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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Sherman, Texas  Chronology 1872 - 1997 1866 ~ Bishop Gree held services in Union Church on southwest corner of Houston and Crockett streets 1872 ~ St. Stephen's Church of Sherman, Texas organized by laity 1873 ~ Lots at 402 & 404 N. Travis St. purchased for a church and rectory 1873 ~ Rev. edward W. Gilliam, first rector of St. Stephen's, instituted 1874 ~ St. Stephen's Church admitted into Diocese of Texas 1898 ~ St. Stephen's reported 127 communicants 1902 ~ First vested choir sang on March 2, the Third Sunday of Lent 1902 ~ Lot at southeast corner of Corckett and Cherry purchased for a new church; cost $2,300 1902 ~ Architects selected: Martin & Hall of Providence, Rhode Island 1909 ~ Foundation contractors selected for new church, Compton, Wallston & York of Waxahachie, Texas selected as building contractor 1909 ~ Groundbreaking ceremony held on Feast of the Purification, February 2 1910 - Cornerstone laid by Bishop Garrett on May 3 1910 - Hook & Hastings organ purchased for $1,900 1911 - Last service held in old building on March 3, first Sunday of Lent 1911 ~ Property at s outhwest corner of Houston & Crockett sold to the Progressive Baptist Church for $3,000 (burned in 1930) 1911 ~ Opening service held in new church April 16, EasterDay 1911 ~ St. Stephen's reported 180 communicants 1911 ~ First wedding held in new church: Clara Zauk and James Binkley, December 11th 1916 ~ First use of tower bells on Fifth Sunday after Trinity 1921 ~ New church consecrated April 17 on retirement of debt 1921 ~ New rectory purchased December 29 from A.J. Ney for $5,000, located at 409 S. Crockett 1946 ~ Father William Tate Young instituted as rector 1949 ~ Architect John Hall Brown's plans for Sunday School addition on the east end of the parish hall approved 1951 ~ Construction of Sunday School addition completed 1957 ~ St. Stephens reported 2223 communicants 1959 ~ New rectory purhcased from Claude Golay for $18,000, located at 1105 W. Brockett 1959 ~ Old rectory at 409 S. Corckett used for Sunday School classrooms 1959 ~ 5 acres at northwest corner of W. Taylor and Ricketts purchased for $15,000 from City of Sherman as site for future mission church. Option expired and land resold to City of Sherman in 1970 1961 ~ N.A. Birge home at 1002 N. Wood bequeathed to the church for use as a rectory 1961 ~ Rectory at 1105 W. Brickett sold 1968 ~ Father James W. Garrard instituted as rector 1968 ~ New rectory at 1802 Shields purchased for $29,000 1970 ~ Rectory at 1002 N. Woods sold 1971 ~ Plans developed to demolish old rectory at 409 S. Crockett and build new educational building and chapel 1972 ~ Lot on northwest corner of Corckett and Cherry, purchased 1973 ~ Architect Tom Scott Dean of Stillwater, Oklahoma hired for educational building project 1976 ~ Construction of educational building and All Saints Chapel completed 1978 ~ Creation of St. Stephen's Endowment Fund 1983 ~ Major renovation of slate roof of church and parish hall 1986 ~ Parking lot created on northwest corner of Crockett and Cherry 1989 ~ Dr. Tom Scott Dean selected as architect for interior renovation of parish hall and kitchen 1990 ~ Slate roof completely renovated; parish hall and kitchen renovation completed 1994 ~ Bell tower renovated 1994 ~ Two lots across Crockett Street purchased for future expanion, cost $5,000 1995 ~ Parish became debt free 1995 ~ Rectory at 1802 Shields Dr. given to Fr. and Mrs. Garrard 1995 ~ Dedication of the Garrard Educational Building in honor of Fr. Garrard 1996 ~ Fr. Richard R. Daly instituted as rector 1996 ~ Rectory purchased at 1610 Archer Dr. for $135,000 Source : St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Sherman, Texas: an evolving community of faith  St. Stephen's Episcopal Church History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |