Early History

The first written history we found was a short essay by Vera Ward now Vera Ward Green written in 1935 as a school project.

History of Concord by Vera Ward

In the year of 1850, the first pioneering family, William Fitzgerald wife and son, Billie, Billie Cupe, and Buck Horn, wound their way in a lumbering ox wagon through the narrow paths, from Tennessee to the present site of Concord. They settled on a section of land that joins the Concord Cemeter on the west.

This family lived here alone without even a neighbor for ten years. In 1860, Marion Dotson and family came from Arkansas, bought George and Reece Butler came with thier brother John B. Butler, who was a Presbyterian preacher, and settled about three miles west of the Fitzgerald estate.

A Presbyterian Church was built, which was also used for a school. The children of the few families who were here attended school about 1 month and sometimes six weeks during the summer months. The teacher was poorly trained and on even a poorer salary. He paid no board. He would go the rounds spending one week with each family sho was sending children to his school.

The first Gin and Grist Mill was established in 1860, when Ruben Gaines came from Georgia and settled about two miles southeast of the Fitzgerald estate.

After the outbreak of the Civil War, Jim Hathcock and wife Sarah, established an iron foundry about three miles southwest of the old Fitzgerald estate for the purpose of making Guns for the Confederate soldier. Also, for making plows for those who were left behind since it was impossible of obtain any Iron producs from the north. Up to this time there were no Iron Foundries in any of the souther states. After the close of the war in 1865, the foundry was abandoned.

(The information for this essay was obtained by Vera talking with people not from any documentation)

From this begining Melba Gatlin Schochler started on a search of documentation on the settling of the Concord Community.

HISTORY OF CONCORD CHURCH AND CEMETRY

     In the late 1840's, three Fitzgerald families and a single man came to Anderson County and purchased property on the headwaters of Mound Prairie Creek, about eleven miles north of Palestine. They were the first settlers ro remain in the community for an extended period of time and the community came to be called Fitzgerald. They were joined in the late 1850's by the Gaines family, the Hathcocks and the Hardings. Soon after the Civil War other families began moving into the area such as the Malones, Herbroughs, Wards, Funderburks, Kelleys and Lunsfords.

     With the arrival of the new families, interest grew in the organization of a Baptist church in the community. On November 11, 1871, J. W. Davies, Albert B Dawson, M. P. Gaines, H. G. Garloop, M. L. Taylor, M. A. Corder, Sarah A. Funderburk, G. E. Hardin, Julia Fitzgerald, Nancy P. Kelley, Dicy F. Lunsford, Sarah A. Lunsford, Jane Mitchel, L. A. McCain and M. I. Taylor met with ministers of the Gospel L. R. Gore, R. R. Morrow, and U. W. Lunsford, at the Fitzgerald School House for the purpose of constituting the above mentioned into a Baptist Church

    In December of 1871, the church proceeded to choose by ballot a name for the church which resulted in "Concord".

    We do not know the exact location where the church met for the first several years after its organization. We do know that since the organization, the church has met continuously to the present.

(This information taken from the "Dedication of One Official Texas Historical Marker for Concord Church and Cemetery")