Mount Enterprise High School - Wildcat Yearbook (Mount Enterprise, TX)

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WAGNON'S STORE In 1842 a wagon and furniture factory was estab- lished at Mt. Enterprise in the old town. The enter- prise flourished and there was a great need for wagons and household furniture for the settlers. Through the efforts of William M. Ross the first school, a private one, was established in 1837. The attendance was small as young men had little time to think of education with the clearing of land, build- ing of homes, erecting fences, etc. Some children were taught reading, writing, and sim- . ple arithmetic in the home. Q When Henderson was established in 1844 many settlers moved to the new town. Mt. Enterprise lost its distinction as being the most important center in Rusk County. Among those moving to the new town were the Watkins, Van- noys, Fergusons, Ochiltrees. Ochiltree became Judge of the first District. Many citizens from Mt. Enterprise filled the county offices in the first election. Some of the citizens of Mt. Enter- prise enlisted in the two companies of militia organized at Nacogdoches and participated in the Battle of San Jacinto. . ,w . 'O , Old gin in Mt. Enterprise School group at old town school Lochland school group

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Mt. Enterprise is the oldest community in Rusk E HES Y County. William Elliot, Leonard Williams were the first of the pioneers who migrated from Tennessee in 1826. Each of them filed for a league of land and they were given title to it in the spring of 1829. These farmers settled near two mountains in Mt. Enterprise and the name Mt. Enterprise is said to mean a new enterprise near a mountain. OF MT. ENTERPRISE First Post Office in the Old Town Old home in the Old Town Ln 1830 there was a tavern in old Mt. Enterprise where travelers could spend the night and where couriers could change horses. The tavern operator 's name is unknown. The tavern sold necessities to the few farmers living in the area. A road existed in these days from Nacogdoches to Jefferson which at that time also had water transportation. Mt. Enterprise was a stop-over point for the night and Sam Houston spent the night in 1832 on his first trip to Texas from Oklahoma. The Elliots and the Williams' were well known to Sam Houston. ln 1833 he again spent the night on a second trip to Nacogdoches. In 1832 the first store opened in Mt. Enterprise with Charlie Vinson owner. Lumbering was the first industry in Mt. Enterprise. ln the next few years people began to move into the area and the Ross family migrated from Tennessee in 1836. The com- munity had attained village size with several stores, a tavern, and a hotel. William Ross was the doctor. A. H. Watkins was the first chief justice of Rusk County who moved to Mt. Enterprise from Nacog- doches about this time. His father was Jesse Ross who was killed by the Cherokee Indians in 1839 while on a mission to the Caddoan tribes near Dallas and Ft. Worth. These did not exist as towns at this time. Hart's Drug in Mt. Enterprise ,qi-,bi 1

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The Masonic Lodge was organized in Mt. Enter- prise about 1848. Many of the early members' de- scendants are living in Mt. Enterprise today. The Lodge met on the second Saturday each month. In 1854 there were forty-one members. A large number of the young men of Mt. Enter- prise enlisted in the Confederate Army. Many saw much service during the Civil War. After the war, during reconstruction days, many were urged to move west where the land was cheap. The wagon factory survived two more decades and was aban- doned. Old Birdwell Home In 1851 the Mt. Enterprise Male and Female College was established. The college was sponsored by the Disciples of Christ in Texas. This school operated until 1855 under the presidency of Charles Vinzent. In 1879 Mt. Enterprise had its first free public school after the Free Public School System began in 1878. By 1880 the town had three saw- mills, two cotton gins, three churches, a free school and a population of 150. Many of the farmers owned slaves during the period of slavery until Abe Lincoln issued the famous edict of June 19th. Early school group at the new school School house completed at new town Before 1908 a branch railroad was established from the new town site which was one and one-half miles from the old town site. The Caro Northern Railway ran from Mt. Enterprise to Caro carrying both passengers and freight. The citizens voted to move the town site be- cause of the establishment of the railroad. The new town was to be called 'New Mt. Enterprise . With the coming of the highway in 1923 the railroad was abandoned.