Montgomery County Centennial MonumentsMontgomery 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 This marker is located on Texas State Highway 75 (SH 75). In Conroe, Texas, SH 75 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 75 in a highway rest area. The General Richard Montgomery Myth There is a a major error on the marker. This marker states that Montgomery, County, Texas was named in honor of Richard Montgomery "Brigadier General in the Continental Army." This is not true! Montgomery County, Texas was not named after General Richard Montgomery.
This myth was started by Texas historian, Homer S. Thrall, in 1879 when Thrall wrote in his book A Pictorial History of
Texas that Montgomery County was named "for General Montgomery." This was the first attempt by a historian to suggest the
source for the name of Montgomery County, Texas. However, Thrall did not bother to advise which General Montgomery the county was
named after. Thrall provided no source, footnote or bibliography for his contention that Montgomery County, Texas was named after
someone named General Montgomery.
The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide published in 1911 would be the first publication to suggest a first
name for the mysterious General Montgomery. The authors of the 1911 edition of Texas Alamanac and State Industrial
Guide provided a first name for General Montgomery when they wrote that Montgomery County was "Named for Gen. James
Montgomery." However, like Thrall, The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide did not bother to tell us who this General
James Montgomery was. As with Thrall, the Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide provided no source, footnote or
bibliography for their contention that Montgomery County, Texas was named after a General James Montgomery.
In his 1915 book The History and Geography of Texas as Told in County Names, Z. T. Fulmore changed the name of the
mysterious General Montgomery from "James" to "Richard" and gave us quite a bit of biographical information about him. Fulmore
wrote the following:
Like Homer S. Thrall and the suthors of the Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide, Fulmore provided no
source, footnote or bibliography for his conclusion that Montgomery County, Texas was named after General Richard Montgomery of the American
Revolution. The sponsor of the centennial marker shown above evidently got his or her information about General Richard
Montogmery from Z. T. Fulmore's book or other writers who had used it as a source.
In 1925, the idea that Montgomery County was named for a General named Montgomery began to be replaced by a new fallacious
contention. For more information on this, see the Evolution of the
Montgomery Trading Post Myth.
So Where Did the Name of Montgomery County Come From?
In fact, Montgomery County, Texas is named after the Town of Montgomery, Texas. The Town of Montgomey was founded (July
1837) five months before Montgomery County was created (December 14, 1837). The Town of Montgomery was founded by W. W. Shepperd in
association with J. W. Moody in the Lake Creek Settlement. The Town of
Montgomery was named by W. W. Shepperd and J. W. Moody. The Town of Montgomery was named after Montgomery County, Alabama where
J. W. Moody had lived for many years before coming to Texas. J. W. Moody had also been
the County Clerk of Montgomery County, Alabama before coming to Texas. Montgomery County, Alabama was named in honor of
Major Lemuel P. Montgomery who fought in the Creek War and was killed fighting in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814.
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
Erected by the State of Texas 1836
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)
Charles B. Stewart Centennial Marker
SITE OF THE HOME OF DR. CHARLES B. STEWART 1806-1885 MEMBER OF THE CONSULTATION, 1835- FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE - SIGNER OF THE TEXAS DECLARATION OF INDEPEND- ENCE - DELEGATE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1845 - MEMBER OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
Erected by the State of Texas 1836
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.
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