Design by DivTag Weebly Templates
Texas Center for Regional Studies
  • Home
    • Sam Houston Cradle of Texas Tour
  • Montgomery
  • Histories
    • Cradle of Texas Road >
      • Past Events >
        • Texas Legacy Fest >
          • Photo Album
          • Artists
          • Scholars
          • Sponsorships
          • Media Info
          • Vendor Info
          • Volunteer Info
    • Roy Harris
    • A. Hispanic Impact in the Trans-Brazos >
      • Hispanics in Trans-Brazos
      • Cinco de Mayo
    • B. Folklore >
      • Wild Man of the Woods
      • The Imposter of the Alamo
      • Rattlesnakes, Indians, and a Texas Preacher
      • “Wildcat” Baptist Preacher
    • C. The First Peoples >
      • The Bidai, Tribe of Intrigue. Who were they, Really?
      • Prehistoric Montgomery County
      • Bellisle & the Orcoquisac
      • Texas Legacy
    • D. Era of Exploration >
      • The Bidai and the Blue Nun
      • La Salle and the Fickle Gulf Currents
      • Pedro Vial, Trailblazer Extraordinary
    • E. Early Settlers >
      • Caleb Wallace: The last of Stephen Austin’s “Old Three Hundred”
      • Birth of Brazos County
      • Burleson County
      • Twice Named Walker County
      • Texas Ranger Samuel H. Walker
      • The Fort Parker Massacre and Montgomery County
      • Harvey Mitchell- Father of Brazos County and Texas A&M
    • F. War and Politics >
      • J.G.W. Pierson: Unsung Hero of Early Texas
      • Jesse Grimes: A Patriarch of Two Counties
      • Dr. David Dickson: Lt. Governor, from Anderson
      • Fate and a Flag (Sarah Dodson)
      • Dr. Charles B. Stewart & the Texas Lone Star Flag
      • Charles Bellinger Stewart's notable progeny
      • The Continuing Saga of the Lone Star Flag
    • G. Legacy of the Civil War >
      • Dance Brothers Pistols
      • Confederate Brigadier General General James Barnes
      • Millican’s Civil War Legacy
      • Shootout in Anderson, 1900
      • Walker County and Reconstruction
    • H. Stories of Entrepreneurship >
      • The Mysterious Engine that Began Navasota Industry
      • George W Strake Miracle Worker
      • Delta Land and Timber Company
      • The Railroad that a Spirit made
    • I. Distinctive sub-cultures >
      • Roots of Conroe Normal and Industrial College
      • The Implacable Wends of Lee County
      • Frank Hamer: Navasota’s answer to Wild Bill Hickok
      • Frank Hamer, Border Wars and the Sacredness of the Law
      • Farms, Hogs and the Conroe Oil Boom
      • A True Tale of Old Cut’n Shoot
      • Naming of Cut’n Shoot
    • J. Rise and Fall of Key Towns >
      • Stories from Washington, Lee, and Montgomery Counties
    • K. Noted Contemporaries >
      • Roy Harris, World Class Boxing Legend
      • Joe Corley: Hall of Fame Sheriff
      • Harley Gandy’s Timeless Legacy
      • Albert Mattern: From School Days of Yore to a living Legend
      • Scott and White Clinic System: The Conroe Connection
    • L. Oral History and Reminiscence >
      • Retreat, Texas Stage Coach Stop
    • M. Historical Sites >
      • Texas Spirit
  • Cemeteries
    • Martin Byrd Lawrence & the Lawrence Cemetery
    • The Story of Two Cemeteries
    • The Dunham-Wood Cemetery
    • Camp Family Cemetery
    • Childre Cemetery ~ White
    • Old Washington Cemetery near Washington-on-the-Brazos
    • Civil War Cemetery
    • Farquhar Cemetery, Washington County
    • The Reverends Ruter, Wesson & Spencer in Navasota Oakland Cemetery
    • Stephenson-Harris Cemetery
    • Historic Fanthorp Family Cemetery- Anderson, Texas
  • About Us
    • Texas Center for Regional Studies Green Star
    • Photo Album
    • Book Store
    • Calendar

Naming of Cut’n Shoot

by Robin Montgomery

Cut’n Shoot, in eastern Montgomery County, is more than just a town of world renown. It is a state of mind reflective of a readiness to fight for one’s beliefs while respecting a reasonable compromise.  Let’s explore how this unique community received its name and later its world fame.

Our story begins in July, 1912.  One would presume it was hot. The center of the community was a building called the “Community House,” a combination church and school. But certain religious denominations were excluded from using the facilities.

Then it happened. July 21, 1912 marked the day that an evangelist of one the excluded groups scheduled an appearance, bent on conducting a service.  Opposing factions emerged and on that July morning, they met, each with weapons concealed within reach.  One side was determined to enter the building to have a preaching.  The other side was just as determined to prevent said preaching.

As the tension mounted, Jack King, an eight year-old of one of the families in favor of having the preaching, became frightened.  Consequently seeking to “do” something, it is said that he blurted out, “I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes.”

Fortunately, no cutting and shooting occurred on that day courtesy of a compromise solution. The visiting evangelist was allowed to engage a series of meetings over the next several weeks.  But instead of the  church, his platform was a shaded spot on the ground, while the congregation was composed of families seated in their nearby wagons.
              
Meanwhile, trials were set for the leaders of the respective feuding factions.  At one of the gatherings, a witness named Archie Vick was asked where the confrontation had occurred.  Since the place did not have a name, Vick responded that it was “where they had the cutting and shooting scrape.” Shortened to “Cut’n Shoot”, the name stuck.
            
Though the community had long since received its name, it wasn’t until 18 August, 1958 that it received a
post office. According to Amy Wade, the town’s secretary, the timing was arranged to coincide with the world heavyweight boxing championship fight between Roy Harris, of Cut’n Shoot, and then champion, Floyd Patterson. Though Roy suffered defeat in that battle, he became an attorney and perennial county
clerk. In these roles, this same Roy Harris engineered the incorporation of the town in 1969.

See Harley Gandy, Master’s Thesis on Montgomery County, University of Houston, 1952, and Robin Montgomery’s book, “Cut’n Shoot, Texas: The Roy Harris Story”, 1984.

Thank you.


Design by DivTag Weebly Templates