The Lake Creek Settlement (ca. 1830s through the 1840s) was a settlement in Stephen F. Austin's Second Colony, located in Mexican Texas, and later the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...

after it gained independence in 1836. The Lake Creek Settlement was located between the West Fork of the

San Jacinto River (Texas) The San Jacinto River ( , ) flows through southeast Texas. It is named after Hyacinth of Caesarea, Saint Hyacinth. In the past, it was home to the Karankawa and Akokisa tribes. The river begins with a west and east fork; the west fork begins ...

and the stream known as Lake Creek. It was the first Anglo-American settlement in what is today western

Montgomery County, Texas Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 620,443. The county seat is Conroe. The county was created by an act of the Congress of the Republic of Texas on December 14, 1 ...

. In July 1837, the town of Montgomery, Texas was founded in the middle of the Lake Creek Settlement, at the site of W. W. Shepperd's store. It was located near the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, which had keel boat navigation to that point.

Background

In 1821,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

gained

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

from Spain. It formed a new nation from much of the lands that had comprised

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...

, including

Spanish Texas Spanish Texas was one of the interior provinces of the colonial Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1690 until 1821. The term "interior provinces" first appeared in 1712, as an expression meaning "far away" provinces. It was only in 1776 that a lega ...

. Because this area was sparsely populated, the Republic combined Texas with

Coahuila Coahuila (), formally Coahuila de Zaragoza (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Coahuila de Zaragoza ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza), is one of the 32 states of Mexico. Coahuila borders the Mexican states of N ...

to create a new state, Coahuila y Tejas.Vazquez (1997), p. 51.Manchaca (2001), p. 162. The war had bankrupted the new Mexican government and it had little money to devote to the military. It authorized settlers to raise

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

s for their defense against hostile

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

tribes, who were seeking to expel the European Americans from their territory. Mexican Texas was raided by the

Apache The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...

and

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

, who were powerful in this area. Believing that an increase in settlers in the new state could help to deter the Indian raids, the Mexican government liberalized its immigration policies for the region. For the first time, it allowed settlers from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

to Texas y Coahuila.Manchaca (2001), p. 164. Lake Creek Settlement Marker

Anglo-American Stephen F. Austin became the first Empresario to successfully establish a colony in Texas. Under the 1823 Imperial Colonization Law of

, an empresario could receive a land grant within the Mexican province of Texas. Together with a commissioner appointed by the governor, he was authorized to distribute land to settlers and issue them titles in the name of the Mexican government. Only one contract was approved under this legislation, the first contract granted to Stephen F. Austin.Greaser (1999), p. xviii. Between 1824 and 1828, Austin granted 297 titles under this contract. Each head of household received a minimum of 177 acres or 4,428 acres, depending on whether they intended to farm or raise livestock. The grant could be increased for large families or those wishing to establish a new industry, but required the lands to be cultivated within two years. The settlers who received titles under Austin's first contract later became known as the Old Three Hundred. As many of these settlers came from the South, they brought enslaved African Americans with them to work and clear the land. As they developed cotton plantations in this area, they were dependent on the enslaved workers for it to be profitable. The 1824 General Colonization Law made all heads of household who were citizens of or immigrants to Mexico eligible to claim land. The law did not differentiate among races or social status, but immigrants were required to be

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, and foreigners were expected to learn Spanish.Vazquez (1997), p. 50. Persons who had been granted occupancy rights were allowed to claim the land patent for dwellings.Manchaca (2001), p. 187. Settlers were required to own property or have a craft or useful profession. All persons wishing to live in Texas were expected to report to the nearest Mexican authority for permission to settle.de la Teja (1997), p. 88. The state government in

Saltillo Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all connected by a major railroad and highwa ...

approved grants for land. They were soon besieged by foreign speculators wanting to bring colonists into the state.Vazquez (1997), p. 53. Coahuila y Tejas implemented the federal law in 1825.Manchaca (2001), p. 195. At this time, about 3500 people lived in Texas, mostly congregated at

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

and

La Bahia LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

.Edmondson (2000), p. 75. Under the new law, people who did not already possess property in Texas could claim one square league of irrigable land, with an additional league available to those who owned cattle. Soldiers were given first choice of land, followed by Mexican citizens, and immigrants. Empresarios and individuals with large families were exempt from the limit. Those who had owned land under Spanish control were allowed to retain their property as long as they had not fought with the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence. Immigrants were subject to the same policies as Mexican citizens. Indians who migrated to Texas after Mexican independence and were not native to the area were to be treated as immigrants.Manchaca (2001), p. 196. Enslaved African Americans were not recognized as citizens or immigrants.

Establishment of Second Colony

On May 20, 1825, Stephen F. Austin obtained from the Mexican State of

Coahuila y Texas Coahuila y Tejas, officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila y Tejas (), was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. It had two capitals: first Saltillo (1822–1825) for ...

a new contract, to introduce five hundred families to the area. It was signed on June 4, 1825.Searle (2012), p. 3. This contract was to be completed within six years. Order No. 24, dated March 7, 1827, defined the boundaries of Austin's Second Colony as follows: The West Fork of the San Jacinto River was navigable by keel boat up to this area, which added to the area's desirability. Travel by water was the main method of transportation of persons and freight. Under the 1825 contract, Empresario Stephen F. Austin granted land to a number of Anglo-American colonists in 1831. Some of these settlers in Austin's Second Colony received leagues of land along the eastern boundary of the colony in what is today western Montgomery County; they were the first Anglo-American settlers in that county. Each of these leagues of land contained 4,428.4 acres. Elias R. Wightman was the surveyor of all this territory. The chain carriers assisting him included, at various times, William Rankin, Mathew Hubert, John Corner, William Atkins, and James Rankin. The early settlers who qualified and received a league of land included the following: By 1833, this settlement between the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and the stream called Lake Creek had already become known throughout Mexican Texas as the "Lake Creek Settlement."Searle (2012), p. 7. It was also commonly referred to as the "neighborhood of Lake Creek," the "District of Lake Creek," the "Precinct of Lake Creek," or simply as "Lake Creek."

Growth

After the first settlers received their land grants in 1831, more settlers began to arrive. These early families included: Cartwright, Chatham, Galbraith, Garret, Mock, Shepperd, Springer, and Worsham. ''Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families'' describes a land grant to Thomas Chatham within the Lake Creek Settlement in 1834:Searle (2012), p. 8. By 1835, the population of Lake Creek had become large enough to support a

trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically the location of the trading post would allow people from one geographic area to tr ...

. William W. Shepperd, originally from North Carolina, purchased 200 acres of land on the John Corner League near the middle of the settlement. There he established the trading post that became known as "the store of W. W. Shepperd on Lake Creek." Shepperd's older brother

Augustine Henry Shepperd Augustine Henry Shepperd (February 24, 1792 – July 11, 1864) was a lawyer and politician in North Carolina; he served as a Congressional Representative from North Carolina for numerous terms, most often as a member of the Whig Party. Earl ...

served several terms as a US Congressman of the Whig Party representing North Carolina.Searle (2012), p. 10. William Shepperd's store quickly became the meeting place and community center for area settlers.Searle (2012), p. 10. In 1835 John Bricker also built a mill and a

cotton gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); a ...

for Shepperd at the trading post site.

Texas Revolution

When the Texas Revolution broke out, the Lake Creek Settlement was considered part of Washington Municipality. Several residents fought for independence against

. These included Jacob H. Shepperd, Mathew Cartwright, William Cartwright, Thomas Chatham, Raleigh Rogers, Jacob Shannon, Evin Corner, John Marshall Wade, A. U. Springer, James J. Foster, and John Bricker.Searle (2012), p. 12. These soldiers fought in one or more battles, including the Powder House Fight, the

Battle of Concepción The Battle of Concepción was fought on October 28, 1835, between Mexican troops under Colonel Domingo Ugartechea and Texian insurgents led by James Bowie and James Fannin. The 30-minute engagement, which historian J. R. Edmondson describes ...

, the

Grass Fight The Grass Fight was a small battle during the Texas Revolution, fought between the Mexican Army and the Texian Army. The battle took place on November 26, 1835, just south of San Antonio de Béxar in the Mexican region of Texas. The Texas Rev ...

, the

Siege of Bexar A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...

, the battle on the Brazos River at San Felipe de Austin, and the Battle of San Jacinto.Searle (2012), p. 12. John Marshall Wade manned one of the " Twin Sisters" cannon during the Battle of San Jacinto.Searle (2012), p. 13. Jacob H. Shepperd had attended West Point as a young man but withdrew, and immigrated with his family to Texas. Shepperd fought in the Powder House Fight, the

and the

of the Revolution. Shortly after the Revolution, he delivered a dispatch from General

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

at Aies Bayou that saved the life of Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna. The latter was being held by the army, and was threatened with removal for a court-martial. This action was suspended on Houston's direction. Texas historian Henderson Yoakum credited Shepperd with carrying the document that protected Santa Anna.Searle (2012), p. 15.

Founding of Montgomery, Texas

Following the Revolution, the Republic of Texas reorganized some areas. Among the new jurisdictions was Washington County, composed of six large precincts. One was named for the Lake Creek Settlement within these boundaries. Washington County Chief Justice, John P. Coles, provided the following description of the boundaries of Washington County to the Secretary of State of the Republic of Texas in early 1837:Searle (2012), p. 17. In 1837, W. W. Shepperd, in association with John Wyatt Moody, founded the town of Montgomery, Texas at the site of Shepperd's store in the middle of Lake Creek Settlement. J. W. Moody was the First Auditor of the Republic of Texas and had been Auditor of the Provisional Government of Texas.Searle (2012), p. 26. They advertised sale of lots here in the '

Telegraph and Texas Register ''Telegraph and Texas Register'' (1835–1877) was the second permanent newspaper in Texas. Originally conceived as the ''Telegraph and Texas Planter'', the newspaper was renamed shortly before it began publication, to reflect its new mission ...

'', July 8, 1837, published in

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

.Searle (2012), p. 21-22.

Creation of Montgomery County

On December 14, 1837, the Congress of the

passed an Act creating

. In the following weeks, the town of Montgomery, located in the center of the Lake Creek Settlement became the county seat of Montgomery County.Searle (2012), p. 34. Montgomery County was initially composed of three large political precincts that had previously formed eastern Washington County: the Viesca Precinct, the San Jacinto Precinct and the Lake Creek Precinct. The Viesca Precinct included most of the territory of present-day Grimes County, Texas (created 1846). The San Jacinto Precinct included most of the territory of present-day Walker County, Texas (created 1846). The Lake Creek Precinct included most of the territory of present-day

.Searle (2012), p. 33. An official Texas historical marker was approved by the

Texas Historical Commission The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas. The commission also identifies Recorded Texas Historic La ...

for the Lake Creek Settlement on January 29, 2016. On May 17, 2016, the Montgomery Independent School District Board of Trustees named the new MISD high school Lake Creek High School after the Lake Creek Settlement.Jordan, Jay R. ( The Courier (Conroe newspaper)).
New school names approved in Montgomery County.
'' KTRK-TV''. Thursday May 19, 2016. Retrieved on May 24, 2016. The official Texas Historical Commission marker for the Lake Creek Settlement was dedicated at a ceremony in front of the Nat Hart Davis Museum and Pioneer Complex in Montgomery, Texas on February 25, 2017. Lake Creek High School, the second comprehensive high school in the Montgomery Independent School District, opened on August 21, 2018.

Footnotes

References

* * * * * originally published 2004 by New York: Free Press * * * *

External links

History of the Lake Creek SettlementThe Early History of Montgomery, TexasStephen F. Austin's Second Colony Contract - June 4, 1825Exciting Times as MISD’s New Schools NamedLake Creek Settlement Marker Dedication Ceremony ProgramLake Creek Settlement: TSHA Handbook of Texas
Dewitt Colony Republic of Texas