Letter to the Editor -

Lemuel Montgomery Namesake of

Montgomery County, Texas

   I have enjoyed reading the point-counterpoint exchange between Kameron Searle and Robin Montgomery about the naming of Montgomery County.  It appears to me that most of the counties in Texas are named after important national heroes (Washington), state heroes (Travis), battles (San Jacinto), Spanish settlements (Bexar), or early settlers of note (Grimes). 

   William Montgomery, Andrew Montgomery, and Margaret Montgomery Shannon, early Montgomery County settlers some claim to be the founders of the county, in my opinion do not fit the settlers-of-note mold.  Others claim that Richard Montgomery of Revolutionary War fame, for whom the city of Montgomery, AL [Alabama] was named, was the namesake of Montgomery County, but he has no connections with Texas.

   This leaves the most likely candidate for father of Montgomery County to be one whom I have not heard named in all this debate.  Major Lemuel Montgomery was Sam Houston's commanding officer in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend and died in Sam Houston's arms during the charge against the Creek Indian barricade.  Montgomery County, AL was named after Lemuel Montgomery. 

   The founders of the town of Montgomery, TX were W. W. Shepperd and J. W. Moody.  Moody was a former County Clerk of Montgomery Co., AL before he came to Texas and served as the Auditor of the Republic of Texas.  It seems logical that Moody would name the town and be able to persuade Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas, to name the new county after Sam's mentor, Lemuel Montgomery.

Carrol D. Cagle

The Woodlands, TX 77380 

This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in the June 3, 2009 edition of the Montgomery County News. 

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This letter is published by the Texas History Page with the permission of Carrol D. Cagle.