacob Shannon's name as "Jacob Montgomery Shannon." The author has never actually seen his name written this way in a primary document. Here he signs his name Jacob Shannon.
Jacob Shannon -To- Rutha Miller Texas Austins Colony Lake Creek Settlement August 8th 1833 Articles of agreement made and entered into between Jacob Shannon of the one part and Rutha Miller of the other part both of the Colony and Settlement aforesaid, Showeth that the said Jacob for and in consideration of an agreement entered into heretofore the said Jacob is to let the said Rutha have the one half of his said League of land lying in said neighborhood, the said Rutha having paid the one half of the expense, said League which League being known by the name of Beadye on which the parties now settled so as to be divided as to the equal to both of the parties in soyal, water and timber, all of which League is held by the said Jacob by grant from the Government of which said Jacob has disposed to Mathew Hubert three hundred and fifty acres of English measure of which each of the parties is to deduct from the agreement from their said half, or to divide the residue after deducting the three hundred and fifty acres then to be divided as above, in witness whereof we hereunto set our hands and affix our seals. Jacob Shannon Montgomery County Deeds, Vol. N, page 254. Witnesses to the signing of this document in the Lake Creek Settlement were Mathew Hubert and John Shannon.
1834 Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families Stephen F. Austin is recognized as the "Father of Texas." Below is another early reference to the Lake Creek settlement found in Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families.8 On January 13, 1834, at San Felipe, these details of a land transaction in the Lake Creek settlement between Thomas Chatham and J. M. Springer were recorded as follows: Austin's Register of Families, Book 2, Page 7
See Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families, Book 2, Page 7, Texas General Land Office, Austin, Texas. Thomas Chatham's land grant is located close to the center of the Lake Creek Settlement directly below the John Corner League on the map. In an 1870 affidavit in support of a military pension for John Marshall Wade, Thomas Chatham swore to the following statement:
See "1870 John M.Wade Pension Application" below. Also see Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Wade, John M., Type: PE, Reel #: 243, Frames: 524-526.
1834 Will of Owen Shannon
Owen Shannon was the husband of Margaret Montgomery Shannon. Owen Shannon was the father of Jacob Shannon. Margaret Montgomery Shannon was the aunt of Andrew Montgomery. According to the "Montgomery Myth" a trading post known as Montgomery Trading Post was owned originally by Andrew Montgomery and later by Owen Shannon on the Owen Shannon League. The "Montgomery Myth" further alleges that the lands around the Montgomery Trading Post were known as Montgomery Prairie or Montgomery Settlement. Here, Owen Shannon refers to his "Real or Landed property as follows - One Quarter League of land being in the neighborhood of Lake Creek." Nowhere in Owen Shannon's will does he mention a place called Montgomery, Montgomery Trading Post, Montgomery Settlement, or Montgomery Prairie. He only mentions "the neighborhood of Lake Creek." In fact, no where in the 9 pages of probate records of the Estate of Owen Shannon does anyone mention a place called Montgomery, Montgomery Trading Post, Montgomery Settlement, or Montgomery Prairie. Click here to see the Owen Shannon's will and probate records. The inventory of Owen Shannon's estate does not mention a trading post. The inventory only mentions 6 slaves, various livestock, household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils and one fourth of a league of land including the late residence and improvement of the deceased. The inventory is signed by Marget Shannon, widow of the Deceased; Jacob Shannon, Administrator; Jesse Grimes, Mathew Hubert and W. W. Shepperd, Appraisers; and Joseph Lindley and J. H. Shepperd, Assisting Witnesses. Jacob Shannon was appointed the Administrator of his father's estate. Jacob Shannon believed he lived in the Lake Creek Settlement. See the 1833 Articles of Agreement between Jacob Shannon and Rutha Miller above and the Affidavit of Jacob Shannon in the 1870 Mathew Cartwright Pension Application below. Witnesses to the signing of Owen Shannon's will were Henry Goff, Mary Corner, Matthew Hubert, James J. Foster, William C. Clark, Benjamin Rigby and George Allen. On the map above, notice the location of the Mary Corner, James J. Foster , William C. Clark and Benjamin Rigby Leagues in relation to the Owen Shannon League. This Will is dated April 12, 1835, but the year has is incorrect. The probate of Owen Shannon's Will began on June 9, 1834. Jacob Shannon sought the administration of his father's estate on February 24, 1835. Owen Shannon almost certainly executed his Will on April 12, 1834 and died between that date and June 9, 1834. Click here to see the documentary evidence that Owen Shannon died in 1834 as proved in open Court by Jacob Shannon in 1850. Owin (Owen) Shannon's will and probate papers are located in Austin County Clerk's office in a file referred to as the "Old Probate Files." The Owen Shannon probate file is File 41(11). Special thanks to Austin County Clerk, Carrie Gregor, for locating these documents which date from the time of Austin's Colony. Special thanks to Harry G. Daves who originally discovered this document. Also see The Herald, Volume 24, Issue Number 4, Winter 2001, "Owen Shannon’s Grave," by Harry G. Daves, Jr., pp.161-169 which contains a complete transcription of Owen Shannon's Will.
1835 Deed Margaret Shannon to Charles Garrett Montgomery County Clerk, Deed, Vol. F, pp. 65 and 66
This is another deed that proves that the "Montgomery Myth" cannot be true. Charles Garrett, a member of Austin's "Old Three Hundred," was Margaret Shannon's son-in-law. Garrett was married to Nancy Shannon. Margaret Shannon was the wife of Owen Shannon and the aunt of Andrew Montgomery yet she is executing a deed regarding Owen Shannon's real property in the "Precinct of Lake Creek." Again, there is no mention anywhere in this deed of a place called Montgomery, Montgomery Prairie, Montgomery Settlement or Montgomery Trading Post. This deed was executed by Margaret Shannon on September 17th, 1835. Witnesses to the signing of this document were C. B. Stewart and Henry Goff.
1835 Letter R. R. Royal to General Stephen F. Austin and General Sam Houston Between October 11, 1835 and October 31, 1835, the Permanent Council was effectively the government of Texas. R. R. Royal, the President of the Permanent Council of Texas in San Felipe, wrote a letter to General Stephen F. Austin and General Sam Houston at the headquarters of the Texas army in Bexar (San Antonio) on October 31, 1835. In his letter he strongly encouraged the army to hold its ground. In this letter, Royal promised more supplies and advised of reinforcements:
From The Papers of the Texas Revolution 1835-1836, Presidial Press, Austin, 1973, Vol. 2, pp. 279-281. Also see Barker, The Austin Papers, Vol. III, pp. 223-224. Some of the men who served as reinforcements "from Lake Creek" appear in many of the documents that follow below. It is interesting to note that C. B. Stewart was appointed the Secretary of the Permanent Council. See "Journal of the Permanent Council (October 11-27, 1835)", Edited by Eugene C. Barker, The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Vol. VII, April , 1904, No.4.
1835 Appointment of James J. Foster
See December 12, 1835 edition of Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol. 1, No. 9, p. 2, c. 1. On December 10, 1835, the General Council of the Provisional Government appointed a number of men to assist Col. James Fannin to "collect reinforcements" for "aiding in the reduction of Bejar." The man appointed to collect reinforcements in Lake Creek was James J. Foster.
1835 Military Discharge of Hiram Brumet
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Clark, William C., Claim #: 1242, Type: AU, Reel #: 18, Frames: 134. This is Hiram Brumet's discharge from the army of Texas following his service in the Siege of Bexar (San Antonio). This discharge is interesting because Captain John M. Bradley signed it in Lake Creeke. As will be seen below, Brumet served in the Texas army as a substitute for William C. Clark. See 1836 Hyram Brumet to William C. Clark document below. William C. Clark was one of the original settlers in 1831. The W. C. Clark League is located on the map above between the W. Atkins League and the west fork of the San Jacinto River.
1836 W. W. Shepperd Notice in Telegraph and Texas Register
Telegraph and Texas Register, Thursday, March 17, 1836, Vol. I, No. 20, published at San Felipe de Austin by Joseph Baker & Bordens. This notice ran at least one other time in the Telegraph and Texas Register on March 24, 1836, Vol. I, No. 21, published at San Felipe de Austin by Joseph Baker & Bordens. W. W. Shepperd and Col. Jared Groce were cousins and had extensive business dealings with one another. Here on February 12, 1836, Shepperd is residing in the place known as Lake Creek. William W. Shepperd had been operating a store and living on two hundred acres of land in the John Corner League which he purchased from William C. Clark in 1835. These two hundred acres of land would be developed into the town of Montgomery in July of 1837. W. W. Shepperd and his family were the first residents of what would become the town of Montgomery.
1836 Hyram Brumet to Wiliam C. Clark
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Clark, William C., Claim #: 1242, Type: AU, Reel #: 18, Frame: 135.
1836 Marriage of C. B. Stewart On March 1, 1836, at Washington (Washington-on-the Brazos), the Texian Independence Convention began. The convention lasted from March 1 to March 17, 1836. The delegates to the convention declared Texas independent from Mexico on March 2, 1836. One of these delegates was Charles B. Stewart. Stewart, who had already served as the first Secretary of State of Texas, was an active member of the convention where he signed the Texas Declaration of Independence and was a member of the committee that drafted the Constitution of the Republic of Texas. Later, historians would credit him with designing the Lone Star flag and Seal of Texas in the Town of Montgomery, Texas in 1839. On March 6, 1836, the Alamo fell. As the Texas Revolution raged on, an interesting and little known fact about C. B. Stewart occurred. C. B. Stewart, one of the most active members of the convention at Washington left the convention for several days and got married. On March 8, 1836, James Hall, Judge of the Municipality of Washington, authorized "W. W. Shepperd of Lake Creek" to celebrate a contract of marriage between C. B. Stewart and Julia Shepperd.8 Stewart left Washington and traveled to the house of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek where he married Julia Shepperd (W. W. Shepperd's daughter) on March 11, 1836.9 Washington County Clerk, Deed Book A-1, p. 240
Washington County Clerk, Deed Book A-1, p. 243
As seen above, W. W. Shepperd's house and store were located on the two hundred acres of land in the John Corner League which Shepperd had purchased in 1835 from William C. Clark. So C. B. Stewart and Julia T. Shepperd were married in the Lake Creek Settlement on the lands that would later become the Town of Montgomery in July of 1837. As will be seen later, it is important to note that three of the witnesses to the marriage were John Marshall Wade, Charles Garrett and William C. Clark. Stewart then returned to the convention at Washington by March 16 where he signed the Constitution of the Republic of Texas on March 17, 1836. Below is a letter written by C. B. Stewart on the day he returned to the Convention at Washington (March 16, 1836) describing the fall of the Alamo and the desperate situation in Texas.
See the Tuesday, April 26, 1836 edition Richmond Enquirer newspaper published in Richmond, Virginia, Vol. 32, No. 117, p. 4. 1836 Recollections of J. H. Kuykendall J. H. Kuykendall, a soldier in the army of the Republic of Texas was with Sam Houston during his tactical retreat from Gonzales in 1836. J. H. Kuykendall provided the following quote from Sam Houston:
J. H. Kuykendall, "Recollections of the Campaign," quoted in Eugene C. Barker's "The San Jacinto Campaign," Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume IV, p. 300. "An abundant supply of corn" does not come from a creek. Houston is referring to the settlement known as Lake Creek.
1836 Justice of the Peace Lake Creek Precinct From the Compiled Index to Elected and Appointed Officials of the Republic of Texas: 1835-1846 published by the State Archives Division Texas State Library, 1981, pp. 21, 23 and 42; three different men held the office of Justice of the Peace in the Lake Creek Precinct from 1836-1839. The Lake Creek Precinct was located in Washington County in 1836 and most of 1837. [Note: Montgomery County would not be created by the Congress of the Republic of Texas until December 1837.] Peter Cartwright - Justice of the Peace - Lake Creek Precinct Martin P. Clark - Justice of the Peace - Lake Creek Precinct George Galbraith - Justice of the Peace - Lake Creek Precinct Two of these men, Martin P. Clark and George Galbraith, would serve as Commissioners on the first Commissioners Court of Montgomery County held on March 1, 1838. Click to see the minutes of the first Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting. See the 1837 Affidavit of George Galbraith below to see J. Worsham also listed as a Justice of the Peace in the Lake Creek District.
1836 Deed Charles B. Stewart to Benjamine Rigby
Montgomery County Clerk, Deed, Vol. B., pp. 268-270. Deed executed " At the store of William W. Shepperd on Lake Creek on the 24th day of June 1836. Before us the undersigned, Witnesses, who authenticated this title at the request of the parties interested there being no Judge or notary present, Appeared Benjamine Rigby a Citizen of Austin's Colony who declared that in fullfillment of a contract made and entered into on the 25th day of April 1835 with Chas B. Stewart also a ..." The witnesses to this deed were W. W. Shepperd, John Wade and William Rankin. Witnesses to the original contract on April 25, 1835 were James Buckhanon [possibly Buchannon] and John Geline [or Giline]. It is interesting to note here that W. W. Shepperd's store appears to have all the qualities that the mythical "Montgomery Trading Post" was supposed to have had. Much business was transacted at W. W. Shepperd's store. Deeds and other legal documents were executed there by the early settlers regularly. [Note: In 1838, W. W. Shepperd would become the first Post Master of Montgomery, Texas and Montgomery County and his store would become the first post office of the town and county of Montgomery.] And yet, this has all escaped recent Montgomery County historians. They continue to cling to the Montgomery Myth. No similar legal documents can seem to found in the Montgomery County Courthouse that were executed in like manner at "the store or trading post of Andrew Montgomery" or "the store or trading post of Owen Shannon." If the Montgomery Trading Post ever existed and it was the center of the so called "Montgomery Prairie" or "Montgomery Settlement" as the Montgomery Myth alleges, where are all the documents similar to the one above that would confirm its existence? Logic would dictate that they should exist, but they don't.
1836 Day Book Entry of Charles B. Stewart
Cover of Charles B. Stewart's Day Book from 1836 to 1852
C. B. Stewart made this entry on June 25, 1836 in his Day Book from 1836 to 1852. Charles Bellinger Stewart Papers, Texas State Library and Archives, Austin Texas. Note C. B. Stewart makes no mention of any place called Montgomery in his "Day Book" prior to July 8, 1837. It is also interesting to note that the July 8, 1837 advertisement for the Town of Montgomery from the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper (see at the beggining of this article) was cut out and glued to the inside front cover of C. B. Stewart's Day Book from 1836 to 1852. There are many other references to the Lake Creek in Stewart's Day Book, space on this page does not allow for scans of all of them. For instance, there a couple of pages of land transcations in Lake Creek involving C. B. Steart and Charles Garrett (Owen Shannon and Margaret Montgomery Shannon's son-in-law).
1836 Advertisement for the City of Houston
The Allen brothers founded the City of Houston, Texas. On August 30, 1836, the advertisement above was placed by the Allen brothers with the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper published in Houston, Texas.
The Town of Houston
Close Up
A. C. ALLEN, for A. C. & J. K. ALLEN
Here the new City of Houston is described as being located 40 miles from Lake Creek. It is clear from the context that the Allen brothers are referring to a place known as Lake Creek and not the stream known as Lake Creek. The Lake Creek Settlement was known well enought that the Allen brothers used it as a reference point to describe to people where the new City of Houston was located.
1836 Allen Brothers Letter to Congress of Republic of Texas This is an excerpt from the letter written by the Allen brothers to the Congress promoting Houston as the capital of the Republic of Texas in 1836. Houston became the capital of the Republic of Texas from 1837 to 1839. The Spring and Lake creek settlements are specifically referred to in the letter. ARGUMENT FOR HOUSTON Made by the Promoters to the Texas Congress in 1836
Houston, A History and Guide, Compiled by Workers of the Writers’ Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Texas, Sponsored by the Harris County Historical Society, Inc., The Anson Jones Press, Houston, Texas, 1942, pp. xi and xii.
1836 William C. Clark Power of Attorney
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Clark, William C., Claim #: 1242, Type: AU, Reel #: 18, Frame: 132. Special thanks to Charlene Grafton, a descendant of William C. Clark, who discovered this document. This document led to the discovery of two other documents in this paper: 1835 Military Discharge of Hiram Brumet and 1836 Hyram Brumet to Wiliam C. Clark, which were also executed in Lake Creek.
1836 Deed John M. Springer to Jeremiah Worsham Top of Page 3
John M Springer to Jeremiah Worsham, Montgomery County Deeds, Vol. A, pp. 3 and 4. This December 10, 1836 deed executed in Lake Creek was recorded on January 31, 1838 in the "old town" of Montgomery. John M. Springer was married to Elizabeth Landrum the daughter of Zachariah Landrum. Jeremiah Worsham was married to Catherine Landrum also the daughter of Zachariah Landrum. For more information on how the Landrum, Worsham, Springer and Rankin families mentioned throughout this article were related, click here. Zachariah Landrum's League is just west of the John Corner League where the Town of Montgomery would be founded in July 1837. Six months before the town of Montgomery was founded, John M. Springer and Jeremiah Worsham were conducting business in Lake Creek, not Montgomery, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Trading Post or Montgomery Prairie. It is also important to take note of the witnesses to this deed who also believed they were witnessing a deed in Lake Creek: B. B. Goodrich, Mathew Hubert, William Keys, Wm. C. Clark and Wm. Cartwright. Note on the map the location of the William C. Clark and William Cartwright land grants and their close proximity to the John Corner League. Also, see the reference to Mathew Hubert in the Jacob Shannon to Rutha Miller Articles of Agreement, above, which was executed in Lake Creek Settlement in 1833.
1836 Obituary of Ann Rebecca Mock The following obituary recording the death of Ann Rebecca Mock on Lake Creek settlement on November 29 appeared in the December 17, 1836 edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register.10
DIED
1837 Day Book Entry of Charles B. Stewart
Lake Creek January 5, 1837 Capt. Crane paid me in full - - - -2.00 C. B. Stewart made this entry on January 5, 1837 in his business journal titled Day Book from 1836 to 1852. Charles Bellinger Stewart Papers, Texas State Library and Archives, Austin Texas. Note C. B. Stewart makes no mention of any place called Montgomery in his "Day Book" prior to July 8, 1837. Captain John Crane was a soldier in the Texas Revolutionary army who fought in the Siege of Bexar and later served in John Marshall Wade's cavalry company. John Crane was killed in the Cherokee War in 1839. Click here to see a note executed by John Crane in 1838 in Montgomery which was probated by C. B. Stewart as attorney for W. W. Shepperd in 1840. 1837 Bond Samuel McCombs [Scan Bond] See Washington County Deed Book A1, page 36, where Samuel McCombs signed a bond on January 7, 1837, "at the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek."
1837 Bond John Thomas to John Pyle
Montgomery County Clerk, Deeds, Vol. L, p. 359.
1837 Deed John Thomas to William Landrum and John Pyle
Montgomery County Clerk, Deeds, Vol. B, p. 407. Witnesses to this deed were J. Worsham (Jeremiah Worsham), W. M. Rankin, Zacheus Wilson and William Keys.
Deed David Thomas to William Landrum and John Pyle
Montgomery County Clerk, Deeds, Vol. L, pp. 357-358.
1837 Deed William Busby to W. W. Shepperd Page 50
Montgomery County Deeds, Vol. A, pp. 50-53. Witnesses to this deed include R. M. Cravens, William Keys, Thomas Adams and C. B. Stewart.
1837 Bond Samuel McCombs to W. W. Shepperd
See Washington County Clerk, Deed Book A-1, pp. 36 & 37. Another legal document executed at "the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek."
1837 Deed A. U. Springer to John Pyle Top of Page
Bottom of Page
Montgomery County Deeds, Vol. H, p. 133. "Done in the settlement of Lake Creek before the witnesses in the Year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and thirty seven and on the 18th of the month of January. -A. U. Springer-" Again, take note of the witnesses: Zaheus (Zacheus) Wilson, John M. Springer, William Landrum, James P. McFarlan (McFarland), Thomas Chatham. A. U. Springer acknowledged his signature on this deed on November 25, 1843 before the Montgomery County clerk and the Deed was filed of record on November 28, 1843. See Montgomery County Deeds, Vol. H, p. 134.
1837 Washington County Election Returns
Close-up 1837 Election Returns Justices of the Peace of Washington County Texas
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic of Texas Election Returns 1835-1845, Box 2-9/44, 1837 - Washington Co. This is a wonderful record from the Texas State Archives. It shows the precincts in Washington County in 1837 before Montgomery County was created. Six precincts are listed: Hazard, Hidalgo, Washington, Lake Creek, San Jacinto and Viesca. As we will see below, three of these precincts will be in the new County of Montgomery when it is created later in 1837. Jer. Washam (Jeremiah Worsham) and Geo. (George) Galbraith were elected as Justices of Peace in the Precinct of Lake Creek. Both of these gentlemen appear in numerous documents associated witht he Lake Creek Settlement.
1837 Day Book Entry of Charles B. Stewart
Another entry from C. B. Stewart's Day Book from 1836 to 1852. Charles Bellinger Stewart Papers, Texas State Library and Archives, Austin Texas. This entry dated February 28, 1837 refers to medical advice and treatment provided by C. B. Stewart in Lake Creek. The William Landrum League is located next to the Benjamin Rigby League due west of the Owen Shannon League. See the map above.
1837 Business Record - Day Book of Charles B. Stewart
This entry appears at the top of page 34 of C. B. Stewart's Day Book from 1836 to 1852, Charles Bellinger Stewart Papers, Texas State Library and Archives, Austin Texas. Pages 34 and 35 contain a number of joint business dealings between Charles B. Stewart and Charles Garrett in Lake Creek. It should be recalled that Charles Garrett was the son-in-law of Owen Shannon and Margaret [Montgomery] Shannon.
1837 Affidavit of James Lee Frame 26
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Stewart, Charles B., Claim #: 965, Type: AU, Reel #: 101, Frames: 25-30. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php James Lee served as a Sergeant in Captain William Ware's Company. His army discharge papers were signed by John Marshall Wade. James Lee sold his claim for three months service in the army of the Republic of Texas to Charles B. Stewart on March 6, 1837. Stewart purchased army discharge papers from several veterans of the Texas Revolution. Here we find an example of George Galbraith as Justice of the Peace of the Lake Creek District.
Bond Evin Corner to Charles B. Stewart
Montgomery County Clerk, Deeds, Vol. B, pp.221-223. Witnesses to this bond were Charles Garrett and B. B. Goodrich.
1837 Business Record - Day Book of Charles B. Stewart
Another entry from C. B. Stewart's Day Book from 1836 to 1852, page 34. Charles Bellinger Stewart Papers, Texas State Library and Archives, Austin Texas. Given its location on the page, this entry was made between March 8 and March 15, 1837. This is an example of a joint account of Charles Garrett and Charles B. Stewart in Lake Creek.
1837 Business Record - Day Book of Charles B. Stewart
Another entry from C. B. Stewart's Day Book from 1836 to 1852, page 34. Charles Bellinger Stewart Papers, Texas State Library and Archives, Austin Texas. This is another example of a joint account of Charles Garrett and Charles B. Stewart in Lake Creek.
1837 Washington County Commissioners' Court April 3, 1837 Washington County, Texas was created in 1836 and was organized in 1837. See February 13, 1837 election returns above. The first Washington County Commissioners' Court meeting was held on Monday, April 3, 1837. Many references were made to the Lake Creek Settlement in the first nine pages of the minutes of the Washington County Commissioners' Court. At the first meeting on April 3, 1837, Justices of the Peace Jeremiah Worsham and George Galbraith represented the precinct of Lake Creek.
At the April 3, 1837 meeting, George Galbraith made the following motion:
See Washington County Texas Court of Commissioners of Roads & Revenue 1836-1846, originally transcribed by the WPA, 2001, GTT Books, Indexed by Pat Gordan 2002, pp. 1 & 2. The next day, on Teusday, April 4, 1837, William Robert from the precinct of San Jacinto made the following motion:
See Washington County Texas Court of Commissioners of Roads & Revenue 1836-1846, originally transcribed by the WPA, 2001, GTT Books, Indexed by Pat Gordan 2002, p. 3. It is important to note that a place called "Montgomery" does not appear in the Washington County Commissioners's Court Minutes for the first time until October of 1837, three months after the Town of Montgomery was founded.
1837 James A. Wilson Assignment to Charles B. Stewart and Affidavit Frame 706
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Stewart, Charles B., Claim #: 960, Type: AU, Reel #: 126, Frames: 705-708. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php James Wilson participated in the Siege of Bexar. His army discharge was signed November 24, 1835 by Captain Joseph L. Bennett. Wilson's discharge was counter-signed by then Commander in Chief and General, Stephen F. Austin. C. B. Stewart, always the business man, made an excellent bargain. He paid James Wilson $8.00 for his army discharge on April 9, 1837. On April 27, 1837, J. W. Moody, the First Auditor of the Republic of Texas, paid C. B. Stewart $31.33. Stewart as assignee of James Wilson, almost quadrupled his money in just two and a half weeks.
April 21, 1837 was a very busy day in the Lake Creek District as will be seen in the following documents. 1837 Affidavit of A. U. Springer Frame 581
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Springer, A. U., Claim #: 953, Type: AU, Reel #: 99, Frames: 579-583. See the A. U. Springer League on the map above. The map has his middle initial wrong and shows A. W. Springer. The A. U. Springer League is located to the south of the location where Lake Creek emptys into the West Fork of the San Jacinto River.
1837 Affidavit of John M. Springer
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Springer, John, Claim #: 952, Type: AU, Reel #: 99, Frames: 585-588. Also see J. M. Springer above in 1834 Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families and in 1836 Deed John M. Springer to Jeremiah Worsham.
1837 Affidavit of Raleigh Rogers Frame 544
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Rogers, Raleigh, Claim #: 954, Type: AU, Reel #: 89, Frames: 542-547. Raleigh Rogers was one of the original settlers who recieved his League from Stephen F. Austin in 1831. See the Rogers League on the map above located directly to the south of the Thomas Chatham land grant and John Corner League. Frame 543
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Rogers, Raleigh, Claim #: 954, Type: AU, Reel #: 89, Frames: 542-547. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php
1837 Affidavit of George Galbraith Top of Frame 113
Bottom of Frame 113
Frame 114
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Galbraith, George, Claim #: 955, Type: AU, Reel #: 34, Frames: 110-113. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php See the land grants to George Galbraith on the map above.
1837 Affidavit of Dickerson Garrett Frame 431
Frame 430
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Garrett, Dickerson, Claim #: 5432, Type: AU, Reel #: 34, Frames: 430-431. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php See the land grants to George Galbraith on the map above.
1837 Affidavit of Matthew Moss
See Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Dikeman, Cyrus, Claim #: 7983, Type: AU, Reel #: 124, Frame: 94. Matthew Moss was another volunteer who joined William Ware's San Jacinto Volunteers. Moss joined the Texas army on the day that the Alamo fell. Matthew Moss fought in the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. This document and the one below were both executed on May 8, 1837. One was sworn to in the "Lake Creek Precinct" and the other was sworn to in the "Lake Creek District" showing how interchangeably the terms were used.
1837 Affidavit of Benjamin Rigby
See the Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Rigby, Benjamin, Claim #: 2613, Type: AU, Reel #: 88, Frame: 113. Benjamin Rigby executed his affidavit on the same day as Thomas Chatham below. Benjamin Rigby was one of the original settlers who recieved his League from Stephen F. Austin in 1831. See the Benjamin Rigby League on the map above directly west of the John Corner League and directly north of the Zachariah Landrum League.
1837 Affidavit of Thomas Chatham Frame 337
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Chatham, Thomas, Claim #: 2610, Type: AU, Reel #: 17, Frames: 335-341. Thomas Chatham swore to this affidavit before Lake Creek district Justice of the Peace, George Galbraith. Like many of the Lake Creek Settlement veterans of the Texas Revolution, Thomas Chatham served in Captain William Ware's Company in the Texas Army. See Frame 338. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php Frame 341
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Chatham, Thomas, Claim #: 2610, Type: AU, Reel #: 17, Frames: 335-341. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php
1837 Affidavit of Alexander Whitaker
Alexander his X mark Whitaker
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Whitaker, Alexander, Claim #: 1300, Type: AU, Reel #: 113, Frames: 334-336. You can look these records up online at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php Special thanks to native Texan Rita Kern who discovered this reference to the District of Lake Creek in the affidavit of her ancestor Alexander Whitaker. This is another example of Jeremiah Worsham as the Justice of the Peace of the District of Lake Creek.
1837 Deed William M. Rankin, Sr. to Daniel. L. Richardson
Montgomery County Deed Book F, pp. 12-14. Just days before W. W. Shepperd and J. W. Moody would place the advertisement for the new town of Montgomery in the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper, we see people executing a deed in a place that they are still calling Lake Creek. As in all the previous documents, no one called the place where the town of Montgomery would be founded in July 1837 Montgomery, Montgomery Prairie, Montgomery Settlement or Montgomery Trading Post. Witnesses to this deed were Charles B. Stewart, R. M. Cravens and George W. Davis.
1837 Deed William Busby to William F. Bowen
See Washington County Clerk, Deed Book A, pp. 175-177. This deed was executed on June 13, 1837 about three weeks before the town of Montgomery is founded in early July 1837. On June 13, 1837, the location where the town of Montogmery will be founded is still commonly described as the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek. Harriett Busby, Wife of William Busby to William F. Bowen
See Washington County Clerk, Deed Book A, p. 177. Another legal document executed at "the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek." 1837 Washington County Commissioners' Court July 3, 1837 In the minutes from second meeting of the Washington County Commissioners Court which was held in the Town of Washington on July 3, 1837, we find the following references to the Lake Creek Settlement:
See Washington County Texas Court of Commissioners of Roads & Revenue 1836-1846, originally transcribed by the WPA, 2001, GTT Books, Indexed by Pat Gordan 2002, p. [5]. Prior to the July 8, 1837 advertisement in the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper introducing the Town of Montgomery, the Town of Montgomery does not appear in the minutes of the Washington County Commissioners' Court. In early July, the area is still being called Lake Creek and Lake Creek Settlement. It is very important to note that a place called Montgomery does not appear in the Washington County Commissioners' Court minutes for the first time until October of 1837, three months after the town was founded.
Documents Above Are All Dated Before July 8, 1837 July 8, 1837 Town of Montgomery, Texas Founded
From the July 8, 1837 Edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register As stated at the beginning of this article, this date is significant. The names Montgomery and town of Montgomery appear in print for the first time in the July 8, 1837 edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register. And we can date the founding of the Town of Montgomery to this date. After this date, for a while, the terms Lake Creek Settlement, District of Lake Creek, Precinct of Lake Creek and Lake Creek will be used synonymously with the terms Montgomery and Town of Montgomery. The next two documents are examples of the "Lake Creek" and "Montgomery" terms being used interchangeably. Shortly thereafter, the terms Montgomery and Town of Montgomery will become the more popular names and Lake Creek Settlement, District of Lake Creek, Precinct of Lake Creek and Lake Creek will quickly fall out of common usage. Documents Below Are All Dated After July 8, 1837
1837 Deed William Buchannon to C. B. Stewart Page 241
Page 243
Washington County Clerk, Deed, Volume A, pp. 241-243. This wonderful deed is something of a Rosetta Stone. The District of Lake Creek and the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek and the Town of Montgomery are all the same place! This deed was signed on August 2, 1837 less than a month after the town of Montgomery was founded on July 8, 1837. This may be the earliest known deed referring to the town of Montgomery. All the names for Lake Creek Settlement will soon fade away being replaced with Montgomery, Town of Montgomery and County of Montgomery.
1837 W. W. Shepperd Agent for the Telegraph and Texas Register
Enlarged
August 12, 1837, edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol. II, No. 30, Whole No. 82, page 1, published by Cruger & Moore in Houston, Texas. Just over a month after the July 8, 1837 advertisement for the sale of lots in the town of Montgomery was first run, W. W. Shepard [Shepperd] is listed in the masthead of the Telegraph and Texas Register as the agent of the newspaper in "Montgomery, Lake creek." This was the first edition in which W. W. Shepperd appears as an agent of the Telegraph and Texas Register. He is the agent at Montgomery, Lake creek. Before the July 8, 1836 edition, the Telegraph and Texas Register used only the names Lake Creek or Lake Creek Settlement to designate the place. The name Montgomery had only been in use to designate the place since July 8, 1837 (a little over a month). The "Buchannon to Stewart" deed signed on August 2, 1837 (see above) uses the terms "on Lake Creek", "District of Lake Creek" and "Town of Montgomery" synonymously. Now, just a few days later, we see the Telegraph and Texas Register using the names Montgomery and Lake Creek synonymously. The Telegraph and Texas Register begins to use both names interchangeably right on the cover of the newspaper in its masthead. The Lake Creek name will be dropped from the Telegraph masthead altogether many months later. As an example, the January 8, 1840 edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register lists W. W. Shepard as agent in "Montgomery" only. "Lake creek" is gone.
1837 Affidavit of James P. McFarland
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: McFarland, James P., Claim #: 3330, Type: AU, Reel #: 67, Frame: 556. You can look these records up at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php
1837 Washington County Commissioners' Court October Term, 1837
See Washington County Texas Court of Commissioners of Roads & Revenue 1836-1846, originally transcribed by the WPA, 2001, GTT Books, Indexed by Pat Gordan 2002, pp. [7], [8] & [9]. The town of Montgomery was founded in July of 1837. As late as the October term of the Washington County Commissioners Court, the terms Lake Creek Settlement, District of Lake Creek and Lake Creek are still being used. At the October term meeting of the Washington County Commissioners' Court, the minutes will refer to Montgomery for the very first time. At the beginning of the October term meeting the terms Lake Creek, District of Lake Creek and Lake Creek Settlement are used. At the end of the October term meeting, the term Montgomery is being used.
See Washington County Texas Court of Commissioners of Roads & Revenue 1836-1846, originally transcribed by the WPA, 2001, GTT Books, Indexed by Pat Gordan 2002, p. [9].
1837 Montgomery County, Texas Created On December 14, 1837, Montgomery County was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas. See The Laws of Texas, 1822-1897, Gammel, Volume I, Austin, The Gammel Book Company, 1898, pp. 1375-1376:
1837 John Pyle Advertisement CAUTION
See December 30, 1837 Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol. 3, No. 3.
1837 Francis J. Cooke to J. W. Moody
See Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Cooke, Francis J., Claim #: 4066, Type: AU, Reel #: 20, Frame: 325. Francis J. Cooke fought in the Battle of San Jacinto. Not only does this document mention Lake Creek, but it is example of a resident of the Lake Creek Settlement referring to C. B. Stewart as "Doctor Stewart." For another example, see the "1838 Mary Corner Advertisement" below.
1838 Town of Montgomery Becomes County Seat of Montgomery County On March 1, 1838 at the very first Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting, the minutes provide the following: Page 1
These are the original hand written minutes of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court found on page 1 located in the Montgomery County Clerk's Office in Conroe, Texas. Also see Montgomery County Clerk, Deed, Vol. E, p. 285.
1838 Election Returns for Montgomery County and Precinct of Lake Creek Some time between the first Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting on March 1, 1838 and April 30, 1838 elections were held in Montgomoery County. On April 30, 1838, Jesse Grimes provides Robert A. Irion, the Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas, the election returns below. April 30, 1838
Montgomery April 30th 1838
Jesse Grimes Chief Justice County Court, Montgomery County Texas State Library and Archives, Republic of Texas Election Returns 1835-1845, Box 2-9/44, Election Returns 1838- Montgomery Co. There was some miscommunication and Jesse Grimes re-submitted the returns to the Secretary of State on May 30, 1838. These returns are more detailed. May 30, 1838
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic of Texas Election Returns 1835-1845, Box 2-9/44, Election Returns 1838 - Montgomery Co. Jesse Grimes provided some additional election returns on October 30, 1838.
1838 Mary Corner Advertisement
September 29, 1838, edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register, Vol. IV, No. 5, Whole No. 161, page 3, published by Frances Moore, Jr. in Houston, Texas. Not only does this advertisement mention Lake Creek but it also refers to "Dr." Stewart.
1838 Election Returns for Montgomery County and Precinct of Lake Creek Continued October 30, 1838
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic of Texas Election Returns 1835-1845, Box 2-9/44, Election Returns 1838 - Montgomery Co. The three precincts in Montogomery County in 1838 identified in these election returns are the Precinct of Viesca, the Precinct of Lake Creek and the Precinct of San Jacinto. In 1839, these three very large precincts were replaced with a number of political subdivisons called beats. For some reason, William S. Taylor ceased to be the Constable of the Precinct of Lake Creek as evidenced by the election of Nathan Drake in November of 1838.
1838 Nathan Drake Elected Constable of the Precinct of Lake Creek The earliest elections records in Montgomery County were recorded in a small book in the County Clerk's Office called Records of Official Bonds 1838-1848. This book is great primary source for the names and offices held by the earliest officials in Montgomery County. On page 12, we find the election of Nathan Drake as the Constable of the Precinct of Lake Creek. Records of Official Bonds 1838 - 1848; Page 12
Close-up of Page 12
The sureties on Constable Drake's bond were W. W. Shepperd and Charles Garrett; and Montgomery County Chief Justice Jesse Grimes approved the bond. Special thanks to Vera Meek Wimberly for abstracting Records of Official Bonds 1838-1848 which included the information about Constable Nathan Drake. See page 110 , Vol. 13, #3, Fall 1990 edition of The Herald, article entitled Montgomery County Texas Official Bonds 1838 - 1848. Special thanks to Sharon Wilson and the rest the Montgomery County Clerk's Office for the great job in locating this wonderful primary document from the first year of the county's existence.
1839 William Atkins to Allen Samuel - Title Bond Top of Page 219
Montgomery County Clerk, Deed, Vol. E., pp. 219-221. The date of this title bond is August 5, 1839. The term District of Lake Creek is still in use in 1839. The witnesses were Geo. Galbraith and James Corner. The Stoner survey mentioned here is a referece to land that Lewis Stoner purchased from William Atkins earlier January 19, 1839. See Montgomery County Clerk Deed Vol. E, pp. 288-290. William Atkins was one of the original settlers who received his Mexican land grant from Empresario Stephen F. Austin in 1831. The William Atkins League is located just southeast of the John Corner League. Click here to see a map showing the location of the William Atkins League.
1840 Methodist Quarterly Conference Meeting- Montgomery Circuit Methodist conference meetings were held at a different location in the Montgomery Circuit each quarter. At the third quarterly conference meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church's Montgomery Circuit held Saturday, September 26, 1840, a vote was taken as to where the next quarterly meeting should be held. The Lake Creek Settlement was chosen as the site of the December 1840 quarterly conference meeting.
See the "Journal of the church conference held at Montgomery 1839-1850" located in the Oscar Murray Addison Papers in the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin [formerly the Barker Texas History Center] in Box 2A103. Not only is the Lake Creek Settlement mentioned, but one of the members voting at the third quarterly conference meeting in 1840 was Edley Montgomery, the son of William Montgomery and brother of Andrew Montgomery. Click here for more on the early history of Methodism in Montgomery County.
1840 Lake Creek Meeting House
See the "Journal of the church conference held at Montgomery 1839-1850" located in the Oscar Murray Addison Papers in the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin [formerly the Barker Texas History Center] in Box 2A103. When the quarterly conference meeting was held in the Lake Creek Settlement in December of 1840, the meeting was held in a building referred to as the "Lake Creek Meeting house." This is the first and only reference to this building that has been located to date.
1845 Alexander McCown Advertisement in the Montgomery Patriot Even after July 8, 1837, the area around the Town of Montgomery was still known as the Lake Creek Settlement for some time. Masthead of July 2, 1845 Montgomery Patriot Newspaper
Page 4
July 2, 1845 edition of the Montgomery Patriot, Vol. 1, No. 10, page 4, published by John Marshall Wade in Montgomery, Texas. Click here to see a scan of the original advertisement. The fact that the area around Montgomery was known as Lake Creek or the Lake Creek Settlement cannot be disputed. Above is an advertisement published in the July 2, 1845 edition of the Montgomery Patriot newspaper published by John Marshall Wade. The advertisement placed by A. M'Cown (Alexander McCown) is for the sale of lots in the Town of Montgomery. In describing Montgomery, the advertisement describes, "The lands surrounding Montgomery known as the Lake Creek Settlement, being of such a rich and fertile character..." Alexander McCown was the brother and agent for James McCown. In 1839, James McCown had purchased W. W. Shepperd's equal half undivided interest in the Town of Montgomery as well as the two hundred acres due north of the town for $4,000.00. It is interesting to take note of John Marshall Wade's motto in the newspaper masthead, "Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy Country's, thy God's, and Truth's" John Marshall Wade attained the rank of Colonel during the Texas Revolution and manned the "Twin Sisters" at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836 when Texas won its independence from Mexico.
1855 Nat Hart Davis Interrogatory to Jesse Grimes
Montgomery County District Court, Case No. 923, Montgomery County, Texas. Here, Nat Hart Davis propounds an Interrogatory on Jesse Grimes which presumes the existence of the Lake Creek Settlement. He is asking about the Beadye League. The Beadye League was the League that Jacob Shannon received from Epresario Stephen F. Austin in 1831. The Beadye League was later known as the Jacob Shannon League. Click her for more information about Nathaniel Hart Davis and the N.H. Davis Pioneer Complex and Museum in Montgomery, Texas.
1857 Nat Hart Davis Cross Interrogatories to William Shannon
See Ruth Miller vs. Jacob Shannon, Montgomery County District Court, Case No. 923, Montgomery County, Texas. Here, Nathaniel Hart Davis propounded three Cross Interrogatories on William Shannon on June 15, 1857 which presumed the existence of the Lake Creek Settlement.
1870 John M.Wade Pension Application On October 4, 1870, Thomas Chatham swore out an affidavit in Montgomery County in support of John Marshall Wade's Pension Claim Application. To see another reference to Thomas Chatham and the Lake Creek Settlement, see the 1834 entry in Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families above. You can look this pension record up at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php Bottom of Frame 524
Top of Frame 525
Bottom of Frame 525
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Wade, John M., Type: PE, Reel #: 243, Frames: 524-526. Thomas Chatham lived in the Lake Creek Settlement from 1834. Here in his own sworn statement he leaves no room for doubt when he says he knew John M. Wade in 1835 at, "the place then called Lake Creek Settlement now the town of Montgomery." Chatham follows this statement with another, "he [Wade]returned to the Lake Creek Settlement now the county and town of Montgomery..." This document is devastating for proponents of the "Montgomery Myth." The place where the town of Montgomery was founded was called Lake Creek Settlement prior to July 8, 1837 and not Montgomery, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Prairie or Montgomery Trading Post. Also, see advertisement placed by A. McCown in the July 2, 1845 edition of the Montgomery Patriot published by John Marshall Wade above.
1870 Mathew Cartwright Pension Application On October 8, 1870, Mathew Cartwright, John M. Wade and Jacob Shannon signed affidavits regarding Mathew Cartwright military service during the Texas Revolution in support of his Pension Claim Application. You can look these pension records up at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php Mathew Cartwright Affidavit
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Cartwright, Mathew, Type: PE, Reel #: 207, Frame: 596. After describing his extensive military activities in 1835 and 1836, Mathew Cartwright swore "that he then returned to his place of residence in Montgomery County then called Lake Creek Settlement in the Municipality of Washington now the County of Montgomery..." Clearly the area was called Lake Creek Settlement not Montgomery Prairie, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Trading Post or Montgomery as several recent historians have maintained in their recently published histories. Mathew Cartwright fought in the Battle of San Jacinto. John M. Wade Affidavit
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Cartwright, Mathew, Type: PE, Reel #: 207, Frame: 597. John Marshall Wade had been the publisher of the Montgomery Patriot newspaper in the town of Montgomery during the 1840's. See advertisement in the July 2, 1845 edition above. John M. Wade knew exactly where the Lake Creek Settlement had been. John M. Wade was elected the Surveyor of Montgomery County in 1840. See page 23 of Records of Official Bonds 1838-1848 located in the Montgomery County Clerk's Office. Jacob Shannon Affidavit
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Cartwright, Mathew, Type: PE, Reel #: 207, Frame: 598. It is important to remember that Jacob Shannon was the son of Owen Shannon and Margaret Montgomery Shannon and that he is a close cousin of Andrew Montgomery. Andrew Montgomery was Jacob Shannon's mother's nephew. According to the "Montgomery Myth," this is the very family that the names Montgomery, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Prairie or Montgomery Trading Post supposedly spring from. Here again, however, Jacob Shannon swears to the existence of the Lake Creek Settlement and not a place known as Montgomery, Montgomery Settlement, Montgomery Prairie or Montgomery Trading Post. This document and the Jacob Shannon to Rutha Miller Articles of Agreement above are disastrous to anyone trying to cling to the "Montgomery Myth." There was no place called Montgomery prior to July 8, 1837. For those historians that have claimed that Jacob Shannon operated a trading post in the 1820's in what would later become Montgomery County, this document is also conclusive proof that that cannot be true. Jacob Shannon swears that he has resided in what is now said [Montgomery] County from the year 1830 to the present date. He is very clear on the year and makes no reference to the 1820's. Jacob Shannon mentions "Capt Fosters company." Jacob Shannon is referring to James J. Foster. See Foster's land grant in relation to the other land grants in the Lake Creek Settlement on the map above. It is just north and east of the Owen Shannon League. James J. Foster was the original army recruiter in the Lake Creek Settlement for the Republic of Texas. This same James J. Foster also witnessed the signing of Owin Shannon's will shortly before Owin Shannon's death.
1870 Evin Corner Pension Application On October 20, 1870, Evin Corner signed an affidavit regarding his military service during the Texas Revolution in support of his Pension Claim Application. You can look these pension records up at: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/repclaims/index.php
Texas State Library and Archives, Republic Claims, Name: Corner, Evin, Type: PE, Reel #: 210, Frames: 265 and 266.
1936 Centennial Monument - Town of Montgomery
Texas Centennial monument in front of the Montgomery Community Building in Montgomery, Texas located on SH 149 two blocks north of SH 105. This marker was erected by the State of Texas in 1936 for the Texas Centennial. Before the "Montgomery Myth" began appearing in Montgomery County histories in the 1950's, historians recognized W. W. Shepperd's role in the founding of the Town of Montgomery. The monument reads as follows: TOWN OF MONTGOMERY FOUNDED IN JULY, 1837 BY W. W. SHEPHERD INCORPORATED IN 1848 MONTGOMERY COUNTY WAS CREATED DECEMBER 14, 1837 JAMES MITCHELL, PLEASANT GRAY, WILLIAM ROBINSON, ELIJAH COLLARD CHARLES BARNETT, JOSEPH L. BENNET DR. B. B. GOODRICH, D. D. DUNHAM AND HENRY FANTHROP, COMMISSIONERS, SELECTED MONTGOMERY AS THE COUNTY SEAT AND IT REMAINED AS SUCH UNTIL 1889 IMPORTANT TRADE CENTER BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR
Shepperd Street in Montgomery, Texas
Shepperd St. & Eva St. (Highway 105) Lake Creek Settlement resident and Montgomery town founder, W. W. Shepperd, is also remembered today with a street named in his honor. Shepperd Street is located just west of Cedar Brake Park in Montgomery, Texas. In coming weeks, I will continue to add to this web page and include more information about the Lake Creek Settlement. I will also include more information about J. W. Moody and I will explain in more detail how the Town of Montgomery and Montgomery County really got their names. It has been my great pleasure to begin to set the record straight and correct the early history the Town of Montgomery and Montgomery County, Texas. Kameron K. Searle
1 Telegraph and Texas Register, July 8, 1837, Vol. II, No. 25, p.4, Houston, Republic of Texas. 2 Information on Austin's Second Colony provided by Galen Greaser of the Spanish Collection in the Archives and Records Division of the Texas General land Office in Austin, Texas. 3 1861 Map of Montgomery County, Texas, Texas General land Office 4 1830 Citizens of Texas, Gifford White, Eakin Press, Austin, Texas, 1983, pp. 34, 37, 39 and 41. 5 Ibid, p. 34. 6 Montgomery County, Texas County Commissioners Court Minutes 1838 - 1845, Montgomery County Clerk, March 1, 1838, p.1. 7 Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families, ed. Villamae Williams, [From the originals in the General Land Office, Austin, Texas], Genealogy Publishing Co. Inc., 1984, p.88. 8 Deed Book A-1, Washington County Clerk, p. 240. 9 Deed Book A-1, Washington County Clerk, pp. 240-243. 10 Telegraph and Texas Register, December 17, 1836, Vol. I, No. 47, p. 4, Columbia, Republic of Texas.
Special thanks to Narcissa Martin Boulware for her efforts to correctly report and preserve the early history of the Lake Creek Settlement, the Town of Montgomery and Montgomery County, Texas and for her continued assistance in this project. Special thanks to Montgomery County Clerk, Mark Turnbull, and his staff in the Montgomery County Clerk's office in Conroe, Texas for all your assistance in locating and copying almost half of the primary historical documents used in this article. Special thanks to Galen Greaser, Translator with the Spanish Collection in the Archives and Records Division of the Texas General Land Office, for his information on Mexican Land Grants in 1831 and Austin's Second Colony. Special thanks to Austin County Clerk, Carrie Gregor, for locating the Owen Shannon's will and probate records. Special thanks to the Washington County Clerk's Office in Brenham, Texas for your assistance in locating the records of the marriage of Charles B. Stewart and Julia Shepperd at the home of W. W. Shepperd in Lake Creek on March 11, 1836 during Stewart's service as a delegate to the Convention at Washington on the Brazos.
Your Help Would Be Appreciated in Writing the History of the Lake Creek Settlement and the Town of Montgomery I am currently writing a history of the Town of Montgomery, Texas which will include the extensive details regarding the activities of W. W. Shepperd, J. W. Moody and Charles Bellinger Stewart in the founding of the town and the earliest days in the history of Montgomery County. The book will include many facts which have been omitted from other histories including the very existence of the early community known as the Lake Creek Settlement. The book will begin to correct the myth that there was ever a place called Montgomery, Montgomery Prairie, Montgomery Settlement or a Montgomery trading post prior to July 8, 1837. If you know of other primary historical documents that refer to the Lake Creek Settlement, District of Lake Creek, Precinct of Lake Creek or Lake Creek which have not been included on this site, please let me know about them so that they can be included. I will be glad to give you credit for your historical discovery. Also see my Help Wanted - Lake Creek Settlement page for specific documents and information I am looking for. Thanks Challenge Also, if you are aware of a single primary historical document that refers to Montgomery, Montgomery Prairie or the Montgomery Trading Post prior to July 8, 1837, I would appreciate it if you would bring them to my attention. As it is, I have never seen a single primary document referring to Montgomery, Montgomery Prairie, Montgomery Settlement or the Montgomery Trading Post dated prior to July 8, 1837 when W. W. Shepperd ran his advertisement in the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper offering lots for sale in the town of Montgomery. This challenge is open to everyone including all historians, members of the Montgomery Historical Society, Montgomery County Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc., MCG&HS, and the curators of the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County. Prove me wrong if you can! Also see my Help Wanted - Montgomery Prairie page. Thank you, Kameron Searle 21410 Park York Katy, Texas 77450 281-398-8871 Page sponsored by:
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