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First Presbyterian Church Whitewright, Texas Whitewright Sun Thursday, November 19, 1953 pg. 1 CENTENNIAL OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OBSERVED The 100th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church of Whitewright was observed Sunday with three services. Rev. Joe M. Russell, former pastor, was the guest speaker for the morning service and Rev. Jasper Manton spoke at the Parish service in the afternoon. The history of the church was presented in the evening by appropriate narration by Mrs. Vera Hickman, narrator; instrumental and vocal music under the direction of Miss Janis Horton, and episodes in tableau with costuming and lights. Mrs. W.A. Kirkpatrick, oldest member in point of membership in the church, posed, surrounded by a group of children who are descendants of the families of the church, as if telling them a story. R.B. Golden is the oldest living member of the church. Mr. Gordon was clerk of the session of the Cross Roads Church for a number of years until the family moved to Whitewright. Mr. Gordon could not be present for the service. Miss Horton was assisted in the instrumental music by Miss Jill McMurry, Dallas, and Miss Guyla Wren Sears, Whitewright, as the pianists for the services. Mrs. O.L. Jones, Whitewright, and Robert Grant, Bonham, sang "Watchman, What of the Night" at the afternoon service, and Mrs. Floyd Basset sang "My Task" in the morning service. The North Texas Larger Parish staff ministers, Rev. George H. Walker, Ladonia, and Rev. Howard L. Holland, Leonard, participated in the afternoon services. Rev. Lee Smith presided at the services. Children and young people of the church in addition to some whose forefathers were in the membership posed for the tableau depicting the historical episodes. They were Francine White of Paris, Del Sears, Clif Emerson, Sarah and Harriet Stevens, Scotty Phillips, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Bassett, Tom Sears, Phillip Stevens, David Reeves, Bobby Phillips, Louisa Lackey, Janet Smith, Guyla Wren Sears, Carol Dawson, Dixie Bassett, Sandra Montgomery, Anna Lou Phillips, Susie Kaiser, and Elizabeth Stevens. Clif Emerson sang "Jesus Loves Me" in the Sunday School scene." For the memorial organ number Miss Horton played "The Lost Chord." Other memorial furnishings of the sanctuary were memorialized, the final episode being that of the brass cross given by friends and children of Mrs. John Fender and the matching offering plates given in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barbee by their children. The Pottsboro Church received the certificate of award for attendance. The registration totaled over 300, with over 200 out-of-town registrants. There were people from 33 different churches in 25 towns ranging from Oklahoma City to San Antonio. Arrangements and serving 175 people at the basket supper were under the direction of Mrs. Emmet Penn, president of the Ladies Aid. HISTORY OF CHURCH History of the church begins with a meeting October 30, 1853, in the home of Christopher (Uncle Kit) Sears, one mile southeast of town. Jacob A. Zinn moderated the meeting and Joseph D. Barbee, John T. Clark, and Thos. E. Montgomery were elected elders along with Mr. Sears. Other charter members were Jane Wilkins, J.B. Newton, J.B. Sears, Ellin Newton, Polly Montgomery, Elizabeth May, Mary A. Barbee, and Joseph Sears. There were three settled sections in what was to become Grayson county. They were Pilot Grove, Warren, and Coffee's Trading House. The Sears home was in the Pilot Grove settlement, some seven miles from what is now Pilot Grove. The church was named the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Pilot Grove. On March 29, 1854, these folks met and asked Bonham Presbytery to put them on a preaching circuit. The request was granted, but there is no record of the ministers serving the church during this period. Services were held in the homes. Eight years after the organization of the church the Civil War came. It is interesting to note from the records that "at early candle-lighting, a Negro belonging to Polly McKinney named Daniel, was received on recommendation" into membership in the church. In 1862 the name of the church was changed to Canaan Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Shortly thereafter a division was made in the congregation to allow all members north of Bois d'Arc creek to go to the Canaan congregation and all south to Sears Chapel. There is no record of the latter congregation's actions until 1873 when the session met at the William Pennington home. W.S. Fuqua was moderator, and Elders Wilson, Alfred Medlin, W.C. Pennington and Heck Hamilton were present. The session instructed Presbytery Delegate Alfred Medlin to ask for the services of Rev. Robert F. Jones as pastor. The request was granted and "Uncle Bob," as he was affectionately know to all, accepted the call to the church. His was the second longest pastorate in the church's history. Her served from 1873 to 1927. Along with Dr. B. Wrenn Webb's nine years, these three ministers served the church a total of 54 years. During Mr. Jones' pastorate the MK&T Railroad was built from Denison to Greenville and the town of Whitewright was named for a New York capitalist interested in the road, and the town itself was laid out and incorporated in 1878. In 1883 Sears Chapel followed the business men of outlying areas by moving to Whitewright. Located first on West Maple, five years later the building was moved to the present site of the John McMurry home on West Main. In 1899 the church moved to the present site. In 1930 the present building was erected. The Women's Missionary Society was organized in the home of Mrs. Reubell in 1889. Mrs. Joe Nicholson was elected president. Mrs. W.A. Kirkpatrick walked the length of the town with two children to become a charter member. Subsequent presidents have been Mrs. John Fender, Mrs. R.L. Sears, Mrs. Rhom Pennington, Mrs. T.E. Sears, and at present Mrs. Homer Sears. Following Miss Edna Rathbun, first secretary and treasurer, have been Mrs. Lester Haile, Mrs. Lydia Henry, Mrs. Robert Sears, Mrs. Homer Sears, Mrs. Byron Caraway, and at present Mrs. Floyd Bassett. Besides Mr. Jones, Mr. Fender and Mr. Webb, other pastors having served the church are Rev. R.A. Gay, Rev. R.R. Crockett, Rev. J.W. WIllbanks, Rev. Joe M. Russell, Rev. A.W. Yell, Rev. W.A. Cassaday, Rev. Alexander McFerrin, Rev. W.A. Erwin, Rev. James I. Logan, Jr., as student supply, Mr. James Storey, professor at Austin College, and the present pastor, Rev. Lee H. Smith. In 1907 the church followed the lead of the national church and became the First Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., of Whitewright after uniting with Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Ladies Aid was organized in 1913 in the John McMurry home and elected Mrs. R.L. Sears as first president. Subsequent presidents have been Mrs. Tom Barbee, Mrs. Will Barbee, Mrs. John Wilson, Mrs. Sam Montgomery, Mrs. May Manning, Mrs. Robert Sears, Mrs. Fred Cook, and for the past 15 years Mrs. Emmet Penn. Mrs. Cloy Horton has been vice president during this time, also. Five ladies have served as secretary-treasurers or under separate offices for the 40 years of the Aid's existence: Miss Edna Rathbun, Mrs. W.A. Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Tom Lilley, Mrs. Al Short, and Mrs. Lydia Henry. The Aid started the building fund for the erection of the present plant. Joe May gave the Aid the first $1,000. Their goal was $5,000, which they reached. With gifts of many others, the finance and building committees of W.L. Stowers, S.H. Montgomery, J.R. Pennington, Luther Sears, J.H. Richey, Mrs. R.L. Sears, Emmet Penn, Lester Haile, Mrs. Tom Barbee, and Miss Ethel Gordon led in the building program. The cornerstone bears the names of Uncle Bob Jones, Uncle Kit Sears, and Dorriss Barbee, founders. In 1934 the 81st anniversary was held and the mortgage burned. Rev. Joe M. Russell was the pastor. The Aid also led in the securing of the new electric organ, matching gift from Kay Kimbell and overreaching their goal sufficiently to purchase the carpeting for the sanctuary. Rev. Joe Everheart conducted the dedication service. Many memorial gifts have been made to the church: the communion table by Mrs. Ben Montgomery in memory of her husband; windows in memory and honor of many friends and relatives of the church; the hymnals; a flower urn by Mrs. Emmet Penn for Mr. Penn, with matching icons for the niches from Mrs. T.E. Sears and Mrs. Vera Hickman; offering plates of myrtle wood by Mrs. Tom Lilley and Mrs. Lydia Henry; and dedicated at the Sunday evening services the brass cross to memorialize Mrs. John Fender and the matching offering plates for Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barbee by their children. Two altar sets were given by the children of Juchusco and Mrs. Arba Orenduff for the Junior Chapel in memory of Mrs. Madge Braly. Mrs. Paul Cook's senior young people's class gave the baptismal bowl. Sunday School superintendents have been R.M. Pennington, Joe Dyer, W.W. Cox, W.L. Stowers, Dick Montgomery, Luther Gordon, Joe Cook and at present Floyd Bassett. Choir directors have been Mrs. Ben Hall, Mrs. Tom Barbee, Mrs. Madge Braly, and Mrs. Vera Hickman. Organists and pianists have been Miss Viva Phillips, Miss Stella Jordan, Miss Margaret Hanna, Mrs. Madge Braly, Miss Nelle Smith, Miss Frances Wilson, Miss Corrinne Cassady, Mrs. Tom Barbee, and Miss Janis Horton. Miss Horton has been organist since the organ was installed. Under the Ladies Aid the committee for landscaping the church lawn has been Mrs. Cloy Horton and Mrs. Minnie Patterson. In 1950 the church was a charter member of the organization of the North Texas Larger Parish now consisting of the eight churches. The manse was remodeled and redecorated entirely by Elder Claud Phillips for a resident pastor. The Rev. Lee H. Smith was called for the organization of the Parish in that year. First Presbyterian Church History ~ Whitewright Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |