HomeMy WebLinkAboutBird's Fort, History ofWeldon G. Cannon History Files
In this folder donated to the City of Euless, labeled BIRD'S FORT, are a few key documents and other
materials from files donated to The University of Texas at Arlington for the Weldon Cannon Euless
Collection in the Special Collections of the University Library. Following is a brief summary of materials in
1 folder under this subject that was donated to UTA.
Folder Contents
1. Bird's Fort —A collection of documents, public records, newspaper and journal articles, etc., about the
subject. [wgc note —I grew up in the 1930s and 1940s playing on the fort site around the 1936 granite
historical marker, the club house and the swimming pool when my family visited the Armentrout family.
I heard many stories about fishing at nearby Calloway Lake and a variety of adventures and escapades
around the lake from parents, grandparents, cousins and others.]
r
... ..,t;cr1c_1 CGm,::.2j
'/12lU0,�-ovised 3/24/80
l , .
27"- x 42" Official Texas: Marker with post
Tarrant County (Order #580c;
Locati-on: FM 157, 1 mi.1; of Trinity River near Arlington
SITE OF***
BIRD'S FORT*
(ONE MILE EAST)***
IN AN EFFORT TO ATTRACT SETTLERS TO THE REGION
AND TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM INDIAN RAIDS,GEN.
EDWARD H.TARRANT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS MILITIA
AUTHORIZED JONATHAN BIRD TO ESTABLISH A SETTLEMENT
AND MILITARY POST IN THE AREA*BIRD'S FORT,BUILT NEAR
A CRESCENT -SHAPED LAKE ONE MILE EAST IN 1841,WAS
THE FIRST ATTEMPT AT ANGLO-AMERICAN COLONIZATION
IN PRESENT TARRANT COUNTY#THE SETTLERS,FROM THE RED
RIVER AREA,SUFFERED FROM HUNGER AND INDIAN PROBLEMS
AND SOON RETURNED HOME OR JOINED OTHER SETTLEMENTS.
IN AUGUST 1843,TROOPS OF THE JACOB SNIVELY EXPEDITION
DISBANDED AT THE ABANDONED FORT,WHICH CONSISTED OF A
FEW LOG STRUCTURESoORGANIZED TO CAPTURE MEXICAN
GOLD WAGONS ON THE SANTA FE TRAIL IN RETALIATION
FOR RAIDS ON SAN ANTONIO,THE OUTFIT HAD BEEN DISARMED
BY UNITED STATES FORCESe
ABOUT THE SAME TIME,NEGOTIATIONS BEGAN AT THE FORT
BETWEEN REPUBLIC 'OF TEXAS OFFICIALS GEN.TARRANT
AND GEN.GEORGE W.TERRELL AND THE LEADERS OF NINE
INDIAN TRIBES.THE MEETINGS ENDED ON SEPTEMBER 29,
1843,WITH THE SIGNING OF THE BIRD'S FORT TREATY•TERMS
OF THE AGREEMENT CALLED FOR AN END TO EXISTING
CONFLICTS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LINE SEPARATING
INDIAN LANDS FROM TERRITORY OPEN FOR COLONIZATION***
*3/4 inch lettering (1980)***
**1/2 inch lettering ;APPROVED
***1/4 inch lettering Truett L:timer
BIRD' S MRT
by Duane Gage
Associate Professor of History
'arrant County Junior College, NE
828 Iiai wood road, Hurst, Texas 76053
Q 1979
In 1936 the State of Texas, through its Commission of Control for
Centennial Celebrations, allocated two official historical markers for placing
at sites in Tarrant County that are significant in the history of the Republic
of Texas. One of the sites that received a Centennial marker was the site of
Bird's Fort, where in 1843 a treaty council led to the opening of much of North
Texas to white settlement.1 During its nine years of existence, the Republic
of Texas had a major Indian problem. The majority of Texans favored the use
of military force for the purpose of extermination while an influential minority
desired peaceful relations established through diplomacy and kindness. President
Sam Houston's attitude was that of friendliness and good will; during his first
term (1836-1838) he was able to avoid serious Indian wars.2
Texas' second president, 141 rabeau B. Lamar, brought a drastic change in
Indian policy by denying that Indians had possessory rights to the land and
by inaugurating an aggressive frontier policy. Consequently L�vnar's tenure
(1838-1841) was marked by the bloodiest Indian wars Texas had known. Lamar
called for the total expulsion of all tribes who had migrated from the United
States, the creation of a stronger military force, and the establishment of a
line of military posts along the frontier. Responding to Lamar's proposals,
the Texas Congress passed laws providing for the establishment of a military
road from the Red River southward and for the creation of ten companies of
Rangers.3
During the summer of 1839 Lamar's harsh Indian policy began to produce
violent results. Un July 16, 18390 the Cherokees were defeated in an engagement
fought a few miles west of present Tyler. Most of the warriors were slain along
with the aged Chief &-)wles, a beloved friend of Sam I1oustoh.4 Other tribes,
some of wham had tried to be friends with the Texans, began to fear that they
too would be driven from their homes. The Indiansf fears and suspicions were
intensified in March, 1840, when a Comanche chief and a number of warriors were
slain at San Antonio, while in a council with representatives of the Republic.5
The Council House fight and many similar clashes during Lamar+s administration
brought even further Indian resistance and depredations. The advent of white
settlements developing along the upper Trinity Itivor seemed quite remote. In
1840 the farthest western settlement in North Texas was Coffeets Trading Post
on Preston's Bend of the Iced River, north of present day Denison; east of
there, white settlements in Fannin and Red River counties were growing
significantly but were still subject to Indian attacks'
In response to reports that Indian atrocities in Tannin and Red River
counties were perpetrated by Indian war parties from villages on the Trinity
Jiver, in the spring of 1841 General E2ward II. Tarrant of the Texas Uilitia
led an expedition t1ittt destroyed encampments on present Village Creek in
Tarrant County.rj On August 7, 1841, Tarrant commissioned Jonathan Bird, a
native of Alabama, to organize a force of 150 volunteer rangers for a three-
month expedition to build a fort at or near the site of the recent -Battle of
a
Village Creek.8 Dird was to establish a settlement there, under a Texas law
that provided that lands be donated to men who would establish frontier
military posts. It was hoped that settlers would feel safe to move onto
lands around such*garrisons while the area was being won from the Indians.
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i Jonathan Bird, who at tho time of his appointment by General Tarrant was
%4
given the rank of Brcvct Major, was in the, service from August 7, 1841, until
March, 1342.10 Apparently Bird had difficulty in recruiting a full company of
150 volunteers and left Bowie in Iced River County in the fall of 181+1 with about
forty men.il No reliable contemporary documents with details concerning the
establishment and occupation of aLrd's fort has been found, but there are sever*31
secondary sourcos of intcrest and reminiscences of two or three of the partipants
which provide researchers with useful information concerning this effort
to establish the first white settlement in present Tarrant County.�2
In the.autumn of 1841, Major Bird's troops arrived at a crescent -shaped lake
olightly north of the West Fork of the Trinity !liver and west of the military
road that reached from Preston's Bend to Austin. The site was approximately
fourteen miles below the junction of the Clear Fork and !lest Fork of the Trinity.
Inside, the curve of the lake a fort was erected, consisting of a tall blockhouse
and several cabins, throe of which were enclosed in a stockade. The outer wall:
of the blockhouse were made of logs set on end, and a deep trench was*dug around
it. The fort nootled advantageously behind a semi -circular shield of oak woods,
about forty feet from a -spring which bubbled up at the; end of the lalte.13
Apparently the throe: -months volunteers experienced no serious Indian trouble
while they were stationed on the West Fork of the Trinity. The company maintained
Birds Fort for about three months, hauling all. their supplies from D)nham at
TUrd's personal expense.14 Many of the soldiers who served. with Bird planned
to build permanent home; nearby, and at one time there may have boon as mmiy as
twonty families at the fort. one of the prospective settlers wrote enthusiastically
that "it is the best range country that I ever saw to raise stock.... As for
land and range it can't be surpassed in any -country.... Timber is short and
plenty of buffalo, deer, bear, and it has the appearance of the healthiest
country that I ever saw in my life."15
—3—
a
-One of the first fam9.lics to move to Bird's Port was that of John Beeman,
a farmer from Illinois who voluntccreo for Bird's company and was with the
military contingent vhich built the fort. Beeman broke his arm in an accident
on the way to -the Trinity, but romainod with the company until the buildings
were completed. Then he returned to Bowic County for his wife and ten children.
In late autumn Jahn Beeman, his brother James Beeman, Wade Hampton Rattan,
Captain I4abel Gilbert, and. Solomon Silkwood and their familes, arith a few single
men, were living at the fort, using tho.tructures as headquarters and as
protection from hostile Indian band; still occupi.ng the Trinity valley.16
The moot ecriou„ problem experienced by the Bird's Dort garrison was a
. I
shortage of food. According to a 1902 interview of John Beoman's son,
Uilliam II. Bceman--who was thirteen at the time of their occupation of Bird's
Fort —the weeks opcnt• at the outpost brought an unforgettable ordeal;
As an inducemcnt to settlers, the Republic of Texas promised to
feed them all the fir,:t ,year, or until a crop could be mddo and
gathered. In tlu.u, however, tho Government failed utterly, and
the pionours had to rely on their own resources.. On the way out
the immigrants stopped at Fort l-nglish (the present site of Bonham)
where they met Major Bird who advised them to tale out some corn
and beef oteers, 11as the boys at the Port aro pretty short of
rations, E he said. Major Bird negotiated with Mr. Dailey E dglish
(who was geno.ral trader) for five beef steers and a lot of corn,
giving; his note :� 100 for the same. Jolun Beeman and Hampton Rattan
indorsed the note and Hattan getting killed by Indians, Beeman
afterward, hati it to pay in full.
When the, party of immigrants arrived at Bird's Fort, they Cound
the garrison entirely destitute of provision:,, having had nothing
to cat for a week. One of the hangers, Riley Cole, had a few days
before, picked up the feet of a calf that had been lying out on the
prairie for si•: weeks (the calf having been butchered) tuid eaten at
that time) and lie boiled these dry and discarded bones into a ;sort
of soup, or ;jelly. Thia was greedily devoured by the starving
garrison zund was the laPt morsal they had until the Beemans and their
companions arrived.17
—4
In 131;0 the Flirt Worth Gazette published a similar account of the
first attempt; at making a permanent settlement on the upper reaches of the
Trinity River. Cn arriving at Mrdt s Dort the pioneers were „upprised to
find that:
The Indians had burned off all the grass, from all the surrounding
country and no game was to be found. Ilhile a part of the men re-
mained vdth the women and children... the others returned with the
teams to the settlement:, in Lamar County, more than 100 miles
distant to provide supplies. In spite of the efforts of the hunters
but little game could be secured for subsistence, and the men,
women and children suffered severely from hunger. It seemed that
starvation was to be their fate. Hawks-, rabbits, and small birds
afforded some relief.....
0n account of danger from the Indians, few men could be ;pared from
the feat but in their extremity, Capt. Webb, a Fr. Silkwood, and
Wade II. Rattan made an extended hunt some 15 miles or more towards
the lam fork of the 'Trinity. On Denton Creek, or some tributary
to it, those men found the signs made by a bear in ascending a
large tree. Supposing the boar to be in the hollow of the tree,
hibernating for the winter, they went to work to cut it dorm. While
Rattan was cutting the tree the Indiana from ambush fired on the men.
Rattan was killed; the others made their escape and returned to the
fort. Mine clays afterward the body of Rattan was recovered by the
returning friends who'had gone to the settlement for provisions, and
who had been acquainted frith the disaster by friends who had met them
from the fort. A faithful bulldog had remained i-rith his dead master
and preserved him from mutilation �X buzzards anti wolves. Rattan's
remains were interred ; t the, fort."
Author Jama,;T. Do ahicido apparently interviewed Alex W. Webb, survivor
of the Indian ambush, who was living in Me. -,quite, Texas in 1905, and leached
that Rattan's death had occurred on Christmas day, 1841. About one and
one-half miles „uuthcaot of present Carrolton, on the east side of the Elm Fork,
llattan, Solomon Silkwood and !lebb had been attacked by Indians while trying to
cut dorm a bee tree. Webb and Spillcwood., after killing one of the I:ndi.a-is,
escaped to the fort. Rattan's body was recovered on December 30, 1841. lie
was buried in "a rude coffin, made of an old wagon bed.... At the time of the
tragedy, snow was six inches deep and the weather intensely cold, and from the
exposure on the trip.. Silkwood sickened and died."19
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I
The buri.at ground for Kamp Rattan and .:olomon SAlkuood is probably the.
oldest Anglo comotezy in Tarrant County.20 In 1926 a letter i-rritten from
San Angelo, To-ras by J. J. Gorldfellow, former Tarrant County Surveyor, contained
information as to tho exact location of the old fortress and its burial
ground:
My first visit to the graves wan in 1866, at which time. Col. B. Rush
Wallace was tho ounor of the property covering r)st of Calloway',, bike
and the Ground upon which the old blockhouse and the graves are located.
The remains of the house were then plainly visable. They stood on the
northeast bank of the lake at a point where a country club later built
a swimming pool on the ground and destroyed most of the signs of these
trenches. From this blockhouse a path led in a northeasterly direction,
probably 250 or 300 yards through timber to the graves.
Tarrant County Judge C. C. Cummings accompanied Goodfellow on at least two
surveying trips to b'.i.rd's Fort and also verified the site.2?
Thi, first white cemetery in present Tarrant County, which has been lost
for -years and which may now be obliterated by gravel excavations, may have received
additional graves, in caxly spring, 1842, after a few new arrivals reportedly
joined the Bird's Fort settlers who had survived the adverts winter. According
to Fort Worth historian Mary Dagaott Lake's writings in 1927, among the new
arrivals were Jonathon Bird's rather, William; Williams daughter; and a man
named Cartwright, who Jived with the Bird family. All three of these individuals
here reportedly killed by Indians one day as they wore returning with water
from the lake.23
In the early spring of 1342 some small attempts at farming were begun, but
on account of tho mal -rial conditions near the lake, the p:ioneerr: decided to
quit the locality and hunt for a•more -suitable area. At about that time the
Bird's Fort :ottlers were visited by John Neely Bryan, a 31-year-old Tennessee
native who in 131+1 had come through ,Arkansas by way of the Red River, About
twenty miles below the fort, near where White Rock Creek flo%ts into the Trinity,
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' Bryan had built a lone cabin at a river crossing. peeking the friendship and
security of neighbors, Bryan invited the families at Bird.i s Fort to move onto
the fertile land; near his now home. ..Captain !•label Gilbert, John 13coman, and
the widow of Solomon Silkwond decided to accept Bryant s invitiation. Moving
their families to lands eilon(; 11hite Rock Creek in present Dallas County, they
broke land early enough in 18/,2 for spring planting; of the first peach seeds
and corn in the Dallas area.24
The remaining :survivors of the Birds Fort ;settlement abandoned their
dreams for establishing homes theio and returned to the Red River rottlemen•ts,
or relocated on •thc ?*,.nst Fork of the Trinity River at a new settlement in what,
is now Collin County.25
F Within a few months Rir_d's fort again was to be used in an historic
manner. In April, 13!3, the Jacob Snively Xr.pedition, a 170-man force
sanctioned by the Ropublic of Texas , set out from Fannin County on the Red
Ri.vor in search of flc;:dcan gold trains uldch they planned to capture as they
passed along; the S-nta Fe Trail throunh Texas -claimed territory. The•foree
was organized to retaliate against Mexico for the capture of San Antonio
twice in the summer of 1342 by roving Mexican forces. Plagued by dissension
and jealousy, the (.-,:podition split after a disappointing encounter with a
force of 100 1•lo .icano on ground claimed b)th by Taxas and A short time
later Snively and 76 men ran head on into a 200-man United States Army force
led .by Colonel Philip St. George Cooke. The United states forces demanded that
the Texans give u1) their arm.-,,, and Ijnivcly's mon felt they had no choice but
to comply. Follouin- this humiliating experience, Snively slid his men returned
to -north Texas and disbanded at Birdrs fort on August b, 1643.26
Simultaneous to Onivelyls expedition along the border, President Sam Houston's
peace policy during lu.0 second term (154.1-1544) brought Texas officials and
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Indian repro 3ontativcs to Bird's Jtort to negotiate the Indians' final removal
from the Eastern Cross Timbers. In December, 1841, as soon as he teas inaugurated
for his second term, President I1cluston sent representatives to Indian council
grounds and slowly re•-estabMshed poaco with most of the Texas tribes. Houston
called for the establishment of permanent Indian reservations and the erection
of trading pouts beyond the frontier line where Indians could trade their goods
for needed supplies,. ?Ell the chief3 were invited to a council to be held on
the Brazos River at the Waco village on October 26, 1842, where the Indians
could exchange -their white captives for Indian women and children whom the
Texans had held as prisoners since the Council house fight.27
Unfortunately heavy rains and flooded rivers kept the Indians away
from the Theo council, Wt in the; summer of 181+3 another call went out for a
grand council -to meet at Mrd' s Dort at the full spoon of August, with chiefs
from all tri.bl,s in Texas. In August, bhilo the Superintendent of Indian
affairs, Joseph C.. 1-1clr:n:lgc led a party of Indian agents, interpreters, and
traders far out on the northwestern plains in an effort to induce the fearsome
Comanches to attend the Births Port negotiations, President Houston went to
Mrde s,.Fort t.. begin the council diodus: ions himself.28 Allegedly there was a
man from rt',ngland, L Parkinson, who was a member of the party representing
Texas and who kept a diary;
In the diox•y PAFU7,J1130I•t TELLS of stopping in Dallas and visiting tirith
JOHN PIEEMY BRYAN, of their cumping at I•lhi.to* Rock Springs (nov White
r Rock Lake, Color Springs and then to Bird's fort. Later the party
went to Grapevine springs to wait on the Indians which by this time
were well overdue. The commissioner of Indians, as it turned out lator,
had been captured by the Comanche Indiana and neDrly scalped bo ore
thoy tiirncd him free. General Houston, not aware of his capture, blamed
tho delay on Gol. JC131,3111 C. m—DR EDGki the eomm3.nslonrr, and on relieved
him of his position and returned to the capitol, Vashington on the Brazos,
leaving Gen. TAMANT and Gen. GIT-iRGE W. TEMIRLL as his representatives
to negotiate the; treaty with the Indians.2-9
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Journalfjt Tcx. Ad::ms referred to the Parkinson diaxy in describing
President ;;am II•.auston's sojourn while waiting to sign a treaty with the
Indians:
1I0ust01_' left Ci•oekctt on July 4 with a large party who h sped to
;7 #. make thy: trip a buffalo hunt, as well. He arrived at Bird's Fort
I i ( some cl.� ,cn miles aouthucs t of Gi apevine Springs on the Trinity
j West Fork) but found neither Indian chiefs or his commissioners.
is After spending several days at the swampy fort, Houston withdrew .
4! in a rage to the higher ground at Grapevine Springs. `there hie
fretted for almost a month before returning to Washington on the
Brazos. Chronicled E. Parkinson, "They were some fine though
rather monotonous day,, only relieved by finding a bee tree or
killing our bccvcs.11JO
Many of the tribes had gathered by mid-August.ladredge's party was still
out on the plains trying to coax the Comanehes to come to the council. Not
only did the Comanchos refuse to come to Bird's Dort, they threatened'to kill
the Texas officials 'be avenge the massacre of their kinsmen at the Council
IIouso in ;;an :►ntanio.31 By lato August Houston decided to council with the
tribes that gore on hand,32 and to leave General Tarrant and George Terrell
to conclude the negotiations as soon as the Comanches arrived. Donned in a
purple velvet suit, vlth a huge bowie knife thrust in his belt, and a folded
Indian blanket draped over one shoulder to proela-Im Us brotherhood with the
red men, Ilourton eloquently promised the chiefs that a favorable treaty line
Mould be dram boyond which the Indiana could live unmolested by white men.
Then he returned to the capital to attend to the affairs of the Republic.33
Not until mid-3optember did hadredge► s party ride into Bird' s Fort arith
the message that the Comanches were not coming: 4Terrell and Tarrant then
entered into negotiations with chief.- of nine tribes who were present. A
treaty embodying the principles of Flouston's peace policy was signed.at Bird's
Fort on September 29, 1843, and ratified by the Texas Senate on January 31, 1844.
Placing thoir marks on the document wore chiefs of the Delaware, Chickasaw,
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Waco, Tawakoni, Kiehai, Caddo, Niadarko} Ionie, Biloxi, and Cherokee tribes.
Bath parties, agrecd to live in peace, protect all women and children, and
respect the treaty line along which trading houses were to be established.
Niether whites nor Indians were to croso the lane without authority to do so;
those who violated the treaty were t,) be punished.35
The Bird's Tort Treaty lino*was to run rougIly from hunting lands north
of present Fort Worth, to the present site of Menard on the San Saba River,
and from the San Saba to San Antonio. Trading houses were to'be established
near the junction of the Clear Fork and the Wc3t Fork of the Trinity, at
Comanche Peak near Gran bury, and on the San Saba River.36
Following the negotiations, in early October 1843 General Tarrant and
Captain B. Booth travelled to Clarksville, Texas, and related important
details concern-Ing the recently concluded treaty council: i
:1
Of the tribes who have treated, the first three were exceptionally �
wild, and wore no clothing, except the breech clout. Tho romanants
of Cherokeen who were there, were in a most distressed condition.
The family of Blowle3 who were all there, Would not come into the camp
until the.Commissionern purchased clothes for the women and children....
The commissioner,; went out eigh miles from the treaty ground, and met
the Indian„ as they came in....�7
The treaty council at Bi.rdc s Fort waa the last official event to occur at
the outpont during the year„ of the Texaa fiopublic. 1-lost of the IncUans in
North Texas remained northwest of the treaty line, but others.disregarded it
completely, in the same manner that many whites refused to aeirnowledge that the
Indian lands were officially closed to them. Clashes between Indian raiding.
parties and white traders and „ettlers wore to continue sporadically in North
Texas for another thirty years,. Ltuzd ,}peculators and oettlers interpreted tho
terms of the Treaty of Bird's Tort to mean that the lands of the upper Trinity
River were officially ready for white cettlement. A number of men who participated
in the establishment of the fort and in the official neg6tiations at the site
acquired lands under the Peter's Colony contract and became known as important
—10—
North Texas plonecrs. 3
The log bloc:kliou se and the cabins at the outpost did not remain erect
for vary lon;;. In 1853 an editorial correspondent for the Clarksville Standard
visited the locality of Birds Dort daring a jouuney in which he visited many
noted sites connected with the first settlements of the country "before every
vestige of their primitive appearance was effaced by the hand of improvement,"
The correspondent reported:
We -came upon the marlin of a beautiful lake in the shape of a
crescent, about three hundred yards wide in the centre, and coming
to a point at either end. It is the handsomest sheet of water I
have ;eon in Texas, large enough to admit of admirable sport in the
way of sailing and fislv_ng. As we got opposite the centre of the
lake, we saw upon the other side, perched upon a limb, a bald eagle,
which as we got near, extended its wings and went out of sight...
The lake is, in summer, threo to four feet deep, but now from the
Spring rains, perhaps soven or eight feet deep in the centre. It
has a gravelly bottom, clear wator, ;and abounds in fish. within
the area enclosed by the semicircular water, a high point of land
puts in probably fifteen feet higher than the surrounding prairie.
This land was originally all timbered, but close upon the lake the
timber had boon rut clown by Bird's men, probably as a measure of
protection as well as utility, and the land had been put in •
cultivation. Upon this a young growth has sprung up. None of the
structures of the fortification remains now, but a new settler has
put up a house, from which was absent when we were there. No land
however is in cultivation yet, and -the place 'looks much as thol no
one had boon there to ch.uige the aspect which time has given it,
since the first Pioneers left it. Fire from the burning of the
grass has effaced the houses and the picketing which enclosed them,
but we could tract; the places %there they stood, and the line of
enclosure, which was near the centre of the point, close upon the
water. Bird is dead; died in Titus (bunty, in peaceful countryt. wind the .
place would now.9 years after its ;settlement, gill repose in
lonely beauty, but for the cabin lately put up.�
;since the timo a£ its official u2e during the era of the Texas Republic,
the: property -on which Bird' r, Fat was built has continued to have an interesting
history. The site of the fort and -the, lake around•it became a part of the
T. D. Newton 320-acre survey (Abotract 11 1165) when the land was designated
for official settlement. In 1866 Col. B. Rush Wallace owned the property.
Wallace died intestate in July, 1873 and in 1879 Tarrant County Tax Collector
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J. M. Henderson authorized the ;ale of the property for delinquent taxes to
R. E. I1adJo;, for ; :_'6.00.41 In 1530 John 11. 1lallaco, nephew of Col. Wallace
and executor of hi^ estate, purchased the land from Maddox for 06.00, in order
to settle affairs with other heirs of Col. Wallace's estate. Later that year
John R. Wallace sold the property--e::cept tliirtoon acres covered by a part of
and near to the Calluvay Lake (including the fort site) --to -Thomas P. Youngblood.42
' Apparently by that elate an c.grcement had been made (but not filed) with Dallas
sportsmen for developing the thirteen acres into a hunting and fishing club.
By 1886 Cam I'. Shaffen owned tho T. D. flewton survey land adjacent to the lake,
and sold it to 1). C. Trigg, Jr.43 The sportsmen's organization was called the
Calloway Lake Hunting and 11shing Club ; memberships were sold at '200.00 per
share. In 1895 it was operating as the Silver Lake Hunting and TIshing Club
and memberships were :.250.00 each.44
In 1908 ccmfusion concerning the ownership of Calloway's Lake resulted in
a law suit in which the heirs of Thomas P..Youngblood sued Benedict Nessler,
representing Silver Jake Ilunting and. Fishing Club, for control of the property:
The jury awarded the Youngblood heirs 113 interest in the land then decreed that
the suit should be settled by having the sportsmen':, club pay the plaintiffs a cash
;,um and in r(a.urn the club would attain .full ownership of the lake and
the improvements thrro, which had been developed by Elie.sportsmen's organization.45
In the 1930s local historians became interested in the historic site and
arranged to have an official Tnxas centennial marker placed at the edge of the
sportsmen's club swimming pool, where it was beliovcd. the: old blockhouse had
stood, the swimming fool having been con trusted supposodly where the fort's
trenches had boon located. cated. 46 'llie marker's inscription : tatod :
Site of Bird's Port
Established in 1840 by Jonathan 11ird on the Military Road from Red
River to Au3tin. 'In its vicinity an importm7t Indian treaty,
-marking the line botwoon the Indians and the white settlements,
was" zignecl September 292 1843 by Mward 11. Tarrant and George W.
Terrell, rcprcoonting the Republic of Texas. The ragged remnant
of the ill-fated Snively r?,xpodition sought refuge here, August 6,
1843. 47
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11hen the mart•.cr wat3 placed at the clubs s facilities the organizations s
charter was controlled by Percy Davis, lalis Ititchell, Xdward 1rmontrout,
&
and Mrs. french Davis.1"ubsequently the property came under the ownership
of Charles D. Armentrout and for several years the facili.tiea were leased to
the ,Arlington 'jportsman' , Club. l��l In recent years tho sports facilities
have not been u,,r_il. Gravel exc,avotion;, on all sides of the ,ite of the
frontier outpo,;t have seriuuly diminished its historical integrity and
historical tours are, conducted to it with difficulty. Consequently the
Arlington I otorical ;;jcicty :in 1979 sponsored a project; to obtain an
official `texas Ili.,torical Marker that would be placed on State 11iglivay 157
inmecUately ueut of the cite, ,o that future generations will be aware of the
notable events that occurred when Te;ao pioneer:; firot attempted to secure
and ,settle ties lanfl.
-13-
FOOTNOTM
1 Dallas Morning, floes, undated clippings in 11 Bird' o Fort in Notes And
Clippings," compiled by Duane Gage (1975), TCJC Local history Collection;
Port Worth Stzx-Telegram, March 5, 1934. The other centennial marker allocated
for Tarrant County was in commemoration of General 3--2ward I1. Tarrant's military
campaign against Indian encampmonto on Village Creels in May, 1841.
2Walter Prescott Webb, "The Last Treaty of the Republic -of Texas," The
southwestern Ilistorical +;!uarterly, Vol. XXV (January, 1922), pp.. 151-152.
3Rupert N. Itzchardson, Texas: The Lono Star State (Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey, 1970), p. 111. _
�� 4ary I.1hatley Clarke, Chief Bowles and the Texas Cherokees (Norman,
Uklahoma), pp. 109--111 .
511i-chardon, Texas: The Inno Star State, p. 112.
6Rex UAllace Strickland, "History of Fannin County, Texas, II," Southwestern
Historical quarterly, XXXIV (1930). pP. 41-42.
7Ibid.; aco rdso Wane Gage, "Village Creek," a documented narrative for i
an application for an official ',Texas Historical Marker, TCJC Local I1istory
Collection, 1979. :
8Handwritten affidavit, Z% 11. Tarrant, Former Brigadier General, 4th
Brigade, Texas Militia, Hov. 7, 1843 to the Non. Matthias Ward, Washington,
Texas, origipal copy in Texas State Ar%;hives.(see Exhibit A); handwritten
affa.clavit, C H. John6, Inspector,' 4th Brigade Texas 1-iilitia, October 7, 1843,
to the Hon. Matthias Ward, ilashington, Texas ( see ItKhi.bit B) . Bird was born ca.
1783; died in Titus County, Texas, ca. 1850. 11andbc-ok of Texas, Vol. I, p.163.
9Ibid.; Richardson, Texas: The Done Star State, p. 111, An act of the
Texas Congrec;s in Docember 1338 had provided for a system of frontier posts
extending from the Rod River to the Nueces Itiver. Bird's Fort had not been
esta.bli.shed before tho appropriations tare exhausted. On Nov. 19, 1842, and
again in November, 1843, Bird petitioned Congress for financial reimbursement,
submitting an itemized statement of expenses totaling '653.50 (see Exhibit C).
Houston vetoed a bill for Bird' a relief on the grounds that others had hilt
frontier forts at their own oxponso. On January 3, 1845, Congress passed an
act for Dird'a rolicf, awarding him x600 in drafts against taxes to be collected
in Bowie County. The drafts were to be collected over a period of thrrc years,
but evidently Died rood them at a discount for cash. Tho Handbook of Texas,
Vol. I. p. 163; Amelia W, Williams and L. C. Barker (eds. , Writings of fm
Houston] III, pp. 473, 536.
10Jonathan Bird, signed addezidum to affidavit, E. II. Tarrant, Nov. 7, 1843
( see Exhibit A) .
11 dtx)o f T^;,a^ I, p. 163.
120ne of the most interesting and useful contemporary sources of the
establishment of Bird's Fart is found in a letter,"John S. Beeman to Samuel
Beeman, October 30, 1.341,,E original copy in possession of Dr. W. Is. Beeman. (See
Exhibit D)
13The Standard, Clarksville, Texas, June 4, 1853. This is an on -site
inspection of the fort's ruins twelve years after the fort was established. The
lake was later named Cd.l.loway Take after a pioneer family who. settled in that
area.
'T Iandbook of Texas, p. 163.
15Affidavit, II. Tarrant, Nov. 7, 1843; Lotter, John S. Beeman to Samuel .
Beeman, October 30, 1841.
1611 Pfi. and I•irs. William II. Beeman: Incidents of the Barly Days in Texas,"
Dallas Morning News, January 26, 1902.
t7Ibid.
18For•t !forth Gazette, January 5, 1890, p. 6. '.,excerpt from this article,
"Old Times in Texas, Rcminesccnscs of the Past by Actors of Long Ago, and. Incidents
in Early Days of the ;-npire State of the American Union," by J. W. T., is found
in Thelma Pay, History of Birdville•(1965), pp. 3-4.
19James T. DeUhields, Border liars of Texas (Tioga, Tc,xas, 1912), 1p353-354•
20
Michael E.Patterson, "Abandoned Pioneer Cemeteries of northeast Tarrant
County, Texas: A Preliminary Survey,v unpublished manuscript, TCJC Local
History Collection (ir)%), p. 16.
21Letter, J. J. Goodfellow, S&n Angelo, Texas, 1926, printed in Fort Worth
Star-Telearrm, March 5, 1934.
22Letter, C. C. Cummings, Tarrant County Judge, to Grapevine Sun, March 15,
1913, found in an undated clipping in "Bird+s Dort in Notes and Clippings,"
compiled by Gage, TCJC Local 11istory Collection.
23"Excorpts from Writings of Diary Daggett Lako, October 2, 1927," in
Thelma Ray, 11istory of Dirdvi.11o, P. 5. There may have been several other persons
buried in the Bird's Fort burial ground. Arista Joyner, Arlington, Texas:
13irtHplace of the hletxonle}: `-1910 (Toxian Press, IJaco, Texas 1976)—,p. 22,
alleges that among; the members of the party at Bird's Fort were two young single
men, "Henry Long, and his brother (unnamed in reforenceu) who died. IIonry, saddened
by his brothor's death, decided to return to tho settlements and accompanied the
men who left with the supply wagon." A Capt. Robert Sloan reportedly°led a
prospecting party as far out as trs Fort: but soon returned as one of the party,
David C1ubb of Illinois and veteran of the Filackhawk IJar of 1862, was killed by
the Indians at a small lako on the Elm Fork of the Trinity a short dis tance
above its mouth and below Keenan Cro,sing,a related in "Information on Bird's
Fort," compiled by J. L. Paddock (1963), p. 11. One of tho'Texaa participants
at the treaty negotiations at Bird's Fort in 1843, 1111r. Thomas Torrey of Iiouston,
who had been with Mr. Rldrid o, died at the treaty ground of congestive fever,
on the 27th September," The ,StandgXd of Clarksville, Texas, -reported Oct.
Oct. 147 1843.
_tom
.t
241,Mr. and Mra. William 1I. Beeman," Dallas Morning 14ews, January 26, 1902;
"Town and Timow," by Tex Adams, Daily Cloys -Texan, July ? , 1963. John Neely Bryan
marrig4 Margaret Beeman, daughter of John Beeman. The 'refugees from Birds Fort
significantly contributed to the early grovith of tho settlement that came to be ►
called Dallas, TL:.:a;;. Dallas 1-lori-dna News, January 26, 1902.
25Fort north G :?eta January 5, 1890.
26Handbookof*Texas, Vol. II, p. 632.
27
Webb, "The Last Treaty of the Republic of Texas," pp. 153-154.
28Ibid.
29Paddock, "Information of Bird'a Port." Paddock cites as his source on
the Parkinson Diary: The Lupty Texans of Dallas, by J. E. Rogers.
30Tex Adams, "Tovm and Time," l-tid-Cities News _Texan,, July 11, 1962. This
researcher has now boon able to locate the Parkinson diary, and confirms the data.
A typed copy of the diary is now in tho TCJC I�}cal History Center.
31 Diazy of J. C. IILdredge, Genl. Diperintendent of Indian Affairs, in
Texas Indian Papers 1825-1 43, 'Texas State Library, Austin (1959) pp. 270 following.
32Talk of No-chi.-ka-roqua the Tawcdconi Chief, Texas Indian Pa cr„ 1 18/ 5,
p. 40. Houston's cordial visit with the Indians who were present paved the way
for the success of the Bird's Fort Treaty. Said Ke-chi-ka,-roqua, - "The Delaware
Captains oay they mot -him at Bird', Fort, and made peace." Ibid.
331.1ebb, "The bast Treaty of. tho Republic of. Texas," p. 154; Mi.d-Citie,
!•lows -Texan Auguot 11 1962; Julia Katheryn Garrett Port Worth-: A Frontier
Tri_ umrh 7 Austin, 1972�, pp. 43-44.
34Diary of J. C. 1adredge, Texas, Indian Papers. 1825-.18 3 p. 274. There
has been ,some confusion concerning whether the negotiations and signing of the
Treaty of Bird's Fort actually took place at the outpost. Eldrodgola diary seems
to verify that they did: "Cm the 20th started for iii.rd's Port having been detained
two days to recruit the horses which were unable to proceed farther without
rest.... On the 24th arrived at the Council ground, on the Trinity River." Ibid.,
p• 274• Several expense statement, and certificates of employment dated from
Bird's Fort near the treaty date also confirm the location of the treaty council;
"Bird's Fort Sept 30th 1843. We hereby certify that we imploied Jim a Delaware
Indian to assist Luis Sanchez to go and zoo the Indians at- thier 'tillages and to
bring them to the Treaty and that he was ingaged Seventeen'Days and that he cam
to our Camp in the Company with J_ C. Eldredge who had bin employed by the Presi-
dent to bring the Indians in. (Signed) E. 11. Tarrant
G. W. Terrell"
This affidavit, ttUrtlkicate of Employment of Jim, A Delaware, by E. H. Tarrant
and G. W. Terrell," is in Texas Indian Papers. 1825-1843, p. 144--145.
-16-
d
35"Treaty of Bird's .Dort, September 29, 1843,11 Do" ments of Texas Ilistory,
Pp. 142-.143, fi nom E. 1-1. llin)cicr (ed. ), Secret Journals of the Senate, Republic
of Texas, 1836-1,3'IL5 (Auoth, 1911). PI)• 2U8-293•
36Ibid.
37lhe Northern ;t ndard, ClarJsuville, Texac, Cat. L:ct. 14, 1843.
38Julia Kathryn Garrett, Fort Worth; A Frontier Triumph (Bustin, 1972)pp. 46-47.
39Clarksville Stondard, June 4, 1853.
40Letter, J. J. Goodfellow, San Angelo, Texas, 1926, in Port Worth Star-.
Tele ram, March 5, 1934.
41 Tarrant County Dood Ilecords, Volume - Q, p. 60.
42Tarrant County Deed Records, Volume M, p. 343; Vol. 56, p. 97; Vol.. 57, p. 479.
t
OTarrant County Deed Record,,, Volume 71, p. 161.
"Copy, Galloway Lake hunting and Fishing Club ;hare Certificate, Day 25,
1 C9 i, purchanccl by Jahn M. Jono,; copy, 31lvor Falco Hunting and Fl t;hing Club
"hare Cortifi caLC:, tfov. 14, 10,f5, purchasud by 14. T. Ilutchintnon, copies compiled
in Paddock, "Tnformation'o£ I3irclt„ Fort."
45Tarrant &!wrty Deed Records, Volume 301, pp. 586-587; Vol. 303, P. 436.
46Letter, J. J. Goodfellow, `;an P,ngolo, Texas, 1926, in Fort Worth Star-Telerram�
March 5, 1934.
4711Sitc of Dirdt s Fort Toxaa Uotorical Marker," containing a copy of the
marker inscription. The erronenits date, 1340, apparently camp: from tho use
of inaccurate socol cdary ,^,ourco , by tho.so researchors who prepared the 1936
marker inscription. Material, in 2'x.b .bit A confirm that the fort was cutablished
in 1841.
4$Dal.las Horning data:,, undated clipping in "J2irclt c Fort in Ilotes and
Clippings," TWO Incal Ilislkary Collection..
49Letter, Charles Desmond Armentrout, Dallas, Texa*, August 1, 1977, to
Duane Gago, Tarrant County historical. Commisuion.
-17-
BI BLIGG I:AP I-IY
Armentrout, Chiu•l.os Dcsmond, letter to ;Inane Gage, August 1, 1977.
Beeman, John lettor to Samuel Beeman, October 30, 1841.
Mrd, Jonathon. Addendum to ;lffidavit by E. H. Tarrant, Nov. 71 1843•
Petition for I.eimbur:;cmcnt,. Nov. 19, 1842.
Clarke, Diary Whatley. Chief Bowles and the Texas Cherolceca (Norman, Okla.)
Clarksville Standard. June 4, 1853.
Clarksville Northern Standard. October 14, 1843.
Dallas 14orninF Hcws. January 26, 1902.
DcSMelds, Jamay T. B)rdcr !Jar:.; of T-_,xas (Tioga, Texas) 1912.
Fort Worth Gazette. January 5, 10090.
t
Dort ;forth Star-Telogram. 'arch 5, 1934.
Gage, Duane. "Bird's Fort in Note;, and Clipping,.," a compilation housed in the
TCJC D)cal Ili story Center.
"Villago Creek.." a documented narrative history application for
all Official Texas Historical Marker, copy in TCJC Local history
Center.
Garrett, Julia Kathryn. Fort llorth: A Frontior Triumph (Austin: 1972).
The Gaapevine „un. March 15, 1913.
Handbook of Te;:a;.. Two Volumes.
Johns, C. 1t. Affidavit, October 7, 1843.
Joyner, Arista.. Arlington, To -,.as: Birthplace of the Matroplex 1838--1910
;taco, Texas: 1976^
1-ild-Cities 1Jcu Tc;:aji(IIurnt). July 11, August 11, 11)62; July ?, 1963.
Paddock, J. L. -"Information on Mrdl z- Dort," Unpublishod compilation, 1963.
Patterson, Michael L. "Abandoned Pioneer Cemeteries - of Northeast Tarrant
County, To -..as: A Preliminary Survey," unpublished manuscript (1976).
Itay, Thelma. Ili,-torIlip-bory of Birdville (1965) . Privately Printed.
Richardson, Rupert U. Texas: The Lone Star State (How Jersey: 1970).
site of Pirdt s 1,1ort Tc--ac, ILi.stori,cal. Marker.
Southwestern Iii.storical �hiw-terly. Vol. XXV, Vol. XXXIV.
Strickland, ltc7. !Iallacc. 1111istory of Tannin County, 'texas,- II,Southwestern
11i otoz and Quarterly, XXXIV (1930), pp. pp. 33-68.
Tarrant County Deed Records.
Texas Indian Papers, 182.5-1843 and Texas Indian Papers, 1�-1845, Dorman 11.
Winfrey.,-ed. Austin: Texas State I:i brary, 1959; -
Webb, Walter lrc;;cott. "The Last Treaty of the Republic of Texas," The Southwestern
Ili stnz -i cal -Quarterly, Vol.. X,XV (January, 1922) pp. 151-173.
Williams, PUnelia W., and Eugene C. Barker. Tho 1.11- .tingr, of Sam Houston,
1313-1063. Volume III, Docombor 20, 1322-January 31, 1 ,2,4.
Austin: Univ. of Tc�xa; Pro;,s, 1940.
Unkler, r. V. (cci.)., 3ceret Journals of the Senate, Republic of Texas, 1336--1v[j5
(Au oti n, 191 1 �-
t -
I
-19-
WELDON GREEN CANNON
Reminiscences About
BIRD'S FORT
A 1936 Texas historical marker at the site of Bird's Fort profoundly affected my life. I remember
playing around the marker in the late 1930s when my parents or grandparents visited there. Born at
Euless, Texas, in 1934, 1 lived about 2 miles from the site of the fort. The Bird's Fort story has been told
many times, so I will not repeat that, but only tell what I recall about the site from as far back as I can
remember. I was always impressed by the large granite marker. Probably among the first things I
learned to read was the brief text, deeply incised in bold capital letters on the stone. This also might
have been my first history lesson, setting me on a course to my life's work. Also on the grounds a few
feet away were an empty swimming pool, supposedly the exact site of the fort, and a bit farther away
the club house, left over from the days when a sportsman's club owned the land before an Armentrout
family acquired it. Besides being a destination for hunters and fishermen, from as early as 1900, and
probably considerably before, the place was used for picnics, reunions, parties and all manner of
celebratory events. There was also a water well on the grounds with a windmill and overhead water
storage tank.
The site was located in the bend of Calloway Lake, a crescent shaped natural body of water near
the bottom lands of Trinity River. Electric power lines had not reached the area. Lack of electricity then
was not unusual since even the business center of Euless, at the intersection of present Euless Blvd. and
Euless Main St., did not receive electricity until 1928. Lines were not extended % mile south from there
to the Euless School and my parents and grandparents nearby houses until 1932. The lake club house
was lit at night with kerosene lamps, creating, in my mind, a spooky, eerie atmosphere. I did not like
being there at night. The only access to the property by automobile or truck was along a one lane, rutted
path through a pasture, about %2 mile from the nearest public road. Somehow my parents, Ross and
Winnie Day Cannon, and grandparents, Arch and Della Whitener Cannon, had become friends with the
Armentrouts, who occasionally invited us to visit with them when they were there on retreat from their
Dallas home. My grandparents and father loved to fish, and with the lake full of beautiful catfish, bass
and crappie, it was one of their favorite fishing holes, to which they seemed always to have access.
In addition to the bit I remember, I have heard numerous stories from grandparents, parents,
aunts, uncles and older cousins, about their experiences associated with the lake. Arch went on
overnight and distant fishing expeditions with his buddies, but Della would go with him to nearby
Calloway Lake. One of my favorite photos is of them holding up a couple of long strings of large fish they
had caught. There was a flat -bottom metal boat that stayed on the lake. Fishers pushed off from the
shore into the generally shallow lake to find good fishing spots. On one trip, someone stood up in the
boat, which tipped over, dumping everyone into the lake. Della almost drowned.
Aunt Lois Cannon (later Mrs. Fred Trimble) liked to talk about being baptized in the lake. The
Euless Methodist Church, over 2 miles away, usually baptized from a bowel of water in the church. But
my aunts Lois and Jessie Cannon (later Mrs. Warren Fuller) and their mother, Della, wanted to be
immersed. The church gathered at the lake and the minister performed the baptism. Lois, even many
years later, commented that he was probably the maddest Methodist preacher she had ever seen,
because he had to get so wet, needlessly, he thought.
I was the youngest of 14 grandchildren of Arch and Della, so I missed out on many of my older
cousins' capers. Nevertheless, I recall some cousins, such as Troy Fuller, Jerald Cannon and Loran Borah,
telling this story or some variation. When they were teenagers they would sneak onto the Calloway Lake
property to seine for fish. Once, someone, obviously claiming to be responsible for security of the
property, went after them, even shooting at them. They fled, escaping injury, but dared not tell their
parents or grandparents.
I have related the above stories from memory. I think I have written records, that I sometimes
refer to as interviews, that I made when I first heard the stories. They might supply more detail. There
are also numerous articles in the Arlington newspaper through the first 40 years of the 20`h century that
describe many of the gatherings and events on the grounds and at the club house. I photocopied many
of the articles and made notes of all. Later, I will add them to this file.
BIRD'S FORT TODAY
by
David Haynie
1977
THE HERITAGE ROOM
LEARNING RESOURCES CENTER
T.U.C., N.E.
rJ
O ,
m
CT�
LC�
e--1
O
0
BIRD'S FORT TODAY
(1977)
BY
DAVID HAYNIE
THE HERITAGE ROOM
LEARNING RESOURCES CENTER
T.C.1.0 , N.E.
Ii
2903364
u
BIRD'S FORT TODAY (1977)
In the beginning - in 1840 - Fort Bird was established for two reasons.
One, to form a nucleus for a colony, and two, to provide protection against
the Wichita and other roving tribes of hostile Indians. Established by
Captain Jonathon Bird and about thirty Texas Rangers, the Fort was only
used sporatically after 1842 when the Ranger enlistment ran out. By the
1850's Fort Bird was abandoned and the original settlement had disappeared.1
Today, Fort Bird as part of the beginning of a growing Dallas - Fort Worth
metropolitan area, is known mostly to Historians and local residents who
have been in the area for some time.
At the present time, Fort Bird is located on 118 acres of land occupied
by Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Page, who are caretakers for the property owned by
Charles Armentrout of Dallas. Immediately prior to the property being /e2sa?A
by Mr. Armentrout, -to the Arlington Sportsman's Club,
Fort Bird was readily accessible to the public. Today the privilege of
visiting the Fort is by appointment only, at the convenience of the Page's.
Today the outlying land around the Charles Armentrout's 118 acres is
mainly owned by gravel companies. The land has been dug up by heavy machinery
and the hopes of finding any additional artifacts or unknown burial sites
becomes more remote with each passing day. According to Mrs. Page, TXI, one
of the gravel companies,,is attempting to obtain gravel rights on some addi-
tional land in the area. The expansion of the gravel companies is making
access to Fort Bird more difficult.
Today the only thing left to show for Fort Bird is a stone monument
approximately 2-f feet by 4 feet tall. Immediately to the left is a pickup
(1)
11
7
camper sitting precariously close to -'the monument. A few feet behind is
the old, cracking, weed and trash infested swimming pool left from the
days of the Arlington Sportsman's Club. A little farther back and to the
left is a large mobile home occupied by the Page family and beside the
mobile home is a makeshift dog run with a dog house. All this can be
seen with one sweeping glance standing next to the monument. On the other
side of the mobile home is the slowly deteri.o.z-�tting Arlington Sportsman's
Club house, now only used as a storage shed. A few yards to the left and
a little to the front of the monument is a place where people did their
trap shooting. in general it appears to me that the monument is lost and
forgotten in its surroundings.
In talking with friends who live in the general area (the metroplex),
I found a majority of them had not ever heard of Bird's Fort. Most of
those that did know of it, had lived in the area for a number of years.
None of those who were aware of Fort Bird had ever seen the monument.
To those most closely associated with it, Mr. Armentrout and the Page's,
it is more a nuisance than anything according to Mrs. Page. The nuisance
attitude is something which I would blame some of the public for, more
than Mr. Armentrout or the Page's. A small minority of the public by
vandalizing property and having beer parties forced them to fence the
property and keep a chain blocking the road locked. This in turn means
that whenever someone desires to see the monument they must make arrange-
ments for someone to meet them at the gate. At the present time, the
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Tarrant County Histor-
ical CoMinw ,fare working to have the monument moved to a new location.
Maybe this will help to make more people aware of this segment of the
metroplex's past.
THE HERITAGE ROOM
LEARNING RESOUR ,5:."ENTER
T.C.J.C., N,2.
(2)
FOOTNOTE:
lJane McCray, Early Fort Bird was Seed of Today's Thriving Metroplex
The Sunday Observer, Sunday, July 4, 1976.
THE HERITAGE ROOM
LEARNING RESOURCES CENTER
T.CJ.C., N.E.
INDEX
NAME PAGE
Arlington Sportsman's Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Armentrout, Charles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 2
Bird, Captain Jonathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Dallas -Fort Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Daughters of the American Revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Fort Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3, Appendix
Page, Mr. & Mrs. D. R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 2
Tarrant County Historical Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
TXI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Wichita Indians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
-TRAP S"I
1
L
WRNING RESOURCES CEIVTER
T.C.J.C.,
APPENa
Cifizen-ku- na
AR Ll N GTON
rvhg the cities of ArOnglal, DalwoMington Gardens, Grand PmineeKennedale, Mansfield and Pantego
Historians,
others fear
for future of
Metroplex's
birthplace
ib nd's Fort took a
bold stab against`',
the wild and dangerous
?'
West.
Its founders in 1941
wen: few in number and
ill -supplied, but in their
brief batde against the
elements and the Indians Charles Armentrout, 82, owes the properly where Bird's Fort onto stood. The marlcey whicli was placed In 1936 during the Texas
—and ultimately a Centennial, mmmemomtes thedte es ome of M.
first settled areas in what u now the Md.plex.
competing settlement — a
population took mot in its
owned property where the marker
of 40 men and built a log
ih /AOLert
protective shadow.
sits. A 2,000-acre upscale
stockade, a block house and a
IJ, x�. U
Its legacy, say many historians,
housing -retail development
few cabins near the 23-acre lake
Cadwallader
is no less than the Metmplex
surrounding that property is
Calloway Lake —sometimes
itself.
scheduled to begin soon.
called Silver Lake — about a
Special to the Star -Telegram
But today, all that remains of
Cunningham, who lives in
mile north of theTtinity River
Bird's Fort is a stem granite
Oklahoma, and other descendants,
and a mile east of what is now
marker, nestled beneath a
as well m several local historians,
Farm Read 157.
Still, the forts brief life spun
windmill near the northeast tip of
are asking for solations.
It was a bad winter, and the
the thread by which the history of
Arlington.
"if we could just be assured that
Indians had no intention of
the Meaoplex can be traced.
And some worry that even that
that one lime spot would be
retreating without a fight At least
In the midst of the post's bad
meager remnant may some day
preserved; • Cunningham said.
five settlers were killed, according
winter, a young man named John
fall victim to the fort's own
J, J� J�
to historical accoums.'I'heir burial
Neely Bryan coaxed several of the
creanen.
r� lV li
Sites -pear die fort were eliminated
settlers to move with him to a
" hjust seems like it's being
years ago when the area was
frontier to the east. Some built
swallowed up," said Jahn
rd's Fort was conceived by
excavated for sand and gravel.
rafts from cottonwood logs and
Cunningham, the great -great-
Jonathan Bid, who was
Before long, the fort faced
floated down the trinity River to
great-granddaughter of Jonathan
fresh from fighting Indians at the
another enemy —attrition among
the site, which marked the
Bird, the man commissioned to
Battle of Village Creek, near
settlers. With the nearby Peters
birthplace of Dallas.
establish the fort.
present-day Lake Arlington.
Colony receiving authorization to
Then, nearly two years after the
The swell of economic growth
Armed with the temporary tide of
extend to the comb, many Bird's
fort disbanded, its mean became
in the area breathes heavily on the
brevet major, bestowed on him by
Fortresidents moved out, soon
forever associated with one of the
quiet, I 1 .,as of privately
the T2xas Militia, he took a band
forcing the post to close.
(More on FORT on Page 3A)
Fort
From Page 1
great Indian treaties in Texas
history. Military leaders and the
grand council of North Central
Texas Indian tribes established a
respected line between the
Indians' and white man's land. It
was named the Bird's Fort Treaty.
"It was the most sweeping
Indian treaty ever negotiated by
the Republic of Texas," said Ron
Wright, vice chairman of the
Tarrant County Historical
Commission, who writes a
column for the Arlington Star -
Telegram. "It opened up all of
North Central Texas for
settlement."
The treaty called for the
establishment of trading posts
along the boundary line. The first
was at the present-day Founders
Park in Arlington in 1845. The
next year, Col. Middleton Tate
Johnson set up the nearby Texas
Ranger post that spawned Johnson
Station, which became Arlington.
When Maj. Ripley Arnold
came to the Arlington area to
establish a fort in 1849, Johnson,
whom historians call the "father of
Tarrant County," escorted him to a
site he liked at the confluence of
the Clear Fork and West Fork of
the Trinity. The settlement became
Fort Worth.
"You had a continuum of
events that sprang from Bird's
Fort," Wright said. "All of these
things are connected from the
founding of Dallas, Arlington and
Fort Worth. It's like a birthplace.
It was the first Anglo settlement in
this area."
'During the Texas Centennial,
Y'J in 1936, the state placed a
large, tombstone -shaped granite
marker at the site of Bird's Fort to
commemorate the fort's place in
history. It was one of only three
places in Tarrant County — all in
Arlington — to receive one.
In the 61 years since, the
monument's dark gray has turned
nearly white. Now decorated with
rocks around its base, it is the only
remnant of a compound long since
stripped by settlers seeking wood
to build their homes.
The land for The Lakes of
Arlington housing development
that surrounds it is planned for
annexation, pending a City
Council vote on Tuesday.
Although the 111 acres where
the marker rests would continue to
be a buffer, several history
enthusiasts and Bird descendants
aren't satisfied. They want the city
to annex at least enough of the
marker's surroundings to carve
out a small city park that would
preserve the history.
"There's really not much to
preserve other than the site itself,"
said Dorothy Rencurrel, who is
chairwoman of the Landmark
Preservation Committee and
serves on the Tarrant County
Historical Commission. "But I
would hate to see them bulldoze
the little mound of rocks we have
out there now, where the fort
stood. Unless we can convince the
proper authorities not to let that
happen, it will."
7� ot all believe annexation is
v the best route. Cliff
Mycoskie, a co-owner of the
Silver Lake Gun Club, which
leases the property for skeet
shooting and target practice,
bristles at such talk.
"Do they lease the property?
They need to mind their own
business," said Mycoskie, the
former chairman of the Arlington
Planning and Zoning
Commission. "I would think that
we would be the best friend to
them. We're going to preserve it
the way it is. We're preserving it
to be used for what it has been
since mankind has had it."
The land, which has been
leased by a series of sportsman
clubs for more than a century, is
owned by Charles Armentrout.
His father and four other men
bought it in 1917. ArmentroutIs
father bought out the others in
1939.
The 82-year-old University
Park resident said that the gun
club still has 10 years on its lease
and that he has no intentions of
selling it afterward. But he said he
is arranging to deed the property
over to his children.
Might they sell it?
"Not as long as I'm alive, they
wouldn't, C. Armentrout said. "But
after I'm no longer a member of
society, there's no telling what
might happen."
That only fuels the uncertainty
among those who worry that the
land could wind up in the hands of
a developer with little sense of
history.
The issue of annexing the fort
site came up as the city of
Arlington negotiated the
annexation of The Lakes of
Arlington land being developed
by Metrovest Partners Ltd. But it
was not considered because it
would have only complicated the
process, officials said.
Mayor Richard Greene said last
week that he still thinks
annexation should be considered
separately, after the Metrovest
deal is done, as a means of giving
the city tighter controls on the site.
"Our approach is not
necessarily to force the city's
jurisdiction on property owners
who don't want it," he said. "But
at the same time, that's a
historically important piece of
property."
Armentrout had a brief
response.
"I understand that Greene
fellow's not going to be around
there," he said, referring to the
announcement Wednesday that
Greene would not run for re-
election.
Caroline Ingram of San
Antonio, one of Bird's direct
descendants, said she wishes for
more than preservation. She wants
Bird's Fort to receive its due
respect in mainstream history
education.
"He's not in the Texas history
books," said Ingram, who has
never visited the marker. "I never
heard of him until I was grown."
The site already serves as an
educational tool for Treetops
School International, a private
school in Euless where students
visit the site and learn about the
early settlers. School director
Chris Kallstrom said she wants it
be there for generations to come.
"We're an international school,
and we travel a lot. And in all of
those places, there are constant
evidences of the past," she said.
"There are very few evidences of
the past in our area."
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