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

9111 Katy Fwy., Suite 202

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

9111 Katy Fwy., Suite 202

Houston, Texas 77024

713-880-4529

ksearle1@pdq.net