Montgomery scavenger hunt

Wesley Walton

Mrs.Faoila

2015

Cover Page
Table of Contents
History of Montgomery
Clue 1
Davis Cottage
Clue 6
Three Churches
Clue 7
Olde School House
Clue 8
First State Bank
Clue 9
Two Churches
Clue 10
Two Cemeteries
Clue 11
Community Center
Clue 13
Arnold Simonton House
Fernland Park
Clue 14
Bells Grove
Clue 15
Chilton Dean House
Clue 16
Memory Park
Clue 17
The Oaks
Clue 19
Homewood House
Clue 20
Methodist Parsonage
Interview
Thank You
Bibliography

In 1825 Stephen F. Austin was able to bring settlers and colonists into the area that is now the western half Montgomery County. In 1830 settlers named Owen and Margaret Shannon established a trading post with Indians. A telegraph written on July 4th 1837 by W.W Sheppard, a land agent, was written and advertised a new county that would be formed. In the same telegraph he named the county Montgomery and advertised land to be sold. After several petitions on November 30, 1837 a bill creating the county of Montgomery passed the senate, and soon after on December 14, 1837 Sam Houston Signed an act creating Montgomery County. Montgomery County was the third County formed under the Republic of Texas

Montgomery was originally a large trading post where a stagecoach, telegraph lines, and railroad intersected. Montgomery soon became very successful attracting many professionals and business men like Dr.Price who owned much land and slaves and was also a farmer and trader. Two early businessmen were brothers Peter J. Willis and Richard S. Willis. Peter J. was a personal friend of Sam Houston, who was said to spend many hours visiting Montgomery. By 1848 Montgomery had become so popular that an act was passed to incorporate it as a town with Nathaniel Hart Davis as mayor. The town of Montgomery is the oldest in the county,

After the Civil War Montgomery was not the same, the population dwindled and railroads changed how people traveled. Montgomery continued to be the capitol city until 1889, when it was moved to Conroe through popular vote.

William Harley Gandy compiled a study of the history of Montgomery in 1952. In this thesis he used as much information from documents as possible but also used second hand sources. “Not only were the original documents used extensively, but also secondary source material from books, news papers, and magazines. Much of the data concerning the towns and communities was obtained verbally through interviews with old time residents of the various places.”

Kameron K. Searle also wrote a report but only sited primary sources. “Primary sources enable the researcher to get as close as possible to what actually happened during an historical event or time period.”

My Opinion

I think the thesis by William Gandy is the better history of Montgomery. When you include second hand information by the residents and people that actually experienced the history I think you come closer to the truth. William Gandy’s report was much longer and had much more information than Kameron K. Searle. Even though using primary sources are more reliable because the information is definite, I think you lose a large piece of information when you cut out the people that lived here in Montgomery.

clue #1

Clue#1

The man who lived here was named Davis

He rendered service and logs he was paid

From that payment his house was made

Two babies are buried near this homestead

Search for the resting place of these young dead

Davis Cottage

The Davis Cottage is located at 308 Liberty Street and was once the home of Nathaniel Hart Davis and his wife, Sarah E. White. It was originally built in 1851 from a log house that was received in payment as a legal fee. A kitchen area was added in 1880. The south wing was later built in 1895. It now serves as the Chamber of Commerce Office and the N.H. Davis Museum after it was given to the Montgomery Historical Society by the Davis Heirs in 1984.

In the front yard of the Davis cottage are the grave markers of their two children. We don't know much about them, but they could have been victims of one of the yellow fever epidemics that affected Montgomery. Their actual graves are located next door in the vacant lot to the south.

Next door to the Davis Cottage is the Davis Law office which served as the Davis Home until 1851. This building served as a school ran by Texanna Snow, a post office, and a law office.

pg.5

Clue #6

These churches started in 1865

And one in ‘97

Each guaranteed the newly freed

That they would end up in Heaven

Three Churches

China Chapel
Mt. Pleasant Missionary Mt. Sinai

The Mt. Sinai Baptist Church was created in the Dupree School building in the year 1897 near its present location. The church was established by Rev. P.A. Northington and many others. The building was later modified and eventually replaced 85 years later.

The China Chapel Church was founded in 1865 when slaves were freed. It was made with Sam I. Smith as the minister. It is located at 316 N. Liberty. The original building was rebuilt under the leadership of Rev. J.E. Starks with help from the community.

Both the Mt. Sinai Baptist Church & the China Chapel were started in 1865 when the slaves were freed.

The Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church was established by Rev. C.L. McPherson Sr. Services were held in a brush arbor until the church was built in 1897. A new church was erected in 1979 under the supervision of Rev. T.B. Reeves.

Clue #7

Not so many years ago

Schools were black and white

Find the Dobbin landmark

Moved to this new site

The Olde School house

The Olde School House served as the Dobbin Elementary School for Black children and was located in Dobbin, Texas. We don't know how old the building is, but it was probably built in the 1920's. Used up to 1965 until government regulation 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.

According to story, "Dobbin" and the school were originally named "Bobbin". The railroad misspelled the town sign and "Bobbin" changed its name to "Dobbin". Former students come in and remember what it was like to go to school there. Today, it is a popular antique and gift shop owned by John "Cotton" and Bea Rouse since August of 2006. This building is an approved Texas historical site.

Clue #8

Most people believed their money was safe

Until 1929

After that the Great Depression

Was not far behind

First state bank

One of first state banks in Texas. Chartered Dec. 11, 1906, it began operations in a frame building on lot south of here. Present building was finished 1908 and is now oldest existing commercial building in this once-thriving trade center. As the town's only bank, it served small farmers while cotton was king in area. Safe was once stolen and the vault still has scars from a robbery. Bank was voluntarily liquidated in 1934. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1934

Clue #9

These two sit side by side

And monitor the people

Although different, they are the same

Complete with a steeple

The Two Churches

Old Baptist
Old Methodist
Churches

Old Montgomery Baptist Church
Location: Pond and Caroline streets

Baptists in Montgomery organized a fellowship in 1850 and purchased land at this site the same year. In 1853, the Rev. Thomas Chilton became the church's first full-time pastor. This vernacular Gothic revival sanctuary was constructed in 1902, during the pastorate of O. P. Stark, who is said to have designed the building himself. A 1918 storm destroyed the upper part of the steeple, and an education wing was added in the 1940s. The congregation met here for worship until 1979. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1985.

Old Methodist Church and Churchyard
Location: Pond Street, just north of Texas 105

In Jan. 1839, the Rev. Isaac Strickland organized a Methodist Church whose members soon built a log meetinghouse on this site donated by founders of the town of Montgomery. The churchyard came into use for burials during the 1840s. When Pastor G. W. Rabb was dying in 1851, he requested burial beneath the altar of the frame church then being built to replace the log cabin. His grave and a monument commemorating pioneer circuit riders now (1976) mark the original Methodist Church site. The church and the nearby parsonage, which is said to have been the first Methodist parsonage built in Texas, were relocated in 1908. A tabernacle later erected beside the cemetery has also been demolished. A stone in this cemetery commemorates a soldier of the American Revolution who helped settle this county and died here. Churchyard burials included veterans of the War of 1812, the Texas War for Independence, Mexican War, and Civil War, as well as many other pioneers, state and county officials, merchants, ministers, and physicians. In some of the unmarked graves are travelers who died here among strangers. Although a new cemetery opened in 1868, this one was also used until no space remained.

Chilton Dean House

Thomas Chilton was a Pastor at the old Baptist church. His house was built in 1854 He lived there until he died. In the 1880s David dean purchased the home and he put up a white picket fence around it. He got the wood at his mill. The wood is Heart pine.

In 1863 a gang called the Jessie James gang were trying to avoid arrest and Bob Oliver, a member of the gang stole a horse from the Cartwrights. they followed the gang to the Chilton deans house that was Bobs mothers home. There they had a shootout. The Cartwrights said they would not shoot him if he came out instead they stabbed him with a Bowie Knife.

Clue #10

In this town we have “Old and new”

Explain to us why we have two

A third was built in 1865

You could not get out of these alive

The Two Cemeteries

Clue #11

Find the center of our hometown

Many markers may be found

Be persistent, time will tell

Or you could end up in jail

Also, there’s a goat with a pain

Visit him by the well

Community Center

The Community Center is actually the center of Old Montgomery The Community Center is where the Town of Montgomery site marker is located and stated it's foundation in 1837 by W.W. Sheppard. It remained the county seat until 1889.

The Old Montgomery Community Well is located within the Community Center. This was the city well and used by people within the town. A statue of a goat is located by the old well in remembrance of a goat showed up in 1906 to the town center for handouts of food and drinks. The goat would stand by the well or on top of the well door waiting for someone to draw water so he could have a drink. No one knew who the goat belonged to, what his name was, or how long he stayed in Montgomery.

A time capsule was buried at the Community Center on April 25, 1987 by the West Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Montgomery. It is said to be opened on April 25, 2037. I hope to be around to see the capsule opened!!

The Montgomery County Jail is located on the same property as the Montgomery Community Center. It was operated from 1855 to 1889. The jail was used for keeping a drunken person until they had sobered up. The jail was built by Pauly Jail Company in St. Louis, Missouri. The cells were in a one room building that sat next to the courthouse.

Clue #13

The oldest house in this town

Is quite an amazing place

Because inside the house sits the old town

That time cannot erase

The park that hold this house is really cool

You will find the park behind the school

Clue #15

After stealing from Montgomery’s best

These robbers tried to avoid arrest

To this house they ran away

Their ghosts might be there to this day

Fernland Park,Arnold Simonton House

The Arnold Simonton House is one of the oldest houses in Montgomery County. The Greek-revival structure was built in 1845 by Dr. E.J. Arnold. Dr. Arnold moved from Connecticut in the mid-1830s with his wife Rhoda Ann Warner. They settled in Montgomery where they lived in a log house until construction began on this one-story cottage. In 1977, the house was given to the Montgomery Historical Society, moved to a different place on the property, and became the Montgomery City Hall.

Now situated as the focal point within Fernland Historical Park, the white house with its dentil trim features a pair of rooms on either side of an enclosed central hall. The rooms share interior double fireplaces, reflecting a Connecticut influence.

The Arnold-Simonton home was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1964 and entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Clue #16

Take a stroll around a park

Go in daytime-not after dark

Sit and Share a “Memory”

The names are there for all to see

Memory park

he buffalo is a giant life sized statue that watches over Memory Falls. It reminds us of the animal that used to roam wild in this area and other parts of our country.

Memory Park is a community project coordinated by the Rotary Club of Lake Conroe, in conjunction with different community organizations and Montgomery County. Materials and plants have been donated for the park and various areas of the park have been constructed by different service organizations.

Memory Park is alive with native and naturalized Texas trees and plants, and there are walking trails, benches for relaxing, pavilions, a fountain, bridges, rainwater projects, a duck nesting area, specialized gardens, a naturalized area and waterfalls surrounding a large pond. The park contains a Shakespeare garden featuring a bust of the bard, signage in braille donated by the Lions Club, and various statues including the Honor Flight Eagle dedicated to the local veterans of World War II. Many of the plants and items in the park have been purchased and donated by families in memory of their loved ones.

Clue #17

As Nathaniel Hart Davis’ family grew

There is one thing he certainly knew

He entertained many folks

So he decided to build the _____.

The Oaks

Built in 1876 for Nat Hart Davis by craftsmen John Bishop with plans drawn by Thomas Godden. Extensive restoration has been done by new owners Don and Mary Sue Timmerman.

Clue #20

Here the minister would live

Each year the people would give

A nice place with warm food

Where goodness and peace could brood

To praise the lord

They gave the minister what they could afford

Methodist Parsonage

In one of first charges to be established in Texas (1838) in time of the Republic. First Montgomery parsonage was first built by any Protestant church in Texas. This second Montgomery parsonage was bought in 1886. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1965

Interview

Mrs.Eva Rains

What is the biggest change you've seen in Montgomery since moving here?

Mrs.Eva: "The biggest thing I've seen change has been how much it has grown, and the building that has gone on. When I first moved here Walmart wasn't there, Brookshire Brother's wasn't there."

What do you like most about Montgomery?

Mrs.Eva: "I like most that it has stayed old. If a new building is going to be built, they have to build it to look old or if a building is damaged they fix it instead of tearing it down."

Tell me one of your experiences here in Montgomery that has lasted with you.

Mrs Eva: "One of the neatest things I've gotten to experience because I work here would be, Cissy Boulware. She lived here her all of her life, born and bred here. She and her husband were ranchers, and all of the stories she wrote for the Montgomery Newspaper are still there. She died tragically in a house fire a few years ago and all of her stories perished with her, she didn't believe in computers. She told stories about ranching, driving cows, her old dog, and it was really neat. I am very proud to have met her, she was a walking talking breathing history book."

Would you change anything about Montgomery?

Mrs.Eva "I wouldn't change anything about the town at all."

What is one word that describes Montgomery?

Mrs.Eva "The word that comes to mind when I think about Montgomery is, friendly. You know, now that I've met you guys if I see you at Walmart its 'Hey the library lady!"

Thank You

Mrs.Eva,

Thank you for letting me interview you for my Montgomery scavenger hunt. I appreciate all the information that you gave me. It helps me to understand the history of Montgomery the more I have worked on this project.

Also it meant a lot that you stayed after hours at work to sit and talk with me. I hope to see you and Mrs.Steffler at the library again soon. :)

Take care,
Wesley W.