About 1840, pioneers including members of the Middleton, Byrns, Staley, Erwin, Jones, Capp, Bloodworth, Philpott, Easton, Howell, and Hinton families settled in this area, where nearby Kichai and Kickapoo Indian camps left them feeling insecure. On February 5, 1840, Christopher C. Staley was ambushed and killed by a group of Indians while hunting near his home, an incident that led to the construction of Fort Boggy for the settlers' protection. Named for nearby Boggy Creek, the fort had two blockhouses and eleven dwellings within about 5000 square feet. A military company authorized by Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar was formed under Capt. Thomas Greer to defend it. According to one account, 77 people moved into the fort after it was completed, but illness became a major problem. In 1841, Captain Greer was killed in an Indian attack while leading a scouting party beyond the fort. Soon afterward, the threat of raids diminished, and Fort Boggy was no longer vital, though for many years a community church and school kept the name Boggy. As an early aid to settlement in this area, Fort Boggy remained significant in the history of Leon County.