Courtesy of First Presbyterian Church
 

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Bay City, Texas

  

Submitted by Kathleen Tatum and Bobbie Duffy Dykes

 

The history of the town of Bay City, Texas had its beginning in the year of 1894. The first dwelling had not been completed in December of that year, and most of the prospective citizens were still living in tents, waiting for their homes to be built.

During the beginning years, the religious life of Bay City was not neglected. In the spring of 1895, Alexander Duncan Hensley helped organize an interdenominational Sabbath School, along with Gilford M. Magill, another devoted Presbyterian, as well as other Christian leaders. Mr. Hensley served as superintendent for several years. Each Sunday the citizens met at the courthouse to worship together. Later, a community building was built at the corner of Eighth Street and Avenue E to serve all denominations on alternate Sundays.

Mr. Hensley and Mr. Magill took up the matter of organizing a Presbyterian Church and made application to the Home Mission Committee, requesting a visit from the Presbyterial Evangelist. The committee was much opposed to the organization of a church because there was no one to supply the Bay City area.

On July 31, 1898, at the conclusion of the morning service, the congregation met, and it was unanimously resolved to organize a Presbyterian Church. A church covenant was drafted and signed by the following charter members: Font Winston, Fannie L. (Robbins) Winston, Carrie (Robbins) Rugeley, Mrs. C. M. Robbins, G. W. Magill, A. D. Hensley, Dr. J. E. Simons, John McCall, and Jessie McCall. A. D. Hensley was elected Ruling Elder, and office he held for forty-nine years, and G. M. Magill was elected Deacon.

It was not until October, 1898, that the First Presbyterian Church of Bay City was enrolled as a member of the Brazos Presbytery. The dream of Presbyterians who had labored so faithfully in bringing Protestant worship to the new city had at last been realized.

The Reverend Edmund C. Boaz, who was received into Brazos Presbytery from the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1895, was sent to El Campo in 1898 and was assigned to the Bay City church once a month. During the winter months, he was seldom seen due to weather conditions and impassable roads. In the spring of 1899, the Reverend William E. McDonald was also assigned to visit Bay City once a month, but the same experience happened with weather and roads, leaving Bay City Presbyterians without a pastor.

In the early part of 1901, the Reverend George Wallace Story, an evangelist, visited the Bay City church and arranged to serve as supply pastor for one Sunday each month. This arrangement carried on until the spring meeting of Presbytery, 1903, when the relationship was dissolved.

During the ministry of the Reverend G. S. Story, the first church building, a white frame structure, was raised on Lot No. 1, fronting on 5th Street, in Block No. 118. This was a 50 X 140 feet lot that was purchased for $400, January 30, 1903, from G. M. Magill. The first services were held in the new building on the 19th day of March, 1903. The 1909 hurricane turned the church around facing Avenue H. Bowing to the will of the Lord, they blocked it up and left it.

 

Courtesy of Matagorda County Museum

 

The present church building was erected across the street from the original church on Lots 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, in Block No. 107, fronting 140 feet on Fifth Street and 140 feet on Avenue H. This new brick building was a gift from Fred S. Robbins, dated July 10, 1935.

 

Courtesy of Matagorda County Museum

 

Courtesy of First Presbyterian Church

 

Courtesy of First Presbyterian Church

A Presbyterian homecoming and dedication of the new building was held on July 26, 1936. A new manse was built on the former location of the first church building, across the street from the new church.

 

At the dedication, the Reverend Ernest F. Deutsch gave a warm welcome to the crowd, and in his message named some of the special gifts which added much to the beauty of the new building.

 

Among the special gifts, with their donors were:

 

Two large stained glass windows, one on each side of the sanctuary, given by the children of Dr. and Mrs. J. E. Simons. One depicts "The Good Shepherd" and the other, "Praying Christ."

 

The lovely "Rose Window" in the facade of the sanctuary is a memorial to Mrs. P. E. Parker given by her children.

 

The smaller stained glass windows were given in memory of Mrs. J. P. Bryan, mother of Mrs. Thomas H. Lewis and Mrs. Fred S. Robbins.

 

Mrs. Campbell of Palacios donated a piano. Another piano was given by Mrs. Henry James and Mrs. Slater.

 

The furniture in the ladies parlor was given in memory of "Mother Robbins" who lived to be 99 years old. The pulpit furniture was an expression of appreciation from the congregation to the Reverend and Mrs. Deutsch.

 

The beautiful pipe organ was a gift from the Misses Callie Metzger and Pauline Huebner, Mrs. W. W. Wilkinson, and Mrs. Fred S. Robbins, as well as other memorial gifts.

 

Robbins Hall, adjoining the church building, was built in 1938 in memory of Theresa Bryan Robbins by her husband, Fred S. Robbins. An addition to the church school building was completed in the spring of 1950. A new manse, located at 2400 Live Oak and bordering on Cottonwood Creek, was purchased in 1960.

An extensive remodeling program of the church building was begun in 1963, at which time the north wing of the church school building and new offices at the front of Robbins Hall were added. The formal dedication service was held on Sunday afternoon, April 19, 1964.

 

The last addition to church property took place in 1967 when the property at the corner of Fifth Street and Avenue H, where the manse was located, was traded to the City of Bay City in exchange for an adjacent lot north of the church, facing Avenue H on the west and Sixth Street on the north. On the lot where the first church stood, the present City Hall now stands.

 

Pastors who have served the church since its founding are as follows:
 

 

SESSION MINUTES

 

July 31st 1898                                                 Bay City          July 31st 1898

The Session met at the church shortly after the close of divine worship at noon. Present Rev. E. C. Boaz, the moderator, with Elder A. D. Hensley. The meeting was opened with prayer. Mrs. Fannie L. Winston appeared before the session and was examined on her religious experience. When having made a satisfactory profession of her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, she was admitted to the sealing ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Closed with prayer.

Read and approved.                            A. D. Hensley  Clerk

 

Novem 25th 1900                                           Bay City          November 25th 1900

The session met in the parlor of the Rugely house at 3 o'clock P.M. Present Rev W. S. Red the moderator, with Elder A. D. Hensley, Elder Fred S. Robbins of the Quintana church was also present by invitation.

The meeting was opened with prayer by the moderator. After a conference with the deacons on motion of Elder Hensley the Home Mission Committee was requested to supply this church with preaching for one Sunday in each month and the session guaranteed for pastors salary the sum of $125.00 per year.

The minutes were adopted and the meeting closed with prayer.

Read and approved                             A. D. Hensley  Clerk

 

October 20th 1901