Daily Progress, Jacksonville, TX

Opinion

November 28, 2009

The story of Concord

Bob Bowman’s East Texas

The countryside around Montalba, north of Palestine in Anderson County, is among the most beautiful in East Texas with its small mountains, winding roads and scenic streams.

Visiting the area, you can easily understand why three families named Fitzgerald moved here in the 1840s and purchased land along Mound Prairie Creek.

The area soon became known as Fitzgerald and, as the years passed, the community’s people built a school, a church, a post office, a cemetery and likely a store or two.

The church was named Concord Baptist Church for a community in Louisiana, where some of the Fitzgeralds had lived. A wooden building served the settlement from the early 1900s until 1940 when it was destroyed by fire. A brick building was soon built.

The first burial in Concord Cemetery was Joel P. Kelley, who was born in North Carolina in 1825. Joel was a Baptist preacher and had given the land for the cemetery a year before he died in 1872.

Joel’s family moved to Texas in 1869, along with his brothers and sisters. After they crossed the Sabine River, Joel’s brother, Jack and his family, left the caravan and were never seen again by the family.

Some of the Fitzgeralds, William and his family, left Anderson County in the 1860s and moved to Coleman County, Texas. A family story says that on the night that William’s wife was giving birth to a son, the family’s cabin roof was shot full of arrows by Indians.

Understandably William moved his family back to Concord, where the Indians were friendlier.

When the Civil War erupted in the 1860s, many of Concord’s men marched off to war. Some returned; some didn’t. Several Confederate veterans were buried in Concord Cemetery when they died.

One such veteran was Clayton Alexander Fitzgerald, who was born in 1846 in San Augustine County. He and his parents, Michael and Matila Fitzgerald, came to Concord in 1850.

Clayton fought with Bates’ Regiment of the 13th Texas Infantry. A private, he served from the spring of 1864 to the end of the war, and was later transferred to the First Texas Artillery, which was stationed at Sabine Pass.

Clayton died on Christmas Day, 1929, at the home of his son Hugh, and his grave in Concord Cemetery is one of two with a Confederate marker.

Concord has some 200 marked graves, but many other graves are marked only with rocks.



Bob Bowman of Lufkin is the author of more than 40 books about East Texas. He can be reached at bob-bowman.com

Text Only
Opinion
  • Jacksonville will always be her home

    The newsroom is always changing. You never know who is coming, who is going, as so many public officials told me when I first came to the Daily Progress over the summer.

    January 15, 2012

  • Not just who we are, but who we aspire to be

    Rarely in our country's history have non-elected officials had a profound effect on public policy. While rare, it does happen from time to time.

    January 15, 2012

  • Just Ask Janet: Update on circulation situation at JDP

    In keeping with my ongoing commitment to communicate with you about things at the paper, let me update you on our circulation situation.

    December 20, 2011

  • County budget discussion needs to begin soon

    When county commissioners were forming the current fiscal year's budget this past summer, there was a lot of talk.

    December 20, 2011

  • Silence from LMC can be deafening

    Each time there's news about a change at Lon Morris — whether it be the departure of an official or the delay of paychecks — the rumor mill in the area begins to fire up again.

    December 10, 2011

  • Transparent government a must for JEDCO, city

    The concept is simple — those who handle public funds should do so in as open and transparent a manner as possible.

    December 4, 2011

  • Just Ask Janet: Kudos to the engines behind the hit parade

    I went to the Christmas Parade Thursday night, and I am so tickled to tell you that it was wonderful! I say kudos to the Chamber of Commerce and all those who participated in the parade for making this year’s event so much fun.

    December 3, 2011

  • Just ask Janet

    This year, for the first time, the Marine Corps League is collecting toys in Cherokee County for needy children. All toys collected will remain in Cherokee County and go to Cherokee County children.

    October 23, 2011

  • Don’t outsource tax collections

    Received my letter from the appraisal district, very alarming. It seems someone (little/flowers) is discussing to combine the appraisal district and the county tax office.

    October 23, 2011

  • Just ask Janet

    This time last year I ran a survey in the paper asking you what you like and don’t like about the Jacksonville Daily Progress.

    October 8, 2011

LOCAL MAGAZINE
SELECT TV SECTION
LOCAL OBITUARIES
AP VIDEO
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout Video of Ga. Man Who Killed Girl Released Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case White House Attacks Romney on Birth Control Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows Mo. Teen Gets Life Sentence for Killing Girl, 9 Lower-hassle Screening to Be Tested at Airports Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water Helmet Camera Captures Calif. Fire Rescue Worker Tells 911: Powell 'exploded the House' Triple Win: Santorum Takes Minn., Mo., Colo. Injured Marine Inspired by Homecoming No Rape Charges Against Son of NYPD Commissioner Egypt's Ruling Generals Play Risky Game With US Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com