Help Wanted - Lake Creek Settlement
On this page, I will be asking
for your help. I have talked with historians for years who
were so disappointed after they published their books to find
people who knew something important about the subject matter of
their works. This newly
discovered information could not be included without
republishing whole books which publishers never
do.
One author recently wrote a biography
of Sam Houston. He wrote that Sam Houston was shot in the
right ankle during the Battle of San Jacinto. He based this
information on a number of secondary sources and a famous
painting. Shortly after publishing his biography, he held a
book signing at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum in Huntsville,
Texas where he was informed by Sam Houston's own great
granddaughter that Houston was shot in the left ankle and
not the right. The actual letter in Sam Houston's own
handwriting proving this happened to be in the collection at the
museum. The curator pulled the letter and showed it to
the embarrassed author.
In writing my book about the Lake
Creek Settlement and the founding of the Town of Montgomery,
Texas, I am trying to avoid just such an embarrassment and I am
asking for your help. I am looking for any information and
documents that you may have or that you may be aware
of regarding the Lake Creek Settlement including letters,
wills, deeds, legal documents, diaries, family Bibles, newspapers,
maps, etc.
I am also looking for any primary
documents that back up references made to the Lake Creek Settlement
in various history books. Many of these have not been
footnoted to show sources. I will make specific requests
regarding these. See examples below.
If you are a relative or a
descendant of the early settlers who lived in the Lake Creek
Settlement and you have information about the Lake Creek
Settlement, I would enjoy hearing from you. Many of the
early settlers of the Lake Creek Settlement include: Zachariah
Landrum, W. M. Rankin, J. M. Springer, Elizabeth Springer, William
Landrum, Letitia Landrum, Benjamin Rigby, John Corner, Mary Corner,
Peter Cartwright, M. Cartwright, W. Cartwright, Thomas Chatham, W.
W. Shepperd, Owen Shannon, Jacob Shannon, C. B. Stewart,
Margaret Shannon, Ruth (also Rutha or Ruthy) Miller, Martin P.
Clark, George Galbraith, William Mock, Ann Rebecca Mock, Ann Mock,
John Crane, John Marshall Wade, W. C. Clark, J. Pevehouse, Raleigh
Rogers, Arch Hodge, J. T. Vince, J. Smith, J. Dorsey,
William Keys and T. J. Nichols.
Names for the settlement included:
Lake Creek
Lake Creek Settlement
District of Lake Creek or
Lake Creek District
Precinct of Lake Creek or
Lake Creek Precinct
You do not have to be a
descendant. Anyone having any information about the
Lake Creek Settlement or the early founding of the town of
Montgomery Texas by W. W. Shepperd, J.W
Moody and C. B Stewart in 1837 would be
much appreciated. I am also very much interested in the activities
of these three men in 1838 with regard to the town of
Montgomery.
If I use any of the materials you
share with me, I will of course be glad to give you full credit for
locating these documents in my book when it is published.
Contact me at:
Mr. Kameron K. Searle
908 Town & Country Blvd., Suite
120
Houston, Texas 77024
Telephone: 713-880-4529
Please Help Me With the
Following:
John May Springer
Family
by
Dr. Johnie B. Punchard
Dr. Johnie B. Punchard wrote about
Lake Creek Settlement resident John May Springer. In her article
titled "John May Springer Family" in Montgomery County History
1981, Compiled and Edited by the History Book Committee of the
Montgomery County Genealogical Society, Inc., p.495; Dr. Punchard
wrote the following:
"December 1832, the John May Springer
family arrived at 'Lake Creek', Coahuila and Texas, at Elizabeth's
'Landrum Homestead', 1280 varas East of 'Lake
Creek'.
Life became more pleasant for John May and
Elizabeth Springer; their hardships seemed over, but the feeling of
insecurity, caused by Mexico's attitude, soon came. Gen.
Houston felt he must retreat to Louisiana. John May Springer
enrolled 12 March, 1836 in Captain William Ware's Company - 'San
Jacinto Volunteers'. General Houston ordered the evacuation
of families. Immediately, he asked John May Springer, William
Keys, T. Chatham and William Landrum to guide families of 'Lake
Creek' to safety.
June 30, 1836, John May Springer
volunteered a third time in the 'Texas Army", the 'East side of the
Brazos River, Washington County. Duties called him home to
Lake Creek, Montgomery County; the mother-in-law, Letitia Landrum,
died 1838 leaving John May and Elizabeth 331.6 acres of
land.
"Lake Creek" is
mentioned three times in this article. It is my understanding
that Dr. Punchard is deceased. Does anyone know where
Dr. Punchard got her information or what documents she relied on to
write her article? I am especially interested in General
Houston's order regarding the evacuation of families from 'Lake
Creek'.
Thank You!
Please contact:
Mr. Kameron K. Searle
602 Sawyer, Suite 460
Houston, Texas 77007
Telephone: 713-880-4529
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