Montgomery County Centennial Monuments

Montgomery County Texas Centennial Monument

   In 1936, to commemorate the centenary of Texas Independence, several monuments were erected by the State of Texas in Montgomery County, Texas.¹  One of these monuments was erected 4 miles north of Conroe on U.S. Highway 75.  This monument reads as follows:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

CREATED FROM WASHINGTON COUNTY

DECEMBER 14, 1837

ORGANIZED SAME YEAR

NAMED IN HONOR OF

RICHARD MONTGOMERY

1736-1775

BRIGADIER GENERAL IN

THE CONTINENTAL ARMY

COUNTY SEAT, MONTGOMERY, 1837

CONROE, SINCE 1888

4.4 Miles North of Conroe, Texas on SH Hwy 75

   Montgomery County, Texas was named after Brigadier General Richard Montgomery.  Montgomery County, Texas was not named after Andrew Montgomery as has been incorrectly reported over the last 30 years in various Montgomery County histories.  

   US Hwy 75 is now Texas State Hwy 75 or SH Hwy 75.  In Conroe, Texas, SH Hwy75 is called Frazier Street. The Montgomery County, Texas centennial marker is located 4.4 miles north of downtown Conroe on the west side of SH Hwy 75 in a highway rest area.  

Montgomery, Texas Centennial Monument

   In 1936 for the Texas Centennial, another monument was erected in Montgomery, Texas. The Town of Montgomery monument is located in front of the Montgomery Community Building near downtown Montgomery on the site of the first Montgomery County courthouse on SH 149 two blocks north of SH 105.

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

   To read more about the founding of the Town of Montgomery, Texas, click here.  To read more about W. W. Shepperd, the founder of the Town of Montgomery, click here. 

Charles Bellinger Stewart

Texas State Historical Marker

   This marker is located in front of the Montgomery Community Center near downtown Montgomery on the site of the first Montgomery County courthouse on SH 149 two blocks north of SH 105. This marker reads as follows:

FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE IN TEXAS

CHARLES BELLINGER STEWART

(1806-1885)

CAME TO TEXAS 1830. SECRETARY OF STATE, NOV. 1835-

FEB. 1836. SIGNED DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; HELPED TO

WRITE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS IN 1836 AND THE

STATE IN 1845; SERVED MONTGOMERY COUNTY AS DISTRICT

ATTORNEY AND THREE TERMS AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE.

HIGHEST APPOINTED OFFICIAL IN TEXAS, KEEPER OF THE

STATE SEAL, THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS NAMED BY THE

GOVERNOR WITH ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE SENATE.

THIS OFFICE HAS ATTRACTED LEADERS.  STEPHEN F. AUSTIN,

"FATHER OF TEXAS," HELD THE POST IN 1836.  SECRETARY

EBENEZER ALLEN IN 1845 REPRESENTED THE REPUBLIC IN

ANNEXATION, RESERVING FOR TEXAS HER PUBLIC LANDS -

A PREROGATIVE ALLOWED TO NO OTHER STATE.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE GRANTS CHARTERS, ATTESTS

THE COMMISSIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS OF THE GOVERNOR;

ASSISTS THE GOVERNOR IN EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS;

REGISTERS APPOINTMENTS OF THE GOVERNOR TO THE MANY

STATE BOARDS, ADMINISTERS THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL

CODE OF TEXAS; APPOINTS NOTARIES; PUBLISHES THE LAWS

OF TEXAS; ADMINISTERS ELECTION LAWS; ISSUES BALLOTS;

CANVASSES RETURNS; FILES REPORTS OF STATE AGENCIES.

SINCE STEWART, 83 OTHER MEN AND TWO WOMEN HAVE

SERVED TEXAS AS SECRETARY OF STATE.

SEE OTHER SIDE

(1966)

¹ Monuments Erected by the State of Texas to Commemorate the Centenary of Texas Independence, commission of Control for Texas Centennial Celebrations, Austin, 1838, the Steck Company, 1939, pp. 144 and 190.

Texas Historical Markers located in Montgomery County, Texas.