The Big Thicket Guidebook: Exploring the Backroads and History of Southeast Texas by Lorraine G. Bonney

Author:Lorraine G. Bonney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of North Texas Press
Published: 2012-04-11T04:00:00+00:00

TOUR 6B

7 MILES

CR 2132:

OLD CONCORD CHURCH TO DANIEL RANCH TO CHAIN-O-LAKES

This lovely paved lane was once the main wagon road from President Sam Houston’s home in Grand Cane west to Washington-on-the-Brazos. It passes the old Concord Church, the Daniel Ranch, and the geologically interesting Chain-O-Lakes area. See map on page 421.

0.0 Turn W on CR 2132 from TX 146, 1.7 m. S of Rye crossroads, 12 m. N of Moss Hill.

0.2 Seen from TX 146, the picturesque, very historic CONCORD CHURCH near the historic monument and cemetery, was built on the bank of Cherry Creek.

In 1845 Mrs. Sam (Margaret Lea) Houston—who lived at Grand Cane, 3 m. S—her family the Leas, and the neighboring Ellis family—who lived some 5 m. NW, now the Daniel Plantation Ranch—all found a need for a Baptist church in the area and decided to build the first one east of the Trinity, using family slaves. The first building, of logs, had large double doors in the center. Rev. John B. F. Brown was pastor.

The slaves were welcomed to the services. General Houston never did join the church with his wife but cooperated in its construction and attended services. When the log building burned it was replaced by the white frame chapel now standing in the original wooded grove.

This neat little church, in its peaceful setting, belies the excitement that once surrounded the original church, as described by Judge Jno. W. Stevens in his Reminiscences of the Civil War (Hillsboro, Tx, 1902):

“No one now not living at the time can realize the excitement that prevailed throughout the south, immediately following the election of Lincoln . . . in . . . 1860. The secession of South Caroline followed . . . which spread from state to state until . . . the whole slave section of the union had taken similar action.

“. . . There was, in all, about 25 or 30 men . . . [of] military age. We met . . . to discuss the situation at least once a week, generally on Saturday . . . we were in earnest, terribly so . . .

“General Neyland, of the State Military force, had commissioned the writer a captain, with instructions to organize at once into a military company all within a certain age; hence general order No. l was immediately issued from headquarters ‘in the saddle,’ to meet at old Concord church next Saturday . . .

“For some weeks these regular meetings were kept up . . . drilling, (i.e.) forming a line and looking up and down it, and discussing the latest news from the seat of government . . . So after going through the principal maneuvers of drilling . . . the commander-in-chief mounted a big white oak stump . . . : ‘See here, boys . . . our country needs us . . . Now all of you who feel that you would like to make that flag (pointing to our flag) your winding sheet, step to the front’. .

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