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C. B. Stewart ancestor visits county
to learn about her famous relative

During a recent trip to Montgomery County, Sarah Armor, descendant of Dr. Charles B. Stewart of Montgomery, and her mother Sharon Mena, met with Pat Spackey, fellow descendant of Charles B. Stewart, and the historians who work and volunteer at the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County.


Courtesy Photo
Pictured left to right at the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County are: Larry Foerster (Montgomery County Historical Commission); Sally Copley (Director of the Heritage Museum); Sharon Mena (Administrative Assistant, Offices of the Dean of Student Life at Texas A&M University); Sarah Armor (Descendant of Charles B. Stewart and history teacher in Denton, Texas), Pat Spackey (Descendant of Charles B. Stewart and local Texas historical interpreter); Ann Jacobson (volunteer at the Heritage Museum) and Jean Barnhill (volunteer at the Heritage Museum). Armor came to Montgomery County to learn more about her famous ancestor Dr. Charles B. Stewart.

Spackey shared stories of her great, great, great grandfather who designed the Texas Flag and Seal in 1849, was the first Secretary of State for Texas, served in three Texas Legislatures (1846, 1850, and 1872), and was the first to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos in 1836.

Spackey descends from Julia Shepperd Stewart, the first wife of Charles B. Stewart and Sarah Armor descends by adoption from Elizabeth Antoinette Boyd, the second wife of Stewart.

The ladies were on a weekend “History Trip” to research and discover more information about Armor’s ancestor who was so prominent in Texas history. In addition to visiting the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County, located at 1506 I-45 N in Conroe, the women also toured the Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park in Conroe where the bronze bust of Charles B. Stewart, created by artist Craig Campobella, greets visitors to the historical park, located adjacent to the Montgomery County Library at 212 I-45 North in Conroe. Any individual or business that would like to help replace the flags and keep them in pristine condition at The Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park can make a donation to the Friends of the Flag Foundation, Inc. To become a friend of the Flag Park, go to www.texasflagpark.com.

They stayed in the town of Montgomery and visited all of the local history and also visited Washington-on-the Brazos, where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. Dr. Charles B. Stewart was a physician and pharmacist in the town of Montgomery and, in addition to the numerous state positions he held, he served as tax collector, District Clerk of Montgomery, abstractor and surveyor, and Notary Public.

He represented Montgomery County at the Convention of 1845. W. W. Shepperd, Charles B. Stewart’s father-in-law, who gave 100 acres of land for a new townsite which would become the town of Montgomery, is credited as “The Founder of the Town of Montgomery.” Of the many attractions in Montgomery, Charles B. Stewart is known as a true founding father. A historical monument, The “Pioneers of Montgomery” in Cedar Brake Park in Montgomery, was dedicated in January 2014.

The bronze statue of Charles B. Stewart, the only “real-life” founder is the first of five statues created by artist Lynn Peverill. Next will be a The Pioneer Woman followed by The Farmer, The Lumberman, and the Cattleman. It was Peverill’s vision to create a historical monument to honor the founding fathers and mothers of Montgomery. The project is sponsored by the Patrons of Cedar Brake Park.

The women visited the new cemetery in Montgomery where Stewart is buried and all of the sites where their ancestor was highlighted: The Charles B. Stewart Library, Fernland Park, the Memory Park (a project of The Rotary Club of Lake Conroe); the Nat Hart Davis Museum and all of the historical shops and sites where Texas History comes alive. At Washington-on-the-Brazos, the women toured the Visitors Center, the Star of the Republic Museum, Independence Hall, and researched Charles B. Stewart, who is highlighted in videos and in the museums with photos and stories of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico.


Dr. Charles B. Stewart

Charles B. Stewart raised his family of five children, a son and four daughters in the town of Montgomery. Spackey descends from Charles Waters Stewart, the only son of their union.

Following Julia Shepperd’s death in 1849, Charles married widow Elizabeth Antoinette Boyd. Stewart adopted her two children and they had a son and a daughter from that union.

Charles B. Stewart’s descendants are following in his footsteps in honoring Texas history.

Armor is an active genealogist, volunteers in many organizations and member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and teaches history to students in Denton, Texas.

Mena is an active genealogist, community volunteer and works in the offices of the Dean of Student Life at Texas A&M University. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and Czech organizations and has her own business making Czech costumes.

The Woodlands resident, Pat Spackey, is involved in many organizations that promote history: The Judge Nathaniel Hart Davis chapter, The Daughters of the Republic of Texas; the Heritage Trails DAR chapter, the U.S. Daughters of 1812, Thomas Bay chapter; United Daughters of the Confederacy, Thomas Jefferson Stubbs chapter; The Woodlands Order of the Rose; and is a member of the Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park’s “Friends of the Flag Foundation, Inc.” along with several other historical-based organizations.

She serves as DAR state chair for the Texas Flag Committee and is a re-enactor on Texas history portraying her Republic of Texas grandmother, Julia Shepperd Stewart.

She may be reached at pat.texasflaglady@sbcglobal.net.

 

Conroe Courier

September 7, 2014

 

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Copyright © 1997 - 2014 by Jane Keppler. This information may be used by individuals for their own personal use, libraries and genealogical societies. Commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from Jane Keppler. If material is copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information and please email me and let me know. Neither the Site Coordinators nor the volunteers assume any responsibility for the information or material given by the contributors or for errors of fact or judgment in material that is published at this website. If you are being charged to view/use any of this information or have questions or comments, please contact Jane Keppler.

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Montgomery County Texas Banner graphics were designed by and remain the property of Jean Huot Smoorenburg. If you are being charged to view/use any of this information or have questions or comments, please contact Jane Keppler.

 

Copyright © 1997 - 2016 by Jane Keppler. This information may be used by individuals for their own personal use, libraries and genealogical societies. Commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from Jane Keppler. If material is copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information and please email me and let me know. Neither the Site Coordinators nor the volunteers assume any responsibility for the information or material given by the contributors or for errors of fact or judgment in material that is published at this website.
 

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