The Mount Enterprise Herald News Office (abt. 1914).   Standing out front are Alice Hays and her brother Webster F. Hays

Mt. Enterprise History

"Remembering Rusk Co." 1992

Used by permission of the Rusk Co. Genealogical Society, John R. Dulin & Virginia Knapp.  Many thanks to all who have worked so hard to preserve Rusk Co. Texas History.

'Remembering Rusk County" is No longer available.

Submitted by Gloria B. Mayfield, Rusk Co. Coordinator

(Data extracted from the manuscript written by Charley Langford in the 50th Anniversary edition of the "Mt. Enterprise Progress," " The History of Mt. Enterprise Lodge of Ancient York Masons" and information from my father.   Special Thanks to Mrs. Nellie Compton, who granted me permission to copy a great portion of this material out of the "Mt. Enterprise Progress's 50th Anniversary edition.")   by John T. Furlow

There is a continual debate on whether Charles Vinzent or David Gage initiated the settlement of Mount Enterprise.  Either way, Mt. Enterprise came into existence sometime between 1832 and 1840. It was founded even before the county seat of Henderson, and for a generation or two was the most important trading center in Rusk County.

The name was probably derived for the new "enterprise" these two people engaged in, operation of a store, and the mere fact that it was situated near a slight elevation. This location is north of the present town. Hence, "Mt. Enterprise."

However, more facts tend to lean toward the David Gage version. David Gage established a settlement known as "Gage’s" and had a post office of which David Gage was appointed postmaster Feb 5, 1847. This location was in the vicinity of the old Arch March place some three miles west of the present day Mt. Enterprise

David Gage was a most remarkable man. His wile was a Cherokee women he married in Alabama and from which state he came to Texas from in 1839 and on May 21, 1839 purchased one-fourth of the Leonard Williams League. David Gage was a veteran of the War of 1812. It is also of interest that there were at least eight who served in that war that came to Rusk County, among them being Jiles S. Boggess, Sr. buried in the City Cemetery in Henderson and General James Smith whose grave is at the end of South Main St.  In Henderson. James Leath buried in Pirtle Baptist Cemetery, Capt. Jacob Geurin buried in Rocky Mount Cemetery, LB. Henson buried Moyers Cemetery, Andrew Hamilton buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. David Gage’s burial spot is unknown and has become lost to time.

In 1840, Gage organized and was made Captain of a company of Minute Men for protection from the Indians. He was elected to and served in the Eighth and Ninth Congresses of the Republic of Texas, serving from Dec~ 4,1843 to June 28, 1845. He was also a State Senator and was elected a delegate to the "Convention of 1845." David Gage died at his home near Mt. Enterprise In 1854.

Charles Vinzent, with his brother Edward, came to this area and bought out Maj. David Gage. Their store was also about three miles west of the present town probably located at or near "Old Lockland." It was at this time the name started to be referred from "Gage’." to "Mt. Enterprise." Charles Vinzent was named as the postmaster of the Mt. Enterprise post office. Here Vinzent established a large and flourishing business and the date of this establishment must be placed between 1847 and 1849.

Charles Vinzent, being a man of position, traveled once to Europe to make the necessary arrangements for constructing an extensive iron manufacturing establishment from the extensive iron ore deposits found around Mt. Enterprise. It was because of this, he selected the site near "Old Mountain" (elevation US BM 709) because he considered it to be an "ironmountain" to establish a new store and gin. This area is now referred to as "Old Town."

Charles Vinzent had visions in fields other than business.. He established the Mt. Enterprise Male and Female College and was its president This institution operated from 1851 to 1855 and was under the general sponsorship of the "Disciple, of Christ in Texas" (Christian Church). On Feb. 7, 1853 another school, the Mount Enterprise Male and Female Academy was established.

Vinzent operated a chain of stores out of Mt. Enterprise. These stores located at Rusk and Larissa (Cherokee Co.) Bunker Hill (between Henderson and Overton), Buena Vista (Shelby Co.). His goal was to establish 50 store. in Texas.

His factory did make wagons, buggies, furniture.  plows, caskets and even a patented churn. It is mentioned that at one time he had five forges (blacksmith) going but whether he actually smelted iron from local ore is net known. The loss of New Orleans to the Union Army forced Vinzent into bankruptcy. He could not operate without the Red River and the Part of New Orleans, as an inlet and outlet for his business. It appears that be went to California leaving behind his crushed commercial empire in the 1860's..

After the Civil War, Mt. Enterprise was able to move on after the loss of several townsmenbers. By 1880, the town had a hotel, three sawmills, two cotton gins, three churches, a school,  and a population of 150.

"New Mt. Enterprise" was incorporated on May 8, 1915, and again on April 25, 1936. In 1940, the town had several businesses, a bank, a newspaper, and a reported population of 622.

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