The community of Cut and Shoot is located in the northeastern part of Montgomery County, Texas. It had an unusual beginning and acquired its unique name in July 1912.
Image: DoyleWelborn, Cut and Shoot City Hall, CC BY-SA 3.0
Building the Community House
Before 1912, the denominational Missionary Baptist, Hard-shell Baptist, and Methodist residents of the area were working together to build a combination church and schoolhouse. They constructed the building with the understanding that all denominations could preach there (but they did exclude the Mormons and Apostolics). This building was called the Community House, as it served as the gathering place for the entire community for both church services and social activities.
Preacher Stamps Arrives
In July 1912, an Apostolic preacher named Stamps arrived in the community. Some local residents invited him to hold a meeting at the Community House. Preacher Stamps was said to be of questionable reputation, as some claimed he frequented saloons and attended dances.
When news of Preacher Stamps’ intended visit spread, the community quickly divided into two opposing sides: those who believed that the Community House should be open to all denominations and those who insisted that it remain closed to the Apostolics. Both sides made their views known with one side vowing to have the meeting and the the other determined to stop it.
Rising Tensions
On July 20, 1912, the day before the meeting was set to take place, a young boy from one of the opposing families was sent to the home of one of the school trustees to retrieve the keys so that the doors could be locked. When the Apostolic supporters heard of this plan, they informed their allies that they would break down the doors if necessary to gain access to the building.
A member of the opposition then saddled his horse and rode through the community, notifying people to bring their guns to the Community House the next day. In response, a supporter of the meeting did the same, riding through the community and telling those sympathetic to their cause to bring weapons as well. A gun fight seemed to be brewing.
The Confrontation at the Community House
On the morning of July 21, those in favor of hearing Preacher Stamps gathered at the Community House. They arrived in wagons and buggies, bringing their lunches and preparing for a full day of preaching and fellowship.
Under their wagon and buggy seats, they carried guns and knives wrapped in quilts. Upon arrival, they found the door locked. Soon after, the opposing group arrived, armed and ready. They inspected the door and declared that the lock had been jammed, prompting a heated argument between two families from the opposing sides.
During the altercation, an eight-year-old boy, frightened by the commotion, exclaimed, “I’m scared! I’m going to cut around the corner and shoot through the bushes in a minute!” Thus, the name “Cut and Shoot” was coined.
Avoiding Violence
Despite the tense situation, no actual cutting or shooting occurred that day. To avoid further conflict, the families supporting the meeting moved to some nearby shade trees, where Preacher Stamps delivered his sermon while the community members listened from their buggies and wagons.
Following this incident, a brush arbor was built near the home of one of the opposing families, and Preacher Stamps held meetings there for the rest of the summer. It was said that the preaching was loud enough for the opposing family to hear from their house.
Legal Disputes
The day after the confrontation at the Community House, on July 22, both sides appeared in Conroe, filing charges against each other at the Justice of the Peace Court for disturbing the peace, assault, and using obscene language. The leaders of the families involved were tried and fined. The dispute continued between these families for over a year, with each side accusing the other of petty offenses.
The Origin of the Name “Cut and Shoot”
At one of the trials, the school trustee who had provided the key to lock the Community House was called as a witness. When the judge asked where the incident had taken place, the trustee, not knowing what to call the area since it lacked an official name, replied, “I suppose you’d call it the place where they had the cutting and shooting scrape.”
This was the first reference to the community as “Cut and Shoot.” The name stuck, partly due to the jests of one community member who enjoyed telling the story of the incident.
Incorporation of Cut and Shoot
On April 5, 1969, an election was held to incorporate the town of Cut and Shoot. On May 17, 1969, town officials were elected, including a mayor, five council members, and a town marshal. The population in 1969 was 200, which grew to 903 in 1990 and reached 1,158 according to the 2000 census.
Cut and Shoot Today
The Town Hall is located approximately 6.5 miles east of Conroe on Texas Highway 105. Stephen F. Austin Elementary School, part of the Conroe Independent School District, is located in Cut and Shoot, serving kindergarten through fourth grade, with approximately 900 students enrolled from the surrounding area. A contract post office was established in August 1958.