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Montgomery business owners donate 1800s-era stable tokens to city's museum
The Courier of Montgomery County
By Sondra Hernandez, Staff Writer
April 23, 2024
Three historic Montgomery artifacts dating back to the 1800s now have a home at the city's history museum.
Anthony and Rebecca Noreiga of Texas and Beyond and North Houston Art Gallery have donated three livery tokens to the Montgomery Historical Society for placement in the N.H.Davis Pioneer Complex and Museum.
The livery tokens were found on the property directly across from the museum in 1994 when brothers Billy Ray and Donald Duncan were doing some metal detecting.
What is a livery token?
In the 1800's a livery was a stable where horse owners pay a weekly or monthly fee to keep their horses. Montgomery's history dates back to 1837 and a livery stable would have been common in the city's early history.
The Noreiga's have owned the property at 14259 Liberty Street for about six months. The property was previously Pecan Hill Florist. "Both Anthony and I felt that the tokens really should be a part of the museum," Rebecca said.
The Duncan brothers have been prospecting in the historic city for decades with 50 years experience each. In 1994, on what was then a vacant lot across from the museum, they found these three tokens with the numbers 19, 18 and 4. On finding them, Billy Ray said he thought they were probably livery claim checks because they knew there had been a livery stable in the area due to historic records. The tokens were used to claim the owner's horse that was staying there. "They look like they're cast brass and they make a very large target for metal detecting," he said.
Montgomery historian Bessie Price Owen confirmed the Duncan brothers thoughts on the tokens.
It is believed that this property was once owned by the James William Sanders family based on stories told by Howard "Tootsie" Sanders, James’ grandson.
Token part of history
The elder Sanders was the engineer on the first train into Montgomery in 1879 on the Central & Montgomery Railway, according to documentation with the tokens.
The tokens were given to the property owners when the building was constructed in 1995. When Kirk and Emily Jones bought the building, the tokens were passed down to them, and when the Noreiga's bought the building six months ago, the tokens were given to them as well.
The tokens are now a part of the history museum and complex that is maintained by the Montgomery Historical Society. The museum is named for N.H. Davis, who was an early Montgomery lawyer. He built the first section in 1851 from logs received as payment for legal fees. The museum also houses a replica of the original sketch of the Lone Star flag and Republic of Texas seal, which were adopted as the state flag and seal in 1839 and were drawn by native son, Dr. Charles Bellinger Stewart.
The museum complex is at 14264 Liberty Street in downtown Montgomery and is open Saturdays.
Anthony and Rebecca Noreiga of Texas and Beyond and North Houston Art Gallery have donated three livery tokens to the Montgomery Historical Society for placement in the N.H.Davis Pioneer Complex and Museum.
The livery tokens were found on the property directly across from the museum in 1994 when brothers Billy Ray and Donald Duncan were doing some metal detecting.
What is a livery token?
In the 1800's a livery was a stable where horse owners pay a weekly or monthly fee to keep their horses. Montgomery's history dates back to 1837 and a livery stable would have been common in the city's early history.
The Noreiga's have owned the property at 14259 Liberty Street for about six months. The property was previously Pecan Hill Florist. "Both Anthony and I felt that the tokens really should be a part of the museum," Rebecca said.
The Duncan brothers have been prospecting in the historic city for decades with 50 years experience each. In 1994, on what was then a vacant lot across from the museum, they found these three tokens with the numbers 19, 18 and 4. On finding them, Billy Ray said he thought they were probably livery claim checks because they knew there had been a livery stable in the area due to historic records. The tokens were used to claim the owner's horse that was staying there. "They look like they're cast brass and they make a very large target for metal detecting," he said.
Montgomery historian Bessie Price Owen confirmed the Duncan brothers thoughts on the tokens.
It is believed that this property was once owned by the James William Sanders family based on stories told by Howard "Tootsie" Sanders, James’ grandson.
Token part of history
The elder Sanders was the engineer on the first train into Montgomery in 1879 on the Central & Montgomery Railway, according to documentation with the tokens.
The tokens were given to the property owners when the building was constructed in 1995. When Kirk and Emily Jones bought the building, the tokens were passed down to them, and when the Noreiga's bought the building six months ago, the tokens were given to them as well.
The tokens are now a part of the history museum and complex that is maintained by the Montgomery Historical Society. The museum is named for N.H. Davis, who was an early Montgomery lawyer. He built the first section in 1851 from logs received as payment for legal fees. The museum also houses a replica of the original sketch of the Lone Star flag and Republic of Texas seal, which were adopted as the state flag and seal in 1839 and were drawn by native son, Dr. Charles Bellinger Stewart.
The museum complex is at 14264 Liberty Street in downtown Montgomery and is open Saturdays.
