Montgomery Texas Scavenger Project Milan
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Table Of Contents
History Of Montgomery
1. Davis Cottage
2. Republic Of Texas Flag
3.(19) Cedar Brake Park
4. First State Bank
5. Churches
6. Shelton Home
7. Jim's Hardware
8. Chilton Home
9. Old Methodist Parsonage
10. Community Center
11. Addison-Gandy Home
12. Fernland
13. Memory Park - Buffalo
14. (17) Cemeteries
15. The Old School House
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History of Montgomery
Before
1837, Montgomery was a trading post placed a mile north of where the
site is today. Owen and Margaret Montgomery Shannon settled on their
piece of land and began trading with the Indians. An article in the
Telegraph and Texas Register of July 1837 advertised the sale of lots in
the new town of Montgomery. It stated that a new county, Montgomery,
was to be created and would serve as the seat of justice. And it proved
to be so until 1889 when the records were moved to Conroe.
Montgomery
was also the trade center for a large farming area and the location of
stagecoach, telegraph and railroad crossings. In 1839, civic and
religious organizations along with schools came to Montgomery. In 1848,
the city of Montgomery was incorporated. The building boom hit
Montgomery in the 1850s. Some of the nicest homes constructed at that
time still stand proudly today.
As
a result of the Civil War, all progress came to a dead stop. But by 1900,
business started to pick up again. The town of Montgomery was thriving
until the railroads bypassed it and the county seat was moved to
Conroe. It is a pretty good ending, Montgomery is a quiet, peaceful
town loaded with history for us to enjoy.
Mr.
Searle states that the first settlers of western Montgomery County
received Mexican land grants in 1831. There were sixteen different
individuals who received land. Each league of land was 4,428.4 acres.
Mr. John Corner received his league of land on May 10, 1831. It was on
this piece of land that Montgomery was founded just six years later in
1837.
Mr.
W. W. Shepperd, who owned most of the local businesses and land, and J.
W. Moody, who contributed in political ways helped in giving Montgomery
it's own name. Most Texas towns received their names from larger
cities in the US. Having spent much of his time in Montgomery, Alabama,
it is rumored that W. W. Sheppard picked the name Montgomery for his new
town. These two men had high expectations for this new town to serve as
the county seat.
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1. Davis Cottage
Clue:
"The museum is the clue you gave us The man who lived there was named Davis he rendered service and logs he was paid from the payment his house was made Two babies are buried near this homestead Search for the resting place of these young dead.
Mr. Davis was born in Fayette County, Kentucky, on November 6, 1815. In 1817 his family moved to Alabama, where he received his education. He
attended Transylvania University and then taught at Marion Military
Academy. In 1840 he moved to Montgomery, Texas. He served as county
attorney,
commissioner, and chief of justice of Montgomery County, and as a judge
of
the Thirteenth Judicial Court from 1867 to 1870. In 1851 Davis married
Sarah Elizabeth and had seven children. He died on October 8, 1893, and
was buried in Montgomery Texas.
The Davis House is located at 308 Liberty Street, and is now a museum
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2.) Republic Of Texas Flag
Clue:
"Find the history signed by Lamar, It is red, white, and blue and has a star."
With Santa Anna's surrender, Texas gained its
independence, and became a free nation. They found new
independence, it was important to create a better flag. In 1839 the flag
that we now use with Texas was designed and approved. The flag
maintained its lone star, and serves as a banner and symbol for state to
this day.
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3.) Cedar Brake Park
Clue:
"A park was dreamed of and then they realized It sits adjacent to Highway 105 Named for the trees that create a cover The park may not have happened without Sonya Clover."
This park made in 1837
was specifically made for handicapped people. It was adapted to be
enjoyable on a wheelchair. It also has multiple pavilions and grills
around the park.
The park was made possible by the
patrons of Cedar Brake Park. There members (including Sonya Clover) help
raise money for the park. It is a non-profit organization.
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4.) First State Bank
Clue:
"Most people believed that their money was safe Until 1929
after that the Great Depression was not that far behind."
Located
at 211 Liberty, was one of the first state banks in Texas. It was
started in 1906 . Just
two years later, in 1908, the bank moved into a brick building.
It had the usual bank services and also sold insurance. Most of
the banks original journals are preserved in the vault. The bank's
manager made a monthly income of $125.
The
bank peaked in 1917 with assets totaling $191,000. Just four months
after the financial crash of the Great Depression, the total assets were
$18,233.50. The bank fell victim to robberies and voluntarily
liquidated in 1934.
It
is currently owned and under the care of Geral and Susan Fauss. It is
now home to Retreat Hill Cellars Winery.
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5.) Methodist and Baptist Church
Clue:
"These two sit side by side, And monitor the people the people Although different, they are the same Complete with a steeple."
The Old Methodist Church-
The
Old Methodist Church was one of the first in the Republic of Texas. In
1838, Isaac Strickland established a Methodist Congregation here under
the direction of Elder Littleton Fowler of the Mississippi Methodist
Conference. Strickland's assigned territory was all of the land between
the Brazos and Trinity Rivers.
He
made Montgomery his headquarters. Four early circuit riders are buried
in the adjacent Old Montgomery Cemetery, site of the first sanctuary.
Two more sanctuaries were built by the Montgomery United Methodist
Church in 1852 and 1908 before moving to a new location in 2002.
Today,
The Bells Of Montgomery is located at 309 Pond where The Old Methodist
Church once was. It is presently used as a wedding chapel under current
owners, Glenn and Shirley Schneider.
Old Baptist Church-
In
1850, Baptists in Montgomery organized a Fellowship and purchased land
at this location in the same year. Just three years later, in 1853,
Reverend Thomas Chilton became the Church's first full time pastor.
This
building came to a completion in 1902 and was used for the next 77
years there as a place of worship for Baptists in Montgomery. These two
churches are located next to each other so it must of been a busy street
on Sunday mornings.
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6.) Shelton House
Clue:
"A slave's cabin sits behind and to the right it has been restored into a honeymoon delight, A bed and breakfast it has become on Caroline street you will find this home."
John
E. Shelton bought the Home in 1855. He was a great
craftsman, and built many other homes. Shelton built this
house for his business partner and friend, Thomas Wesley Smith. Mr.
Smiths granddaughter remolded the house in 1922, then sold it to Thomas
Gay and Ken Whisenant. In
2000, Richard and Mary Eckhart purchased the home and beautifully
restored it and the slave quarters. You can see in the back the slaves
quarters.
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7.) Jim's Hardware
Clue:
"When Houston traveled Homes they would share Your job is to find the location of the hotel and two houses somewhere."
Jim's Hardware used to be a hotel, Whenever Sam Houston traveled he would always stay there, He liked that hotel a lot, I went into Jims hardware and the lady showed me some really cool stuff they found when building the hardware store.
(I forgot her name) She also said that Jim's hardware was still haunted, She herself had seen a spirit, who knows maybe it is haunted..?
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8.) Chilton Home
Clue:
"This house is were the robbers fled when they were caught, they were all dead Tell us names that play a park and the cemetery it would start."
In the 1890's
David Dean built the picket fence from heart pine. In 1984, Gregory Hudson bought the home and
lived there while he was the mayor of Montgomery.In 1996, the home was
sold to the Johnson's who then turned the house into a bed and breakfast.
The Chilton Home is located on 709 College Street..
On December 28, 1868 the Jesse James Gang rode in to Montgomery. One of the Jesse James Gang's members, Bob Oliver, stole a horse from the Cartwright boys.
The Cartwright Boys followed him to where his mom was renting a room at
the Chilton Home. They said if he'd come out the wouldn't shoot him.
They didn't shoot him, they stabbed him. Then, he ran back into the house, where he died under his bed.
The bloodstains can still be seen in the Chilton Home.
A new cemetery was started on Old Plantersville Road called the "New Montgomery Cemetery," made just for the Jesse James Gang.
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9.) Old Methodist Parsonage
Clue: "The members of a church pay for a parsonage in order to furnish a place for the minister to live You will find a house on collage street Where many times the congregation would meet."
Parsonage - A church house provided for a member of the clergy.
The Methodist Parsonage is a place where the congregation would meet many times, It is located at 705, Collage St.
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10.) Community Center
Clue: "Find the center of our hometown Many markers may be found Be persistent, Time will tell Or you could end up in jail There is a goat next to a well seeking water from a pail."
Jail-
The
jail is set on the corner and was used for those certain characters who
partook of a little too much drink. Most were put into this jail so they would sober up and stay out of trouble
The Goat-
One day a goat had wandered around Montgomery looking for food and receiving handouts, nobody knew the goats name or where it had come from, but they still liked him so he earned a place in Texas history
Time Capsule-
The time capsule is gonna open in 2037, I want to go. I hope you will too.
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11.) Addison-Gandy House
Clue: "Climbing a fence with a gun Can give you a hole And not much fun."
The
Addison-Gandy House was built in 1892 for Martha Gandy's grandparents,
J. B. and Martha Davis Addison. The hearthstones around the fireplace
are hand-cut native sandstone with mantles and doors wood-grained by a
traveling German carver known only as "Mr. Patch". He signed his work
with his portrait.
Story
has it, Bo Addison went hunting with a 16 year old friend and Bo
propped his gun against the barbed wire fence. As Bo went to grab his
gun, the trigger was hooked on a barb and shot him in the gut. His
operation on the kitchen table was
a success, He later lived to be 84.
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12.) Fernland
Clue: "Historic houses have been moved to a new location Research the start of the park and the home with the national registration."
One
of the homes is the James Jordan (Jardine) Log House. Mr. Jordan was
born in Ireland about 1790. After coming to Texas in 1826, he built
this cabin just four years later in 1830. He obtained land from the
Mexican Government in present Walker County. Notice how the hand sown
pine logs were joined by half dovetail notching and the chimney was
fashioned of mud and sticks. Mr. and Mrs. B. Carroll Tharp moved this
house to this site in 1976 and restored it.
Another
home is the Crane Family Cabin. Nickloas Crane, born in 1830, left
Alabama and came to Texas when he was 18. At the age of 20, he married
Mary Ann Howard. As a confederate veteran of the Civil War, he built
this large cabin on the Angelina County Land Claim that he occupied in
1867. The walls were of pine logs that were split and hand-glazed to
give a smooth finish to the interior. The cabin had a
stick-mud-and-moss chimney, a cypress board roof and a detached
kitchen. In the 1970s Carrol and Mae Tharp moved and restored the
cabin.
Today,
cement has been laid to accommodate yet another home, the
Arnold-Simonton Home. It is in the process of being moved from 905
Stewart Street. This home was built in 1845 by Dr. E. J. Arnold.
Inside is the typical cottage construction with dentin trim, wide hall
and wains coating.
This home was a gift from the Simonton family to the Montgomery Historical Society.
Also included is the Hulon House. The Hulon house is an example of a civil war era Greek revival wood-frame plantation house.
Also
of special interest is the cutaway of the old tree. Notice the dates
that are stamped on the side noting this trees own timeline.
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13.) Memory Park - Buffalo
Clue:
"Majestically guarding this pond and park Names will be here forever Historically making a mark."
This life size statue of a Tatanka of a looks for fish right in the stream below.This figure is a statue reminds us that these giant Beasts used to roam all over Texas.
This piece of land is dedicated to the loved ones of Montgomery.
As you walk around you may notice the names and plaques.
(Fact: Tanka Is the Indian Name for Buffalo)
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(14) (17.) Cemeteries
Clue:
"In this town explain to us why we have two A third was started in 1865 You could not get out of these alive."
Old Cemetery-
The
Old Cemetery has lots of people that were alive in the 1800's, including
"Peel", the name on the tomb stone. There is a Confederate flag next to
his name, representing that he was in the confederate army
New Cemetery-
The
"New Cemetery" is actually very old and has lots of old Confederate
Veterans, including Charles B. Stewart and John H. Williamson.
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15.) The Olde' School House
Clue:
"Not so many years ago schools were black and white Find the Dobbin landmark Moved to this new site."
The
Olde School House served as the Dobbin Elementary School for black
children and was located in Dobbin, Texas. The building was probably built in the late 1820's and it was used up to 1965
until the government shut it down. 30 years later in 1995, it
was
moved to Montgomery and restored by Bill and Candice Witzig. The Olde Schoolhouse was cut into two sections in order to be moved. More than
half of the 18 large windows had to be rebuilt. Some interesting
features of the building are the raised stage area and the closet-sized
library.
Now The Olde School House is a public library, located on 105 in Downtown Montgomery.
