Early Stafford

In August 1853, the first railroad in Texas was completed, and the “General Sherman”, the first locomotive, made the 20 mile journey from Harrisburg (located in what is now eastern Harris County and annexed by Houston in 1926) to Stafford’s Point.

            At the turn of the century, Stafford was still little more than a “wide place in the road”.  The local businesses were located on State Highway 3 (now North Main, Highway 90A). There was a general store, blacksmith shop, and a telephone connection. In 1914, the population was approximately 100.

Court Family settles in Stafford     

            In 1877, Juliano DeCorte emigrated from Poggioreale, Sicily, to the U.S. and settled in Bryan, Texas.  Juliano DeCorte married Marguerite Cangelosi at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bryan on January 31, 1881.  Juliano was a farmer and also owned a small general store in Bryan which sold hardware and farm implements.

In 1917, Frank Cangelosi, the husband of Katie DeCorte, Juliano’s daughter, purchased several hundred acres in Stafford, which included a small store and a cotton gin.  He operated the cotton gin, and offered his brother-in-law, Charles Vincent (C.V.) Court, son of Juliano DeCorte a partnership in the store.  It was about this time, that the DeCorte name was Americanized to Court. 

In the 1920s, several times a week, C.V. Court drove a truck to Houston to pick up supplies.  One of his stops was at the J. LaRocca Wholesale Produce Co., where he met Benedetta Lucia the bookkeeper for her father’s business.  They were married in 1923 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Houston.

Court Family Business        

Court Brothers and Noto General Store was opened in 1926, owned by C.V. Court Sr., his brother Joe, and brother-in-law T.F. Noto. For several years, all three families lived in the rooms above the store.  Mr. Noto sold his share to the Court brothers in 1929.  Later the same year, Joe Court sold his interest to his brother C.V. Court.  By now, Juliano and Marguerite and five of their children lived in Stafford.   

During the Depression when local farmers couldn’t make enough to pay their bills and taxes, C.V. would accept a written IOU until the farmers sold their crop and could pay him.  During this time, C.V. drove a school bus, raised cattle, and ran a pool hall to make ends meet.

            In the early 1940’s, after the original store had burned, C.V Court built a two-story building at the same location, fronting 104 feet on Highway 90, and facing the railroad tracks, consisting of a post office, food market, hardware store and drug store.  This building burned in 1953. The family formed a partnership to build a new shopping center around the corner on Avenue F which also included a drug store, food market, post office and Court Hardware Company.  C.V. retired in 1960, selling the business to his sons, J. C. and Charles, Jr. In 1968 the brothers built a new 7250 square foot building on Highway 90 A/South Main St., its present location.  In 1975, the building was expanded to its present size 14,900 square feet.

            Court Hardware was one of the first places in town to get a television set.  After closing on Friday evening, C.V. Court Sr. would set up the 8” TV in the front window of the store, turn up the volume, and go home for supper.   Folks would set up chairs in front of the store to watch the wrestling matches.  He would return later in the night to turn off the TV set.

Charles V. Court, Sr. was confident in the future of Stafford and worked to develop the city’s full potential.  He was on the first City Council, helped organize the Fort Bend County Water District, served on the first board of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and also helped obtain the charter for the First National Bank of Stafford.  Both he and his wife were active in Holy Family Catholic Church, where among many other activities, he served as a trustee and she was President of the Altar Society.

            Their oldest son, Julius Charles, made his entire career in the hardware store, except for two years spent in the U.S. Army Signal Corp.  He was active in city politics.  He was elected to the Stafford City Council where he served for twenty years and also served on the Stafford Planning Commission.  J.C. was a volunteer fireman for ten years.  Upon his retirement in 2000, he sold his share in the business to his brother, Charles Vincent Court, Jr.  J.C. and his wife Jettie were active members of Holy Family Catholic Church and raised four children in Stafford.

Charles was elected to the Fort Bend County W.C.&I.D.#2, and served five years as President.  He served as a Director of Texas Commerce Bank and as a Director of the East Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce.  He coached Little League Baseball and served as President of the Stafford Municipal School District Athletic Booster Club. Charles and his wife Jean were active at Holy Family Catholic Church and raised four children in Stafford. 

            Charles retired in 2009, selling the store to his son Christopher and his wife Caroline.  Chris was elected to the Board of Directors for Handy Hardware, a regional hardware distribution cooperative and served six years as a Director.  He also served on the Board of the Stafford Economic Development Corporation for six years.  Chris and Caroline have two daughters.