REESE LIBRARY 
 
 1! OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Class 
 
HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 
 
 Rev. l. TENNEY 
 
 AUSTIN, TEXAS: 
 
 Eugene Von Boeckmann, Printer, Bookbinder, Statione* 
 
 1895. 
 
F 
 
 
 
History of the Presbytery of Central 
 Texas. 
 
 In 1837 R ev - Hugh Wilson visited Texas. Of the particulars 
 of this visit, what points he preached at, we have no information. 
 Returning to Tennessee, he came out again the next year with 
 his family. Stopping near San Augustine, he found there a 
 group of Presbyterians on Tune 2, 1838, and organized them into 
 a church — the first Presbyterian church in Texas, four miles west 
 of San Augustine. The church as organized, numbered twenty- 
 two members, and was named Bethel. Some years afterwards 
 the location and name were changed to San Augustine. Mr. 
 Wilson continued to preach to the church till October of that 
 year. In February, 1839, he organized a church at Independ- 
 ence. Houston church was organized by Rev. W. Y. Allen, 
 April, 1839. Austin church by the same, October, 1839. Gal- 
 veston church by Rev. John McCullough, January 1, 184.0. 
 April 3, 1840, the three ministers above named, and one ruling 
 elder, John McFarland, of Independence church, who had come 
 with Mr. Wilson's family, from San Augustine, met at Chrits- 
 man's school house, near Independence, and organized the Brazos 
 Presbytery, connected with the Synod of Mississippi. In 1850, 
 the Synod divided the Brazos Presbytery into three Presbyteries 
 of Brazos, Eastern Texas and Western, the boundaries divid- 
 ing them being the Colorado river and the Trinity river to the 
 33d degree north latitude, thence due north to the Indian Terri- 
 tory. The Presbyteries thus formed petitioned the General As- 
 sembly to be erected into the Synod of Texas, and the petition 
 being granted, the first meeting of the Synod was held at Aus- 
 tin, October 30, 1851. It adjourned to meet at Huntsville June 
 30, 1852, but there being no quorum at that time, it met at the 
 call of the Moderator, Rev. Dr. Baker, at Huntsville, April 8, 
 1854. 
 
 PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 
 
 The records of the Presbytery of Central Texas contain the 
 following preliminary statement: "The Presbytery of Brazos 
 
 004 
 
4 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 which met in Huntsville, Texas, on Thursday, April 6, 1854, 
 made an overture to the Synod of Texas that a new Presbytery 
 by set off from the northern part of their territory. Therefore at 
 a meeting of the Synod held at Huntsville in Austin College on 
 Monday, April 10th, the overture was considered, and it was 
 
 "Resolved, That all the territory embraced between the Trinity 
 and Colorado rivers north of the north boundary line of the coun- 
 ties of Colorado, Washington, Brazos and L,eon, be set off as a 
 new Presbytery, to be called the Presbytery of Central Texas, 
 the Rev. Hugh Wilson to call and moderate the first meeting." 
 
 The act of the Synod does not name the ministers and 
 churches constituting the new Presbytery. The churches in the 
 territory were seven: La Grange, Round Top, String Prairie 
 (now Hugh Wilson), Austin, Deer Creek (now Carolina), Con- 
 cord and Oak Island. 
 
 All the ministers residing in the territory — Hugh Wilson, 
 John T. Balch, Wm. M. Baker and R. F. Bunting — being present 
 at the meeting of Synod, met according to the direction of 
 Synod at 2 o'clock p. m., in the college building, and organized. 
 W. M. Baker was Temporary Clerk and R. F. Bunting was 
 elected Stated Clerk, and directed to act as Treasurer. W. M. 
 Baker and Elder A. H. Cook were chosen Commissioners to the 
 General Assembly, which met in Buffalo, New York, the next 
 month. The third Thursday of April and the last Thursday of 
 October were appointed the times for the stated meetings. 
 
 A permanent committee on Missions was appointed, also a 
 committee to mature a plan for scholarship in Austin College. 
 The minutes of the next meeting make no mention of the Com- 
 missioners to the General Assembly reporting their attendance, 
 and probably neither of them attended. 
 
 Permission was given licentiates T. W. Erwin and L,. Tenney 
 to labor within the Presbytery. The latter, though not a mem- 
 ber, was present at this and the next meeting. 
 
 The Second Meeting was at the String Prairie church, October 
 26, 1854. All the ministers were present, and Ruling Elders J. 
 H. Hutchings, Austin; W. C. Cunningham, String Prairie; T. 
 W. Archibald, Oak Island; A. V. Sea, Deer Creek; Dr. Thos. 
 Barbee, Round Rock. Rev. J. T. Balch was Moderator. At 
 this meeting licentiate T. W. Erwin was ordained, Rev. Michael 
 Dickson was received from the Presbytery of Talladyer. The 
 churches of Round Rock, organized by Rev. W. M. Baker, and 
 Chambers Creek, organized by Rev. J. T. Balch, were received, 
 and the name of Deer Creek church changed to Carolina. A 
 committee was appointed to confer with a candidate, T. J. Stone, 
 understood to be residing within the Presbytery. This commit- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 5 
 
 tee was continued for several sessions without meeting Mr. S. 
 He left the State, but returned about 1878 or '79, and preached 
 in the Presbytery of Dallas. 
 
 Earnest action was taken on the subjects of Systematic Benevo- 
 lence, taking collections for the boards and ministerial support. 
 It was resolved to establish a perpetual scholarship in Austin 
 College. The plan adopted was to pay the interest annually, 
 $50, and the churches were assessed at the rate of 20 cents per 
 member to raise the money. This interest was paid four years, 
 and in 1858 something over $100 was paid on the principal. But 
 the scholarship was never issued, and in April, 1859, it was voted 
 to recede from the action.. Rev. J. T. Balch and Elder A. H. 
 Cook were elected Commissioners to the next General Assembly. 
 All the members who sat in this Presbytery, except T. W. Erwin, 
 who sat for a short time after his his ordination, have gone to 
 their reward; the last of them Elder J. H.Hutchins, who died 
 at his home in Austin, July 22, 1893. 
 
 The Third Meeting was held at the Oak Island church, April 
 19, 1855. All the ministers were present except Mr. Erwin, and 
 Elders Jas. Means, Oak Island; Richard Sansom, Round Rock; 
 John Loughridge, Chambers Creek; A. V. Sea, Carolina, and 
 W. B. McAllister, Blue Ridge. In the fall or early winter of 
 1854, six ministers arrived in Texas from Indiana; five of them 
 in one company — Samuel Taylor, Thos. Alexander and J. M. 
 McChord, men advanced in life, and Robert F. Taylor, a son, 
 and W. C. Rice, a son-in-law of Samuel Taylor. The three 
 former stopped near Waco. The two young men went to the 
 Eastern Texas Presbytery, and a few years after to the east of 
 the Mississippi. 
 
 Mr. Rice died young. Mr. Taylor while in Eastern Texas sup- 
 plied the Lancaster church, in this Presbytery, for a short time. 
 The sixth was R. M. Overstreet, who settled at Georgetown. 
 Messrs. S. Taylor, Alexander and McChord were received by the 
 Presbytery at this meeting, also L. Tenney, who had been or- 
 dained by the Brazos Presbytery in the fall, and dismissed to this 
 Presbytery. He had spent the previous summer preaching and 
 teaching at Round Top. Mr. Overstreet was present but had 
 not his dismission. The church of Blue Ridge, organized by 
 Rev. J. T. Balch, was received. Messrs. Taylor, Alexander and 
 McChord were appointed to organize a church at Waco. 
 
 Messrs. Taylor and McChord were recommended to the Board 
 of Domestic Missions for salaries of $300 each, to labor on the 
 frontier. Mr. Taylor died on the 9th of June following. Mr. 
 McChord did not meet the Presbytery again to make any report 
 of his labors, and was dismissed the next spring to the Presby- 
 
6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 tery of Vincennes, having left the State perhaps during the sum- 
 mer. Mr. Taylor was a native of Nova Scotia, but reared prin- 
 cipally in New Hampshire and Ohio. He had preached in Ken- 
 tucky and Indiana for about thirty-two years, and was in his six- 
 tieth year at his death. 
 
 The practice of appointing two ministers to preach on specified 
 subjects at following meeting, was commenced at this time. 
 Some subjects occupying the attention of the church at large at 
 the time were considered. The matter of establishing a Board 
 of Missions at New Orleans was favored. A proposed change 
 of the Church Extension Committee of the B. of D. M. to a 
 Board was disapproved. The Board of Publication was request- 
 ed to commission Dr. Thos. Barbee, an elder of Round Rock 
 church, as a colporteur. This request was granted, and Dr. Bar- 
 bee spent several months in the work, but died during the next 
 year. The churches of Round Rock and Carolina were recom- 
 mended to the Board of Missions for aid. It may be added here 
 that during the years previous to the civil war every church in 
 the Presbytery, except String Prairie, applied for and received 
 recommendations for aid. 
 
 The Fourth Meeting was held at the Round Top church, on 
 October 27, 1855. Only five of the nine ministers now belong- 
 ing to the Presbytery were present — Baker, Alexander, Balch, 
 Bunting and Tenuey — and Elders A. R. Jones, Round Top; T. 
 W. Archibald, Oak Island; Richard Sansom, Round Rock. 
 
 Rev. Daniel Baker, D. D., was present and preached several 
 sermons during the time of the meeting. 
 
 T. W. Erwin was dismissed to Bethel Presbytery, having left 
 the State several months before. He returned to Texas about 
 1880, and is now in Dallas Presbytery. R. M. Overstreet, having 
 been in the Presbytery about a year, being known to the mem- 
 bers and giving good reasons for not being present, was received 
 as a member without examination, the Presbytery thereby incur- 
 ring the censure of the Synod. The first church organized in 
 McLennan county, organized by the committee appointed for the 
 purpose, with seventeen members, was received. Rev. J. T. 
 Balch reported his attendance on the last General Assembly, and 
 Rev. R. F. Bunting and Elder A. H. Cook were elected commis- 
 sioners to the next Assembly. In those early years no provision 
 was made to pay the expenses of the ruling elder commissioner, 
 and if one was not found to pay his own expenses, none went. 
 C. J. Erwin was received as a candidate for the ministry, but 
 never entered it for want of the required education. 
 
 In connection with the free conversation on the state of reli- 
 gion, it is said: Considerable interest was reported in some of the 
 
PRESBYTERV OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 7 
 
 churches, and in general an encouraging state of things. The 
 ministers generally reported having fulfilled the requirement to 
 preach two Sabbaths in destitute places. Supplies were appointed 
 for the vacant churches. 
 
 The Fifth Meeting was held at the Carolina church, April 17, 
 1856. Ministers present — Wilson, Alexander, Balch, Dickson, 
 Baker, Tenney. Absent — Bunting and Overstreet. Elders J. J. 
 Long, Carolina; Thos. Barbee, Georgetown; J. McFarland, 1st 
 church McLennan county; James Means, Oak Island; H. Steele, 
 Blue Ridge; W. Smythe, Austin; W. R. Hudson, Milford. 
 
 Rev. Bunting had left the Presbytery and commenced his work 
 at San Antonio. Having been elected commissioner to the Gen- 
 eral Assembly at the fall meeting, he did not ask for a dismission, 
 but went to the Assembly. The office of stated clerk was declared 
 vacant and Rev. L,. Tenney elected to fill it. From this time the 
 clerk received $20 per year for his work, until 1887, when it was 
 increased to $40. The Milford church, organized by Rev. M. 
 Dickson, June 25, 1855, w * tn twenty members, was received. 
 Rev. L- Tenney was installed pastor of Carolina church. This 
 relation continued till the end of the year 1859. Half of his 
 time was given to the Carolina church and much of the time he 
 had a monthly appointment at Marlin and at Belton. 
 
 The Sixth Meeting was held at Georgetown, October 30, 1856. 
 Six ministers present. B> an oversight, doubtless, presence of 
 elders not noted. Rev. F. Bunting was dismissed. Rev. Jos. 
 Boone was received from the Brazos Presbytery. Rev. M. Dick- 
 son reported the organization of the Lancaster church, with nine 
 members. Rev. R. M. Overstreet was elected commissioner to the 
 General Assembly, but the alternate, Jos. Boone, attended. Elder 
 Wm. Smythe, of Austin, was also elected commissioner, and at- 
 tended — the first elder the Presbytery had in the Assembly. The 
 Presbytery had called on the Board of Missions for quite a large 
 amount of money and at this meeting a letter was received set- 
 ting forth the necessities of the Board. It met a suitable response 
 and generally the churches were liberal, for their means, in giv- 
 ing. The narrative at this meeting says: "There are many things 
 to discourage, especially the unsettled state of the churches. But 
 there appears to be a good degree of diligence and fidelity in 
 preaching the Word. Good attendance on preaching generally, 
 and reason to believe that our church is exerting a healthful in- 
 fluence in this part of the State." 
 
 The Seventh Meeting was held at Austin, April 17, 1857. 
 Ministers present— Alexander, Dickson, Baker, Tenney, Wilson, 
 Overstreet. Absent — Balch and Boone. Only two elders re- 
 ported present— A. H. Cook, of Austin, and Samuel Carothers. 
 
8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Pleasant Hill had been organized by Rev. Overstreet, Feb. 14. 
 In the reports concerning collections it is noted that no collec- 
 tions had been taken in the Austin church on account of the ab- 
 sence of the pastor during the greater part of the year. Nearly 
 all the churches reported collections. This meeting was held a 
 few days after one of the most disastrous spring freezes in the 
 history of the country — two freezes, indeed, five or six days 
 apart. The wheat was killed in all the wheat growing region, 
 the young corn also, and as old corn was very scarce in the 
 country, the prospect was gloomy indeed. In view of this and 
 of the spiritual dearth, Wednesday, the 29th of the month, was 
 appointed a day of fasting and prayer, to be observed by our 
 churches. A form for keeping session books was adopted and 
 recommended to the sessions, and though not followed in full, it 
 has probably had a good deal of influence since upon the man- 
 ner of keeping the books. It was drawn up by Rev. M. Dickson. 
 
 The Eighth Meeting was held in the Milford church, October 
 29, 1857. Six ministers present; absent, Alexander and Baker. 
 Only two elders present, J. Means, of Oak Island, and H. G. 
 Bostwick, of Milford. On account of the small number of 
 elders present at several meetings, a rule was adopted that each 
 minister present, if unaccompanied by an elder, should give a 
 reason therefor. The minutes of the meeting show the usual 
 earnest attention to the spiritual situation and to benevolent work. 
 Yet the narrative says: "There have been no revivals and few 
 additions — worldly- mindedness perhaps more than usually prev- 
 alent. Yet there is manifestly a growing interest in, and in- 
 creasing attendance upon the preaching of the Word. There is 
 also a pressing desire in every direction for the labors of minis- 
 ters of our church." A committee was appointed to inquire into 
 the expedience of establishing a Presbyterial Academy. 
 
 The Presbytery met by adjournment November 6th, during 
 the sessions of Synod at Palestine, and received Rev. A. J. 
 Loughridge from the Presbytery of Eastern Texas. 
 
 The Presbytery now contained nine ministers and thirteen 
 churches. For several years there was little change in the situa- 
 tion, and little growth. The narratives from time to time show 
 that the members of the Presbytery were alive to the condition 
 of things, and were earnestly at work. 
 
 The Ninth Meeting was held at the String Prairie church, 
 April 8th, 1858. Present, six ministers; absent, Alexander, 
 Balch and Baker. Two elders only were present. Mr. Baker 
 was absent from the Presbytery for several months at this time, 
 writing his biography of his father, Rev. Dr. Daniel Baker. The 
 effort to have two presbyterial sermons at each meeting had not 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 9 
 
 been very successful, and at this time the rule was changed, and 
 only one appointed. The Oak Island church was recommended 
 to the Church Extension committee for aid — $250 — to complete 
 their house of worship. The General Assembly, at New Orleans, 
 this year was attended by Rev. L. Tenney. 
 
 The Tenth Meeting was held at the Oak Island church, Oc- 
 tober 28th, 1858. Present, six ministers; absent, Baker, Balch, 
 Boone. Only one elder reported present. Rev. Thos. Alexander 
 had removed to Oak Island some time before, and at this meet- 
 ing he received a call and was installed pastor of the Oak Island 
 church. The installation sermon did double duty, being also a 
 dedication sermon for the new house of worship. The first meet- 
 ing of the Presbytery with this church was held in a log build- 
 ing. Rev. J. T. Balch was dismissed to the Presbytery of Red 
 River. He died at Minden, La., about the end of the year 1861. 
 He was a native (probably) of Tennessee; had preached in 
 Arkansas some time before coming to Texas, and when this Pres- 
 bytery was organized was stated supply to the Oak Island church, 
 in which work he continued till a short time before he left the 
 State. At this meeting, appointments were made for a visitation 
 of the churches of the Presbytery, two ministers being sent to 
 each church. 
 
 The Eleventh Meeting was held at Carolina church, April 21st, 
 1859. Five ministers present; three absent. Four elders pres- 
 ent. The committee on Presbyterial Academy reported that it 
 had no action to recommend, and the subject was dropped. 
 After the death of the colporteur, Dr. Barbee, the books he had 
 on hand had been taken by the members of the Presbytery, to 
 pay for and dispose of as best they could. An effort had been 
 made to get another colporteur, but was unsuccessful. It had 
 been proposed also that each minister should take $12 worth of 
 books annually, and dispose of them. The report at this meet- 
 ing showed only a very small measure of success. T. M. Carter, 
 a licentiate of Transylvania Presbytery, was given permission to 
 labor in the Presbytery. He had prepared for the ministry, but 
 a serious impediment in his speech prevented his preaching 
 much. After the war, he joined a colony to Brazil, and died 
 there. A second appointment was made for a visitation of the 
 churches, going "two and two." The appointments made at 
 the last meeting were reported generally filled. The Presbyter}' 
 was represented in the General Assembly this year by Rev. T. 
 Alexander and Dr. R. S. Shannon, elder, of La Grange. 
 
 The Twelfth Meeting was at La Grange, October 28th, 1859. 
 Present, five ministers and three ruling elders. Rev. Amzi Brad- 
 shaw, from Tennessee, a minister of the New School church, had 
 
IO HISTORY OF THE 
 
 preached for some time at La Grange, and died there June 5th, 
 1859. A memorial of him was placed on the records of the 
 Presbytery. The subject of the committee of Missions, to be 
 established at New Orleans, came before the Presbytery, and the 
 clerk was directed to correspond with the Secretary of the Board 
 of Missions with regard to the meaning of the act establishing 
 the committee. The objection to it was that it threw the church 
 in the South entirely on its own resources, the board at Philadel- 
 phia not being expected to give any aid, a thing which we had 
 not previously supposed was intended. 
 
 The Thirteenth Meeting was held at Georgetown, April 19th, 
 i860. Present, six ministers. Only one elder present, R. San- 
 som, of Georgetown. Rev. J. M. McChord having returned from 
 Indiana, was present, but was not received till the next meet- 
 ing. A resolution was passed cordially approving the establish- 
 ing of the "Advisory Committee of Missions" at New Orleans. 
 Rev. R. M. Overstreet was commissioner to the General Assem- 
 bly. The narrative of the state of religion makes a comparison 
 with the state of things four years before, to show how little 
 growth there had been, with all the labor expended. In '56, 8 
 ministers, 2 candidates, 11 churches, 27 added on examination, 
 45 on certificate, 13 colored communicants, 328 total number of 
 communicants, 7 adults and 36 infants baptized, 227 children in 
 Sabbath-schools, $3771 total contributions. In '60, 8 ministers, 
 no candidates, 13 churches, 16 added on examination, 24 on 
 certificate, 11 colored communicants, 386 total communicants, 2 
 adults and 21 infants baptized, 117 children in Sabbath-schools, 
 $4599 total contributions. 
 
 The Fourteenth Meeting was held at Round Top, October 
 27th, i860. Present, five ministers and three ruling elders. An 
 overture was ordered to be sent to the Synod to divide the Pres- 
 bytery on the line of the Brazos river, and to add to the new 
 Presbytery on the east side of the river the counties of L,eon and 
 Robertson from the Brazos Presbytery. A committee was ap- 
 pointed on application of persons at Clifton to organize a church 
 at that place. 
 
 The Fifteenth Meeting took place at the Blue Ridge church, 
 April 1 8th, 1861. Present, five ministers; absent, four. Four 
 elders enrolled. The churches of North Bosque and of Belton 
 were received under the care of the Presbytery. The Stated 
 Clerk, L. Tenney, being engaged in teaching, which for the time 
 prevented his regular attendance at the meetings, sent in his 
 resignation. Rev. J. M. McChord was elected clerk. Rev. Wm. 
 Baker was chosen commissioner to the General Assembly, and 
 attended the memorable session of that body in Philadelphia in 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. II 
 
 May, 1 86 1. He did not meet the Presbytery to afterwards ren- 
 der a report of his attendance. The story was told by some who 
 were there, that in making a speech upon the issues of the day, 
 he began with, "I am the son of Daniel Baker," and went on to 
 say that he was glad that his father had not lived to see that 
 day. 
 
 The Sixteenth Meeting was held at Milford, October 10th, 
 1861. The troubles of the "war times" were beginning to be 
 heavily felt, and the Presbytery was called upon to define its po- 
 sition in regard to the changes taking place in church relations. 
 Yet the meeting was a small one, M. Dickson, J. M. McChord 
 and L/. Tenney being the only ministers present. The ruling 
 elders were Dr. T. L. C. Means, of Oak Island; T. W. Archi- 
 bald, of North Bosque; H. G. Bostwick, of Milford, and A. V. 
 Lea, of Carolina. The usual routine of business was gone 
 through. Rev. S. Martin, of Ningpo Presbytery, received per- 
 mission to preach for the Lancaster Presbytery till the next 
 meeting. Mr. Martin had spent some time as a missionary in 
 China, and expected to return there. Whether he did or not, 
 the writer is not able to say. 
 
 The following paper was adopted: 
 
 Whereas, The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church 
 in the United States of America, by declaring in their resolution, 
 that we are under obligations to promote and to perpetuate, so 
 far as in us lies, the integrity of the United States, and to 
 strengthen, uphold and encourage the Federal Government, has 
 required of its members in the Confederate States to do that 
 which would be treasonable against the powers that be in these 
 States, thereby leaving no course open for us to pursue but to 
 separate from that General Assembly; therefore, be it 
 
 Resolved, 1st. That our connection with the General x\ssembly 
 of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America be 
 and is hereby dissolved. 
 
 2nd. That this Presbytery will appoint commissioners to 
 unite with commissioners from the other Presbyteries in the Con- 
 federate States in organizing a General Assembly, at Augusta, 
 Georgia, on the 4th day of December next, or at whatever time 
 and place the majority of them may designate, and to consult, 
 vote and determine on all things that may come before that body 
 according to the principles and constitution of this church in the 
 Confederate States of America. 
 
 Another resolution affirmed adherence to the constitution as it 
 then existed. 
 
 Rev. L. Tenney and Elder J. H. Dobbin were chosen commis- 
 
12 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 sioners to the Assembly. The former attended the meeting, the 
 latter did not. 
 
 The narrative noted the fact, that in the midst of general cold- 
 ness one church, Carolina, showed signs of a revival, and an ap- 
 pointment was for a protracted meeting there. 
 
 The Seventeenth Meeting was held at Carolina church, April 
 17th, 1862. Present, four ministers and three ruling elders. 
 Rev. Jos. Boone was dismissed to Brazos Presbytery. Commis- 
 sioners were appointed to the General Assembly, but it would 
 have been scarcely possible for them to attend. Appointments 
 were made for missionary work as usual. Mr. Boone had spent 
 most of the time he was in the Presbytery at La Grange, preach- 
 ing to that and the Round Top churches. He was the first Texas 
 raised young man, though not a native of this State, to enter the 
 ministry of our church. 
 
 The Eighteenth Meeting was appointed to be held at Belton, 
 October 30, 1862. Only two ministers appearing, preaching was 
 kept up each day till Sabbath night. In connection with this 
 meeting the writer made one of the horseback trips which made 
 those times memorable to the ministers who were preaching here. 
 Two days' ride to the Presbytery, thence to Chappell Hill, three 
 days, to attend the meeting of the Synod. Arriving there, he 
 found himself necessary to a quorum, being the only one present 
 from this Presbytery, and only two other Presbyteries represented. 
 Returning, the Sabbath was spent at Carolina to preach a funeral 
 sermon for some young persons who had died of disease, brought 
 from the army, the trip occupying three weeks. This was the 
 only meeting of the Synod from November, i860, till May, 1865. 
 
 The Nineteenth Meeting was at Oak Island church, April 16th, 
 1863. Present, three ministers and three ruling elders. The 
 usual routine was gone through. A petition to the Synod was 
 adopted to change its time of meeting from November to October. 
 The older members could not attend the meetings in November 
 on account of the danger of exposure to cold. The narrative 
 speaks of some encouraging things, especially several conversions 
 reported at Austin. 
 
 The Twentieth Meeting at String Prairie, October, 1863, failed 
 for lack of a quorum. The Twenty-first was held at String Prai- 
 rie, April 2i, 1864. Present, three ministers and one ruling 
 elder. This meeting was saddened by two things. Bro. Lough- 
 ridge had come from his home at Blue Ridge, but before the time 
 for meeting, a messenger came to call him home on account of 
 the dangerous illness of his wife, He reached home just in -time 
 to see her breathe her last. The other was the call to commem- 
 orate the death of Rev. Thos. Alexander, a month before. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. I 3 
 
 Mr. Alexander was born near Paris, Kentucky, March 29th, 
 1800. He studied theology at Princeton, and spent a year in 
 missionary labor in Western Missouri. He preached for a num- 
 ber of years at Selma, Ala. An elder who had known him there, 
 when he heard he was in Texas, said he never saw a better 
 trained Presbyterian community than that which grew up under 
 Mr. Alexander at Selma. After spending several years in In- 
 diana, he came to Texas, as has been said, in 1854. After the 
 organization of the McLennan county church he preached for it 
 at two or three points, and did missionary work besides, till he 
 was called to Oak Island. He died March 26th, 1864. A young- 
 er brother of his was one of the early missionaries of the Ameri- 
 can Board at the Hawaiian Islands. 
 
 Rev. R. M. Loughridge was received from the Presbytery of 
 the Creek Nation. For the first time the election of commis- 
 sioners to the General Assembly and preparation of statistical 
 report were omitted. The churches were called upon to con- 
 tribute for the support of the missionaries in the Indian Terri- 
 tory who were cut off from help from the east of the Mississippi. 
 "Lights and shadows." While this meeting was in progress, the 
 members were invited to attend the marriage of a grand-daugh- 
 ter of Father Wilson to a returned student. 
 
 The Twenty-second Meeting took place at Carolina church, 
 October 6th, 1864. Present, six ministers and five ruling elders. 
 No business of special importance transacted. The usual reports 
 were rendered on missionary labor, showing a good degree of ac- 
 tivity in the members, and the narrative had some encouraging 
 things, among others that the people were less disposed than 
 they had been to make the stress of the times an excuse for not 
 attending to duty. 
 
 The Twenty-third Meeting was at Milford, March 30th, 1865. 
 Present, three ministers and one ruling elder. Rev. Hillery 
 Mosely was received from the Presbytery of Eastern Texas, and 
 permission given the Oak Island church to employ him. He had 
 been teaching for some time at Woodland, six miles from Oak 
 Island church. The name of the first church of McLennan 
 county was changed to Waco. Revs. W. M. and S. A. King 
 were present as corresponding members. The narrative shows 
 the coloring that had prevailed largely during the war— a good 
 degree of interest in the churches generally, some conversions, 
 and a desire to hear the gospel where it is not preached, notwith- 
 standing the wickedness which in such a time largely prevailed 
 in the country. The Synod having been called to meet in La 
 Grange in May, the Presbytery adjourned to meet there. At 
 that time, the union between our General Assembly and the 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 United Synod having been consummated, Revs. W. M. and S. 
 A. King, acccording to the terms of that union, became members 
 of the Presbytery. Rev. W. A. Smith was received from the 
 Presbytery of Western Texas. In making this trip to La Grange, 
 nearly 200 miles from Milford, an incident occurred not easily 
 forgotten. A party of four reaching Cameron just at night, could 
 find no place of entertainment, but were told we could procure 
 lodging two miles farther on across Little river. Father Dickson 
 was feeling the infirmities of age and ill health, and was nearly 
 worn out. The writer, having an acquaintance in town whose 
 hospitality he thought he could venture to test, took Father 
 Dickson with him to the house, where we were cordially received. 
 Rev. S. A. King and Elder H. G. Bostwick crossed the river, and 
 following the directions given, found themselves in the dense 
 woods without a road and darkness upon them. They were upon 
 what in high water was an island and no road across it. After 
 feeling their way about for an hour or two, they heard the bark- 
 ing of a dog, and by following the sound succeeded in getting 
 out, and arrived at their destination about 9 o'clock. Their host, 
 finding where they had been, told them that, though he had 
 hunted over that place many a time, and knew every foot of it, 
 if he should get caught in there at night, he would not attempt 
 to get out tiil daylight. Rev. S. A. King attended the meeting 
 of the General Assembly at Macon this year. 
 
 The Twenty-fourth Meeting was held at the Oak Island church, 
 September 28th, 1865. Present, five ministers and two ruling 
 elders. The stated clerk, J. M. McChord, was residing at this 
 time in Grayson county. He resigned, and L- Tenney was 
 elected to the office. The churches were charged to send up 
 statistical reports to the next meeting, as this had not been done 
 for some time. A Domestic Missionary Committee was appoint- 
 ed, but could not accomplish much. Mr. McChord, though liv- 
 ing at Sherman, was preaching at the Lancaster church, and dur- 
 ing the autumn held a protracted meeting there, at which there 
 were sixteen or eighteen added to the church on profession of 
 faith — one bright spot in the general darkness. The narrative 
 speaks of the ministers being hampered in their work by the 
 necessity of laboring at other employments for support. 
 
 The Twenty-fifth Meeting was at Georgetown, March 29th, 
 1866. The ministers present were M. Dickson, W. M. and S. A. 
 King, R. M. and A. J. Loughridge and R. M. Overstreet, Ruling 
 Elder R. Sansom, of Georgetown, and A. McMillan, of County 
 Line church, recently organized by Rev. H. Moseley. 
 
 Mr. Sansom offered a resolution at this meeting signed by 
 himself and Mr. Overstreet: "That this Presbytery now take 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 15 
 
 steps to return to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian 
 church in the United States of America." It was discussed, and 
 when brought to a vote only those who had signed it voted for 
 it. A report on the minutes of the General Assembly expressed 
 hearty concurrence in and co-operation with the measures pro- 
 prosed by the Assembly to get the church in working order, and 
 approval of the statements of the Assembly concerning our rela- 
 tions to the Northern church, and warned the members and ses- 
 sions of our churches against entertaining or employing any who 
 might come among us to divide and destroy. Rev. R. M. Over- 
 street was dismissed to the Presbytery of Indianapolis. A let- 
 ter was received from Mr. Baker, asking that the pastoral rela- 
 tion between himself and the Austin church be dissolved. As 
 the Presbytery had no intimation of the wishes of the church in 
 this matter, it was deferred to an adjourned meeting in Melford, 
 April 21st. At this time a letter was received from Rev. T. 
 McRae, who was preaching to the Austin church, stating that 
 the church gave consent to the dissolution of the pastoral rela- 
 tion, but declined to send a delegate to the meeting because it 
 disclaimed all connection with this Presbytery. It was decided 
 to give Mr. Baker a letter dismissing him to Zanesville Presby- 
 tery, but no action was taken on the dissolution of the pastoral 
 relation. 
 
 The statistical report of this year, the first sent to the South- 
 ern General Assembly, showed the Presbytery to consist of ten 
 ministers and fifteen churches, with 335 members. The total 
 contributions reported were $2,340. 
 
 The Twenty-sixth Meeting was at Lancaster, September 29, 
 1866. Present, five ministers and three ruling elders. Rev. S. 
 
 A. King was elected Commissioner to the General Assemby, to 
 meet in November, in Memphis. Jas. C. Milford, was alternate 
 elder, and attended the Assembly. The Presbytery continued 
 to urge upon the churches more earnest action in every depart- 
 ment of Christian work. Details would unnecessarily encum- 
 ber these pages. A committee was appointed to address the 
 churches on the subject of representation in the Presbytery. 
 
 The Twenty-seventh Meeting was held at String Prairie church, 
 April 4, 1867. Present, five ministers and two ruling elders. Rev. 
 
 B. Y. George was received from the Presbytery of Londonderry, 
 P. C, U. S. A. This brother took this road to Missouri, as 
 he could not at that time get a letter to the portion of the 
 church in Missouri which was being treated as in rebellion. 
 
 The Twenty-eighth Meeting took place at Eutaw, near where 
 Kosse now stands, August 15, 1867. Present, seven ministers 
 and three ruling elders. Mr. Dickson and Ruling Elder W. 
 
16 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 T. M. Dickson, of Oak Island church, were elected commission- 
 ers to the General Assembly. The latter attended the meeting 
 at Nashville, Tennessee. After this the General Assembly met 
 in May. The Synod at its meeting in July had appointed an 
 evangelist for each of the Presbyteries; this Presbytery, Rev. 
 S. A. King. The Presbytery recognized the appointment, and 
 authorized the evangelist to organize churches, and in making 
 appointments for vacant churches requested those appointed to 
 meet the evangelist on his visits to the several places. Appoint- 
 ments were also made according to the order of the General As- 
 sembly of Ruling Elders, to hold services in the vacant churches. 
 No report of this kind of work done, however, appears ever to 
 have been made. Mr. King spent several months in the work, 
 giving, however, a part of this time to the churches of Milford 
 and Waco, which he had been previously supplying. He organ- 
 ized two churches, Corsicana and Dallas. There had been a 
 church organized at Dallas several years before, but it had dis- 
 appeared. Most of his time was spent, however, in building up 
 the weak churches already existing. Austin and Georgetown, 
 at this time, required especially this kind of work. 
 
 The new book of Church Order having been adopted by the 
 Assembly of 1866, came before the Presbytery. It was voted 
 that in view of the unsettled state of the church, it would be 
 well to defer it to a more convenient season; also that as it had 
 been so short a time before us we decline to vote on the question 
 of its adoption. 
 
 On the subject of benevolence, it was recommended that each 
 church should have a book in which should be enrolled the 
 names of those who would give 5 cents a week, those who would 
 give 10 cents a week, and so on up to 25 cents a week. This 
 was to be in addition to the quarterly collections enjoined by the 
 General Assembly. 
 
 The first pro rata meeting of the Presbytery was held at Rob- 
 inson, February 15, 1868, to dismiss Rev. B. Y. George to the 
 Presbytery of Missouri. 
 
 The Twenty-ninth Meeting was held at the County Line 
 church, April 3d, 1868. Present, six ministers and five ruling 
 elders. Rev. Neill McDonald was received from the Presbytery 
 of Fayetteville. One part of the business of this meeting was 
 the adoption of a memorial of the life and services of Rev. Hugh 
 Wilson, who had died on the eighth of March. A committee of 
 sustentation, to act in concert with the Assembly's Executive 
 Committee, was appointed, the beginning of the present system 
 of corresponding committees. The narrative says: Owing to the 
 prostration of every kind of business, and the uncertainty which 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 1 7 
 
 hangs like a pall over the future, the energies of the church are 
 to a great extent paralyzed, yet a large majority of our churches 
 are carrying out the plan of systematic benevolence, etc. Rev. 
 H. Moseley was commissioner to the General Assembly. 
 
 Rev. Hugh Wilson was born in North Carolina, March 16th, 
 1794. He was the eldest son of Rev. L> F. Wilson, of Fourth 
 Creek church, of whom an account may be found in Foote's 
 Sketches of North Carolina. He was educated at the College of 
 New Jersey, and the Theological Seminary at Princeton. He 
 was married at Princeton, June 12, 1822, to Miss Kthelinda Hall. 
 Soon after he went as a missionary to the Choctaw Indians, and 
 three years after established a mission station, on Cane creek, 
 among the Chickasaws, about eighteen miles from Tuscumbia, 
 Alabama, where he remained about seven years. When they 
 sold their lands, he removed to Tennessee, where he resided five 
 years, preaching to the Mountain church (said to be the church 
 now called Mt. Carmel). In 1837, he visited Texas, coming as 
 far west as Washington county. He removed his family to the 
 State in 1838. Stopping for some time at San Augustine, he 
 organized there, May, 1838, the first Presbyterian church in the 
 State. In February, 1839, he organized the church at Inde- 
 pendence, and April 3d, 1840, with Revs. W. Y. Allen and John 
 McCullough and Elder John McFarland, who had come west 
 with him, from San Augustine, organized the Presbytery of 
 Brazos. He organized the church at Gay Hill, so long the 
 charge of the late Dr. J. W. Miller, and resided there for some 
 time. In 1850, he removed to Burleson county, where, in 1852, 
 he organized the String Prairie church, to which he continued 
 to preach till just before his death, which occurred after a short 
 illness, on the 8th of March, 1868. He was married in 1858, to 
 his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Reid, widow of a missionary in 
 the Indian Territory, and sister of Revs. R. M. and A. J. Lough- 
 ridge. One daughter alone of his family is now living. 
 
 Not alone the connection of Mr. Wilson with the early history 
 of our church in the State, but his personal character and the af- 
 fection he inspired in every one who knew him, made this sepa- 
 ration more than ordinarily a sad one to those who remained be- 
 hind. He was a singularly modest and retiring man, preferring 
 the seclusion of a country charge, yet he was a forcible and in- 
 structive preacher, and faithful, working and successful pastor. 
 His end was peace. 
 
 The Thirtieth Meeting was held at Milford August 27, 1868. 
 Present, eight ministers and seven elders. The Corsicana church 
 was received. 
 
 The Thirty-first Meeting was held at Carolina church April 
 
1 8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 15, 1869. Present, six ministers and eight ruling elders. Rev. 
 J. A, Smylie was at this meeting, and the Milford church was 
 given leave to employ him. Rev. T. J. Bonner, of the U. R. 
 Presbyterian church was a corresponding member. Mr. Bonner 
 during the time he preached at the County Line church was 
 quite a regular attendant at the meetings of the Presbytery. The 
 standing rules of the Presbytery were collected and embodied. 
 A report to the General Assembly on Sabbath-schools, shows in 
 seven schools about 400 scholars, the others churches working 
 with Union schools, or for lack of church buildings or other 
 causes having no schools. This is the first report to the Assem- 
 bly on this subject. Rev. A. J. Loughridge and Elder R. H. Orr, 
 of Milford, attended the General Assembly this year. 
 
 The Thirty-second Meeting took place at Waco, October 28, 
 1869. Present, including those received, ten ministers and 
 eight elders. Three ministers absent. Revs. J. A. Smylie, of the 
 Presbytery of Tombigbee, J. A. Walker, of South Alabama and 
 Robert McCoy, of Bethel, were received. Dr. A. A. Porter, hav- 
 ing visited the State in behalf of the Home Mission Committee 
 in the fall of 1868, had now returned to Texas, and permission 
 was given to the Austin church to employ him. The name of 
 the String Prairie church was changed to Hugh Wilson. 
 
 The subject of the pastoral relation came before the body on 
 resolutions of the Assembly and Synod. It was answered that 
 the weakness of our churches prevented the formation of the re- 
 lation, that there was careful Presbyterial supervision of the 
 working of the system of State supplies, and the attention of 
 the stronger churches was called to the matter. The church at 
 large was at this time calling loudly for active labor and liberal 
 contributions in all departments, and the Presbytery responded 
 heartily, urging upon the churches their liberal and active par- 
 ticipation. The subject of an endowment of $50,000 for the 
 Publication Committee was presented, and an effort resolved on 
 to endeavor to raise for the purpose an amount equal to 20 cents 
 per communicant. 
 
 The Thirty-third Meeting was held at Austin, April 20, 1870. 
 Present, six ministers and six elders. Dr. A. A. Porter was re- 
 ceived from the Presbytery of South Carolina. R. M. Lough- 
 ridge was dismissed to Western Texas Presbytery, and Mr. Mc- 
 Coy to Eastern Texas. A. J. Loughridge accepted a call to the 
 pastorate of the Hugh Wilson church, and was duly installed on 
 the first Sabbath of July. Committees were appointed to visit the 
 churches receiving aid from the sustentation fund to stimulate 
 them to do their whole duty in sustaining themselves. The 
 new book of Church Order was before the body. The judgment 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 19 
 
 was expressed that no change should be made in the dresent 
 form of government and book of discipline. S. A. King and 
 Elder R. G. Cooke went to the General Assembly. 
 
 The Thirty-fourth Meeting was held at Oak Island, November 
 1, 1870. Present, twelve ministers and ten ruling elders. No 
 ministers absent. This full attendance was partly due to the 
 fact that the Synod was to meet there just after the Presby- 
 tery. The Synod, with the consent of the Presbytery, trans- 
 ferred the churches of La Grange and Round Top at their own 
 request to the Brazos Presbytery. The Richland church in the 
 western part of Navarro county, organized by Rev. J. A. Smylie 
 with fourteen members, was received. The narrative without 
 specifying particulars, speaks of "delightful revivals in several 
 of the churches." In view of rapidly increasing immigration to 
 the country, Rev. McDonald was commissioned evangelist for the 
 unoccupied territory east of the Brazos for the unemployed part 
 of his time, and Rev. L. Tenney for that west of the Brazos. The 
 former resigned at the next meeting of the Presbytery, and dur- 
 ing the year removed from Lancaster to the Unity church in 
 Coryell county. The latter having only one Sabbath per month 
 unoccupied, organized in the summer following the Unity 
 church. 
 
 The second pro re nata meeting was held at Milford, February 
 8, 1871, to change the time of the spring meeting to the Thurs- 
 day before the first Sabbath of April. This made the trip to the 
 meeting at Lancaster a remarkable one on account of the rain 
 and mud encountered. Dr. Porter traveled from Austin to Waco 
 in the stage, from there Mr. Baswick took him and Rev. S. A. 
 King to Milford in his hack. The roads had become so heavy 
 that it was found necessary to make the rest of the trip on horse- 
 back. The writer had held a meeting at the North Bosque 
 church the previous Sabbath, and arrived at Milford in the rain 
 Tuesday about noon. Wednesday evening he, Dr. Porter, Mr. 
 King and Mr. Loughridge rode out six miles to Chambers creek. 
 Thursday noon they stopped at a house some miles above Wax- 
 ahachie to eat their lunch; the ground being too wet to partake 
 of it in the usual way, they found place in a friendly house. Be- 
 fore they were ready to start it commenced raining — a steady 
 down pour till nearly night. The family giving up the main 
 room to the guests, did the best they could in the shed room. 
 Just at night a young stranger also applied for shelter. This 
 gave a prospect of a crowd in one bed, which one of our party 
 avoided by improvising a pallet before the fire. Arriving at 
 Lancaster at noon on Friday, it was found that the Presbytery 
 had adjourned till night, the afternoon being thus lost for work. 
 
20 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 At night, March 30th, the opening sermon was preached. On 
 Saturday the business was gone through with in haste, but in 
 order and without any slighting. Not much time was con- 
 sumed in speech making. There were present seven ministers 
 and four ruling elders. The subject of colportage had been be- 
 fore the body for two or three meetings, and an effort made to 
 set a colporteur at work, but the committee were compelled to 
 report in substance, that at present it seemed impracticable. Dr. 
 Porter had been appointed to preach on the subject of "A call to 
 the ministry." He stated that in studying the subject to pre- 
 pare the sermon his own views had undergone a change and he 
 was not prepared to preach. The appointment was continued. 
 Dr. Porter and Elder E. H. Carter were elected commissioners to 
 the General Assembly. An arrangement was made to supply 
 each minister and ruling elder with a copy of the minutes of the 
 Assembly. 
 
 The Thirty-sixth Meeting was at Carolina church, October 28, 
 
 187 1. Present, seven ministers and nine elders. The churches 
 of Bethel and Unity were received. Rev. M. C. Conoley was re- 
 ceived from the Presbytery of Brazos. It is proper to state, to 
 show the effort of the Presbytery to bring and keep the churches 
 up to a high standard of duty in giving, that an elaborate report 
 was made at this meeting, on the whole subject of systematic 
 benevolence, showing just what each church had given in the 
 previous five years, and comparing it with what ought to be. 
 
 Dr. Porter preached his sermon on A Call to the Ministry. 
 The sermon took the ground that the usual view that a call to 
 the ministry is a special and immediate work of the spirit, is an 
 error, and that where there is a need of laborers in the vineyard, 
 the possession of the needful talents is in itself a call to the work. 
 The sermon was published in the Southern Presbyterian Review, 
 and the Presbytery had 500 copies printed from the types of the 
 Review and distributed among the churches. This publication 
 led to a discussion of the subject in the Review between Dr. Por- 
 ter and Dr. J. B. Adger. 
 
 The Thirty -seventh Meeting took place at Belton, April 18, 
 
 1872. Present, nine ministers and six elders. VVaxahachie 
 church was received. Commissions had been appointed at the 
 fall meeting to visit all the churches, and were appointed again 
 at this meeting. The subject of a new arrangement of Presby- 
 teries and division of the Synod had been before the body for 
 several sessions, but came to nothing. The commissioners to the 
 General Assembly this year were J. A. Smylie and Champe 
 Carter, Sr. 
 
 The Thirty-eighth Meeting was held at Hugh Wilson church, 
 
PRESBYTER V OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 21 
 
 October 10, 1872. Present, eight ministers and six elders. 
 Mayesfield church was received. J. M. Robinson, a licentiate of 
 South Carolina Presbytery, received permission to labor in the 
 Presbytery. R. O. Williams was received under care, as a can- 
 didate for the ministry. He had studied for a year under direc- 
 tion of the Committee of Education, and was considered a young 
 man of much promise, but at the fall meeting of the next year 
 his death was recorded. The present body of Standing Rules, 
 variously amended, however, since, was adopted. 
 
 The Thirty-ninth Meeting was at Waco, April 10, 1873. 
 Present, nine ministers and eleven ruling elders. Among the 
 visitors were Revs. E. B. Wright, of Austin Presbytery, and W. 
 Dickson, of Upper Missouri P. C, U. S. A. Mr. Wright "ad- 
 dressed the Presbytery, giving expression to strong fraternal 
 feeling." A resolution, reciprocating it, was adopted. 
 
 Caldwell church (which afterwards became Yellow Prairie 
 church) was received. Rev. J. D. Porter was given permission 
 to labor in the Presbytery at Burnet and Lampasas. It does not 
 appear that he ever rendered any report of labor there. Mr. J. 
 A. Woodburn, a licentiate, was received on certificate from Wil- 
 mington Presbytery. He never reported to the Presbytery ex- 
 cept to ask a dismission to Mecklenburg, which was given him 
 in April, 1875. 
 
 Rev. A. A. Porter, D. D., having died at his home in Austin, 
 Sabbath, December 8, 1872, an obituary of him was adopted. 
 Dr. Porter was born at Asheville, North Carolina, October 12, 
 18 1 7, but removed to South Carolina, and afterwards to Alabama, 
 while still a boy. He graduated at Princeton with the first hon- 
 ors in 1836. He studied theology at Columbia, and was licensed 
 by Tuscaloosa Presbytery in October, 1842. He preached in 
 several places until, in 1848, he became pastor of Globe Street 
 church in Charleston. In 1851, he took charge of the church in 
 Selma, Ala., and continued there till compelled, in i860, to give 
 up pastoral work by ill health. He then edited the Southern 
 Presbyterian till the close of the war. After preaching for a time 
 in Spartanburg, he visited Texas under direction of the Home 
 Mission Committee in the fall of 1868, being present at the meet- 
 ing of the Synod that year. The next May he removed to Texas 
 and entered upon the work in Austin, which continued to the 
 end of his life. Abundant testimony is borne by his co-laborers 
 in South Carolina and Alabama to his eminent ability and faith- 
 fulness in his work. 
 
 Reference has been made to the discussion between Dr. Porter 
 and Dr. Adger in the Southern Presbyterian Review of the subject 
 of A Call to the Ministry. In a note to Dr. Adger's last article, 
 
22 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 which appeared after Dr. Porter's death, he paid a hearty tribute 
 to Dr. Porter's worth, and said that since the death of Dr. Thorn- 
 well, he was second in ability to no man in the church. Though 
 laboring under many disadvantages in Texas, he was equal to the 
 expectations formed concerning him. He had a power in setting 
 forth the truth plainly and forcibly, seldom equalled. Of the 
 pungency of his preaching a judgment may be formed from the 
 remark of one who, after hearing him, said that he left less 
 ground for the sinner to stand upon than any man he ever heard. 
 The last weeks of his life were a time of much suffering; but he 
 left abundant testimony to the faithfulness of the Savior he had 
 so long trusted and so faithfully and ably preached. 
 
 Rev. Neill McDonald and Ruling Elder J. W. Shive repre- 
 sented the Presbytery in the Assembly at Little Rock. 
 
 The Fortieth Meeting was appointed to be at Austin, Novem- 
 ber 2d, 1873, but high waters prevented. A pro re nata meeting 
 was called. It was held in Houston, December 4th, and re- 
 solved "That this shall be the time and place of holding the reg- 
 ular meeting." Present, seven ministers and two ruling elders. 
 Rev. H. McDonald was received from the Presbytery of Eastern 
 Texas. 
 
 Efforts had been continued at the successive meetings to have 
 some arrangement to employ an evangelist. At this meeting, 
 the Sustentation Committee was directed to employ Rev. Dr. 
 Byers, if his services could be procured, but no way was devised 
 to secure a salary. 
 
 The Forty- first Meeting took place at Oak Island church, 
 March 26th, 1874. Present, six ministers and nine ruling elders. 
 Six ministers absent. J. A. McMurray and W. H. McCullough 
 were received as candidates for the ministry. Fort Worth 
 church, organized by a committee, J. A. Smylie chairman, was 
 received. Rev. W. M. Kilpatrick, of West Texas Presbytery, 
 received permission to labor, and supplied the Fort Worth 
 church for some time. Rev. Michael Dickson having died on 
 the 8th of March, a memorial of him was placed on record. He 
 was born February 8th, 1797, consequently was seventy-seven 
 years and one month old. He was licensed to preach in South 
 Carolina, June, 1820. He preached for some time in South Car- 
 olina and Georgia, afterwards in Alabama, whence he removed 
 to Texas in 1851. He lived at Springfield, then a flourishing 
 county seat, now, in consequence of the railroad's passing near, 
 a ploughed field, where he and his daughters were engaged in 
 teaching. Soon after the organization of the Milford church, he 
 removed to that place, and supplied the church till 1862. He 
 was also actively engaged in missionary work. He had no 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 23 
 
 charge after '63, but preached as opportunity offered and his 
 strength permitted. "He was a man pre-eminent for his spirit- 
 uality and godly walk." Presbytery adjourned to meet at Wax- 
 ahachie May 30th. At this adjourned meeting, Rev. H. B. Rose 
 was received from Abingdon Presbytery.' The Marlin church, 
 organized by H. Moseley and I,. Tenuey, was received, and li- 
 centiate W. S. Johnson received from Eastern Texas Presbytery, 
 and ordained and installed pastor of Waxahachie church. H. 
 Moseley and Elder P. McCammon, of Corsicana, went to the Gen- 
 eral Assembley. 
 
 A pro re nata meeting was held in Waco, August 12th, 1874, 
 to receive Rev. C. H. Dobbs, and appoint an evangelist, if the 
 way should be found clear. Five ministers and six elders were 
 present. Mr. Dobbs was received from Ebenezer Presbytery, 
 but no evangelist was appointed. 
 
 The Forty-second Meeting was at Corsicana, October 22d, 
 1874. Present, ten ministers and twelve elders. Rev. W. M. 
 Kilpatrick was received from the Presbytery of Western Texas. 
 The Weatherford church, organized by a committee, S. A. King, 
 chairman, was received. An evangelist, Rev. R. Mclnnis, was 
 elected. The Presbytery not being prepared to pay any definite 
 part of the salary, the Assembly's committee was asked to as- 
 sume it. But in this case, as they had done before, they de- 
 clined, as it was not in accordance with their instructions as to 
 the manner of carrying on their work. 
 
 The Forty-third Meeting took place at the Carolina church, 
 April 15th, 1875. 
 
 The churches of Robinson, Kosse, Alvarado, Eureka Valley, 
 and Comanche, were received. One candidate of the Presbytery 
 had just finished his first year in the Seminary. The Presbytery 
 had pledged itself to pay his expenses, and the churches fur- 
 nished $170, and paid $25 besides, to the central committee. 
 Eight churches were added to the list during the year, and the 
 increase of the number of communicants reported was 226, over 
 27 per cent. Rev. Neill McDonald had died February 10th. He 
 was born and reared in North Carolina, educated at Union Sem- 
 inary, and had preached about twenty-five years in Fayetteville 
 Presbytery previous to his coming to Texas, in the winter of '67 
 and '68. Till the fall of 1871, he lived at Lancaster, supplied 
 ^the church there, and also preached at Dallas, and did other 
 missionary work. He took charge of the Unity church in '71, 
 giving it half his time, preaching also to the North Bosque 
 church, and doing missionary work. He organized the Coman- 
 che church in December, '74, and it was in returning from an 
 appointment there that he took the disease that terminated his 
 
24 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 life. He was a modest, unassuming man, but an earnest, faith- 
 ful and sound preacher. He was in his sixty-third year. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting, in Austin, May 7th to 9th, Rev. J. 
 H. Grasty, D. D., was received from Louisville Presbytery, and 
 installed pastor of Austin church. 
 
 A resolution was passed approving the action of the committee 
 that had been appointed by the last Assembly to confer with a 
 committee of the Northern Assembly on the subject of fraternal 
 relations. 
 
 An overture to the Assembly was adopted, asking that there 
 be a change in the policy of the Assembly on the subject of 
 evangelistic work; the Assembly to assume the work in such 
 fields as this, and not expecting the Presbytery to pay the salary 
 of the evangelists, or a large proportion of it. The overture 
 states, among other things, that "The territory is about equal in 
 extent to one of the older States. Of the twenty-nine churches, 
 only seven own houses of worship, some of them unfinished, and 
 one or two built years ago, inadequate to their present wants. 
 Many of the members have been but a short time in the country, 
 did not bring much pecuniary means, and are struggling to get 
 their houses in a condition that they may live in some comfort. 
 The complaint of poverty is much better founded than if there 
 was not thus an urgent call for the investment of every dollar 
 beyond what is needed for their daily wants." The answer of 
 the Assembly was to authorize the committee to construe liberally 
 the provision for exceptional cases in its application to this Pres- 
 bytery. Commissioners to the General Assembly, L,. Tenney 
 and T. L. C. Means. 
 
 The Forty-fourth Meeting took place at the Hugh Wilson 
 church, October 29, 1875. Present during the sessions thirteen 
 ministers and sixteen elders. Rev. G. P. Richardson was re- 
 ceived from North Mississippi, and Rev. L. D. Lea from Knox- 
 ville; Licentiate J. M. Robinson from South Carolina, and the 
 churches Nazareth, Ennis and Cleburne enrolled. 
 
 The support of candidate McMurray had been taken up by the 
 Assembly's committee, but the churches were urged to contribute 
 liberally toward it, and the whole subject of systematic benevo- 
 lence was pressed upon them as it had been so often done. Rev. 
 H. Moseley was appointed evangelist (during the adjourned ses- 
 sion at Austin) and the sustentation committee directed, in case 
 he did not accept, to look for another man, and if one were found, 
 to call a pro re nata meeting to make the necessary arrangements. 
 A meeting was called for January 20, in Waco, but there were 
 present at it, besides the Rev. H. McDonald, whom it was pro- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 2$ 
 
 posed to appoint, only W. M. and S. A. King and three elders. 
 .Nothing was done. 
 
 The Forty-fifth Meeting took place at Milford, April 6, 1876. 
 Present, ten ministers and fourteen ruling elders. Rev. W. M. 
 Kilpatrick was dismissed to the Presbytery of Western Texas. 
 Rev. W. F. Gillespie was received from Presbytery of Louisiana. 
 G. R. Waddell was received under care as a candidate. Alvarado 
 church was dissolved and the members transferred to the Cle- 
 burne church. The General Assembly of 1875 having taken 
 favorable action concerning the Pan-Presbyterian Alliance, a 
 paper was offered, requesting the Assembly to refuse to join the 
 alliance. The vote on the paper was seven ayes and sixteen 
 nays. Rev. W. H. Vernor, then of the Brazos Presbytery, was 
 present and made an animated address on the subject of estab- 
 lishing a Presbyterian Female College in the State. The Pres- 
 bytery gave a hearty and favorable response. 
 
 The publication committee, W. S. Johnson, chairman, had at 
 this time a depository at Waxahachie, and two colporteurs were 
 employed for a time. Rev. J. M. McChord died on the 22d of 
 March. He was the son of Rev. James McChord, of Lexington. 
 He was educated at Hanover College, and spent the early years 
 of his ministry in Indiana. His coming to this State has been 
 mentioned in these pages. He lived mostly at or near Cotton 
 Gin, except a short time at Sherman. He supplied statedly for 
 a time the churches of Chambers Creek and Lancaster. Other- 
 wise he appears to have preached only as occasional opportuni- 
 ties offered and as he was appointed to special services by the 
 Presbytery. He served as stated clerk from April, 1861, to Sep- 
 tember, 1865. "He was a gentle, amiable, humble Christian, 
 and in his earlier years an efficient and active minister." He 
 was about sixty-five years of age. Rev. C. H. Dobbs was elected 
 evangelist. Commissioners to the general assembly — S. A. King, 
 J. H. Hutchins. 
 
 At a pro re nata meeting, at Mexia, June 23, present three 
 minister and one elder, the pastoral relation between Dr. J. S. 
 Grasty and the Austin church, was, on joint petition of pastor 
 and people, dissolved. 
 
 The Forty-sixth Meeting took place at Waxahachie, October 
 27, 1876. Present, ten ministers and twelve ruling elders. Rev. 
 J. S. Grasty was dismissed to the Presbytery of Missouri. The 
 churches of Mexia, Rockdale, Mizpeh (Hill county), and Gra- 
 ham were enrolled. The evangelist C. H. Dobbs made a report 
 of his work. He had held 122 services at about twenty different 
 places; preaching in private houses, school houses, under arbors 
 and in the woods, and in ten counties; had assisted in organiz- 
 
26 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ing three churches; had received seventy-eight members, forty- 
 eight of them on profession of faith; baptized fourteen adults 
 and six infants; had elements for organizing three more churches 
 and had engagements to preach and organize. He had traveled 
 some 2200 miles; he had spent three months in finding out what 
 was to be done, and when the field opened up was bewildered at 
 its magnitude. Financially, $80 had been collected, with about 
 $20 promised. With the report he offered his resignation as 
 evangelist, which was accepted. Since the spring of 1869 the 
 stated clerk (not ex officio) had held the position of chairman of 
 the sustentation committee. In connection with his resignation 
 of the office of evengelist, Mr. Dobbs proposed a new plan for 
 the sustentation work: That a committee of five members, living 
 near each other, should be appointed; that this committee should 
 be empowered to divide up our territory into convenient fields of 
 labor and employ ministers and settle them in these fields, were 
 the main features. The plan was adopted, and Revs. C. H. Dobbs 
 and S. A. King, and Elders F. H. Carter, W. F. Hague and Jno. 
 Robinson were elected the committee. The work of thus divid- 
 ing up the Presbytery was found encumbered with greater diffi- 
 culties than was anticipated, but the efforts made and continued 
 since, to group the fields, have doubtless accomplished much 
 good. At a brief session at Dallas, during sessions of Synod, 
 Rev. O. F. Rogers was received from the Presbytery of Chicka- 
 saw. 
 
 The Forty-seventh Meeting was held at Georgetown, April 
 26th, 1877. Present during the sessions, nineteen ministers and 
 eighteen ruling elders. The following ministers were received: 
 B. D. Thomas and W. W. Brimm, from Presbytery of Eastern 
 Texas; R. M. Loughridge, from Western Texas; R. K. Smoot, 
 D. D., from Muhlenburg, and A. S. Doak, from Holston. Can- 
 didate J. A. McMurray was licensed. L- T. Wilson, a candidate, 
 was received on certificate from East Hanover and licensed, and 
 as he was expected to labor in a new field on the frontier, was 
 ordained. S. M. Frierson was received as a candidate. He did 
 not carry out his intention of preparing for the ministry. 
 
 Rev. W. F. Gillespie was installed pastor of Georgetown church, 
 and arrangements were made for the installation of Dr. Smoot at 
 Austin, and Mr. Brimm at Fort Worth. 
 
 The new book of Church Order was before the church and the 
 Presbytery voted against its adoption, 16 to 15. 
 
 The narrative stated that at this time, of the thirty-six churches, 
 three have preaching every Sabbath, ten twice a month, nineteen 
 once a month, and four none. Commissioners to the General 
 Assembly, A. J. Loughridge and E. H. Carter. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 2J 
 
 At a pro re nata meeting in Waco, June 28th, L. B. Chaney, 
 candidate, was received from Lexington Presbytery and licensed. 
 
 A meeting was called at Corsicana, July 20th, and a quorum 
 was present, but owing to a mistake in the call, no business 
 could be transacted. 
 
 The Forty-eighth Meeting was held at Waco, October 17th, 
 
 1877. Ministers present in all, fourteen; elders, fourteen. Breck- 
 enridge church was received. Licentiates J. M. Robinson and 
 J. A. McMurray were ordained. Rev. C. H. Dobbs was installed 
 pastor of Prairie View and Robinson churches during the week, 
 after the meeting. A warning was given the churches against 
 lay evangelists, so-called. The subject of a division of the 
 Presbytery, or a general rearrangement of the Presbyteries of the 
 State, had been before the body at several meetings, and had 
 been acted on, sometimes favorably and sometimes unfavorably. 
 At this meeting a petition to the Synod, to form a new Presby- 
 tery, was adopted. Rev. T. D. Lea was dismissed to the Pres- 
 bytery of Eastern Texas. Mr. Lea had had no charge during 
 the two years he was connected with the Presbytery. 
 
 The Forty-ninth Meeting was held at Weatherford, April nth, 
 
 1878. Ministers present (including two ordained), eighteen; 
 elders, thirteen. Licentiate C. W. Peyton was received from the 
 Presbytery of Highland, P. C, U. S. A., and ordained. L. B. 
 Chaney was ordained and installed pastor of the Weatherford 
 church. Rev. Robt. Logan was received from Atlanta Presby- 
 tery. West Fork church, {organized by L- T. Wilson, and Salt 
 Spring church, organized by W. A. Smith, were received. The 
 new book of Church Order was again voted against, 16 to n. 
 
 Commissioners to the General Assembly, W. S. Johnson (Alt.), 
 C. H. Dobbs, S. P. Green. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting at Prairie View church, and the 
 camp ground near by, July 15th, Rev. W. S. Johnson was elected 
 Evangelist, and the pastoral relation betweeu him and the Wax- 
 ahachie church dissolved. 
 
 The Fiftieth Meeting took place at Marlin, October 2nd, 1878. 
 Ministers present, thirteen; elders, twelve. Lebanon church, in 
 Ellis county, was enrolled. Rev. O. F. Rogers was dismissed 
 to the Presbytery of Western Texas. Mr. A. C. Boyle was re- 
 ceived as a candidate for the ministry. He did not enter the 
 ministry. The meeting was saddened by the recent deaths of 
 Revs. J. A. Smylie and M. C. Conoley. The new book of Church 
 Order was referred to the sessions to examine and send up their 
 views to the spring meeting. The sessions were requested to 
 have histories of the churches prepared. The growth of the 
 Presbytery for some years had been rapid. It now contained 
 
28 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 twenty- four ministers and fort}'- two churches, and at this meet- 
 ing permission was given to five ministers and two licentiates to 
 labor in the Presbytery. An overture to the Synod was adopted 
 asking that the Presbytery be divided by setting off a new Pres- 
 bytery to comprise the territory north of the counties of Navarro, 
 Hill, Bosque, Hamilton, Comanche, Brown, Coleman and Run- 
 nels, together with so much of Hill county as lies north of a 
 line running east and west, and passing through Fort Graham. 
 When the matter came up in the Synod, it was proposed to take 
 from the Presbytery of Eastern Texas, and add to the new Pres- 
 bytery, the counties through which the H. & T. C. railroad 
 passes. Alter a somewhat protracted and animated discussion, 
 the Presbytery of Dallas was thus formed. 
 
 James Smylie, a ruling elder, emigrated before the revolution- 
 ary war from Scotland to North Carolina, and from there in 
 1809, to Amite county, in Mississippi, where he lived to an ad- 
 vanced age. His second son, Rev. James Smylie, came to Mis- 
 sissippi in 1805, the first Presbyterian minister that settled per- 
 manently in the Southwest. John Smylie, another son of James 
 Smylie, and father of our subject, was a ruling elder of Bethany 
 church, and for many years probate judge of Amite county. 
 John Archibald Smylie was born November 6, 1812. In 1830 he 
 entered Oakland College soon after the college was opened. . In 
 1832 he made a profession of religion and united with the church 
 in Port Gibson, under Rev. Zebulon Butler. He had intended to 
 study law, and had the brightest prospects for the fulfillment of 
 the high hopes of worldly preferment. To surrender all this 
 cost him a severe struggle. He graduated with the highest hon- 
 ors in 1835, and studied theology for a time with his Uncle, Rev. 
 James Smylie. He was one of a class who studied theology for a 
 time in the newly organized department of theology in Oakland 
 College. The funds of the college being lost in the financial 
 panic of '37, the school was not continued. He was licensed to 
 preach by the Mississippi Presbytery September 19, 1838. He 
 preached for a time at Pisgah church, and in 1840 became pas- 
 tor at Camden. Three or four years after he was called to Beth- 
 any church near which he was born, and served it and Liberty 
 twelve or fifteen years. In 1857 he moved to Point Cooper Par- 
 ish and supplied several places in that section. In 1866 he lost 
 his wife, and to educate his sons he removed to Meridian and 
 opened a classic school. In Januar)', 1869, he was invited to 
 take charge of the Milford church, in this Presbytery, where he 
 remained till his decease. He was elected commissioner to the 
 General Assembly, and was preparing to go when he was struck 
 down with paralysis. He rallied from this, and it appeared 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 29 
 
 probable that his health would be restored, but on September 
 20th, he was taken with a chill, and died on the 23rd, forty years 
 and four days after he was licensed to preach. While at Milford 
 he organized the Richland and Eureka Valley churches, and sup- 
 plied them in connection with Milford till his death. He was 
 instrumental in organizing the Waxahachie church and preached 
 to it for some time. 
 
 He was an able, faithful and earnest preacher of the truth as 
 it is in Christ Jesus, and the church grew whenever he minis- 
 tered to it. He was earnest and successful in defending the 
 truth, and gave much attention to systematic theology. He was 
 much interested in the subject of church government, and wrote 
 considerable upon it. He held that our system in practice did 
 not do full justice to the office of ruling elder, making too wide 
 a distinction between the teaching and ruling elder. Mr. Smy- 
 lie had twelve children, eight of whom survived him. He had 
 the privilege of welcoming them all the communion of the 
 church. 
 
 Rev. Malcom C. Conoley was born in Robinson county, North 
 Carolina, August 20, 1807. He studied theology at Union Semi- 
 nary. He preached in North Carolina fifteen or sixteen years, 
 and came to Texas about 1857. He settled at Columbia, Bra- 
 zoria county, and took charge of the Columbia church, teach- 
 ing also part of the seven years he remained there. His minis- 
 try there was very acceptable and he was much beloved. From 
 1859 he taught most of the time, in Richmond and Brenham till 
 the winter of i867-'58. The latter part of the time he supplied 
 the Galatia church. Thence he removed to Milam county, in a 
 neighborhood where there were no Presbyterians, opened a school, 
 and with his own family as a nucleus organized the Bethel 
 church, and continued to teach and preach six or seven years. In 
 i87i-'72 he supplied the churches in Williamson county, one of 
 them fifty miles from his home. He also supplied the Mizpeh 
 church one or two years. During the last year of his life he was 
 too infirm to preach much. Being engaged so much in teaching 
 he could not attend Presbytery regularly, and being of a retiring 
 disposition seldom took an active part when present. He was a 
 thorough and successful teacher, and au able, faithful preacher. 
 He had a warm place in the hearts of those who knew him best, 
 as a brother amiable and beloved, "an Israelite indeed in whom 
 is no guile." 
 
 Of the seven ministers who went to the Dallas Presbytery in 
 the division, only one is now on the list of ministers in Texas — 
 Mr. Logan, who has for some time been infirm. L- T. Wilson 
 demitted the ministry in '82, B. D. Thomas died in '81, and in 
 
30 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 '82 W. S. Johnson died in Memphis, and H. McDonald in Ala- 
 bama. L. B. Chaney is in Nashville Presbytery, and W. W. 
 Brimm in Mason. 
 
 The Fifty-first Meeting was held at Oak Island, April 3d, 
 1879. Present, ten ministers and eleven ruling elders. Rev. J. 
 A. Walker was dismissed to the Presbyter}' of Western Texas. 
 W. S. Johnson, evangelist, reported the organization of Zion 
 church, with thirty-one members and two ruling elders. By ar- 
 rangement with Dallas Presbytery, Mr. Johnson continued for a 
 time to serve as evangelist in both Presbyteries. His report at 
 this time states, among other things, that he had traveled by 
 private conveyance 2 161 miles, by rail 751, visited ten counties, 
 eleven churches, organized two churches, preached seventy-six 
 times in twenty-five different places, and received fifteen 
 members on profession, and seventy-three on certificate. The 
 votes of the churches on the new book were ten for and five 
 against, and fifteen not voting. It was adopted by the Presby- 
 tery by a vote of eleven to ten. Commissioners to the Assem- 
 bly, H. Moseley and J. W. Storey. 
 
 At a pro re nata meeting in Waco, September 3d, Mr. John- 
 son, at his own request, was released from his engagement as 
 evangelist. Mr. R. A. Robinson, a member of the Robinson- 
 ville church, was received as a candidate. 
 
 The Fifty-second Meeting was at Robinson, October 23d, 
 1879. Present, ministers, thirteen; elders, fifteen. Rev. R. M. 
 Tuttle was received from the Presbytery of Paducah. Rev. H. 
 Moseley was again elected evangelist, to make his headquarters 
 at Comanche, and the presbytery adjourned to meet at Marlin to 
 install him. The churches at Oak Island and Mexia, however, 
 remonstrated so strongly against his removal from that field, that 
 he was released, and Rev. J. A. McMurray was elected. At the 
 meeting of the Synod, at Fort Worth, information was received 
 that a church had been organized at Coleman, and circumstances 
 rendering it expedient that the church be received as soon as 
 practicable, the Synod was requested to order a meeting of the 
 Presbytery for this purpose. The Synod granted the request, 
 and the meeting was held and the church received under the 
 name of First Church of Coleman. February 12th, 1880, at a 
 called meeting, in Waco, Rev. J. A. McMurray was installed in 
 the office of evangelist. 
 
 The fifty-third Meeting was held at Rockdale, April 22d, 1880. 
 Ministers present, fifteen; ruling elders, fifteen. Licentiate A. 
 H. P. McCurdy was received from the Presbytery of Western 
 Texas, ordained, and arrangements made for his installation as 
 pastor of Hutto church, which was enrolled at this meeting. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 31 
 
 The Synod having, at the meeting in '79, ordered an overture 
 sent to the Assembly to divide the Synod, this Presbytery, and 
 two others sent overtures in opposition to it, and two others 
 asking a modification of the plan. Of course the Assembly did 
 not grant the request of the Synod. Commissioner to General 
 Assembly, A. S. Doak. 
 
 The Fifty-fourth Meeting took place at Belton, October 14th, 
 
 1880. Present, ministers, twelve; ruling elders, nine. W. G. 
 McDonald was received as a candidate. The organization of a 
 church at Hamilton was reported, but as it had no officers its 
 enrollment was deferred. The evangelist reported that in the 
 frontier field in which he had labored there was not only a scar- 
 city of Presbyterian ministers, but of Presbyterian people. He 
 had traveled, approximately, 3000 miles; had preached about 
 100 times, but had found material to organize only the one church 
 at Hamilton; but he hoped soon to organize at one or two other 
 places. 
 
 An adjourned meeting was held at Waco, November 17th. 
 Rev. R. M. Loughridge was dismissed to the Presbytery of Ne- 
 osho P. C, U. S. A. The report on the minutes of the Assembly 
 pressed upon the Presbytery and churches, especially, the sub- 
 jects of evangelistic labor and colportage. The Presbyterial 
 Committee of Sustentation was directed to meet monthly, to re- 
 ceive reports from evangelists, and publish such portions of them 
 as they saw fit. 
 
 It was voted to procure a horse and vehicle for a colporteur; 
 and to look out and employ a suitable man at $20.00 per month 
 and expenses. The depository at Waxahachie, after a good deal 
 of good work done, had been closed up. 
 
 After the adjournment at Waco, the Presbytery, by order of 
 the Synod, met again November 17th to elect an evangelist. 
 Rev. S. M. Luckett was elected. 
 
 March 8th, 1881, a called meeting was held in Waco to elect 
 an evangelist, but the way was not clear to do so. 
 
 The Fifty-fifth meeting took place at Zion church, April 7th, 
 
 1881. Present, ministers, fifteen; ruling elders, fifteen. Rev. H. 
 W. Woods was received from the Presbytery of Ozark, P. C, U. 
 S. A., and arrangements were made for his installation as pastor 
 of Corsicana church. The Hamilton church was enrolled. Rev. 
 H. B. Rose was elected and installed evangelist to labor on the 
 line of the Santa Fe road and vicinity. A committee had been 
 appointed by the Synod to confer with a committee of the Synod 
 of the Northern church. The committees had met and formu- 
 lated a plan of non-interference with each other. A paper was 
 adopted concerning this action, strongly dissenting from it, 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 mainly on the ground that the rights given by the constitution 
 could not be interfered with; that the action of the Synod was 
 extra constitutional and dangerous, and that to comply with the 
 propositions submitted, would require a change in the organic 
 law of the church. A committee on "Retrenchment and Re- 
 form" recommended some changes in the working of the execu- 
 tive committees of the church for the sake of economy, and fav- 
 ored biennial sessions of the General Assembly. 
 
 The report of the Home Mission Committee showed pressing 
 need of more help in the sustentation work. The churches had 
 contributed only $157-70. The Central Committee was pressed 
 and unable to give all that was asked for. There had been con- 
 tributed in the Presbytery $600 for evangelistic work, of which 
 $200 was from the churches of Comanche and Hamilton, in the 
 evangelist's field. The revised directory was criticised. Com- 
 missioners to the General Assembly: R. M. Tutton and T. C. 
 Smith. The meeting was saddened by the recent death of Rev. 
 A. J. Loughridge. 
 
 Andrew Jackson Loughridge was born in Laurens District, 
 South Carolina, July 28, 18 18. He studied under Dr. Waddell, 
 and graduated at Oakland College, in 1850, and Columbia Sem- 
 inary, in 1853. He was soon afterward licensed by Tombigbee 
 Presbytery; removed to Texas and was ordained by the Pres- 
 bytery of Eastern Texas. He preached for a time at St. Augus- 
 tine, and did missionary work till he came into this Presbytery, 
 in 1857. He supplied the Blue Ridge church most of the time 
 until 1869, teaching and surveying a large part of the time for 
 his support. In the early part of 1869 he removed to the Hugh 
 Wilson church, of which, on the first Sabbath of July, 1870, he 
 was installed pastor. In this relation he continued until his 
 death, March 19, 1881. He was married in 1862 or '63, but his 
 wife died in the spring of 1864, leaving an infant daughter. Mr. 
 Loughridge was a faithful, earnest and able preacher, a pastor 
 greatly beloved. He was a faithful Presbyter. As a companion 
 he had an overflowing fund of good humor. He always looked 
 on the bright side of things. As a friend he was faithful and de- 
 voted and was a wise counsellor. 
 
 The Fifty-sixth Meeting was held at Prairie View church on 
 September 1, t88i. Present, ministers eleven; ruling elders 
 fourteen. Rev. J. T. Paxton was received from the Presbytery 
 of Eastern Texas. Rev. W. F. Gillespie was released from the 
 pastorate of the Georgetown church, and dismissed to the Pres- 
 bytery of Western Texas. Instead of joining that Presbytery, 
 Mr. Gillespie joined the Northern church. He has recently re- 
 turned and is now a member of the Presbytery to which he was 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 33 
 
 dismissed. Licentiate W. W. Ruff was received from Montgom- 
 ery Presbytery and ordained as an evangelist. Malcom Black 
 was received as a candidate. The name of Caldwell church was 
 changed to Yellow Prairie, and that of Georgetown to the First 
 Presbyterian Church of Georgetown. The candidates were ad- 
 vised to attend our own theological seminaries. The churches of 
 Wilson Valley and Iredell were enrolled. Mr. Rose, having been 
 severely injured by an accident, resigned as evangelist. Two 
 men from abroad were elected evangelists, but did not accept the 
 call. At a called meeting, December 7, Rev. A. S. Doak was 
 elected evangelist, to take the place of Mr. Rose. 
 
 The Fifty-seventh Meeting was held at Mexia, April 28, 1882. 
 Ministers present twelve, ruling elders sixteen. The Temple 
 church was enrolled. Arrangements were made for the installa- 
 tion, as pastors, of Rev. S. A. King, at Waco, H. Moseley, at 
 Georgetown, and W. W. Ruff was installed at Mexia. Thos. 
 McCuchon was licensed to preach as an extraordinary case. R. 
 L,. Moser was received as a candidate. Mr. Moser did not enter 
 the ministry. The Revised Directory was adopted. A commis- 
 sion was appointed to visit Corsicana to endeavor to settle some 
 difficulties in the church. The commission reported at the next 
 meeting the action taken, which was in the main successful, but 
 a called meeting was held at Georgetown, July 10th, at which 
 the pastor, Rev. H. W. Woods, was released from the pastorate 
 and dismissed to the Presbytery of Highland, Kansas, P. C, 
 U. S. A. Commissioners to the General Assemby R. K. Smoot 
 and R. H. Flanniken. Dr. Smoot was moderator of the Assem- 
 bly. 
 
 The Fifty-eighth Meeting was held at Burnet, September 20, 
 1882. Ministers present eleven, ruling elders fifteen. The Cam- 
 eron church, organized by evangelist, A. S. Doak, was enrolled. 
 A. H. P. McCurdy was released from the pastoral charge of Hutto 
 church and dismissed to the Presbytery of Western Texas 
 The Mizpeh church was dissolved at the request of its only elder 
 W. S. Red was received as a candidate, examined in part for li 
 censure, and exercises as parts of trial were assigned to Mr. Red 
 M. Black and W. E. Shive. The action of the Atlanta Assem 
 bly in establishing correspondence called forth an overture to 
 to the next Assembly to declare that "fraternal correspondence, 
 whether by wire, by letter, or by interchange of delegates, does 
 not imply unity of doctrine or identity of ecclesiastical princi- 
 ples,'' nor is the action that was taken "an indorsement of the 
 doctrines or principles of any church, or the deliverances of the 
 courts of other churches, nor in the least withdrawing the testi- 
 
34 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 rnony of the church concerning the independence and spirituality 
 of the Redeemer's kingdom." etc. 
 
 Rev. Wm. Montgomery King, father of Rev. S. A. King, was 
 born in Georgia, October 6th, 1796. His father came from Scot- 
 land shortly before the revolutionary war, and served in the 
 arm} 7 . The family having removed to Tennessee, W. M. King 
 studied under Rev. Gideon Blackburn. While a licentiate, he 
 traveled in Tennessee and Mississippi, doing missionary work. 
 He was ordained by the Presbyter}' of Louisville, and labored in 
 Kentucky and Illinois till his removal to Texas, in 1851. He 
 taught and preached in the Northeastern part of the State till 
 1S64, when he came to Milford and to the vicinity of Waco, in 
 1867. He became a member of this Presbytery in 1865. At 
 this time he had become so enfeebled by age and ill health that 
 he never afterwards undertook any regular charge, but continued 
 to preach occasionally, and to engage in other labors, till he had 
 passed his four-score years. He retained, to the day of his death, 
 a deep and strong interest in the welfare of Zion. He loved the 
 Word of God, and feasted on its strong meat. His presence in 
 Presbytery and Synod, when he was able to attend, was always 
 a delight to the younger members. In his long waiting for his 
 change, he enjoyed the full assurance of faith and hope of im- 
 mortality. 
 
 At a called meeting, at Temple, December 19th, Rev. A. S. 
 Doak presented his resignation as evangelist, and it was ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 The Fifty-ninth Meeting was held at Temple, April 18th, 
 18S3. Present, ministers, fifteen, and ruling elders, twenty-one. 
 Rev. M. C. Hutton was received from the Presbytery of Chicka- 
 saw, and arrangements were made for his installation as pastor 
 of Zion church. Rev. C. W. Alexander was received from the 
 Presbytery of Dallas. Licentiate Thos. McHutchon was or- 
 dained. J. S. Granlee was received as a candidate, and he and 
 W. S. Red and W. E. Shive were licensed. The Synod, in '82, 
 changed the boundary lines, to add to the Presbytery two tiers 
 of counties, from the Brazos west, from the Dallas Presbytery, 
 and from the Western Texas Presbytery all its territory north of 
 the southern boundary of the counties of Llano, Mason, Menard 
 and Tom Green, and a straight line thence west to the Rio 
 Grande. By this change, Rev. O. F. Rogers, of Dallas Presby- 
 tery, and Rev. J. H. Zivley, of Western Texas, and the churches 
 of Abilene, Colorado and Anson, from the former, and San Saba, 
 Llano and Mason from the latter, were transferred to this Pres- 
 bytery. The whole of Hill county was placed in the Dallas 
 Presbytery. In '84, another change was made, by which the 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 35 
 
 churches of Abilene, Colorado and Anson were returned to Dal- 
 las Presbytery, and the southern line of the counties through 
 which the T. & P. railroad runs was made the dividing line. 
 East of the Brazos, a change was made, making the line to run 
 from the west corner of Navarro county to the north corner of 
 McLennan, leaving the part of Hill between McLennan and 
 Navasota in this Presbytery. 
 
 At the request of pastor and church, the pastoral relation be- 
 tween Rev. C. H. Dobbs and the Prairie View church, was dis- 
 solved. Rev. C. H. Dobbs was elected evangelist. A subscrip- 
 tion for his salary was raised, amounting to $850. A commis- 
 sion was appointed to visit and confer with Robinson church, 
 and dissolve the pastoral relation between Mr. Dobbs and that 
 church. This commission found the church very unwilling to 
 give up their pastor, but on a full presentation of the case, the 
 consent was given, and the pastoral relation dissolved April 25th. 
 It was stated in the report of the evangelistic committee that a 
 young man of the name of Hodge had been secured to take part 
 of the field in which Mr. McMurray was laboring, enabling Mr. 
 McMurray to go west. Mr. Hodge visited the field and preached 
 a few times, appeared at the next meeting of the Presbytery, was 
 received as a licentiate from the Presbytery of Holston, and dis- 
 missed to the Presbytery of Brazos. Commissioners to the Gen- 
 eral Assembly, R. K. Smoot and'j, N. Lyle. 
 
 At a pro re nata meeting, held at the camp ground, in Milam 
 county, July 20th, 1883, R. B. Palmer and S. J. McMurray were 
 received as candidates for the ministry. 
 
 The Sixtieth Meeting was held at Yellow Prairie, November 
 2d, 1883. Ministers present, eleven; ruling elders, nine. Rev. 
 J. M. Cochran, who had recently commenced preaching at Abi- 
 lene and Anson, was received from the Brazos Presbytery. Cole- 
 man church was placed under his charge. The churches of 
 Jonesboro, Hebron and McGregor were received. The evange- 
 lists, McMurray and Dobbs, presented repoits of their labors. 
 The reports were not recorded, but the evangelists were com- 
 mended for their zeal and efficiency. Mr. McMurray offered his 
 resignation, to take effect at the next meeting, and it was ac- 
 cepted; but at the next meeting the action was revoked. 
 
 The Sixty-first Meeting was at Temple, April 3d, 1884. Min- 
 isters present, including those received and those ordained, 
 twenty; ruling elders, twenty-one. There were received, from 
 the Presbytery of West Hanover, R. L. Dabney, D. D.; from 
 Dallas, R. E. Sherrill; from Holston, Geo. T. Lyle; from Brazos, 
 Hugh Calvin Smith. Licentiates J. S. Greenlee and W. E. 
 Shive were ordained. Candidate W. H. McCullough was dis- 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 missed to the care of Harmon}- Presbytery. Rev. J. T. Paxton 
 was dismissed to the Presbytery of LaFayette, and Rev. C. W. 
 Alexander to Dallas. The name of Pleasant Hill church was 
 changed to Leander. The subject of the debt of Austin College 
 was before the Presbytery, and $2000 were pledged towards it, 
 provided the other Presbyteries would do likewise. Rev. A. B. 
 Wilkes was at this time preaching at Llano, and was recom- 
 mended for aid from the sustentation funds. Not long after- 
 wards, he gave up preaching and abjured his faith, without hav- 
 ing ever applied for membership in the Presbytery. Commis- 
 sioners to the General Assembly, C. H. Dobbs, L. Tenney, A. 
 A. Black, and W. D. Paden. 
 
 REV. H. MOSELEY. 
 
 Hillery Moseley was born near Courtland, Ala., May 28th, 
 1830, and died at the Manse, in Georgetown, December 3d, 1883. 
 In the fall of 1847, his father's family removed to Oakland Col- 
 lege, and Hillery entered the freshman class in October, and 
 graduated in April, 185 1, taking the college and Belles Letters 
 Society diplomas. The college was then in the height of a pros- 
 perous career under the presidency of Dr. Chamberlin, and among 
 those who filled its classes were a number of young men who 
 have since done good services for, the church and country. Mr. 
 Moseley had made a profession of religion in 1843 at a camp 
 meeting and been received to the communion of the church the 
 following year. He studied theology at Princeton Seminary, 
 graduating in 1854. While in the Seminary, he was approached 
 by a Northern student, with a paper in his hand, containing a 
 picture of a runaway slave, pursued by dogs. He asked if such 
 things took place at the South, and being answered in the affirm- 
 ative, he said he had been accustomed to think that a man could 
 not be a Christian and a slaveholder. Mr. Moseley replied: 
 "That is one picture; let me give you another. When I went 
 home last vacation, some of the negroes saw me approaching. 
 The word quickly passed among them, 'Massa Hillery is come,' 
 and they all rushed to meet me at the gate, and before I could 
 salute my mother, I had to receive their greetings, and then they 
 tcok me up in their arms and carried me to the door." The 
 Northern student asked if that was true, and being assured that 
 it was, was silenced — for the time at least. 
 
 Mr. Moseley was licensed by the Presbytery of Mississippi, 
 April 14th, 1854, and ordained in November following. He com- 
 menced his labors in Louisiana, preaching to the Gros Tete 
 church and on a plantation. In May, 1856, he was installed 
 pastor of the Jackson church, Louisiana, but gave it up in No- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. IJ 
 
 vember of the same year, that he might accept the presidency of 
 the Sillimau Institute. He filled this post well and successfully, 
 ministering at the same time to the church at Clinton. In May, 
 1858, he came to Texas and spent some time in missionary labor 
 in Brazoria county. He was present at the meeting of the Synod 
 of Texas that year at Huntsville. The next month he married 
 in Huntsville his second wife, and immediately afterwards re- 
 moved to Palestine and took charge of the church at that place, 
 also of the church of Mound Prairie. In connection with his 
 work in these churches, in the six years he remained there, he 
 did a good deal of missionary work in the country around, and 
 the latter part of the time taught, a large female school. In Oc- 
 tober, 1864, he removed to Woodland, in Freestone county, 
 where, for about four years, he taught a large school, supplying, 
 at the same time, the Oak Island church, six miles distant. He 
 joined this Presbytery at its session at Milford in March, 1865. 
 In 1869, his house, recently built for school and residence, was 
 burned, and he removed to the Oak Island church. He preached 
 to that church one-half the time for seventeen years, from Octo- 
 ber, 1864, till December, 1881. Twice during the time the Pres- 
 bytery elected him evangelist, but the church was so unwilling 
 to have him leave, that he did not enter upon the work. During 
 those years he had charge, for a longer or shorter time, of the 
 churches of Corsicana, Ennis, Mexia, Blue Ridge and Marlin. 
 In January, 1882, he removed to Georgetown, and in July fol- 
 lowing was installed pastor of the church. In the summer of 
 1883, he had become so much enfeebled that his people insisted 
 on his traveling for his health. He spent a few weeks in Ken- 
 tucky and Virginia. He was a fluent conversationalist and made 
 his way easily among strangers, and it was a great surprise in 
 hearing him speak of his trip that he seemed to have taken very 
 little pleasure in it. His thoughts were with his home and his 
 work. Perhaps this was one reason that he was not more bene- 
 fited. He had a severe illness after his return, but so far recov- 
 ered as to attend the Synod at Victoria, just twenty-five years 
 after he first attended the Synod of Texas, though not a member, 
 at Huntsville. Shortly after his return home he took a severe 
 cold which resulted in pneumonia, and ended his earthly career 
 four days afterwaids. Thus he was called from the service of 
 the church militant to the joyful service of the church triumph- 
 ant. Mr. Moseley represented the Presbytery of Eastern Texas 
 in the first Southern General Assembly in 1861, and this Presby- 
 tery in the Assemblies of 1868, 1874 and 1879. 
 
 At a called meeting at Temple, June 24th, 1884, Malcom 
 Black was licensed to preach, Robert H. Greenlee was received as 
 
38 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 a candidate, and Rev. Win. Boyd was received from the Presby- 
 tery of Brazos. Mr. Boyd, under repeated permits to labor in 
 the Presbytery, had served the Yellow Prairie church two or 
 three years. Mr. Greenlee never entered the ministry. 
 
 The Sixty-second Meeting was held at Georgetown, October 
 24, 1884. Ministers present eighteen, ruling elders twenty-one. 
 Rev. W. T. Spears was received from the Presbytery of Ebenzer, 
 and Rev. M. W. Millard from the Presbytery of Holston, Rev. 
 G. T. L,yle was dismissed to the Presbytery of Greenbrier. Li- 
 centiate Malcom Black was ordained, and candidate W. G. Mc- 
 Donald licensed. The churches of Corn Hill and Golinda organ- 
 ized by the evangelist, C. H. Dobbs, Hico organized b}' evan- 
 gelist, J. A. McMurray, and Fairfield and Mathison by \V. W. 
 Ruff, were enrolled. Jonesboro church was dissolved. G. W. 
 Stafford, of Austin, was received as a candidate. He did not be- 
 come a minister. A commissioner that had been appointed to 
 visit Mexia, reported that they had dissolved the pastoral rela- 
 tion between that church and Rev. W. W. Ruff. The Mexia 
 church was given permission to employ R. H. Byers, of the 
 Brazos Presbytery. By the change of boundary, which has been 
 mentioned previously, made by the Synod which met at Belton 
 immediately after this meeting, J. M. Cochran, J. A. McMurray 
 and O. F. Rogers were transferred to the Dallas Presbytery. Mr. 
 McMurray had made his headquarters for some time at Colorado. 
 Resolutions were adopted on the subject of evolution, expressing 
 decided disapprobation of the retention of a professor in the Theo- 
 logical Seminary who taught or believed in it, and directingt.bat 
 no money raised in this Presbytery for education should be given 
 to aid any student in Columbia Seminary under its present man- 
 agement, and overturing the Synod to crive an expression of its 
 disapprobation. 
 
 The want of a school of theology at home had long been felt 
 in this Presbytery and others. Students who went from here to 
 the older States often found attraction there to prevent their re- 
 turning; and it was thought that it would be better for the 
 young ministers to have their training among the people for 
 whom they expected to labor. At the request of a number of 
 members of the Presbytery, Drs. Dabney and Smoot had com- 
 menced a class in theology the first of the month, thus begin- 
 ning the work to which they have since given so much time and 
 labor without pecuniary reward, and indeed at no little expense 
 to themselves, of money as well as time. Though the students 
 have not been numerous, the results have been such as fully to 
 justify the enterprise. Licentiate G- L. Bilzer was employed to 
 teach Greek and Hebrew. The Presbytery heartily endorsed the 
 
OF THF 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF 
 
 «£4UFORNife* 
 
 PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 39 
 
 movement and voted to establish the Austin School of Theology. 
 The Synod was also asked to take control of the school and pro- 
 vide for its wants. 
 
 At this meeting also it was resolved to establish a male aud 
 female college under the care ot the Presbytery. A board of 
 trustees was appointed, also a commission to select a location 
 for the school. 
 
 At a called meeting at Waco, February 3, 18S5, candidate 
 Richard Robinson was dismissed to the care of the Presbytery of 
 West Hanover. 
 
 The Sixty-third Meeting was held at Hamilton, April 23, 1885. 
 Connected with this meeting was a singular episode in the Pres- 
 byterial history. About twenty of the members took the train 
 on the Texas Central at Waco, on the 22d, to go to Hico, from 
 which place the members of the Hamilton church were to furnish 
 them conveyance to Hamilton, twenty-two miles south of Hico. 
 It was a time of wet weather and bad roads. The train had 
 hardly started when it commenced raining, and poured down 
 steadily for several hours. Doubts soon began to be expressed 
 about reaching Hamilton. Some of the party had recently been 
 ill and dreaded exposure. At Walnut Springs Mr. Dobbs, the 
 evangelist, joined the party. He was the only one who was ac- 
 quainted with the country through which they had to go. It was 
 supposed that there would not be members enough coming by 
 other routes to make a quorum, and before the train reached 
 Iredell, where it met the down train, it was decided to take that 
 train and return to Waco and hold the meeting there, which was 
 accordingly done. Four ministers, however, J. H. Zivley, Mal- 
 com Black, H. B. Rose, R. E. Sherrill and four ruling elders 
 appeared at Hamilton and held the regular meeting. The small 
 number present prevented the transaction of all the business in a 
 satisfactory manner, and in consequence a meeting was called at 
 Temple, May 3rd, to supply what was warning. The churches 
 of San Angelo and Taylor were enrolled. Rev. Wm. George 
 was received from the Presbytery of Dallas and arrangements 
 made for his installation as pastor of the Belton church on the 
 31st of May. 
 
 Commissioners to the General Assembly, which met this year 
 in Houston: R. E. Sherrill, M. C. Hutton, J. C. Peoples, B. E- 
 Frierson. 
 
 At a called meeting at Austin, June 2, 1885, the time and place 
 fixed for the fall meeting were reconsidered. It was resolved to 
 employ Mr. C. M. Staples, of Austin, as colporteur for the sum- 
 mer months, to work under the direction of the evangelist. 
 
 A meeting was also called at Waco, June 23, at which the Cor- 
 
40 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 sicana church received permission to prosecute a call for the pas- 
 toral services of Rev. Thomas Wharey, of Roanoke Presbytery. 
 
 The Sixty-fourth Meeting was held at Taylor,, September 18, 
 1885. Ministers present, ten; ruling elders, eighteen. Rev. A. 
 S. Doak was dismissed to the Presbytery of Augusta, and Rev. 
 Hugh Calvin Smith to the Presbytery of Louisville. The Cald- 
 well church, organized by evangelist C. H. Dobbs, was enrolled. 
 Licentiate W. G. McDonald was ordained. C. M. Staples was 
 received as a candidate. Rev. C. H. Dobbs resigned as evangel- 
 ist. Rev. J. H. Zivley was elected. The commission appointed 
 for the purpose of selecting a place for the Prebsyterial school re- 
 ported that Round Rock had been chosen, and the offer of the 
 citizens of that place of a building for the school had been ac- 
 cepted. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting at Austin, October 19, just before the 
 Synod met, the pastoral relation of Rev. J. H. Zivley and the 
 San Saba church was dissolved. The San Angelo church desir- 
 ing to secure Rev. Zivley's services for one-half of the time, the 
 arrangement was made for him to take charge of that field and 
 give the other half to evangelistic work. 
 
 The Sixty-fifth Meeting was held at Burnet, April 15, 1886. 
 Ministers present, thirteen; ruling elders, sixteen. Rev. Thos. 
 Wharey was received from the Presbytery of Roanoke. Arrange- 
 ments were made for his intallation, as pastor of Corsicana 
 church, on the first Sabbath in June. It was ordered, also, that 
 Rev. M. C Hutton be installed pastor at Georgetown on the 
 second Sabbath of May. Rev. W. T. Spears was dismissed to 
 the Presbytery of Ebenezer. Richland church was dissolved. 
 The Revised Directory was rejected and the General Assembly 
 was asked to discontinue the revision. C. M. Staples was licensed 
 to preach. The subject of permitting ruling elders to act as 
 moderators, was before the church at this time. The Presbytery 
 adopted a resolution against it by a vote of sixteeen to thirteen. 
 The controversy concerning evolution in connection with Colum- 
 bia Seminary and Prof. Woodrow was at this time at its height. 
 An overture was sent to the Assembly containing a quite elabor- 
 ate statement of the views of the Presbytery concerning it. 
 Action had been frequently taken at the meetings of the Presby- 
 tery, directing the pastors and stated supplies to perform more or 
 less missionary labor. At this meeting they were requested to 
 devote the fifth Sabbaths to evangelistic work. A committee 
 was appointed to attend the examination of the theological 
 class at Austin. A vote of thanks was given to the professors 
 for their disinterested services. Commissioners to the General 
 Assembly: R. K. Smoot and O. F. Rogers. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 41 
 
 REV.THOS. M'HUTCHON. 
 
 Rev. Thomas McHutchon died February 13, 1886. He was 
 born July 4, 1830, near Glasgow, Scotland. In his early life he 
 was engaged in mercantile pursuits. He came to this country 
 about 1862, and lived in Indianapolis, Iudiana. In his youth 
 he displayed the same traits that marked his mature years, the 
 ease in making his way to the hearts of his companions, and 
 earnest desire to serve his Savior. He labored in mission schools 
 in Indianapolis; one of these schools was in a part of the city so 
 rough that it was at the risk of life that Christian labor was car- 
 ried on. The school grew into a church, and at the time of Mr. 
 McHutchon's death it was said that "eight ministers have come 
 out of that school and the church, its outgrowth." The state of 
 his health constraining him to seek a milder climate, he came to 
 Texas in 1876, and after spending two or three months in Wil- 
 liamson county, he removed to Robinson, where he resided until 
 licensed to preach at Mexia in April, 1882. He soon became 
 superintendent of the Sabbath school of the Robinson church, 
 and in addition labored in other Christian work, such as prayer 
 meetings in the country. "In all that country the name of 
 McHutchon is almost synonymous with Christian love, faith and 
 zeal." He had not the academic and theological training re- 
 quired ordinarily to enter the ministry of our church, but his ex- 
 tended experience and thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, 
 with his loving zeal, rendered his labors in the ministry most 
 acceptable and effective. After his licensure he labored for a 
 time at Comanche and Coleman, and in October went to Unity 
 church, in Coryell county, and served it, Hamilton and Wilson 
 Valley for two years, and then Unity, North Bosque and Gates- 
 ville. He was ordained as an evangelist at Temple, April 21, 
 1886. Mr. McHutchon was married in Indiana, in 1878, to Miss 
 S. E. Ferguson, who, with three daughters, survive him. Hav- 
 ing suffered long with consumption, his life was protracted beyond 
 what he expected. He died as he had lived, in full hope of a 
 glorious immortality. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting at Temple, May 4, Rev. J. K. P. New- 
 ton was received from the Presbytery of Chickasaw, and Came- 
 ron and Maysfield churches given permission to employ him. 
 
 The Sixty-sixth Meeting was held at Coleman, September 2nd, 
 1886. Nine ministers and seven ruling elders were present. 
 Ballinger church, organized by evangelist J. H. Zivley, being en- 
 rolled. Mr. Zivley resigned the position of evangelist. His 
 resignation was accepted with a hearty expression of apprecia- 
 tion of his diligence and fidelity. 
 
 Rev. J. N. Bradshaw, of Savannah Presbytery, being on a visit 
 
42 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 to Texas, was present at the meeting and was elected evangelist, 
 but did not accept. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting at Round Rock, October 6th, candi- 
 date S. J. McMurray was licensed. A further adjournment was 
 had to meet in Austin, October 9th, at which time J. N. Lyle, a 
 ruling elder of eleven years' standing, and of liberal and profes- 
 sional education, was licensed to preach. At a called meeting at 
 Austin, November 15th, candidate R. B. Palmer was licensed, 
 and R. E. Lentz was received as a candidate. Another meeting 
 was called at Austin, Januar3 r 26th, 1887, to appoint a committee 
 to organize a church at Mt. Calm. 
 
 The Sixty-seventh Meeting was held at Cameron, April 7th, 
 1887. Eighteen ministers and twenty-three ruling elders were 
 present. Rev. J. H. Leps was received from the Presbytery of 
 Western Texas, and Rev. John Woodruff, from the Presbytery of 
 Solomon P. C, U. S. A. The churches of Mt. Calm, Meridian 
 and Goldthwaite were enrolled. Licentiates W. S. Red and R. 
 B. Palmer were ordained. Arrangements were made to install 
 Mr. Palmer as pastor of San Saba church on the fifth Sabbath of 
 May. This was a time of severe drouth, affecting nearly the 
 whole State. In view of it the seventeenth day of April was ap- 
 pointed a day of fasting and prayer for rain. An overture was 
 sent to the Assembly to take steps for a change in the constitu- 
 tion so that clerks should be elected only for a limited time, not 
 longer than five years. Another overture was that the Assembly 
 should direct the clerks to advertise for bids for printing the 
 minutes. The result of this was that the printing of the minutes 
 was given to the Publication Committee. There was consider- 
 able excitement at this time upon the subject of organic union 
 with the Northern church. The Presbytery, by a vote of 
 thirty-one to one adopted an overture to the Assembly, asking 
 that they give no favor to it, but discourage any movement look- 
 ing to organic union. Rev. H. B. Rose had been for some time 
 selling books, partly as a colporteur for the Presbytery. At this 
 meeting an arrangement was made to employ him for the year 
 ensuing, giving him $300 in addition to the profits on sales. 
 Commissioners to the Assembly: S. A. King, R. K. Smoot, R. 
 H. Flaniken, T. E. Lankford. 
 
 The Presbytery adjourned to meet in Austin, May 4th, at 
 which time H. M. Smith was received as a candidate on a certifi- 
 cate from Mississippi Presbytery. John Young, candidate, was 
 received from the Presbytery of Western Texas and licensed. 
 Licentiate S. J. McMurray accepted a call to the pastorate of 
 Burnet church. Rev. Wm. Boyd asked that he be allowed to 
 dimit the ministry. The Presbytery adjourned again to meet at 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 43 
 
 the same place on the 18th of May. Rev. R. E. Sherrill was dis- 
 missed to the Dallas Presbytery. Candidate J. P. Robertson was 
 received from Arkansas Presbytery and licensed. 
 
 A called meeting was held at Burnet, July 22nd, 1887, to or- 
 dain licentiate S. J. McMurray and install him pastor of the 
 Burnet church. The Presbytery examined Mr. McMurray, or- 
 dained him, and appointed a committee to install him. It does 
 not appear that this committee reported their action, so that the 
 minutes contain no record of the installation. 
 
 The Sixty-eighth Meeting took place at Caldwell, August 31st, 
 1887. Twelve ministers and nineteen ruling elders were pres- 
 ent. This meeting was memorable for coming just after a rain 
 that caused the most extensive damage to the railroads ever 
 known in the State. The damage in the bounds of this Presby- 
 tery was mostly in the northeastern part of it, but it interrupted 
 and disarranged the running of trains extensively, and it was 
 only by watching opportunities and catching "stray trains," that 
 many of the members reached the place of meeting on the second 
 and third day. That the records were there at all was due to the 
 wife of the stated clerk, who accompanied him fifty miles in a 
 Du ggy» when he was fortunate enough at Clifton to find a loco- 
 motive that had brought up a load of timber to the road repair- 
 ers (working then about two miles above), ordered back to 
 Temple, and got passage in the caboose, the locomotive and 
 tender running backwards, thus reaching Temple at 9 o'clock 
 Thursday night. From Temple he had the company of several 
 other delayed members on a freight train, which reached Cald- 
 well about noon on Friday. Rev. W. L,. Lowrance was received 
 from the Presbytery of Dallas, and arrangements were made to 
 install him pastor of Mexia church. Licentiate John Young was 
 ordained and order made for his installation as pastor of Temple 
 church on the fourth Sabbath of September. Rev. M. W. Millard 
 was dismissed to the Presbytery of Memphis. The pastoral re- 
 lation between Rev. Wm. George and the Belton church was dis- 
 solved, and he having calls in Western Texas Presbytery, was 
 given permission to labor outside our bounds. Mathison church 
 was dissolved, and the members transferred to Mexia. Peculiar 
 circumstances seeming to render a reorganization of the Dublin 
 church desirable, it was dissolved, and permission given to or- 
 ganize at or near Dublin. J. W. Smith, C. H. Dobbs, jr., and 
 M. D. Sansom were received under the care of the Presbytery as 
 candidates for the ministry. 
 
 Rev. Wm. Addison Smith had died shortly before this meet- 
 ing. He was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, June 10th, 
 1808. He graduated at Jackson College, Tennessee, in 1836, 
 
44 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and Princeton Seminary in 1840, and was licensed by New 
 Brunswick Presbytery in 1841. He labored two years in Ken- 
 tucky, and three in Illinois, and was pastor for about seven 
 years of Bethel church, in Mississippi. He came to Texas in 
 1852, and lived in Western Texas. He became a member of this 
 Presbytery in 1865. At that time, he was living in Bastrop. 
 He preached for some time at Georgetown, and for the Pleasant 
 Hill (now Leander) church, and afterwards at Unity and Co- 
 manche. The last six years of his life, he resided with his son, 
 Rev. J. Addison Smith, at Des Peres, Missouri, where he died 
 August 4th, 1887. 
 
 A called meeting took place at Temple December 1st, 1887. 
 Rev. R. K. Moseley was received from the Presbytery of Western 
 Texas. Including Mr. Moseley, there were seven ministers and 
 two elders present. Rev. C. H. Dobbs was elected evangelist, 
 and requested to enter upon the work at once. 
 
 The Sixty-ninth Meeting took place at Mexia, April 18th, 
 1888. Ministers present, including those enrolled, nineteen; 
 ruling elders, thirteen. Rev. L. H. Kimmons was received from 
 the Presbytery of Washburn. Licentiate J. P. Robertson was 
 ordained. W. J. Tidball was licensed. A commission was ap- 
 pointed to install Rev. R. K. Moseley as pastor of the Cameron 
 church, on the second Sabbath in June. The churches of Taylor, 
 Hebron and Goldthwaite were dissolved. At Goldthwaite, the 
 majority of the members had moved to California a few months 
 after the church was organized. Mason church having trans- 
 ferred herself to the Northern church, was dropped from the 
 roll. This church had received $200 from the Church Erection 
 Fund. This money was returned. The Presbyterial Committee 
 of Sustentation was directed to take liens on all church build- 
 ings aided from the Home Mission funds. The churches were 
 directed to take collections for Round Rock Institute. An over- 
 ture from the Cameron church, respecting religious newspapers, 
 was answered, showing that the editors of such ought to be held 
 accountable to the church courts for the character of the matter 
 they publish concerning the doctrines, institutions, courts and 
 officers of the church. Commissioners to the Assembly, S. A. 
 King, R. K. Smoot, J. W. Storey, and J. F. Thompson. 
 
 The Presbytery adjourned to meet in Bel ton May 8th. Rev. 
 W. George was dismissed to the Presbytery of Western Texas. 
 Candidates J. A. Montgomery and J. M. Purcell were received 
 from the Presbyteries of Orange and Arkansas respectively. 
 Order was made to ordain licentiate W. J. Tidball, at Round 
 Rock, on the third Sabbath in May, and to ordain and install J. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 45 
 
 M. Purcell pastor of the Belton church on the fourth Sabbath of 
 May. 
 
 REV. THOMAS WHAREY, D. D. 
 
 Thomas Wharey was born in Louisa county, Virginia, March 
 22d, 1833, and died in Corsicana, March 24th, 1888. He was 
 the son of Rev. Jas. Wharey, long a pastor in the old Presbytery 
 of Hanover, who died in 1842. His mother was a daughter of 
 Major James Morton, in Prince Edward, sister of Mrs. John H. 
 Rice and of Dr. Wm. Morton. After her husband's death, she 
 returned to the vicinity of Hampden Sidney College, and lived 
 there during the education of her children. Her sons graduated 
 with distinction, under the presidency of Dr. Lewis Green. 
 Thomas held the position of tutor in the college for some time, 
 but about 1854, entered Union Seminary, from which he gradu- 
 ated in 1857. He was ordained and became pastor of Briery 
 church, Roanoke Presbytery, in 1858, in which relation he con- 
 tinued till he removed to Texas, in 1885. During this time, he 
 was assistant instructor in the seminary one year, '59-' 60, and 
 pastor of Drake's Branch three years, '78-' 81. He became a 
 member of this Presbytery in the spring of '86, and was installed 
 pastor of Corsicana church the first of June of that year. While 
 yet a student, he was attacked by pulmonary disease, which 
 showed from time to time in copious hemorrhages from the lungs, 
 one of which, following after an attack of jaundice, terminated 
 his life. He thus lived a large part of his life face to face, as it 
 were, with death; and told his friends, during his last illness, 
 that he and death had looked each other in the face so often that 
 they were old and familiar acquaintances. Yet he was the soul 
 of cheerfulness, entering with zest into every form of social en- 
 joyment, and charming the young by his wit and humor and 
 warm impulses. With his able, and often eloquent preaching, 
 he was thus a pastor greatly beloved and often sought after, and 
 was permitted to see much of the fruits of his labor while yet on 
 earth. 
 
 The Seventieth Meeting was held at Bartlett (Nazareth church) 
 October 3, 1888. Ministers present sixteen, ruling elders six- 
 teen. The Grove church with eighteen members, and Dublin 
 with twenty-one members, organized by C. H. Dobbs, evangel- 
 ist, were enrolled. Rev. J. H. Leps was dismissed to Montgom- 
 ery Presbytery and Rev. J. H. Zivley to Nashville. E. L- Storey 
 was received as a candidate, and a commission was appointed 
 to examine and receive E. L. Weiss. Rev. John Young was re- 
 leased from the pastoral charge of Temple church and an order 
 made for his installation at Gatesville and Unity on the second 
 
46 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Sabbath of November. Rev. W. G. McDonald had removed to 
 the bounds of the Eastern Texas Presbytery and asked for a dis- 
 mission at the spring meeting. Complaints concerning him hav- 
 ing come to the Presbytery from Comanche, where he had been 
 preaching, a commission was appointed to inquire into the mat- 
 ter. On the report of the commission, a dismission was granted 
 him, but accompanied by an admonitory letter. This was the 
 most serious judicial business that the Presbytery thus far in 
 its history had been called on to transact. 
 
 An overture was ordered sent to the Assembly protesting 
 against the proposal for co-operative union with the P. C, U. S. 
 A., at this time being agitated. 
 
 The committee in charge of the invalid fund was instructed 
 when in need of information concerning the circumstances of 
 persons applying for aid to ask it of the deacons of the church 
 to which the applicants belonged, and they would be required to 
 give the information in their official capacity. To an overture 
 from Georgetown, it was answered: "That the Presbytery has 
 the constitutional authority to appoint a minister to perform a 
 duty that requires him to be absent from his pulpit, without the 
 approval of the session." — Form of Government, Chap. V., Sec. 
 IV., Par. VI. Concerning the Austin School of Theology, the 
 Presbytery expressed their thanks to God for his continued 
 blessings on this school, and to the self-denying teachers who 
 have so willingly given to it their time and talents. The work 
 of the evangelist was highly commended. 
 
 At a called meeting at Waco, February 27, 1889, .Rev. C-. R - 
 Dudley, D. D., was received from the Presbytery of Mississippi, 
 and a commission was appointed to install him pastor of Corsicana 
 church on the fifth Sabbath of March. An urgent request came 
 from Dallas for Rev. W. L- Lowrance to engage in work in new 
 churches to be organized in that city. The Mexia church sent 
 an earnest protest against their pastor being taken from them, but 
 Mr. Lowrance stated that with the lights before him, he had de- 
 cided to ask to be released. After careful consideration the pas- 
 toral relation was dissolved, and Mr. Lowrance was dismissed to 
 Dallas Presbytery. Including Mr. Lowrance and Dr. Dudley, 
 there were present five ministers and five ruling elders. Three 
 of the elders were from churches interested in the business of the 
 meeting. 
 
 The Seventy-first Meeting was held at Austin, May 7, 1889. 
 Present, ministers, eighteen; ruling elders, twenty-two. Rev. C. 
 M. Hutton was received from Tuscaloosa Presbytery. Rev. S. J. 
 McMurray was released from the pastoral charge of Burnet church, 
 and R. B. Palmer from that of San Saba, and they were dis- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 47 
 
 missed, the former to Western Texas Presbytery, and the latter 
 to Pueblo, P. C, U. S. A. Mr. Palmer was in bad health and 
 did not live long. The pastoral relation between Rev. J. M. Pur- 
 cell and the Belton church was dissolved, and a commission was 
 appointed to install Rev. J. P. Robertson pastor of that church 
 on the fifth Sabbath of June. J. A. Montgomery, E. E. Weiss 
 and R. E. Eentz were licensed. Mr. Montgomery was dismissed 
 to the Brazos Presbytery. The case of Rev. A. B. Wilkes has 
 been mentioned. As he had never united with this Presbytery 
 the question arose whether he was under our jurisdiction or that 
 of Columbia Presbytery by which he had been dismissed. The 
 case had been referred to the Synod, and it decided that this 
 Presbytery had jurisdiction. The Presbytery was not satisfied 
 that this was correct, and by an overture at this meeting asked 
 the General Assembly to decide the question. The Assembly 
 decided that the Presbytery which had dismissed him, had still 
 jurisdiction over him. 
 
 It was ordered that hereafter all honorary or official titles ex- 
 cept Rev., in connection with the names of members of this 
 body, be omitted from the minutes. The presbytery in a body 
 attended the examination of the students in the Theological 
 school. Rev. T. E. Johnson, who had been teaching Greek and 
 Hebrew in the school, was elected professor. Commissioners to 
 to the Assembly, R. K. Moseley, C. H. Dobbs, R. H. Flani- 
 ken, J. M. Brown. 
 
 The Seventy-second Meeting took place at the Unity church, 
 September 4, 1889. Ministers present, eleven; ruling elders s ; x. 
 That the place of meeting was fifteen miles from the railroad, 
 perhaps was in part the reason for a small attendance. L. H. 
 Kimmons was dismissed to the Presbytery of Missouri, and W. 
 J. Tidball to Dallas Presbytery. The Wilson Valley church was 
 dissolved and the members transferred to the Unity church. N. 
 W. McMillan, a ruling elder of the Grove church, and G. W. 
 Morris, a minister of the Baptist church, were received as can- 
 didates. Licentiate L> M. Weiss was dismissed to the Western 
 Texas Presbytery. 
 
 At a called meeting at Temple, October 14th, the pastoral re- 
 lation between Rev. R. H. Moseley and the Cameron church was 
 dissolved. Present at the meeting four ministers and two ruling 
 elders. 
 
 The Seventy-third Meeting was held at Temple, April 3, 1890. 
 Present, ministers, fourteen; ruling elders, twenty-two. Rev. 
 Joshua Phipps was received from Holston Presbytery. Rev. J. 
 S. Willbanks was received from the Presbytery of Arkansas, and 
 an order made for his installation as pastor of Mexia church on 
 
48 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the 3rd Sabbath of May. R. K. Moseley was dismissed to Dallas 
 Presbytery, and W. S. Red to Brazos. Licentiate R. E. Lentz 
 was ordained. Licentiate T. C. Johnson was received from Green- 
 brier Presbytery. P. H. Burney was received as a candidate. 
 The pastoral relation between Rev. John Young and Unity church 
 was dissolved. The Presbytery, on report of an ad interim com- 
 mittee on the subject of societies, recommended that the Assem- 
 bly encourage the formation of local societies under the care of 
 the sessions, but declare against their organization into Presby- 
 terial or any other kind of unions, also that it impress upon the 
 lower courts the impropriety of employing societies outside the 
 church as agencies for the collection of funds, or any work for 
 which the organized church is responsible. On the subject of 
 the tithe, that the law of the tithe is not in force under the New 
 Testament, but there are no objections to individuals adopting this 
 method, and its general adoption would probably result in a 
 large increase in the funds of the church. The revised directory 
 was again before the body and was rejected, with a recommenda- 
 tion that the Assembly place it in the hands of the new commit- 
 tee for revision. 
 
 An apportionment among the churches of the amounts needed 
 for the various causes of benevolence was ordered printed and 
 distributed among the churches. Commissioners to the Gen- 
 eral Assembly, M. C. Hutton, I. N. White. 
 
 An adjourned meeting was held at Cameron, April 17th. Rev. 
 J. T. Sailes was received from Red River Presbytery, and order 
 made for his installation as pastor of Cameron church on the first 
 Sabbath of May. A special committee was appointed to en- 
 deavor to secure the services of a second general evangelist. 
 
 The Seventy-fourth Meeting was at Robinson church, August 
 27th, 1890. Ministers present, including those ordained, nine- 
 teen; ruling elders, thirteen. Rev. C. L- Ewing was received 
 from Holston Presbytery. Licentiate E. L. Siler was received 
 from Mecklenburg Presbytery, and R. C. Anderson from Roan- 
 oke. Licentiates H. M. Smith, E. L. Siler, R. C. Anderson and 
 T. Carey Johnson, were ordained. Order was made for the in- 
 stallation of Mr. Anderson, as pastor of San Angelo church, on 
 the 4th Sabbath of September, and E. L. Siler, as pastor of 
 Caldwell church, on the 2d Sabbath of September. The pastoral 
 relation between Rev. J. Young and the Gatesville church was 
 dissolved. R. E. Harding and S. J. Keeble were received as 
 candidates. Licentiate J. N. Lyle was permitted to return his 
 license. The Golinda church was dissolved, and the members 
 transferred to Robinson. The Round Rock Institute had re- 
 ceived, from time to time, a good deal of attention. A school 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 49 
 
 had been kept up from the beginning, but the difficulties of 
 running it without endowment were great, and at this meeting 
 it was determined to give up the enterprise and return the build- 
 ing to the citizens of Round Rock. A commission was appoint- 
 ed to investigate certain rumors concerning Rev. John Young. 
 Prof. T. C. Johnson resigned his position in the Austin School 
 of Theology, and the Presbytery pledged itself to pay a $400 
 salary to any one the trustees might appoint. The narrative 
 contains the following: "We have an evangelist who has been 
 in diligent work in the field, as the result of which there have 
 been nearly one hundred additions to the membership of the 
 churches. An additional evangelist has been employed in two 
 of the counties, supported by private subscription. It is a grati- 
 fying fact that we have added nine ministers to our roll, and two 
 others are expected by the meeting of Synod. Two houses of 
 worship are building, $500 has been subscribed for a third, and 
 considerable improvement made on a fourth. Two manses have 
 been built." 
 
 REV. J. H. LEPS. 
 
 Circumstances had prevented Rev. J. H. Leps from uniting 
 with the Presbytery to which he was dismissed, and on May 3rd, 
 1889, he died. Under these circumstances the Presbytery placed 
 on record a memorial of him. He was born near Copon Springs, 
 Hampshire county, West Virginia, May 23rd, 1823. He pre- 
 pared for college under Rev. W. Henry Foote. He graduated at 
 Princeton College and Theological Seminary. He was ordained 
 by Greenbrier Presbytery in 1853, and for four years was pastor 
 of the church at Kunawha Salines. In after years he had occa- 
 sion to rejoice in the fruits of his faithful planting in this field. 
 In May, 1857, he became pastor of the Parkersburg church, 
 Winchester Presbytery. In this charge he continued till the 
 breaking out of the war. He entered the army as chaplain and 
 was distinguished for fearlessness on the field as well as for zeal 
 in preaching Christ, and enjoyed the unbounded confidence of 
 all who knew him. After the war he took charge of Frankford 
 and Falling Spring churches, and for a time of the high school 
 in Frankford. His labors, both in the school and in the church, 
 were abundantly successful, and he was honored and beloved in 
 all that country. In 1884, he removed to Seguin, Texas, and 
 for two years was actively engaged in evangelistic work in West- 
 ern Texas Presbytery. In July, 1886, he removed to Marlin, and 
 for two years preached to that field. His fine social qualities 
 and earnest and faithful preaching endeared him to all who knew 
 him here as in other places. In 1888, he returned to Virginia, 
 when, a few months afterwards, he was called to his reward. 
 
50 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 At a called meeting held in Austin, October 14th, the commis- 
 sion on Mr. Young's case rendered their report, recommending 
 that an admonition be administered, which was accordingly done. 
 Candidate J. E. McLelland was received on a certificate from 
 Nashville Presbytery. 
 
 At a called meeting held in Waco, October 24th, Rev. C. R. 
 Dudley was released from the pastoral charge of the Corsicana 
 church and dismissed to Dallas Presbytery. 
 
 At a called meeting held in Waco, January 15th, 1891, Rev. 
 E. I<. Dale was received from Pine Bluff Presbytery, and S. W. 
 Mitchell from Eastern Texas Presbytery. The pastoral relation 
 between Rev. J. S. Willbanks and the Mexia church was dis- 
 solved, and at Mr. Willbanks' request, a commission was ap- 
 pointed to investigate certain rumors injurious to himself. 
 
 Another called meeting was held in Waco, February 5th, 1891. 
 Rev. T. C. Johnson was dismissed to the Presbytery of Louisville. 
 The commission appointed at the previous meeting rendered their 
 report, and Rev. J. S. Willbanks was impeached for immoral 
 conduct and summoned to appear at the spring meeting for trial. 
 
 The Seventy-fifth Meeting took place at Ballinger, April 15, 
 1891. Ministers present, eighteen; ruling elders, fourteen. Rev. 
 J. N. McFarlane was received from the Presbytery of Upshur, 
 Missouri. C. M. Hutton and Malcom Black were dismissed to 
 Dallas Presbytery and J. Phillips to Western Texas. Rev. C. L,. 
 Ewing was installed pastor of Ballinger church. Licentiate N. 
 W. McMillan was ordained. The church of Mart, organized by 
 evanglist C. H. Dobbs, was enrolled. C. H. Dobbs offered his 
 resignation of the office of evangelist, and his resignation was 
 accepted. Rev. L- Tenney resigned the office of stated clerk 
 and Rev. C. W. Peyton was elected stated clerk. It was made 
 a standing rule that the stated clerk should be elected at the 
 spring meeting, every three years, by ballot. Frank R. Robin- 
 son, member of Llano church, and Samuel Roach, of Coleman, 
 were taken under care as candidates. The churches of Blue 
 Ridge, Round Rock, Prairie View, Brown county, Meridian and 
 Fairfield were dissolved. Rev. J. S. Willbanks, charged with 
 violation of seventh commandment as interpreted in our stand- 
 ards, was tried, convicted and deposed from the ministry. 
 
 An overture, referred to an ad interim committee at the fall 
 meeting, asking whether, if a church member in regular stand- 
 ing, requests the dissolution of his church relationship, and the 
 session grants his request and erases his name from the roll, the 
 action is constitutional, was answered in the negative. An over- 
 ture, asking whether names of members returned upon a separate 
 roll are to be reported to Presbytery, was answered in the nega- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 5 I 
 
 tive. Commissioners to the General Assembly: C. W. Peyton, 
 J. M. Purcell, W. C. Dodson, J.I. Guion. 
 
 At a called meeting, held at Austin, May 8, candidates J. W. 
 Smith and J. M. McL,elland were licensed. Mr. Smith was trans- 
 ferred to Dallas Presbytery and Mr. McEelland to Western 
 Texas. 
 
 At a called meeting, held at Corsicana, May 28, a call from 
 the Corsicana church for the pastoral services of Rev. J. N. 
 McFarlane, was placed in his hands, and it being accepted, he 
 was installed. 
 
 August nth, a called meeting at Cameron, dissolved the pas- 
 toral relation between Rev. J. T. Sailes and the Cameron church 
 and dismissed him to the Presbytery of Red River that he might 
 enter on evangelistic work there. 
 
 The Seventy-sixth Meeting was held at Caldwell, October 16, 
 1891. Ministers present, twelve; ruling elders, eleven. Rev. J. 
 C. Grow was received from the Presbytery of Paris; J. W. Siler 
 from Mecklenburg, and W. J. Tiddball from Dallas. R. E. Lentz . 
 was dismissed to Mecklenburg. Candidate R. E. Hardin was 
 licensed. The Hubbard cburch, organized by Rev. S. A. King, 
 was enrolled. Candidate J. Johnson was received on a transfer 
 from Arkansas Presbytery. The license of C. M. Staples was 
 recalled. Rev. H. B. Boude was elected evangelist, but did not 
 accept. 
 
 At a called meeting in Austin, January 22, 1892, an order was 
 made to organize a church in the eastern part of the city. The 
 Presbytery then adjourned to the 31st, and at that time organized 
 the church with twenty members, one ruling elder and one 
 deacon. The church was named Highland. 
 
 February 1, 1892, a meeting was called at Belton, to elect an 
 evangelist. Rev. A. R. Shaw, of the Fayetteville Presbytery, 
 was elected. 
 
 At a called meeting at Temple, March 10, the time for the 
 stated meeting was changed from April 6th to April 13th. Rev. 
 S. W. Mitchell was dismissed to the Presbytery of Memphis, and 
 the Robinson church received permission to prosecute a call for 
 the pastoral services of Rev. S. J. McMurry. 
 
 The Seventy seventh Meeting was held at Georgetown, April 
 15, 1892. Present, ministers, eighteen; ruling elders, twenty- 
 two. Revs. Wm. Hughes, from the Presbytery of Boston United 
 Presbyterian church, and A. R. Shaw, from the Presbytery of 
 Fayetteville, were received. Highland and Lott churches were 
 enrolled. Arrangements were made for the installation of R. L. 
 Dale as pastor of the Temple church. R. C. Anderson being led 
 by domestic affliction to tender his resignation as pastor of San 
 
52 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Angelo church, the relation was dissolved and he was dismissed 
 to the Presbytery of Montgomery. The name of the Waco 
 church was changed to First Presbyterian Church of Waco. A 
 commission was appointed to ordain R. E. Hardin, which was 
 done at Hubbard City on April 26. L,. L. McShaw (colored), a 
 member of Cameron church, was received as a candidate and 
 recommended to the faculty of Tuscaloosa Institute. The Pres- 
 bytery again voted, unanimously, against the revised directory. 
 Commissioners to the Assembly: J. P. Robertson, S. A. King, 
 G. M. Suggs, J. P. Vance. Dr. King was chosen moderator of 
 the Assembly. 
 
 The body adjourned to meet at Robinson on June 1st. There 
 being no quorum at that time, adjourned again to July 1st, at 
 the same place. Rev. S. J. McMurry was received from the Pres- 
 bytery of Western Texas, and a commission appointed to install 
 him pastor of Robinson church, which was done on the first Sab- 
 bath of July, 1892. Rev. C. H. Dobbs was given a dismission, 
 and candidate C. H. Dobbs, Jr., a transfer to Greenbriar Presby- 
 tery. Rev. J. W. Siler was dismissed to Mecklenburg Presbytery. 
 
 The Seventy-eighth Meeting took place at Gatesville, August 
 31, 1892. Present, seventeen ministers and twelve ruling elders. 
 Rev. R. M. Loughridge was received from the Presbytery of Mus- 
 kogee P. C, U. S. A. Order was made for the installation of J. 
 M. Purcell, as pastor of Highland church, on the second Sabbath 
 of September. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting in Corsicana, during the sessions of 
 the Synod, Rev. G- T. Storey was received from the Presbytery 
 of Central Mississippi, and an order was made for his installa- 
 tion as pastor of San Angelo church, on the third Sabbath of 
 November. 
 
 At a called meeting in Waco, February 1, 1893, S.J. McMurry 
 requested that the pastoral relation between him and the Robin- 
 son church be dissolved. The request was refused. 
 
 Domestic affliction led Rev. E. L. Siler to ask for the dissolution 
 of the pastoral relation between the Caldwell church and him- 
 self, and a dismission to the Presbytery of Mecklenburg, and the 
 request was granted at a called meeting at Belton, April 3, 1893 
 
 The narrative of the fall meeting mentioned the death of Rev 
 W. W. C. Kelly, who had been in the Presbytery but a short 
 time and had had no charge as a member of it. He died Octo 
 ber 20, 1891. He had come to Texas, about 1871, from Missis 
 sippi, and settled at San Marcos, and at that place andLockhart 
 or in that region, preached or taught until he came to Austin 
 where he was engaged in teaching until he became too infirm 
 He became a member of this Presbytery in October, 1885. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 53 
 
 The Seventy-ninth Meeting was held at Cameron, April 26, 
 1893. Present, seventeen ministers and fourteen ruling elders. 
 Rev. W. S. Baker was received from the Presbytery of Arkansas, 
 and Rev. H. M. Sydenstricker from the Presbytery of Trinity P. 
 C, U. S. A. Rev. Wm. Hughes was dismissed to the Presbytery 
 of Dallas, and Rev. J. S. Greenlee to the Presbytery of Brazos. 
 Rev. S. J, McMurry was released from the pastoral charge of 
 Robinson church and dismissed to the Presbytery of Western 
 Texas. The pastoral relation between Rev. J. M. Purcell and 
 the Highland church was dissolved. Candidate D. W. Morris 
 was licensed, The churches of Santa Anna, Spring Creek, and 
 Lingelville were enrolled. A. R. Shaw offered his resignation as 
 evangelist, which was accepted. C. L- Means was received as a 
 candidate. The Brownwood church dismissed to this Presbytery 
 by the Trinity Presbytery, P. C, U. S. A., was enrolled. The 
 practice that had been followed for a number of years of requir- 
 ing written narratives from church sessions, spring and fall, 
 was changed by substituting for the fall meetings the older cus- 
 tom of a Free Conversation on the State of Religion. An offer 
 being made to transfer Daniel Baker College, at Brownwood, to 
 this Presbytery, a commission was appointed to attend to the 
 business. 
 
 The Presbytery enjoined upon the sessions under its care to 
 exercise the greatest caution in admitting persons to their pul- 
 pits, that none except those who have been called by the Spirit, 
 and with the approval of an organized court of the church of 
 Christ, are entitled to exercise the functions of the Gospel min- 
 istry in our pulpits. An overture to the General Assembly, to 
 define more closely the relation of candidates to the Presbytery, 
 was answered by that body thus: "Candidates are under the di- 
 rection and control of the Presbytery, both in regard to their 
 conduct, and the schools, colleges and seminaries they shall at- 
 tend; but the authority in regard to schools attended should be 
 exercised with prudence." 
 
 Commissioners to the General Assembly: S. A. King, J. N. 
 McFarlane, W. McB. Smith, D. M. Currie. 
 
 At a called meeting at Temple, May 22, the commission on the 
 matter of the transfer of Daniel Baker College, made their report. 
 Terms had been agreed upon, but they were subsequently 
 changed. 
 
 At an adjourned meeting at Waco, the Second Presbyterian 
 church of Waco was organized, with 41 members dismissed from 
 the First church. Rev. A. R. Shaw was installed pastor of the 
 church . 
 
54 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Rev. A. H. P. McCurdy was elected evangelist, but did not 
 accept. 
 
 The Eightieth Meeting was held at Brownwood, September 
 13th, 1893. There were nineteen ministers and twenty ruling 
 elders present. Rev. G. S. Robinson was received from the Pres- 
 bytery of Lexington. Licentiate D. N. Yarbro was received from 
 the Presbytery of Paducah and ordained. Order was made for 
 the installation of Rev. H. B. Rose as pastor of Highland church. 
 John A. Black and Hugh V. Tull were received as candidates. 
 
 At the spring meeting steps had been taken looking to the 
 restoration of J. S. Willbanks to the ministry, and he had been 
 authorized to preach as a probationer. He was now dismissed to 
 the Presbytery of Eastern Texas. At this meeting the order 
 was made for the writing of this history. 
 
 A memorial of J. H. Hutchins, who had been an elder in the 
 Austin church from before the organization of the Presbytery, 
 was adopted. He was one of the few in the Austin church, as it 
 was in the time of the war, who stood firmly on the side of the 
 Southern church, and one of about a dozen who, when at the 
 close of the war, the majority voted to go with the Northern 
 church, stood firm and were recognized by this Presbytery as the 
 Presbyterian church of Austin. He died July 24th, 1893, in the 
 80th year of his age. 
 
 Presbytery adjourned to meet in Fort Worth during the ses- 
 sions of the Synod. Rev. J. M. Cochran was received from the 
 Presbytery of Eastern Texas, and J. A. Creighton from Dallas. 
 
 Daniel Baker College occupied a large share of the time both 
 at Brownwood and at Fort Worth, but no arrangement that 
 proved satisfactory was arrived at. 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 
 
 A biographical notice of Rev. Hugh Wilson is contained in the 
 history at its proper place. A brief notice of the other original 
 members is in place. 
 
 Rev. John T. Balch, was born in Green county, Tennessee, 
 December 12, 1809. He studied theology at Princeton. After 
 preaching two years in Tennessee and eight years in Arkansas, 
 he came to Western Texas in 1850, and to the Brazos Presbytery 
 in 1853. He died in Minden, Louisiana, on his fifty-second 
 birthday, December 12, 1861. After his death his family re- 
 turned to Texas. One of the candidates, now under the care of 
 the Presbytery, Mr. H. V. Tull, is his grandson. 
 
 Rev. Wm. M. Baker, after he went North in 1866, pursued a 
 literary career besides his labors in the ministry. He wrote his 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 55 
 
 father's biography in 1S58 and 1859, and while living in Austin 
 during the war wrote, "An Inside View of Secessia." He wrote 
 afterwards several works of fiction, and acquired a considerable 
 reputation in this field. One of his books, Carter Quarterman, 
 contains in Dr. Quarterman a more vivid picture of what his 
 father, Dr. Daniel Baker, was, than does his biography of him. 
 He died in Boston, Massachusetts, August 20, 1883. 
 
 Rev. R. F. Bunting's career, after he left this Presbytery, is 
 pretty well known. When he took charge of the church in San 
 Antonio, he set himself to the task of securing a house of wor- 
 ship for the congregation, and succeeded in bringing to the state 
 in which it was used for years, the present church building. 
 During the war, or most of it, he was the efficient chaplain of 
 the "Texas Rangers." He was for some time pastor of the first 
 church in Nashville, Tennessee, afterwards in Galveston, and 
 other charges. For a time he was financial agent of the S. W. 
 Presb. University. He died suddenly of heart disease on the 
 cars, September 19, 1891. Dr. Bunting was a most active and 
 tireless worker at whatever he undertook. 
 
56 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Organization and History of Churches. 
 
 FREE CHURCH, AUSTIN. 
 
 In October, 1839, Rev. W. Y. Allen, having sent an appoint- 
 ment before, rode an Indian pony from Houston to Austin, then 
 about four months old and having about six hundred inhab- 
 itants, to preach. He spent the Sabbath on the way at a camp- 
 meeting at Ruttersville, conducted by the distinguished Meth- 
 odist pioneer, Rev. Rob't Alexander. Arriving in Austin at 
 night on the Saturday following, he preached on the Sabbath, 
 October 18th, in Bullock's Hotel, and in the afternoon organized 
 a Presbyterian church of six members. The ruling elders were 
 Mr. Bullock and James Burke. Mr. Allen says of the com- 
 munion that it was something that had never been witnessed so 
 far southwest by Protestants on the American continent. The 
 church was one of the five enrolled by the Brazos Presbytery at 
 its organization the following April. In 1840 a Mr. Crow, from 
 Indiana, preached for the church some months. The same year 
 a church building of logs was erected on the ground now occu- 
 pied by the Cumberland Presbyterian church. It was not fin- 
 ished, and was never occupied, and in 1844 was blown down by 
 a tornado. In 1842, in consequence of an invasion of Mexicans 
 and Indians, the town was deserted for a time by the government 
 and most of the people. So far as is known, no records of the 
 church have been preserved. Ic 1846, it is mentioned in the 
 records of the Presbytery, with the statement that it was not 
 then known whether any members were left, and in 1848 it was 
 omitted from the roll. In that year, Dr. Baker commenced 
 preaching in the town, and in May, 1850, a church was organ- 
 ized by Rev. W. M. Baker, with five members. It was enrolled 
 by the Presbytery Oct. 29th, 185 1, having then thirty-eight 
 members and two elders. At the same time an order was made 
 for Mr. Baker's installation as pastor of the church on the 2d of 
 November: Rev. S. F. Cocke to preach the sermon, Rev. J. W. 
 Miller to give the charge to the people, Dr. Baker to the pastor. 
 
 In 1 86 1, the church reported ninety-one members. Mr. Baker 
 continued pastor till 1866, when he removed to Ohio. The ma- 
 jority of the church resolved to adhere to the church, North. 
 They also held the church building, a small house standing 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 57 
 
 where the Northern church now stands. About a dozen mem- 
 bers, including two of the elders, determined to adhere to the 
 Southern church, and were recognized by the Presbytery of 
 Central Texas as the Austin church. 
 
 For several years they had no preaching, except as supplies 
 were sent from time to time by the Presbytery. In the fall of 
 '68, Rev. A. A. Porter visited the church, and in the following 
 spring removed to Texas and took charge of the church. He 
 was sent by the Home Mission Committee. Dr. Porter supplied 
 the church till prostrated by the sickness which ended in his 
 death December 8th, 1872. During this time the membership 
 increased to about seventy, and the site for the present house of 
 worship was secured. 
 
 Dr. Porter was succeeded by Rev. Henry McDonald. During 
 his time, twenty-one members were added, and the foundation 
 laid and the walls erected of the present house of worship. At 
 the laying of the corner-stone, Dr. B. M. Palmer made an ad- 
 dress, holding a large audience, mostly standing, immovable for 
 nearly two hours. He also preached, while there, several times 
 in the capitol. 
 
 In July, 1874, a call was extended to Dr. R. K. Smoot, of 
 Bowling Green, Kentucky. He visited Austin, and was instru- 
 mental in starting an effort, which met with a good measure of 
 success, to raise money to carry on the work upon the church 
 edifice. He did not accept the call. In November, '74, Rev. 
 John S. Grasty, D. D., of Shelbyville, Kentucky, was called to 
 the pastorate. He took charge of the church soon after, and was 
 installed pastor May 9th, '75. By joint request, the relation was 
 dissolved June 23d, '76, Dr. Grasty having removed to Missouri 
 some time before. During the first part of his ministry, services 
 were held in Smith's Opera House. Money was borrowed to 
 complete the church building, and it was occupied for the first 
 time in June, 1875. In the autumn of that year, the Synod of 
 Texas met in the building. During his pastorate, there were 
 forty-five accessions to the roll of members. 
 
 Dr. Smoot was again called to the pastorate, and having ac- 
 cepted the call, took charge of the church in October, '76, and 
 was installed May 13th, '77. This pastorate still continues, and 
 for ten years the pastor has performed the additional labor of a 
 professor in the Austin School of Theology, and has had the 
 largest share of the care and labor of organizing the school. 
 The church has enjoyed a steady prosperity and growth in num- 
 bers. From April, '77, to April, '94, the additions reported are 
 613 — 285 on examination, and 328 by letter. The present mem- 
 bership, 319. In '86, the house of worship was remodeled and 
 
58 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 enlarged, and the church was incorporated under the name of 
 the Free Presbyterian Church. The disbursements for church 
 purposes have been about $111,000. At the time of the disrup- 
 tion, the elders were A. H. Cook, J. H. Hutchins and Wm. 
 Smythe. The two former had held the office from near the time 
 of the organization, in 1850. 
 
 A. H. Cooke. Died February 22, '84. 
 
 J. H. Hutchins. Died July 24, '93. 
 
 G. Rogar. Died May 9, '80. 
 
 Dr. Cluff. 
 
 Dr. Rob't Grant, July 18, '75. Died July 17, '88. 
 
 J. N. Lyle, July 18, '75. Dis. July 28, '78. 
 
 J. B. Winn, December 31, '83. 
 
 J. M. Brown, December 31, '83. 
 
 L,. A. Graham, March 12, '93. 
 
 W. R. Moore, March 12, '93. 
 
 J. L- Blain, March 12, '93. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 Z. T. Fulmore. Res. May 6, '78. 
 
 Dr. J. H. Burt. Died July 10, '86. 
 
 R. J. Loving, July 1, '77. 
 
 Benj. S. Pillow, July 1, '77. 
 
 E. B. Mitchell, July i, '77. 
 
 Calvin McCorkle, '79. 
 
 Clark Red, '79. 
 
 J. T. K. McPhail, October 10, '79. 
 
 T. W. Gregory, October 10, '79. 
 
 C. B. Daniel, October 10, '79. 
 
 C. W. Hopkins, October io, '79. 
 
 R. C. Walker, September 7, '84. 
 
 Chas. Moore, Jan. 31, '92. 
 
 W. W. Wiggins, February 19, '93. Dis. to Fort Worth. 
 
 J. B. Davis, May 25. 
 
 Milton Morris, May 25. 
 
 BALLENGER. 
 
 The First Presbyterian Church of Ballenger was organnized 
 July 25, 1886, by evangelist J. H. Zivley, with nine members 
 and one ruling elder. Mr. Zivley was S. S. for about two 
 years. Evangelist C. H. Dobbs preached some for the church, 
 but the records do not show how much. Also D. A. Planck 
 while he was at San Angelo. Rev. C. L. Ewing took charge of 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 59 
 
 the church June i, 1890, and April 19, was installed pastor by 
 the Presbytery then in session in the church. 
 
 The growth of the church has been steady and substantial, and 
 seasons of revival have been enjoyed from time to time. Present 
 membership, 70. Total, in. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 J. R. Burt, at organization. 
 
 M. Barker, June 23, 1888. 
 
 I. F. Vaughn, December 15, 1889. 
 
 J. I. Guion, December 15, 1889. 
 
 P. McGregor, July 16, 1893. 
 
 deacons. 
 
 R. H. McAlpine, at organization. 
 
 J.J. Erwin, December 16, 1889. 
 
 A. H. Van Pelt, December 16, 1889. 
 
 J. A. Gammil, December 16, 1889. 
 
 Jas. Wilson, July 16, 1893. 
 
 The house of worship was completed in 189 1, but was not dedi- 
 cated till October 29, 1893. The church also owns a comfortable 
 manse worth $1000. 
 
 BELTON. 
 
 Rev. L. Tenney preached at Bel ton monthly from 1855 to l8 57- 
 There were a few Presbyterians there but not enough to warrant 
 organizing a church. Early in i860, he commenced again a 
 monthly appointment, and October 21st, of that year, organized 
 the church with eight members, and Erasmus Walker and Robt. 
 Miller as elders. He continued to preach to the church through 
 1 86 1. In 1862 or '63, R. M. Overstreet was employed, but how 
 long he preached is uncertain. Some members were received, 
 among them J. J. Robertson, now a member of the Session. L,. 
 Tenney preached again monthly from early in '69 to the spring 
 of '75. He had preached for the first time in Belton, in April, 
 '54, in a school house weather- boarded with rough split boards. 
 The Cumberland Presbyterians soon after built a house, mostly at 
 the expense of one man. That church did not last long, and the 
 building was afterwards turned into a school house. The services 
 from '55 to '57, were in this building, from '69 for a time in the 
 Methodist church, and afterward in a Union church. There were 
 twenty members in the spring of '75. 
 
 Rev. W. F. Gillespie was S. S. from May, '75, to November 
 18, '76, preaching about half the time. 
 
60 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 C. W. Peyton, licentiate, ordained April, '78, was S. S. from 
 the fall of '77, till May, '85. 
 
 Rev. W. George, D. D., P., May 31, '85, to September, '87. 
 
 J. M. Purcell, licentiate, S. S., November, '87, to May, '88; P., 
 till May, '89. 
 
 J. P. Robertson, P., June 1, '89. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 E. Walker, October 21, i860. Died 1893. 
 
 Robert Miller, October 21, i860. Dismissed; died at Hamil- 
 ton. 
 
 A. A. Black, June 25, 1871. Dismissed at organization at 
 Temple. 
 
 R. M. Huie, June 25, 187 1. Dismissed. 
 
 J. J. Robertson, June 4, 1882. 
 
 A. M. Montith, June 4, 1882. 
 
 W. T. Shannon, August 15, 1886. 
 
 J. C. Means, May 17, 1891. 
 
 W. McB. Smith, May 17, 1891. 
 
 J. W. L,ee, May 17, 1891. 
 
 Rev. M. C. Conoley settled in the western part of Milam county 
 in the winter of i867-'68, and opened a school in a neighborhood 
 where there were no Presbyterians. He did not become a mem- 
 ber of Central Texas Presbytery till the fall of 1871. June nth 
 of that year the Bethel church was organized by A. J. Lough- 
 ridge and elders R. H. Flanniken and J. W. Shive, a committee 
 of the Presbytery. There were seven members, mostly of Mr. 
 Conoley's family. Mr. Conoley supplied the church till the 
 spring of 1877; A. J. Loughridge, 1877-1879; R. M. Tuttle, 
 1879-1880; W. F. Gillespie, 1880-1881; G. T. Lyle, 1883-1884. 
 R. E. Sherrill was invited to preach to the church in 1884, but 
 preached only a few times on account of ill health. In 1891, 
 after the church had been vacant about seven years, N. W. Mc- 
 Millan was invited to take charge. Only ten or twelve members 
 could then be found within reach, but there are now nearly forty 
 names on the roll, and a good Sabbath school and prayer meet- 
 ing. The number of members enrolled has been about sixty, 
 about forty-five of them on profession of faith. 
 
 BEULAH. 
 
 The Beulah church, at Shive, Hamilton county, was organ- 
 ized February 24, 1884, by evangelist C. H. Dobbs, with ten 
 
PRESBYTERV OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 6l 
 
 members and one ruling elder, J. W. Shive. Mr. Shive and his 
 family, and his son's family, had settled there a short time be- 
 fore. There were a few members already residing there. They 
 started a Sabbath school, which has continued to the present time, 
 and, though in a community little used to such things, and little 
 disposed to keep the Sabbath, it has drawn many from outside 
 the church and exerted a very great influence for good. W. E. 
 Shive preached to the church in 1884, and M. Black from 1886 
 to 1889; C. H. Dobbs, part of 1891 and 1892; otherwise the 
 services have been only occasional. The total number of 
 members enrolled is thirty-six, and there are now on the roll 
 seventeen. In February, 1884, Job Cooper was made an elder 
 a few days after the organization, and in November, 1891, J. 
 G. Jones. Mr. Cooper was an old man, and died some years 
 since. The Shive families moved west in 1891 or 1892. There 
 is now but one ruling elder, Mr. Jones, and the members are 
 mostly females and children, but the Sabbath school is kept up, 
 and the church seems to give promise of bearing good fruit. 
 
 The church has had deacons, R. L. Shive, M. F. Clark and 
 M. B. Roddy, only one of whom is now serving. 
 
 In May, 1874, Rev. H. B. Rose, who had come from Virginia 
 some months before, was received by the Presbytery at an ad- 
 journed meeting at Waxahachie. At the same meeting Mr. 
 Rose and Elder P. H. Turk, of Pleasant Hill church, were ap- 
 pointed a committee to organize a church at Burnet. August 
 1 2th of the same year the church was organized by them with 
 twelve members: Capt. D. P. Curry, Dr. John McSwean, A. M. 
 Ramsey, and their wives, Misses Sallie R., Susan W. and Minnie 
 C. Curry, Miss Ida McSwean, Mrs. Fannie Warden and Mrs. A. 
 R. Culton. Capt. Curry, Dr. McSwean and Mr. Ramsey were 
 made ruling elders. 
 
 Mr. Rose preached for the church monthly till October, 1875, 
 services being held in the rock school house. Some months 
 after, W. F. Gillespie commenced monthly services and continued 
 till September, 1881, when Mr. Rose returned to Burnet and 
 preached monthly till the house of worship was erected in 1883. 
 The house was completed in July; cost about $2000, all paid up. 
 From this time there were services three, and part of the time 
 four Sabbaths per month, and a prayer meeting and Sabbath 
 school were organized. The church continued to grow till, in 
 1887, sixty members were reported. For some years past the 
 membership has greatly diminished, mainly by removals, the 
 
62 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 number reported in 1893 being only twenty-eight. Seven mem- 
 bers were dismissed to the Spring Creek church when it was or- 
 ganized in January, 1893. The Sabbath school has been kept 
 up continuously, though not more than half as large now as it 
 was some years ago. "The few earnest members left have 
 labored hard to keep the church together." The total number 
 of members that have been enrolled to April, 1893, is about 125. 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 H. B. Rose, S. S., August, '74, October, '75; also Septem- 
 ber, '81, April, '86. 
 
 W. F. Gillespie, '75, September, '81. 
 
 S. J. McMurry, S. S., October, '86; P., July, '87, May, '89. 
 
 H. M. Smith, S. S., April, '90, March, '91. 
 
 J. C. Grow, S. S., May, '91. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Capt. D. P. Curry, August, 12, '74. Died, May, '83. 
 Dr. J. McSwean, August 12, '74. 
 A. M. Ramsey, August 12, 74.' 
 
 D. L. Emmett, March, '81. 
 
 John Carruth, 1883. Died, June, '84. 
 
 E. B. Carruth, '83. Dis., March, '87. 
 Jas. W. Kyle, '83. Dis., August, '89. 
 Chas. R. Sherrill, July, '87. Dis., July, '93. 
 Maj. John B. Sherrard, September, 1S91. 
 
 D. L. Emmett, August, '79, March, '81. 
 
 M. J. McSwean, August, '79. Died, July, '84. 
 
 J. R. Hudson, '81. Dis., November, '93. 
 
 D. L- Luce, '87. Dis., July, '90. 
 
 Henry P. Rose, November, '91. Dis., March, '93. 
 
 CALDWELL. 
 
 [See Yellow Prairie.] 
 
 The present Caldwell church was organized by C. H. Dobbs, 
 evangelist, with eleven members — S. G. Ragsdale and J. H. 
 Wallace, ruling elders — July 1, '85. (There seems to be a con- 
 fusion of dates, placing the election and installation of officers 
 and first meeting of session, June 29.) The records make no 
 mention of any supply, except the evangelist, till the early part 
 of '88, when J. P. Robertson became S. S., and continued with 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 63 
 
 the church till the latter part of '89, supplying two or three 
 other churches at the same time. From '89, E. L. Siler served 
 the church as S. S. till September, '90, and thence as pastor till 
 '93. Total members from beginning, 37; present number, 26. 
 
 CAMERON. 
 
 The Cameron church was organized September 17th, '82, with 
 thirteen members by Rev. A. S. Doak, Presbyterial evangelist. 
 The ruling elders were T. E. Lankford, John B. McLane, R. I. 
 McCalla and W. D. Paden. The church has been active and lib- 
 eral. A handsome church building was erected in the spring of 
 '87 at a cost of $6500. A manse has also been erected on the 
 same block with the church, costing $2000. The total number 
 of members enrolled to April, '84, is 142. The present number, 
 94. Licentiate D. N. Yarbro was ordained while serving the 
 church, October, '93. 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 M. C. Hutton, S. S., January 1, '83, to December 31, '85. 
 J. K. P. Newton, S. S., January i, '86, to July 1, '87. 
 R. K. Moseley, P., August 1, '87, to November, '89. 
 J. T. Sailes, P., February 16, 1890, to July 1, '91. 
 J. W. Siler, S. S., September 1, '91, to July, '92. 
 Dr. J. T. Hendricks, S. S. 
 
 D. N. Yarbro, S. S., July 1, '93, to July 1, '94. 
 
 J. K. P. Newton, S. S., August 1, '93, to December 31, '94. 
 John M. Shive, P. E-, '95. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 T. E. Lankford, September 17, '82. Died, October 15, '87. 
 John B. McLane, September 17, '82. 
 R. I. McCalla, September 17, '82. 
 W. D. Paden, September 17, '82. 
 
 E. J. Mclver, November 9, '87. 
 
 J. F. Thompson, November 9, '87. 
 C A. Lankford, November 9, '87. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 W. H. Frirson, March 11, '87. 
 Johnson Robertson, March 11, '87. 
 C. A. Pitts, January 17, '88. 
 C. W. Lawrence, January 17, '88. 
 Samuel Streetman, November 21, '89. 
 Robert McLane. 
 
64 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 CAROLINA. 
 
 The Carolina church was organized October 12, 1853, with 
 eleven members and two ruling elders, A. V. Lea and J. Hobbs, 
 by Rev. John T. Balch. The organization took place at the 
 house of A. V. Lea, on Elm Creek, five miles from Cameron, 
 near where the Cameron and Port Sullivan road crosses the creek. 
 The church was at first named Elm Creek, but as most of the 
 members soon after determined to move to Deer creek, in Falls 
 county, it appears that the name was changed to Deer Creek be- 
 fore the organization was reported to the Presbytery. It was 
 changed to Carolina in October, 1854. A young man, A. B. 
 Frazier, was appointed clerk of sessions, but it does not appear 
 that he was an elder. He was drowned soon after in Elm creek. 
 The removal took place in the fall of 1854. Mr. Hobbs did not 
 go to Deer creek, and some time after he and his wife joined the 
 Methodist church. Rev. L. Tenney took charge of the church 
 in December of 1854, was installed pastor in April of 1856, by 
 the Presbytery, which held its spring meeting then, and this re- 
 lation continued till the end of 1859. The first church building 
 was erected in 1855 by Mr. Lea's sons, of lumber which they 
 sawed by hand. The present church was erected in '83, and 
 dedicated in '84, H. Calvin Smith preaching the sermon. Mr. 
 Balch preached for the church several times and ordained the 
 elders chosen in '54. L. Tenney preached to the church most of 
 the time from '63 until '68, and again supplied it from '71 until 
 '75. Rev. S. A. King was S. S. during '69, and J. A. Walker in 
 '70; R. M. Loughridge from '76 to '80; J. F. Paxton in '81 and 
 '82. Since then it has been grouped with Robinson church, A. 
 S. Drake being S. S. in '84 and '85; C. W. Peyton, '85 to '90; 
 S. W. Mitchell, '90 and '91; S. J. McMurry, '92 and '93; J. M. 
 Cochran from October, '93. Total number of communicants en- 
 rolled, 154; present number, 48. 
 
 ELDERS. 
 
 A. V. Lea, from organization until death, about 1871. 
 
 J. Hobbs, from organization until joined Methodist church. 
 
 John J. Long, October 12, '54; removed. (Dead). 
 
 Isaac D. Wright, October 12, '54; removed and joined Metho- 
 dist church. Died in '51 or '52. 
 
 G. W. Stotey, September 12, '68. 
 
 W. L. Pattillo, September 12, '68; dismissed to Marlin, '74. 
 
 E. P. Lea, January 22, '73; removed to Sweetwater about '87. 
 
 John Bouchillon, December 26, '75. 
 
 David M. Currie, December 26, '75. 
 
 Benj. F. Bouchillon, November 16, '84. (Dead.) 
 
 Thos. B. White, 1890. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 65 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 J. B. Storey, December 21, '84. 
 
 B. F. Bouchillon. 
 
 D. M. Currie. 
 
 J. D. Storey, 1890. 
 
 COLEMAN. 
 
 The Coleman church was organized October 26, 1879, by Rev. 
 O. F. Rogers, who had been appointed to the work by the Pres- 
 bytery, with eleven members. J. E. McCord and J. P. Price 
 were installed ruling elders, and J. R. Dobbins and J. L. Spicer, 
 deacons. Mr: Spicer was ordained. The earliest records of the 
 church were lost. Rev. O. F. Rogers served the church for a 
 time, then J. A. McMurray, evangelist. While at Abilene, Rev. 
 J. M. Cochran preached at Coleman once a month, a part of the 
 time at least. W. G. McDonald was S. S. in '86. J. H. Zivley 
 preached a short time; W. E. Spicer from the Spring of '88 
 about a year. D. A. Planck was S. S. in '89, and C. L,. Ewing 
 from July, '90, until August, '92. The church has been vacant 
 a large part of the time, and has been visited and services held at 
 different times by the Presbyterial evangelists and other ministers. 
 Rev. G. S. Robinson is at present supplying it. The total en- 
 rollment from the beginning is about 90; present membership, 58. 
 The first house of worship, erected in '83, at a cost of about 
 $3000, was blown down in '84. The present commodious build- 
 ing was completed in '86. In June, '93, the manse was com- 
 pleted. The church property is valued at $5000. 
 
 COMANCHE. 
 
 Comanche church was organized by Rev. Neil McDonald on 
 the fourth Sabbath (27th) of December, '74, with four members, 
 R. P. McCrary, ruling elder. Rev. McDonald had visited and 
 preached in Comanche several times previously. Returning from 
 his next visit after the organization of the church he contracted 
 pneumonia, which terminated his life on the third of February. 
 First communion mentioned April, '76, two Cumberland Presby- 
 terian brethren assisting. During '76 the ruling elder was killed 
 and R. H. Carr and D. C. B. Dunlap were chosen, June 7, '77, 
 Rev. L,. Tenney preaching the ordination sermon. Rev. W. A. 
 Smith served the church from '75 to '79; J. A. McMurray, evan- 
 gelist, '80 to '84; J. S. Greenlee, '84 and '85; W. G, McDonald, 
 '85 to '87; C. H. Dobbs, evangelist, '88 and '90; R. M. Tuttle, 
 '90 and '91; C. H. Dobbs, '91 and '92. In '92 W. S. Baker 
 preached a few times, and C. L. Ewing commenced to supply the 
 church. Mr. Dunlap having removed, T. O. Moore was chosen 
 
66 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ruling elder in '85, is still in office, and has superintended the Sab- 
 bath school. Mr. Carr died in '92, and C. N. Curtiss was chosen 
 ruling elder. The church has a house of worship which was 
 erected about '84. Total membership to date, 61; present num- 
 ber, 30. 
 
 NAZARETH. 
 
 Nazareth church was organized by L- Tenney and Elder R. 
 M. Hein, of the Belton church, June 20, '75. A. J. Loughridge 
 and Elder Sydney Seymour were on the committee, but were not 
 present. The organization took place near Indian creek, four 
 miles west of Bartlett. The members were nine — Mrs. Mary 
 Kelso, her sons and daughters, one daughter-in-law and one son- 
 in-law, J. M. Robinson. They had come from Spartanburg dis- 
 trict, South Carolina, some time before. Mr. Robinson had been 
 licensed to preach in South Carolina. Two ruling elders were 
 elected and installed, J. F. Kelso and J. M. Robinson, the latter 
 being ordained. J. S. Kelso was ordained and installed deacon. 
 
 Mr. Robinson served as ruling elder until he was ordained to 
 the ministry in October, '77. He was S. S. from the organization 
 until the spring of '83. During the first part of the time W. F. 
 Gillespie preached on the fifth Sabbaths, by invitation. 
 
 G. T. Lyle, S. S., one-fourth the time, March, .'83-84. 
 
 R. E. Sherrill, one-half the time, Sept., '84-March, '87. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs, evangelist, August, '84 to end of year, monthly. 
 
 L- H. Kimmons, S. S., one-half time, March, '88-Feb., '89. 
 
 C. M. Hutton, S. S., one-fourth time, April, '95-April, '90. 
 
 J. M. Robinson, S. S., one-fourth time, Nov., '91-Sept., '93. 
 
 J. M. Pnrcell, S. S., one-fourth time, since Sept., '93. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 J. M. Robinson, June 20, '75 to Oct., '77. 
 
 J. F. Kelso, June 20, '75. 
 
 W. F. Bouchelle, Nov., '75. Dismisssed May, '85, to Corn Hill. 
 
 Augustus Moss, June, '84. Died January, '93. 
 
 J. S. Kelso, August 9, '90. 
 
 C. H. Smith, August 9, '90. 
 
 J. S. Kelso, June 20, '75, Jo August 9, '90. 
 
 T. B. Moss, May 11, '84. Died June 8, '86. 
 
 H. R. Kelso, May n, '84. 
 
 John D. Robinson, August 9, '90. 
 
 Original members, 9. Total enrolled, 57. Present number, 41. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 6j 
 
 CORN HILL. 
 
 The church of Corn Hill, in Williamson county, twelve miles 
 north of Georgetown, was organized by C. H. Dobbs, evangelist, 
 June 8, 1884, with eight members, G. B. Morgan and W. K. 
 Bouchelle, ruling elders. The total number enrolled from the 
 beginning is thirty-one; present number, sixteen. But of the 
 sixteen, the elder, G. B. Morgan, and his family, seven members, 
 have removed to Copperas Cove, forty miles away, leaving in the 
 neighborhood of Corn Hill only nine, and those much scattered. 
 The church has been served at irregular intervals by C. H. 
 Dobbs, J. M. Robinson, R. E. Sherrill, and J. M. Purcell and 
 J. P. Robertson while licentiates; also statedly by M. C. Hutton, 
 from October, '86, to December, '88; Joshua Phipps one year, 
 from fall of '89, and N. W. McMillan one year, from fall of '90. 
 An additional elder, S. G. B. Morgan, was installed August 29, '86. 
 J. J. Morgan was installed as deacon, in July, '85, and Frank L,. 
 Massey, August, '86. The latter has since joined the Methodist 
 church. During Mr. Hutton's ministration a meeting was held 
 at which there were seven or eight additions. 
 
 CORSICANA. 
 
 Corsicana church was organized by Rev. S. A. King, evangel- 
 ist, May 30, 1868, with six members; Robt. Cook, ruling elder. 
 
 "There is no mention of any special season of outpouring, but 
 the church seems to have kept growing like other Texas 
 churches; that is spasmodically. Perhaps to-day there is more 
 true growth of divine life within our membership than at any 
 previous time." 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 Hillery Moseley, S. S., '68, November 13, '75. 
 
 J. G. Fackler, S. S., '76. 
 
 J. A. McMurray, S. S., '77, November, '79. 
 
 S. M. Luckett, S. S., latter half of '80. 
 
 H. W. Woods, pastor, January, '81, June, '82. 
 
 H. Calvin Smith, S. S., January, '84, June, '85. 
 
 Thos. Wharey, D. D., pastor, May, '85. Died March 24, '88. 
 
 C. R. Dudley, D. D., pastor, December 1, '88, November 1, '90. 
 
 J. N. McFarlane, S. S., November 1, '90, pastor, May 28, '91. 
 
 Total members, 435; present number, 152. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Robert G. Cook, at organization. Died in office. 
 Mark H. Bird, installed March, '71. Died July 3, '82. 
 R. S. Davidson, ordained and installed March 12, '71. Dis- 
 missed October 16, '72. 
 
68 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 J. W. Gulick, installed January 20, '72. Expelled October 8, 
 1881. 
 
 P. M. Cammon, January 20, '72. Died, '90. 
 
 F. T. Gillespie, ordained and installed February 20, '78. Re- 
 moved to Florida, '85. 
 
 J. T. Vance, ordained and installed February 1, '82. 
 
 W. T. Hall, installed February 1, '82. Dismissed October 2, 
 1892. 
 
 John Wareing, ordained and installed March 14, '86. 
 
 James S. Roxburgh, ordained and installed May 28, '89. 
 
 A. B. Frey, installed September 11, '92. 
 
 R. G. Latting, jr., November 20, '92. Dismissed. 
 Present Session: J. T. Vane, J. Wareing, A.. B. Frey, J. E. 
 Roxburgh, S. C. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 H. M. Morrison, ordained and installed January 20, '72; dis- 
 missed February, '82; reinstated July i, '88. Died January 12, 
 1893. 
 
 B. B. Frye, ordained and installed January 20, '72. Resigned 
 July 21, '72. 
 
 J. W. Goodman, ordained and installed February 20, '76. Re- 
 signed August 17, '91. 
 
 J. M. Blanding, ordained and installed October 31, '80. 
 
 J. P. Vance, ordained and installed October 31, '80. Became 
 elder February 1, '82. 
 
 H. C. Moseley, ordained and installed February 1, '82. Re- 
 signed August 17, '91. 
 
 W. H. Matchett, ordained and installed August 23, '85. Re- 
 signed August 17, '91. 
 
 Geo. Brandrett, ordained and installed May 4, '84. Dismissed 
 December 9, '88. 
 
 F. R. Smith, ordained and installed May 4, '84. Resigned 
 1886. 
 
 H. E. Moseley, ordained and installed October 24, '86. Re- 
 signed August 17, '91. 
 
 J. W. Crawford, ordained and installed August 28, '92. 
 
 J. E. Decherd, ordained and installed August 28, '92. 
 
 A church was organized at Dublin with eleven members, A- 
 W. Reisin, ruling elder, by C. H. Dobbs, and enrolled by the 
 Presbytery April 24, '85. Rev. J. S. Greenlee preached to the 
 church that year and E. Tenney in '87. There were found to be 
 a number of other members in the vicinity, but under the exist- 
 ing condition of things they were not willing to unite with the 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 69 
 
 church. It was thought best to dissolve the church, which was 
 done September 3, '87. October 3, '88, Mr. Dobbs reported 
 again the organization of a church at Dublin, with twenty-one 
 members and two ruling elders. J. Walker Ross and Mr. Dobbs 
 supplied the church from May, '91, to July, '92, and W. S. 
 Baker some months in '92 and '93. Members enrolled, 48; pres- 
 ent number (April, '93) 32. 
 
 GATESVILLE. 
 
 The Gatesville church was organized March 1st, 1885, by evan- 
 gelist C. H. Dobbs, with sixteen members and two ruling elders. 
 This church, since its organization, and the Unity church, have 
 for the most part been served by the same minister. For a short 
 time Gatesville and McGregor were joined. 
 
 Thos. McHutchon, S. S., '85. 
 
 John Woodruff, S. S., May, '86, to April, '88. 
 
 John Young, pastor, October, '88, to October, '90. 
 
 R. L. Dale, S. S., November, '90, to September, '91. 
 
 H. M. Smith, S. S., December, '91, to August. '92. 
 
 C W. Peyton, S. S., December, '93. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 J. D. Bishop, ordained March 1, '85. 
 
 Frank Torman, installed March 1, '85. 
 
 G. M. Suggs, installed June 9, '91. 
 
 J. W. Sherrell, installed June 9, '91. 
 
 J. D. Mecklin, installed June 9, '91. Dis. April 11, '92. 
 
 Chas. Reynolds, ordained March 1, '85. Joined another 
 church. 
 
 G. W. Pitman, ordained March 3, '89. Dis. December 27, '91. 
 
 R. L. Suggs, installed June 9, '91. 
 
 Total membership enrolled, 65; present number, 39. 
 
 GEORGETOWN. 
 
 The Georgetown church was organized at Round Rock, June 
 1 2th, 1854, by Rev. Wm. M. Baker, with ten members and two 
 ruling elders, Dr. Thos. Baibee and Richard Sansom. It was 
 enrolled as the Round Rock church by the Presbytery in October 
 of the same year, and Dr. 3arbee represented the church at that 
 meeting. The name was changed to Georgetown in October, 
 ^SS, by the Presbytery at Round Top, Mr. Sansom being a 
 member. 
 
 In November, 1854, Rev. R. M. Overstreet, from Indiana, 
 
70 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 settled in Georgetown and took charge of the church. He con- 
 tinued in charge, giving about half his time to the church, till 
 the spring of 1866. During this time thirty-one members were 
 admitted to the church. Dr. Barbee died in 1856, and in No- 
 vember, 1861, Sidney Seymour was made an elder. 
 
 In April, 1866, the Presbytery met in Georgetown, and Mr. 
 Sansom, representing the church, offered a resolution that the 
 Presbytery take steps to return to the Northern church. The 
 only votes in its favor were those of Messrs. Sansom and Over- 
 street. Mr. Overstreet soon left for the North. 
 
 In July following (the 28th) a congregational meeting was 
 held, at which it was resolved to withdraw from the Presbytery 
 of Central Texas. The vote (including votes registered after the 
 meeting) was fifteen to five. Mr. Seymour gave notice that he, 
 and those who voted with him, would not leave the Presbytery. 
 He also wrote to the Presbytery which met September 20th, and 
 the Presbytery recognized him, and those who stood with him, 
 as the Georgetown church. The members were Mr. and Mrs. 
 Seymour, Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, who lived twenty miles away, 
 Mrs. Shaffer, Miss Wilbarger (now Mrs. Walker) and Miss L. 
 Barbee. Mrs. Dimmitt must have been added soon after this. 
 A good church building had been erected with a school-room ad- 
 joining. The Northern party held the church building, and 
 under the ministrations of Rev. John McMurray, much of the 
 time would not allow our church the use of it, and for several 
 years when they had preaching, it was in the court house. Mr. 
 Sansom, who offered the resolution to leave the Southern church, 
 returned to it some years afterwards, and his name again appears 
 in the list of ruling elders. Mr. Seymour lived two and a half 
 miles in the country, and for several years there were of the mem- 
 bers, in the town, only three ladies. 
 
 STATED SUPPLIES AND PASTORS. 
 
 W. A. Smith, '67 and probably '68. 
 
 L. Tenney, April, '69, to December, '72. 
 
 M. C. Conoly, during '73. 
 
 H. B. Rose, part of '74. 
 
 W. F. Gillespie, S. S., August 23. '75; installed pastor, April 
 30, '77; pastoral relation dissolved, October 1, '81. 
 
 H. Moseley, S. S., January 1, '82; installed pastor June 25, '82. 
 Died December 3, '83. 
 
 W. T. Spears, August, '84, to August, '85; elected pastor, but 
 did not accept. 
 
 M. C. Hutton,S.S., January 1, '86; installed pastor May 9, '86. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 7 1 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Dr. Thos. Barbee, June 12, '54, till his death, '56. 
 
 Richard Sansom, June 12, '54, August, '66. 
 
 Sidney Seymour, November 9, '61. Died August 16, '89. 
 
 Dr. R. S. Shannon, December 8, '72. Dis. March 11, '76. 
 
 Samuel D. Carothers, December 8, '72. Died December 31, 77. 
 
 R. L. McElroy, April 22, '77. Dis. December 22, '79. 
 
 Richard Sansom, March 25, '77. Died June 30, '80. 
 
 W. K. Makemson, June 17, '80. Retired. 
 
 T. A. Montgomery, April 8, '83. 
 
 John J. Dimmit, April 8, '83. Died May 9, '84. 
 
 J. E. Cooper, June 7, '8o. 
 
 Thos. P. Hughes, June 7, '80. 
 
 Dr. W. P. Fleming, August 27, '93. 
 
 J. R. McCormick, March 25, '77. Removed to Austin, April 
 
 15. '83- 
 
 J. C. Cameron, June 7, '80. Died October 5, '92. 
 
 Wm. S- Leake, March 22, '84. 
 
 Ed. H. Moseley, March 22, '84. Dis. December 3, '86. 
 
 Jos. A. Metcalfe, March 22, '84. Dis. July 8, '88. 
 
 Cooper Sansom, March 22, '84. 
 
 Scott Watson, April 11, '86. Dis. February 15, '87. 
 
 B. S. Sherwood, January 16, '87. 
 
 Dr. S. E. Weatherford, March to, '89. Dis. May 31, '91. 
 
 H. W. Knight, December 21, '92. 
 
 The total number of members enrolled, 307; present number, 
 107. A Children's Mission Band and the Earnest Workers were 
 organized in April, 1893. 
 
 HAMILTON. 
 
 The Hamilton church was organized September 5th, 1880, 
 with nine members, by J. A. McMurray, evangelist. No officers 
 were elected at the time, but December 5th following, W. T. 
 Cropper, A. J. Foster and N. C. Howard were elected, ordained 
 and installed elders, Mr. McMurray officiating. 
 
 In October, 1883, Robert Miller and R. W. Lloyd were in- 
 stalled elders, and C. S. Doubleday and Andrew Miller ordained 
 and installed deacons. W. L. Morrison was installed deacon 
 October 4th, 1885. Rev. Thos. McHutchon commenced preach- 
 ing, probably in the winter of '82 and '83, and continued till 
 October, ^84; his last sermon the first Sabbath of October, being 
 the first preached in the church building. 
 
 Rev. J. M. Smith was S. S. six months from April 1st, '85. 
 
72 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Malcom Black, S. S., October, '85, to April, '88. 
 
 L. Tenney, S. S., June, '88, to June, '90. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs, S. S., April, '91, to July, '92. 
 
 W. S. Baker, S. S., September, '93. 
 
 Elder N. C. Howard was dismissed December 4, '87. 
 
 Elder W. T. Cropper was dismissed April 12, '91. 
 
 Elder Robert Miller died September 18, '92. 
 
 The total number of members enrolled, 81; the present num- 
 ber (March, '94), 26. The newly elected evangelist, H. M. Syd- 
 nestricker, held a meeting from the 3rd to the 15th of February, 
 ult., at which ten members were added. 
 
 The church building was commenced in the fall of '83 and 
 finished in '84. It was at Hamilton that Mr. McMurray was 
 warned that he could not organize a Presbyterian church, be- 
 cause there was too much religion in that church for that town. 
 
 The church at Hico was organized by evangelist J. A. McMur- 
 ray, October 3, 1884, with ten members. It had no officers until 
 November 2, '86, when W. H. Keffer and W. J. Cox were elected 
 and installed elders (the latter ordained), and J. M. Temple deacon. 
 Rev. J. S. Greenlee preached for a short time. L. Tenney had a 
 monthly appointment from the summer of '86 to that of '88; R. 
 M. Tuttle from theautumn of '89 to that of '90, and C. H. Dobbs 
 from the spring of '91 to that of '92. A small but handsome and 
 convenient house of worship was erected in 1890. W. S- Baker, 
 the present S. S., has been with the church since the autumn of 
 '92. Total members enrolled, 67; present number, 38. 
 
 HIGHLAND. 
 
 In the spring of 1891, Rev. J. M. Purcell, principal of Stuart 
 Seminary, bought a lot in the eastern part of Austin and built a 
 house on it, at his own expense, in order to carry on a mission 
 work. With the aid of six or seven teachers a large Sabbath 
 school was established and maintained, and Mr. Purcell preached 
 every Sabbath night to good congregations. January 31, 1892, 
 the Presbytery met at the mission rooms, and at the request of a 
 number of Presbyterians and with the consent of the session of 
 the first church of Austin, organized a church with twenty mem- 
 bers, one elder, E. P. Penick, and one deacon. M. M. Johnson. 
 The name of Highland was given to the church. Mr. Purcell 
 was unanimously invited to supplv the church. At the spring 
 meeting of Presbytery a call was presented to him to become 
 pastor, and on the fourth Sabbath of April he was installed. In 
 April, 1893, the pastoral relation was dissolved. There were 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. * 73 
 
 nearly thirty additions to the church during the year, mostly on 
 profession of faith. 
 
 HUBBARD CITY. 
 
 The Hubbard City church was organized August 16, 1891, by 
 Rev. S. A. King, D. D., and elder W. H. Godber, a committee of 
 Presbytery. Rev. R. E. Hardin supplied the church from its or- 
 ganization until the spring of 1893. A few months afterwards 
 Rev. J. A. Creighton commenced preaching to it one-fourth of 
 the time, and still continues. There are twenty-six communi- 
 cants. The church has four elders and one deacon. W. E. Con- 
 nelly is clerk of session. A Sabbath school was commenced soon 
 after the organization and still continues. The ladies have com- 
 menced raising a fund for a church building. 
 
 HUGH WILSON. 
 
 The Hugh Wilson church was organized May 22, 1852, by 
 Rev. Hugh Wilson, he having removed thither with others, mem- 
 bers of the church to which he ministered in Washington county 
 a short time before. The members lived in two neighborhoods, 
 fourteen miles apart, String Prairie lying between them. The 
 church was named String Prairie, but the year after Mr. Wilson's 
 death the name was changed by the Presbytery, at the request 
 of the church. The church building is near Tanglewood P. O., 
 in Lee county. The first building was an oak frame, hewed by 
 hand, weather-boarded and roofed with split boards. The pres- 
 ent building is a substantial frame building, costing $1200. 
 When the church, as during most of its history, has had the 
 whole time of a minister, the part where the church building is, 
 "Our Prairie," has had services three Sabbaths per month, and 
 the other, in San Antonio Prairie, one Sabbath. Rev. H. Wil- 
 son supplied the church from its organization until just before his 
 death; L,. Tenney, from February, '68, until the close of the 
 year, twice a month, riding 70 miles to reach the San Antonio 
 neigborhood. 
 
 A. J. Eoughridge was S. S. from January, '69, until July, '70, 
 when he was installed pastor, and so continued until his death in 
 March, '81. 
 
 L. Tenney, S. S., May, '8i,to May, '86. 
 
 J. P. Robertson, S. S., April, '88, to April, '89. 
 
 O. B. Caldwell, S. S., April, '90, to September, '90. 
 
 Eugene L,. Siler, September, '90, to '92. 
 
 N. W. McMillan, '93. 
 
74 
 
 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Murdo Murchison, May 22, '52. Died. 
 
 W. L- Cunningham, May 22, '52. Died. 
 
 Wm. A. Knox, April 13, '56. Died. 
 
 J. C. Mitchell, April 13. '56. Died September 18, '68. 
 
 Dr. Jas. Pankey, April 5, '56. Died April 29, '66; 
 
 Jas. W. Shive, April 2, '67. Dismissed Nov. 25, '83. 
 
 W. J. McClellan, April 2, '67. Dismissed June iS, '71. Died. 
 
 Robt. H. Flanniken, April 2, '67. 
 
 D. A. Castleberry, Nov. 22, '73. Dismissed Sept. 5, '75. 
 
 A. J. Owen, Oct. 20, '78. Dismissed Dec. 7, '90. 
 
 R. A. Knox, Oct. 27, '78. Dismissed March 21, '83. 
 
 Henry J. Bissell, April 19, '85. 
 
 Jacob S. Gould, April 19, '85. Died. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 W. A. Pankey, Nov. 22, '70. 
 
 R. L, Shive, Nov. 22, '70. Dismissed Nov. 25, '83. 
 
 A.J. Owen, Nov. 22, '70, until made elder. 
 
 W. W. Cunningham, Oct. 20, '78. Dismissed Aug. 13, '81. 
 
 H. J. Bissell, Oct. 20, '78, until made elder. 
 
 Jas. M. Scott, April 19, '85. Dimitted March 30, '90. 
 
 Geo. A. Linn, April 19, '85. 
 
 M. Murchison, W. A. and R. A. Knox, James and W. A. Pan- 
 key, and W. J. McClellan lived in San Antonio Prairie, the 
 others in "Our Prairie." The church has always had a Sunday- 
 school, under control of the session, and many of its members 
 have united with the church. 
 
 Original number of members, 22; total enrolled, 237; present 
 number, 38. 
 
 In the fall of 1893 the members living in San Antonio Prairie 
 petitioned to be organized into a separate church, which was 
 accordingly done by a commission of Presbytery, N. W. McMil- 
 lan and D. N. Yarbro. The church is named , P. O. Dime 
 
 Box. Rev. J. W. Montgomery, of Giddings, Brazos Presbytery, 
 preaches there monthly. 
 
 The church was for years noted for its liberality, for which it 
 was indebted to the example of Father Wilson. The reports 
 show that from 1870 to 1887, with a membership of less than 60, 
 one year with another, it contributed, outside of its own ex- 
 penses, over $3700, an average of $3.60 per member annually. 
 The unhealthiness of the timbered country caused most of the 
 members to remove, and for the last seven or eight years the 
 church has been weak in numbers and financially. It was never 
 rich in this world's goods. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 75 
 
 The Hutto church was organized December 28th, 1879, by 
 Rev. W. F. Gillespie and Elder Sidney Seymour, with fourteen 
 members, two ruling elders and two deacons. Licentiate A. H. 
 P. McCurdy appears to have preached for the church from its 
 organization. In April, '80, he was ordained, and on November 
 10th of that year was installed pastor. The pastoral relation was 
 dissolved September 22d, '82. 
 
 G. T. Lyle, S. S., spring of '83 to spring of '84. 
 
 R. E. Sherrill, October, '84, to December, '86. 
 
 W. J. Tidball, several months in '88. 
 
 J. Phipps, about 18 months from March, '90. 
 
 J. P. Robertson supplied the church for a time, but at what 
 time and for how long the records do not show. 
 
 N. W. McMillan, February, '92, is now preaching to the 
 church one-half the time. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 R. L. McElroy, December 28, '79. 
 
 D. J. Davis, December 28, '79. Died April, '90. 
 Andrew Wilson, September n, '87. 
 
 J. A. Metcalfe, June 11, '90. 
 
 J. P. Davis, June 11, '90. 
 
 E- W. Frame, January 14, '94. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 Jas. Metcalfe, sr., December 28, '79. Died January 18, '87. 
 Thos. M. Metcalfe, December 28, '79. Dis. May 24, '89. 
 J. P. Davis, September 11, '87. Elder, June, 'go. 
 
 E. H. McElroy, June n, '90. 
 Jas. Brown, June n, '90. 
 John Harkness. June 11, '90. 
 C. T. Wright, January 14, '94. 
 
 Total members enrolled, sixty-three. Present number, thirty- 
 nine. June 13th, '92, the recently erected house of worship was 
 dedicated, "the nicest Presbyterian church in the country." 
 "About one third of the members good old Scotch members, a 
 flourishing little Sabbath-school, and a good and faithful man of 
 God preaching for us one-half of the time." 
 
 IREDELL. 
 
 The Iredell church was organized May 29th, 1881, with six 
 members and one ruling elder, P. C. Buchanan, by evangelist 
 J. A. McMurray. It was ministered to, more or less, by Mr. Mc- 
 
J6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Murray, till some time in '84, and a house of worship built. C. 
 H. Dobbs, as evangelist, also preached some time to the church. 
 In '84, W. E. Shive was S. S. Some eight or nine members 
 were added after the organization. The only elder, P. C. Bu- 
 chanan, died February nth, 1886. Four or five others of the 
 small membership were removed by death, and others were dis- 
 missed, leaving only four or five on the roll. The church has 
 since had little more than a nominal existence. 
 
 LEANDER. 
 
 The Leander church was organized at Bagdad, a mile west of 
 the town of Leander. Rev. R. M. Overstreet had had a monthly 
 appointment at the place a year previous. His was the first 
 Old School Presbyterian preaching in the neighborhood. By ap- 
 pointment of the Presbytery, he organized the church February 
 14th, 1857, with seven members, six of whom had belonged to 
 the Austin church, but had come from North and South Caro- 
 lina. S. D. Carothers, who had been an elder in Carolina, was 
 elected and installed ruling elder. The church was named 
 Pleasant Hill, from a church in Carolina. Part of the members 
 lived at Bagdad, and part six or seven miles northeast, on the 
 north side of the S. Gabriel. The name was changed to Leander 
 in April, '84. 
 
 R. M. Overstreet was S. S., '57 to '59. 
 
 W. A. Smith, S. S., 67 and '68. 
 
 Mr. Beall, of Northern church, preached a few times. 
 
 L. Tenney, '69,-' 72. 
 
 M. C. Conoley, '73. 
 
 H. B. Rose, '74-'8i. 
 
 A. H. P. McCurdy, '82. 
 
 H. B. Rose, '83-'85. 
 
 W. G. McDonald, part of '85. 
 
 Joshua Barbee, part of '86. 
 
 J. P. Robertson, '87 and '88. 
 
 M. C Hutton, '88-'92. 
 
 During Mr. Rose's second term of service, the house of wor- 
 ship, worth about $1500, was built. Dr. A. A. Porter did the 
 preaching at a protracted meeting in Bagdad in 1872. In the 
 earlier times of the church, the preaching was held at two places 
 — at Bagdad, and at a school house near Mr. Carothers', or at 
 Liberty Hill. The following ministers have held meetings at 
 the church: A. J. Loughridge, C. H. Dobbs, evangelist; John 
 Young, C. M. Hutton, S. J. McMurry, W.J. Tidball, J. C. Grow, 
 A. R. Shaw, evangelist. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. TJ 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 S. D. Carothers, at the organization. Removed of George- 
 town, became an elder in that church in '72, and died December 
 
 31. '77- 
 
 J. C. Park. Died May, '81. 
 P. A. Turk. Died July 21, '79. 
 
 E- A. Walker, ordained February 15, '80. Died July, '86. 
 J. A. Faubion, ordained October 2, '87. 
 J. T. Schooley, ordained October 2, '87. 
 C. C. Mason, ordained July 5, '91. 
 
 R. C. Walker was elected and ordained deacon February 15, 
 '80. Dismissed to Free church, Austin. 
 Total membership, 90; present number, 32. 
 
 LINGLEVILLE. 
 
 The L/ingleville church, at L,ingleville, some sixteen miles 
 north of Dublin, Erath county, was organized by evangelist A. 
 R. Shaw, March 9th, 1893, with twelve members. The way had 
 been prepared by Rev. C. H. Dobbs, during his last year in the 
 Presbytery. W. S. Baker had preached there also several 
 months previous to the organization, and has continued to sup- 
 ply the church since. Eight members have been added to the 
 original number. Ruling elders: W. P. McCarley and E. S. 
 Hamlett. Deacon: W. A. George. 
 
 SANTA ANNA AND SPRING CREEK. 
 
 The churches of Santa Anna, in Coleman county, on the 
 Santa Fe road, with eleven members and two ruling elders, and 
 Spring Creek, near Burnet, with ten members and two ruling 
 elders, organized by Mr. Shaw, were enrolled by the Presbytery 
 at the same time as Lingleville, April, '93. 
 
 The church at Lott was organized March 27th, 1892, by a 
 commission, C. W. Peyton, J. W. Siler, and Elder J. F. Thomp- 
 son, with seven members. No elder was elected at the time, but 
 Dr. E. C. Gordon was elected and installed deacon. In August, 
 '92, J. O. Mecklin was elected, and September 27th was installed, 
 ruling elder. Evangelist A. R. Sbaw and others have preached 
 some for the church. In the fall of '93, Rev. J. M. Cochran 
 commenced to preach once a month. A church building had 
 been erected, and was destroyed by a storm May 6th, '93. It 
 has been rebuilt. Nine members, three of them on profession of 
 faith, have been added since the organization. Present number, 
 sixteen. 
 
78 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 MARLIN. 
 
 The Marlin church was organized May 2d, 1874, by H. Mose" 
 ley and L,. Tenney, who had been appointed by the Presbytery 
 for that purpose. There had been one or two members of the 
 Carolina church residing there since 1856, and for several years 
 of the time there had been monthly preaching in Marlin. The 
 number of members was seven. Mr. W. L. Pattillo, who, while 
 living in Marlin, had been for some years an elder in the Caro- 
 lina church, and Dr. S. A. Weiseger, were elected and in- 
 stalled ruling elders. The latter was ordained. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs was S. S. one-fourth the time in '74 and '75. 
 
 R. M. Loughridge was S. S. one-fourth the time in '76-79. 
 
 H. Moseley was S. S. one-fourth the time in '8o-'8i. 
 
 Malcom Black was S. S. one-fourth the time in '84. 
 
 J. H. Leps was S. S. one-half the time in '86-88. 
 
 C. W. Peyton was S. S. one-half the time in '90-92. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 W. L. Pattillo, May 3, '74. 
 
 Dr; E. S. Weiseger, May 3, '74. Removed soon after. 
 
 A.J. Kirkpatrick, May 2, '91. 
 
 J. C. Peoples, June 23, '93. 
 
 deacons. 
 
 T. C. Spencer, December, '84. Dismissed. 
 
 Q. J. Cockerel, May 21, '91. 
 
 K. Sewall, June 25, '93. 
 
 Total enrollment of members, 104; present number, 58. The 
 church has kept up a Sabbath-school about ten years, Mr. Pat- 
 tillo being superintendent. Within the last two years, a lot has 
 been purchased, costing $500, and a commodious church build- 
 ing erected, costing about $2250. 
 
 The Mart church was organized in 1889, by Rev. C. H. Dobbs, 
 Presbyterial evangelist, with twelve members. Isaac Reed was 
 chosen ruling elder. He died in 1891. R. B. Lumpkin was 
 chosen elder. Rev. A. R. Shaw, evangelist, held a series of meet- 
 ings in 1892, and five members were added. A church building 
 was erected and was dedicated July 16, 1893. At the same time 
 T. H. Lumpkin was elected and ordained ruling elder, and J. T. 
 Dooly and James Tull deacons. In '92, Rev. R. T. Hardin sup- 
 plied the church, and Rev. R. M. Loughridge for a time after- 
 wards. At the present time, March, '95, Rev. R. W. Shive is 
 supplying it. The church numbers thirty members and has a 
 good Sabbath school. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 79 
 
 MAYESFIELD. 
 
 The Mayesfield church was organized by Rev. L,. Tenney, in 
 August, '73, with nine members and two ruling elders. He had 
 preached there several times previously. The Mayes family were 
 old settlers, and T. N. Mayes, the elder, had been a church 
 member many years before, and one, only, of his children was a 
 church member. Soon after the organization several of the mem- 
 bers removed, and the prospect looked gloomy. But the few 
 that remained held on. L> Tenney continued to preach to the 
 church once a month till 1876. O. F. Rogers was S. S. in '77, 
 R. M. Tuttle, '78 to '82, M. C. Hutton, '83 to '85, J. K. P. New- 
 ton from '86 to the present. Mr. Newton has lived at Mayes- 
 field and supplemented the support the church was able to give 
 him by teaching. Recent accessions to the membership give the 
 hope that the church will soon be able to sustain him and em- 
 ploy him for the whole of the time. The house of worship was 
 built in 1883, and dedicated in the spring of '84, Dr. S. A. King 
 preaching the dedication sermon. 
 
 The total membership, 90; present number, 59. This is pre- 
 vious to the recent accessions spoken of. The first S. S. from '72 
 to '76, rode from his home, thirty miles, over what was then, for 
 twenty-five miles, an almost unbroken prairie, where now the 
 Aransas Pass road, and farms and pastures and thriving towns 
 occupy the whole route. On one occasion a heavy rain all Sat- 
 urday night, and lasting till late Sabbath morning, prevented 
 having any service. On Monday high waters turned him sev- 
 eral miles from his course, and soon after the middle of the day, 
 having dismounted for a little while, his horse left him, and con- 
 trary to his usual habit refused to be caught, and he was forced 
 to turn back to a house to get a horse. A heavy shower came 
 on which drenched him to the skin. When he started again 
 night was not far distant, and promising to be one of intense 
 darkness, to travel over several miles without a road on a strange 
 horse seemed out of the question. Turning aside he found shel- 
 ter at the house of a friend and the comfort of dry clothing, 
 after two or three hours of wet ones. Starting at daylight 
 the next morning, lest the arrival of his horse at home without 
 him should excite unnecessary alarm, he rode seven miles and 
 overtook the horse before he had reached home. A pair of sad- 
 dle-bags lying loosely on the saddle had been carried about 
 eighteen hours without losing their place. If any apology for 
 this story is necessary, the request of friends who wished to see 
 some of such experiences in print, must supply it. 
 
SO HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The church at Mexia was organized May 13, 1876, by a com- 
 mission consisting of Revs. H. McDonald, Hillery, Moseley and 
 Elder T. L. C. Means, with thirty members. The church has 
 had a steady growth; and now numbers 125. The total number 
 enrolled is 225. 
 
 Rev. H. Moseley was S. S. from organization till 1880. 
 
 W. W. Ruff, S. S., July, '81, to April, '82. 
 
 W. W. Ruff, pastor, April, '82, to April, '84. 
 
 E. T. Palmer, S. S., two and one-half months in '84. 
 R. H. Byers, S. S., March, '85, to March, '87. 
 
 W. L. Lowrance, S. S., July, '87, to October, '87. 
 W. L. Lowrance, P., October, '87, to March, '89. 
 J. S. Willbank, S. S-, October, '89, to May, '90. 
 J. S. Willbanks, P., May, '90, to January, '91. 
 R. E. Hardin. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Roderic Mathison, May 14, '76. Died December 25, '83. 
 
 F. E. Dey, May 14, '76. Dismissed February 11, '77. 
 Benj. H. Storey, May 14, '76. Dismissed May 27, '78. 
 W. P. Moseley, May 14, '76. Died June 16, '85. 
 
 J. S. Michard, March 7, '79. Retired in '89. 
 
 J. W. Seehorn, January, '8i. Died September, '93. 
 
 Millard Storey, January, '81. Dismissed '89. 
 
 J. M. Lewis, April 29, '83. Died December, '89. 
 
 J. A. Arvin, August 23, '85. 
 
 J. E- Ross, June 2, '89. 
 
 Arthur Moseley, June 2, '89. Dismissed August 14, '89, 
 
 Murphy Williams, February 2, '90. 
 
 R. E. Moss, February 2, '90. 
 
 A. E. McNair, April 20, '90. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 J. E. Ross, March 9, '79; ordained elder, '89. 
 
 D. A. Murphy, March 9, '79. 
 
 W. L. Allison, January 10, '81; ordained elder, '89. 
 
 W. E. Doyle, June 2, '89. 
 
 J. E. Parker, June 2, '89. 
 
 R. E. Moss, June 2, '89; ordained elder, '90. 
 
 I. L. Means, June 2, '89. Dismissed February, '90. 
 
 Chas. M. Alderman, February 2, '90. 
 
 S. P. Moseley, February 2, '90. Dismissed, '90. 
 
 E. A. Michaels, '90. 
 
 Reuben Anderson, April 20, '90. 
 T. F. Oates, April 20, '90. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 8 1 
 
 MIDWAY. 
 
 By appointment of Presbytery, Rev. H. Moseley organized a 
 church at the County Line school house, on the line of Freestone 
 and Navarro counties, October 14, 1865. A majority of the six- 
 teen members were from the Associate Reformed church, that 
 church having then no Presbytery in Texas. It was voted to 
 call it the County Line A. R. church, and place it under the care 
 of the Presbytery of Central Texas. The church was enrolled 
 by the Presbytery April, '86, and permission was given to em- 
 ploy Rev. T. J. Bonner, Ass. Reformed as S. S. H. Moseley, S. 
 A. King, A. J. Loughridge and M. Dickson assisted at meetings 
 of the church at different times. Mr. Bonner continued S. S. till 
 October, 1876, and usually attended the meetings of Presbytery. 
 The number of members enrolled had reached seventy-three. In 
 October of that year, thirty-eight members were dismissed to 
 form themselves into two Ass. Ref. churches, leaving thirteen 
 names on the roll. Twenty-two had died or been dismissed. 
 The church now resolved to drop Associate Reformed from the 
 name, and the Presbytery approved it. In October, '84, the 
 name was changed from County Line to Midway. Mr. Bonner 
 continued to preach to the church (the place of meeting being 
 changed to Birdston), till the summer of '77, then J. A. Mc- 
 Murray till November, '79; G" P. Richardson from spring of '80, 
 one year; W. W. Ruff one year ending in the spring of '82. 
 About this time Rev. W. Patterson, an Associate Reformed min- 
 ister, commenced preaching in the afternoon one Sabbath, 
 monthly, and has continued ever since, the place of meeting be- 
 ing now changed to Midway. J. A. Montgomery, student in the 
 Seminary at Austin, preached during the summer of '88. R. E. 
 Lentz, one year, from spring of '89, and R. E. Hardin, part of 
 '92 and '93- The present number of members is sixteen. The 
 elders at the organization were J. M. McGilvary and Andrew Mc- 
 Millan. The latter was dismissed January, '67, and the former 
 died '72 or '73. 
 
 Alex. McGilvary, September 16, '66. Died before April, '73. 
 
 B. F. Irvine, September 20, '69. Dismissed January 1, '71. 
 
 Matt. Shanks, January, '71. Dismissed October 16, '76. 
 
 Wm. Bonner, January. '71. Dismissed October 16, '76. 
 
 Robert Davidson, January, '73. Dismissed October 16, '76. 
 
 Dr. J. F. Joor, September 28, '78. Dismissed, '84. 
 
 J. E. Knowles, September 28, '78. 
 
 J. C. Pillans, September 28, '78. 
 
 deacons. 
 
 T. O. Bonner, ordained September 28, '78. 
 
 A. T. McGilvary, ordained September 28, '78. 
 
82 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 NORTH BOSQUE. 
 
 The North Bosque church, Clifton, was organized with twelve 
 members, January 12, 1861, by Rev. L,. Tenney, he having been 
 appointed to the service by the Presbytery at its previous fall 
 meeting. The church was supplied, part of '6i, by Rev. M. 
 Dickson; in '62 and '63 by Rev. L,. Tenney, then only as supplies 
 were appointed by the Presbytery till '71. 
 
 After the organization of the Unity church, North Bosque was 
 supplied, generally, by those who preached there: Neill Mc- 
 Donald, till '74; L- Tenney, '76 to '78; A. S. Drake, '78 to '81; 
 Thos. McCutchon, '83 to ! 86; J. Woodruff, '87. At present Rev. 
 R. M. Loughridge is preaching to the church. The total num- 
 ber of members enrolled is 27. The present number is only 2. 
 The first elders were John McFarland and T. W. Archibald. 
 The former was the same who represented the Independence 
 church in the Brazos Presbytery at its organization. He was 
 also one of the first elders of the Waco church. The latter rep- 
 resented the Oak Island church, of which he was the first elder, 
 in the first meeting of the Synod of Texas. He died June 25, 
 1892. Mr. McFarland died January 11. 1863. R. L. Scott and 
 W. T. Archibald were elected elders in 1884. The latter died. 
 
 OAK ISLAND. 
 
 The Oak Island church was organized September nth, 1847, 
 by Rev. J. Limber. Mr. Limber had come to Texas from the 
 Indian Territory, where he had been for some time engaged in 
 missionary work. He resided in Washington, preaching there 
 and in the surrounding country wherever opportunity offered. 
 He is said to have been one of the most diffident of men, but full 
 of zeal for his work, and "everybody loved him." Not long 
 after organizing the Oak Island church, he was married in Ken- 
 tucky. On his return, having taken passage at New Orleans for 
 Galveston, he went ashore to procure some books. He was 
 known to have visited the book store, but after leaving the store, 
 was never heard of. 
 
 The church was organized with five members: T. W. Archi- 
 bald, ruling elder; Samuel N. Archibald, Mrs. Mary A. Archi- 
 bald, Mrs. Mary A. Patton and Miss Eloisa I. Patton. Of these 
 members Miss Patton is the only one now living. 
 
 Rev. P. H. Fullenreider supplied the church (monthly prob- 
 ably) from July, '49, to November, '52. 
 
 J. T. Balch, September, '53, to April, '56. 
 
 Thos. Alexander, April, '57; installed pastor, October 31, '58. 
 Died, March 24, '64. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 83 
 
 Hillery Moseley, S. S., Sept., '64-Dec, '81. 
 
 W. W. Ruff, S. S., Jan. '82-Nov., '85. 
 
 R. H. Byers, S. S., Feb., '86-July, '86. 
 
 W. L,. Lowrance, S. S., August, '87-Feb., '89. 
 
 J. S. Willbanks, S. S., August, '89-Dec, '90. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 T. W. Archibald, Sept. n, '47. Dismissed May, '60. Died 
 June, '92. 
 
 E. L,. R- Patton, July 28, '50. Removed April, '61. Since 
 dead. 
 
 James Means, May 29, '52. Died '66. 
 
 Charles Ficklin, March 6, '61. Since dead. 
 
 T. L. C. Means, " " Dismissed Feb. 28, '92. 
 
 S. N. Archibald, " " Died '62. 
 
 James Steele, Oct. 23, '64. Died '65. 
 
 W. T. M. Dickson, March 3, '66. Dismissed Aug., '68. 
 
 W. P. Means, 
 
 J. A. Blackmore, " " Dismissed Dec, '78. Since 
 
 dead. 
 
 James N. Kennedy, Aug. 7, '70. Died '79. 
 
 J. W. Storey, March 22, '79. Dismissed July, '91. 
 
 R. E. Steele, 
 
 W. M. Griffith, " " Dismissed April, '84. 
 
 When the Presbytery met at this church in April, 1854, tne 
 meeting was held in a log building in the edge of the tract of 
 timber from which the church took its name. In 1858, a com- 
 modious house was built in the prairie, a mile or so east of the 
 Island, and was dedicated in connection with the installation of 
 Mr. Alexander, October 31, the Presbytery being in session there 
 at the time. In 1866. the church reported 38 members. There 
 was a steady growth till 1875, when the number was 140. 
 
 In 1876, the Mexia church was organized, and made heavy 
 drafts on the Oak Island church, and removals to other places 
 became frequent, and the membership gradually diminished, till 
 only 12 are reported. From 1886 to 1892, 154 members were 
 added on profession of faith, and 81 by certificate. 
 
 rice's crossing. 
 
 The church at Rice's Crossing, S. E. part of Williamson coun- 
 ty, was organized by evangelist C. H. Dobbs, July 15th, 1887, 
 with seven members. The only male member was J. A. McCut-= 
 cheon, who was elected and installed ruling elder. J. P. Robert- 
 son was preaching at the place before the church was organized 
 
84 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and continued to supply the church till November. W. J. Tid- 
 ball was S. S., 1888 and 1889; Joshua Phipps, 1890 and 1891; 
 N. W. McMillan commenced to preach to the church in 1892 
 and continues to the present time. Total members enrolled, 17; 
 present number, 9. 
 
 ROBINSON. 
 
 When the Waco church was organized in May, 1855, two of 
 the members, Mrs. Eliza Robinson and Mrs. Sophia C. Robinson, 
 lived at the place now called by their name. During the days 
 of small things in the Waco church, a large part of the time a 
 day school, a Sabbath school, and monthly preaching services 
 were maintained, mainly by the Robinson families. Rev. T. 
 Alexander preached there some during his residence in the 
 county. L,. Tenney had a monthly appointment there during 
 several years of the time between 1855 and 1865, but there is 
 probably no record existing to give material for a particular his- 
 tory of these times. In 1867, Rev. S. A. King removed from Mil- 
 ford to Robinson. From this time he had a monthly appoint- 
 ment here. The church was organized by him December 4, 
 1874. He continued to supply it till August, 1876. 
 
 Rev. C. H. Dobbs, pastor, Aug. 9, '76, to April 30, '83. 
 
 A. S. Doak, S. S., April 30, '83, to March 1, '85. 
 
 C. W. Peyton, S. S., May 13, '85-May 3, '90. 
 
 S. W. Mitchell, S. S., Aug. 28, 90-March 22, '91. 
 
 S. J. McMurry, P., June 1, '92-April 23, '93. 
 
 J. M. Cochran, S. S., July 15, '93. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 J. A. McMurray, Dec. 4, '74. Died Dec. 12, '90. 
 
 W. F. Hague, Dec. 4, '74. Died Oct., '78. 
 
 John Robinson, May 2, '75. Died Oct., '79. 
 
 J. W. McKee, Sr., July 1, '75. 
 
 Walter Keeble, July 1, '75. Died April 2, '89. 
 
 W. A. Minter, Dec. 5, '79. Dismissed to Waco, Jan., '8i. 
 
 W. A. Daniel, Dec. 5, '8o. 
 
 L. H. McKee, Feb. 22, '81. Dismissed June 10, '88. 
 
 K. F. Pritchett, March 7, '81. Dismissed Oct. 30, '83. 
 
 J. W. McKee, Jr., April 27, '84. Dismissed to Golindo, Aug., 
 '84. Transferred back Aug., '90. 
 
 T. K. Hague, June 3, '90. 
 " I/. S. Robinson, June 3, '90. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 85 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 T. B. Hoy, Dec. 4, '74. Deceased. 
 
 L. H. McKee, July 1, '77. R. E. Feb. 22, '81. 
 
 E. F. Pritchett, , '78. R. E- March 7, '81. 
 
 Geo. McMurry, , '78. 
 
 J. W. McKee, Jr., Feb. 22, '81, to April 27, '84. 
 
 Iy. B. Foster, July 1, '82. 
 
 A. A. Robinson, June 3, '90. 
 
 T. J. Andrews, June 3, '90. 
 
 Total members enrolled, 242; present number, 72. At one 
 time the membership numbered 116. The changes from removal 
 have been very great. 
 
 The church building was commenced in 1877 and finished in 
 1878, at a cost of $2500. About $600 have since been spent in 
 improvements and repairs. 
 
 ROCKDALE. 
 
 The Rockdale church was organized probably in May, 1876, 
 by a committee of Presbytery consisting of A. J. Loughridge, L,. 
 Tenney and elders J. W. Shive and R. H. Flanniken. The larger 
 part of the members lived several miles distant. Rev. O. F. 
 Rogers was living in Rockdale, engaged in teaching, and sup- 
 plied the church until 1878. The organization of Zion church, 
 in February, 1879, took away most of the members. 
 
 R. M. Tuttle became S. S. in 1879, and remained till 1882. 
 While there, at the cost of a good deal of effort, and probably 
 considerable money of his own, he had a church building erected. 
 There were very few additions to the church, however, and after 
 he left, very little effort was made to keep up the church. The 
 building went to ruin, and the church has had little more than a 
 nominal existence. 
 
 SAN ANGELO. 
 
 The San Angelo Presbyterian church was organized by Rev. 
 J. H. Zivley, evangelist, in the Methodist Episcopal church, on 
 Sabbath, February 1, 1885, with seven members, viz.: J. N. P. 
 and Mrs. M. A. Cramer, Mrs. Sallie Hancock, now Mrs. B. C. 
 Jackson, Mrs. A. J. Baker, J. R. and Mrs. P. J. Burt, and Mrs. E. 
 G. Burt, mother of R. R. Burt. All these are now with us, ex- 
 cept Mrs. E. G. Burt, who joined the church triumphant April 
 12, 1888. 
 
 J. R. Burt was elected and installed elder, and J. N. P. Cramer 
 elected, ordained and installed deacon. Amid many discourage- 
 ments the church grew. During the first year twenty-two mem- 
 
86 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 bers were received. At the end of this year there were twenty- 
 seven members. Our first anniversary was celebrated with ap- 
 propriate services amidst much rejoicing and a sermon from the 
 pastor. A thank offering collection was taken up, amounting to 
 $112. On this day, February 7, 1886, Geo. Bound was elected, 
 ordained, and installed ruling elder. July 18, J. N. P. Cramer 
 was elected and installed ruling elder. Three lots were bought 
 on which to build a church. September 11, R. S. Tarver was 
 elected, ordained and installed ruling elder, and Peter Freeze 
 deacon. January 11, 1888, died ruling elder R. S. Tarver, "an 
 earnest Christian, a good citizen and a noble man." 
 
 August 1, 1888, Rev. J. H. Zivley, who had served the church 
 three years and six months, accepted a call to Tullahoma, Ten- 
 nessee. The following minute was unanimously adopted: "It is 
 with sorrow and regret we are called upon to sever the relation- 
 ship of pastor and people that has existed for the past four years 
 between Rev. J. H. Zivley and this church. We bear testimony 
 to his fidelity, ability, scholarly attainments and eloquence; also 
 his profound convictions of the soundness and importance of the 
 Presbyterian doctrines and polity. We herewith convey to him 
 this token of our love and esteem, and our appreciation of his 
 labors in our behalf, both in season and out of season. We 
 humbly petition the throne of Divine Grace to accompany him 
 wherever he may go, to continue him in life and strength, and 
 so order his steps that his last days may be his best days." 
 
 During his ministry the lots now occupied by the church and 
 manse were purchased for $500. In 1887 a house of worship was 
 built, at a cost of $1110, and dedicated in September, Rev. S. A. 
 Kinpr, D. D., preaching the sermon. 
 
 Rev. D. A. Planck served the church as stated supply, giving 
 it one-half of his time and receiving a salary of $50 per month 
 from May till November, 1889, when to our surprise and sorrow 
 he announced his intention of accepting a call to the Jackson 
 Street Church, Mobile, Ala. Mr. Planck came to the church 
 during a period of greater depression and discouragement than 
 any other in its history. His ministry, though short, was pow- 
 erful for good. The church was established and built up, and 
 entered upon an era of prosperity that has continued to this day. 
 He was greatly beloved and his memory is still green in the 
 hearts of the people. 
 
 Licentiate R. C. Anderson began serving the church May 1, 
 1890. In July he was called as pastor for three-fourths of the 
 time, and was ordained and installed. In February, 1892, a sore 
 bereavement caused him to remove to Virginia, where he soon 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 87 
 
 afterwards accepted the pastorate of the Second church, Roanoke. 
 During his pastorate sixty members were received. 
 
 July 5, 1890, John Abe March and Chas. L,. Kaiser were elected, 
 ordained and installed ruling elders. Mr. Kaiser died July 7, 
 1881. "The church mourns an affectionate brother, a wise coun- 
 selor, a faithful friend and an earnest Christian." 
 
 November 1, 1891, J. C. Roseborough and T. E. Cramer were 
 installed ruling elders. D. P. Rackley and T. S. Sharp were 
 elected, ordained and installed deacons. 
 
 The following minute was adopted on the death of the wife of 
 our beloved pastor, Rev. R. C. Anderson, who died February 12, 
 1892: "This beloved friend came a beautiful bride amongst us 
 a short time ago, and won the esteem and confidence of our con- 
 gregation and entire community. Her character was of the most 
 elevated Christian type and refined as pure gold, making her a 
 devoted wife, a true friend and an ornament to society. Bearing 
 painful illness for fourteen long weeks without a murmur and 
 with true Christian grace, she crossed the river slowly and 
 grandly, demonstrating what a blessed thing it is to live and die 
 in Christ. She was a member of the church since her tenth year, 
 and seemed created for the exalted position she so sweetly filled, 
 a pastor's wife. When told of the approach of death she said 
 'It is well,' and her only unhappiness was to leave loved ones 
 behind, but whom she hoped to meet in that land where there is 
 no death." „ 
 
 In the spring of 1890 the study was built, at a cost of $350. 
 About \he middle of January, 1891, the manse was completed at 
 a cost of $2200. Mr. Anderson departed amidst tears and bless- 
 ings of the whole church. He was not only a preacher and pas- 
 tor, but friend and brother. His name is still a household word 
 in the homes of the church. 
 
 Rev. G. T. Storey was called as pastor in June and commenced 
 his work August 1, 1892, giving his whole time to this congre- 
 gation, at a salary of $100 per month and use of the manse. 
 
 May 14, 1893, C. H. Powell and Rhodes Baker were elected, 
 ordained and installed deacons. During the eight years of the 
 existence of the church we have received 136 members; the pres- 
 ent roll numbers 80; we have no church debt. At this date, 
 September 17, 1894, the officers of the church are: Rev. G. T. 
 Storey, pastor; elders, J. R. Burt, J. N. P. Cramer, John Abe 
 March and T. E. Cramer; deacons, D. F. Rackley, [T. S. Sharp, 
 C. H. Powell and Rhodes Baker. 
 
 TEMPLE. 
 
 In 1870 Mr. A. A. Black and his son-in-law, Mr. Sloane, with 
 
88 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 their families, settled in the prairie near where Temple now is. 
 They had come from Mississippi and lived two years on the Colo- 
 rado, some ten miles below Austin, where their crops were 
 drowned out by overflows both years. They brought certificates 
 from the Austin church and united with the Belton church, of 
 which Mr. Black was soon made an elder. Other Presbyterians 
 settled in the neighborhood, and after Mr. Taylor commenced 
 his labors at Belton they had more or less preaching out there, 
 mostly at night. In '81, the Santa Fe railroad was built past 
 there, and the town of Temple started. In September of that 
 year, the Presbytery, by request, appointed a commission consist- 
 ing of Revs. R. M. Tuttle and C. W. Peyton and Elder A. A. 
 Black, to organize a church in Temple. The commission met in 
 October, '81, in a vacant store house. Mr. Tuttle preached, and 
 after the sermon twenty-four persons presented letters of dismis- 
 sion from the Belton church and were organized into the Temple 
 church. A. A. Black and E. T. Crawford were elected ruling 
 elders, and J. L. Gray and H. C Black, deacons. A. A. Black 
 and Mr. Gray were installed, the others asking time to consider. 
 The next night there was preaching again, and they were in- 
 stalled. 
 
 Before the commission adjourned, money enough was sub- 
 scribed and "in sight," to build a house of worship 24x36 feet, 
 on a lot donated by the railroad company, they having offered a 
 lot free to any church that would build on it. This was the first 
 church building in Temple. By the end of November it was far 
 enough advanced to be used for public worship. In December 
 a Sabbath-school was organized with about forty scholars, A. 
 A. Black, superintendent. Rev. C. W. Peyton supplied the 
 church monthly till '84. About this time a prayer-meeting was 
 organized, "which we have never suffered to languish." 
 
 M. W. Millan, S. S., all the time from November, '84 to No- 
 vember, '85. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs, evangelist, occasional, till spring of '87. 
 
 John Young, S. S., till September, '87, P. till September, '88. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs, occasional. 
 
 C. M. Hutton, S. S., February, '89, to November, '90. 
 
 R. L. Dale, S. S., September, '91; P., April, '90. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 A. A. Black, October, '81. 
 E. T. Crawford, October. Dimitted '85. 
 I. N. White, '84. 
 
 T. E. Cramer, '84. Dismissed September, '88, to a church in 
 California. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 89 
 
 H. C McCelvey, '84. 
 Dr. W. M. Woodson, '87. 
 E. Keach, December, '88. 
 
 J. L. Gray, October, '81. Dismissed to Belton, '89 or '90. 
 
 H. C. Black, October, '8i. 
 
 A. P. Harris, '89 or '90. 
 
 Sabbath-school superintendents: A. A. Black, five and one-half 
 years; T. E- Cramer, two years; I. N. White, two years; E. 
 Keach, two years. 
 
 Up to this time, last of 1890, the number of members enrolled 
 was 160; membership at that time, 83. 
 
 The church continued vacant till September, '91, when Rev. 
 R. L/. Dale took charge as S. S., and in March, '92, was called to 
 the pastorate, and was installed soon after the meeting of the 
 Presbytery. In 1893 the new house of worship was erected at a 
 cost of $5,200. It was dedicated in August, Rev. C. R. Dudley 
 preaching the dedication sermon, and continuing a meeting thir- 
 teen days, as the fruits of which, and a meeting in December, 
 conducted by Rev. W. H. Claggett, more than forty mem- 
 bers were added, and the number reported to the Presby- 
 tery April, '94, was 116. Total enrolled from beginning about 
 225. 
 
 THE GROVE. 
 
 October 3, 1888, evangelist C. H. Dobbs reported to the Pres- 
 bytery the organization of a church near the Leon river in the 
 lower part of Coryell county, with eighteen members and two 
 ruling elders. John Young was S. S. in '89, since which time it 
 has had only occasional supplies. Several members were added 
 by examination, and in '92, twenty-six members were reported. 
 In '91, one of the elders, N. W. McMillan, was ordained to the 
 ministry. 
 
 UNITY. 
 
 Unity church, in the northern part of Coryell county, was or- 
 ganized in the Bosque school house by Rev. L- Tenney, Septem- 
 ber 10, 1871. There were nine members, of whom two, Wm.B. 
 Young and John Armstrong were elected, ordained and installed 
 ruling elders. On October 22d, John H. Hurst was also elected 
 and ordained ruling elder. The congregation continued to wor- 
 ship at the school house two miles from Turnersville till about 
 '77, when the services were held for a time in the school house 
 then recently erected at Turnersville. The present house of 
 
90 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 worship wns erected in '82. When the church has had regular 
 services it has been for the most part for one-half the time. 
 
 Neill McDonald, S. S., December, '71, to February, '75. 
 
 W. A, Smith, S. S., July 1, '75, to March, '76. 
 
 L. Tenney, S. S., April 1, '76, to April 1, '78. 
 
 A. S. Doak, S. S , April, '78, to December, '81. 
 
 Thos. McHutchon, S. S., October, '82, to February, '86. 
 
 John Woodruff, S. S., May, '86, to May, '88. 
 
 John Young, pastor October, '88, to April, '90. 
 
 R. L. Dale, S. S., November, '90, to April, '91. 
 
 H. M. Smith, S. S., April, '92, to July, '92. 
 
 C. W. Peyton, S. S-, December, '93. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 John Armstrong, ordained September 10, '71. Removed. Since 
 died. 
 
 Wm. E. Young, ordained September 10, '71. 
 
 John H. Hurst, ordained October 22, 1871. Died December 3, 
 1885. 
 
 Wm. S. Gouldy, installed June 15, '73. Died Dec. 13, '77. 
 
 J. W. Gideon, installed March 24, '78. Dismissed Aug. 14, '84. 
 
 W. J. Miller, ordained March 24, '78. Dismissed Jan. n, '80. 
 
 G. M. Suggs, installed March 21, '80. Dismissed May 31, '91. 
 
 J. W. Sherrill, installed May 9, '86. Dismissed May 31, '91. 
 
 W. W. Cunninghum, ordained May 9, '86. Dismissed March, 
 1893. 
 
 J. H. Grigsby, ordained November 19, '93. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 John S. Hall, June 19, '81. Dismissed October 18, '91. 
 
 Fred Foot, ordained March 16, '84. 
 
 J. M. Burkett, ordained May 8, '86. Dismissed Oct. 16, '92. 
 
 R. 1/. Suggs, ordained May 8, '86. Dismissed March 22, '91. 
 
 S. M. Carr, ordained November 19, '93. 
 
 W. D. Freeland, ordained November 19, '93. 
 
 Total enrollmment of members, 176; present number, 44. A 
 Sabbath-school has been maintained most of the time since the 
 organization of the church. "Started about the time the Indians 
 left the country." For several years it was large. The changes 
 and removal of members have left the present membership so 
 scattered that it is difficult to maintain the school. 
 
 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WACO. 
 
 At the spring meeting of the Presbytery, 1855, at the request 
 of members of the Presbyterian church in Waco village and vi- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 9 1 
 
 cinity, Revs. Samuel Taylor, T. Alexander, and J. M. McChord, 
 who had come from Indiana to Texas the autumn previous and 
 settled near Waco, were appointed to organize a church. The 
 church was enrolled by the Presbytery at the fall meeting, but 
 the record does not mention the date of the organization, which 
 must have been in April or May. Mr. Taylor died on the 9th of 
 June, after an illness of twelve days, and in his obituary it is 
 stated, "Here he collected a little band and organized a church," 
 thus showing that he had done most of the preliminary work. 
 Mr. McChord returned to Indiana during the summer. Mr. 
 Alexander had purchased land, and lived in a house of his own 
 building, twelve miles from Waco, very near where the Cotton 
 Belt road crosses the South Bosque. He removed, in the autumn 
 of 1857, probably, to Oak Island, being installed pastor of that 
 church on the 31st of October. 
 
 The number of members was seventeen. Two ruling elders, 
 John McFarlane and Charles Ficklin, were installed. The for- 
 mer was the elder who, in 1840, participated in organizing the 
 Brazos Presbytery; the latter had been of the party who came 
 from Indiana, Mr. McChord being his son-in-law, and during 
 the summer he also returned to the North. The members lived 
 two at Robinson, some in Waco, and the remainder eight or ten 
 miles west of Waco, on or near the South Bosque. Mr. Alex- 
 ander preached till his removal, but of the amount of his preach- 
 ing there is probably no record. In the latter part of '58, and 
 during '59, L,. Tenney supplied the church, having appointments 
 at Waco, on the Bosque, and at Robinson, sometimes riding 
 twenty-five miles Saturday morning to preach at 11 o'clock on 
 the Bosque, and eight more to preach at Waco at night. In one 
 of these early morning rides, he was probably the only witness 
 of a meteor of extraordinary size which flashed before him for a 
 few moments, looking as large as the sun. In the fall of '59, 
 most of the members on the Bosque, including the elder, Mr. 
 McFarlane, removed to Clifton, Bosque county, where they were 
 organized into the North Bosque church, leaving in that neigh- 
 borhood only Mrs. McLennan, the matron of the family from 
 which the county was named, and her daughter, Mrs. Jones. 
 Mr. Abernathy removed to the prairie south of Waco. From 
 this time, there was no regular service till Rev. S. A. King com- 
 menced a monthly service in 1863. This was continued through 
 '65. There were a number of refugees in Waco during the war, 
 who aided in sustaining the church; but at the close of the war 
 so many of them left, there was little more than the former mem- 
 bership. Services were discontinued until January, '67, when 
 Mr. King, yet living at Milford, commenced preaching at Waco 
 
92 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 two Sabbaths per month. During part of the year, Mr. King 
 was engaged in evangelistic work, by appointment of the Synod, 
 giving a part of the time, however, to Waco and Milford. In 
 the latter part of the year, he removed to Robinson, and has 
 since given his time mainly to the Waco church. 
 
 From this time, the church grew. For two or three years 
 longer it had no house of worship, but the meetings were held 
 in school rooms, for which they were indebted to the courtesy of 
 Baptists and Methodists. On the first Sabbath in 1871, the 
 church first worshipped in the basement of its own house, on 
 Second street, and in the spring of '72 the auditorium was fin- 
 ished and occupied. In '71 the membership numbered only fifty- 
 three, but were active and vigorous. In '74 twenty-one mem- 
 bers were dismissed to form the Robinson church. Two of these 
 were ruling elders. In the spring of '82, Dr. King, having served 
 the church nineteen years as stated supply, was installed pastor. 
 The fact of having this relation established after such a time, is 
 evidence of the hold he had upon the hearts of the people. Soon 
 after this the church building, not being large enough for the 
 growing congregation, and inconveniently situated, was sold, 
 and the present house, on Austin street, commenced, and in the 
 spring of '84 began to be used. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 John McFarlane, May, '55. Dismissed to N. Bosque '59. 
 Charles Ficklin, May, '55. Removed summer of '55. 
 Francis Stone, October, '58. Unknown. 
 
 Robert J. Abernathy, October 18, '63. Dismissed to Robinson 
 November 29, '74. 
 J. F. Wheeler, February 21, '64. Dismissed. 
 H. G. Bostwick, June 16, '67. Retired May 21, '82; died, '90. 
 
 E. H. Carter, June 16, '67. 
 
 F. H. Sleeper, December 20, '68. Died June 19, '81. 
 
 W. F. Hague, December 20, '68. Dismissed to Robinson No- 
 vember 29, '74. 
 
 A. A. Cassady, December 13, '73. Died October 21, '80. 
 
 Thos. C. Smith, February 11, '77. 
 
 W. C. Dodson, February n, '77. 
 
 W. A, Minter, May 21, '82. Dismissed August 21, '83. 
 
 Dr. J. C. J. King, May 21, '82. 
 
 Sam'l A. Killough, May 21, '82. Died November 17, '91. 
 
 F. O. Rogers, November 30, '84. 
 
 W. H. Godber, November 30, '84. 
 
PRESBYTERV OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 93 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 Dr. W. H. Brown, January 15, '71. 
 
 S. A. Killough, January 15, '71. Ruling elder May 21, '82. 
 
 J. K. Harrison, January 15, '71. Died October, '93. 
 
 Dr. J. C.J. King, October 5, '73. Ruling elder May 21, '82. 
 
 W. H. Godber, '76. Ruling elder November 30, '84. 
 
 J. B. Gilmer, April 11, '8o. Resigned October 1, '88. 
 
 F. O. Rogers, August-27, '92. Ruling elder November 30, '84. 
 
 R. F. Gribble, August 27, 82. 
 
 Edward Rotan, December 7, '84. 
 
 J. D. Morrow, December 7, '84. Resigned November 22, '91. 
 
 The church was at first named First Presbyterian Church of 
 McLennan County, but it was always known as the Waco 
 church, and in 1865 this name was given it by the Presbytery. 
 In April, '92, the name was again changed to First Presbyterian 
 Church of Waco. 
 
 Rev. Wm. Hughes was employed several months, in '92, as 
 city evangelist, with view to the organization of a second church. 
 The Presbytery held an adjourned meeting in Waco June 28th, 
 and organized the 
 
 SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WACO, 
 
 with forty-one members dismissed from the first church, and Rev. 
 A. R. Shaw was installed pastor of it. 
 
 The total number of members enrolled to April, '93, is about 
 625. The number on the roll at that time was 313. 
 
 The long service rendered by the pastor of the church justifies 
 a few words more personal while he yet lives. 
 
 Dr. King was educated principally by his father. He entered 
 the ministry at an early age, in connectiou with the United 
 Synod, and preached for some years in Leon county and in 
 Crockett. He came to Milford, in Ellis county, in 1862, and the 
 next spring commenced his labors in Waco. His attractiveness 
 and power in the pulpit have led to his being often called to 
 preach on particular occasions, away trom home. At home, he 
 has long been held in high honor, not only by his own people, 
 but by the whole city. Most of the time that the Synod of 
 Texas was connected with the Southwestern Presbyterian Uni- 
 versity, he was one of the directors. From the University, he 
 received the degree of D. D. He has often represented the Pres- 
 bytery in the General Assembly, and in '92 was moderator of 
 that body. May he be long spared to serve the church and the 
 Master. 
 
94 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 LANCASTER. 
 
 Lancaster church was organized July 26, 1856, by Rev. Michael 
 Dickson, with nine members, three of them having been elected 
 ruling elders. 
 
 The following ministers served the church prior to the division 
 of the Presbytery: 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 Robert F. Taylor, S. S., '56-'57. 
 M. Dickson, S. S., '57-'6i. 
 S. M. Martin, S. S., '62-'64. 
 J. M. McChord, S. S., '6s-'67. 
 Niel McDonald, S. S., '67-' 71. 
 J. A. Walker, S. S., '72-'73- 
 W. S. Johnson, S. S., '75-'78- 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 Jno. Harris, '56-'6i. Died. 
 
 W. R. Moffett, '56-'7i. Resigned. 
 
 H. J. Moffett, '56-'8q. Died. 
 
 Robert Willis, '59^70. Resigned. 
 
 A. M. Scales, '69- '70. Resigned. 
 
 G. S. Davidson, '69-'73. Resigned. 
 
 In 1866 the church reported 29 members. Of these 10 or 12 
 were the fruit of a protracted meeting held by Rev. J. M. Mc- 
 Chord not long before. There were few additions afterward. Pre- 
 vious to '78 and after '71 removals and deaths reduced the num- 
 ber till there were only 12. Mr. Taylor belonged to the Eastern 
 Texas Presbytery, and has been mentioned in the early pages of 
 this history as the son of Rev. Samuel Taylor. Mr. Martin be- 
 longed to the Ningpo Presbytery, China, being a missionary 
 there, at home on a vacation; whether he fulfilled his purpose of 
 returning to China, the writer does not know. 
 
 WAXAHACHIE. 
 
 Waxahachie church was organized by Rev. J. A. Smylie, 
 November 19, 1871, with 16 members. Mr. Smylie probably 
 preached there sometime before the organization, and for some 
 months afterwards. 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 J. A. Walker, S. S., April, '72, to Oct., '73. 
 W. S. Johnson, P., May, '74, to July, '78. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. . 95 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 W. B. Mattox, November 19, '71, to October, '76. 
 
 J. C. Rogers, November 19, '71, to March, '74. 
 
 H. A. McWhorter, November 19, '71, to November, '74. 
 
 A. C. King, March 28, '75, to June, '75. 
 
 Thos. Baxter, September 5, '75. 
 
 John Sharpe, August 6, '76. 
 
 H. A. McWhorter, February 17, '78. 
 
 DEACONS. 
 
 Thos. Baxter, May 2, '75, to September 5, '75. 
 
 A. D. McDuffie and J. B. Anderson, September 14, '72. 
 
 H. W. Graber, February 17, '78. 
 
 Total enrolled to 1878, 81. Number at that time, 49. 
 
 FORT WORTH. 
 
 A committee was appointed by the Presbytery in October, 
 1872, to organize churches at Fort Worth and other places, if the 
 way should be found clear. In April, 1873, the committee Was 
 continued, and May 25, two members of the committee, J. 
 A. Walker aud J. A. Smylie, met at Fort Worth and organized 
 the church, with ten members. One was elected ruling elder, but 
 declining to serve, the organization was not completed till April, 
 1874, when Rev. W. M. Kilpatrick was authorized to complete 
 it. He having received fifteen additional members, a congrega- 
 tional meeting was held and O. C. Billings was elected ruling 
 elder and B. B. Paddock, deacon. They were installed May 2, 
 1874. Mr. Kilpatrick was S. S. till 1876, during which year C. 
 H. Dobbs, evangelist, preached to the church a considerable part 
 of the time. 
 
 MINISTERS. 
 
 W. W. Brimm, pastor, March, '77, to spring of '87. 
 Wm. George, D. D., pastor, May, '81, to autumn of '84. 
 R. H. Nail, D. D., pastor, Nov. 1, '85, to June, '93. 
 M. W. Dogget, pastor, February 4, '94. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 O. C Billings, May 2, '74. Died May 4, '75. 
 
 J. P. Morrison, February 21, '75. Died, '87. 
 
 I/. S. Hays, February 25, '77. Dismissed October 15, '77. 
 
 S. P. Greene, February 25, '77. 
 
 R. R. Fakes, February 25, '77. Dismissed February 16, '79. 
 
 W. H. Field, July 8, '77. 
 
96 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Wm. McMurry, June 23, '78. Dismissed June 28, '85. 
 
 Thos. H. Roe, June 23, '78. 
 
 T. L- Lane, June 23, '78. 
 
 The total number of members enrolled up to April, 1878, was 
 157; the number of members at that time, 114. 
 
 The house of worship was erected and began to be used in the 
 summer of 1877; previous to that the meetings had been held in 
 the court house and various public halls. 
 
 YELLOW PRAIRIE. 
 
 A church was organized at Caldwell by Revs. A. J. Lough- 
 ridge and M. C Conoley and elders R. H. Flanniken and J. W. 
 Shive, Nov. 17, '73, with eleven members and one ruling elder, 
 S. W. Penn. It was named Caldwell church. November 28th, 
 '74, a committee of the Presbytery, J. M. McChord, A. J. Lough- 
 ridge and R. H. Flanniken, visited Yellow Prairie, seven miles 
 north of Caldwell, received into the Caldwell church a number 
 of members, and installed M. Black and J. H. Wallace ruling 
 elders. From this time the majority of the members appear to 
 have been at Yellow Prairie; and in September, '81, the name 
 was changed to Yellow Prairie. The church was served for a 
 time, S. S., by A. J. Loughridge and O. F. Rogers, occasionally 
 by R. M. Tuttle. From '81 to '86, Rev. Wm. Boyd was S. S. 
 In the summer of '82, a protracted meeting was held, and about 
 twenty members were added. J. B. Robertson was S. S. in '88 
 and '89; E. L. Siler, '90 to '93. Total members from the begin- 
 ning, 77; present number, 21. 
 
 Zion church was organized February 9th, '79, by W. S. John- 
 son, Presbyterial evangelist, with 31 members from the Rock- 
 dale church, and two ruling elders, W. D. Paden and W. H. 
 Frierson, and two deacons, T. E- Lankford and S. L. Blakeley. 
 The organization took place at Union chapel on the San Gabriel 
 river, nine miles west of Rockdale. In '80 it was moved four 
 miles north, to a school-house, near where the church building 
 now stands. R. M. Tuttle commenced to preach to the church 
 in March, '79. The house of worship was built largely through 
 the agency of Mr. Tuttle, and dedicated in April, '81. In the 
 same month the Presbytery met in the house. M. C. Hutton 
 commenced preaching in January, '83, and June 10th he was in- 
 stalled pastor for half the time. At this time the church had 
 over fifty members (an active membership, too), and the pros- 
 pect seemed good for continued growth, but within twelve months 
 nearly half the members removed, and in April, '84, the pastoral 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 97 
 
 relation was dissolved. Mr. Hutton continued to preach to the 
 church once a month, till January, '86. 
 
 M. W. Millard, S. S., one-half time, Feb.-Sept., '86. 
 
 J. K. P. Newton, S. S., one-fourth time, Aug., '87-Feb., '88. 
 
 L. H. Kimmons, S. S., one-half time, Feb., '88-Jan., '89. 
 
 C. M. Hutton, S. S., one-fourth time, April, '89-April, '90. 
 
 E. L- Siler, S. S., one-fourth time, July, '90-Oct., '92. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 W. D. Paden, W. H. Frierson, at organization; Andrew Gor- 
 don, S. L. Blakeley, B. L- Frierson,. S M. Frierson, I. N. White, 
 F. McCalla, C. A. Lankford, S. M. Dunlap, J. W. Hopkins, W. 
 E. Massie, A. A. Frierson, I. F. White, R. A. White. 
 
 The total enrollment of members, 115; present number, 16. 
 
 MILFORD. 
 
 The Milford church was organized June 23d, 1855, by Rev. 
 Michael Dickson, with 17 members, of whom only three are now 
 living. Like several other churches in the early days of the 
 Presbytery, it was organized without a committee appointed by 
 the Presbytery. Mr. Dickson did not attend the meeting of the 
 Presbytery in the fall of '55, and the church was consequently 
 not enrolled till April, '56. The church worshiped in a rock 
 building erected by the community for school purposes, till '60, 
 when the present house was built. It is of wood and cost $3000. 
 In the latter part of '67, the roof was blown off and was replaced 
 the next year. 
 
 Mr. Dickson served the church as S. S. from '55 to '62, when 
 he was released on account of age and infirmit)'. 
 
 S. A. King, S. S., '62-' 68. 
 
 J. A. Smylie, '69, till a short time before his death in '78. 
 Since the division, S. M. Luckett, R. E. Sherrill, O. B. Caldwell, 
 C S. M. See and E. M. Munroe have served the dhurch. 
 
 RULING ELDERS. 
 
 H. G. Bostwick, June 23, '65. Dismissed Feb. 9, '67. Died '92. 
 
 N. S. Couchmau, June 23. '65. Died June 15, '87. 
 
 W. R. Hudson, June 23, '65. Dismissed Oct., '68, to Larissa. 
 
 W. F. Hague, June t6. '61. Dismissed March, '68, to Waco. 
 
 E. H. Carter, June 16, '61. Dismissed Feb. 9, '67, to Waco. 
 
 I. N. Buie, May 6, '66. Dismissed June 1, '84, to Hillsboro. 
 
 Jos. C. Wilson, May 6, '66. Died Dec. 27, '79. 
 
 R. H. Orr, May 6, '68. Died July 1, '76. 
 
 Champe Carter, Sr., Jan. 12, '70. Died Aug. 17, '73. 
 
 G. C Orr, Oct. 7, '77. Dismissed Dec. 10, '93, to Brandon. 
 
 W. H. Hudson, Oct. 7, '77. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Champe Carter, Sr., Jan. 13, '67. Elected elder '70. 
 
 H. L,. Caldwell, Jan. 13, '67. Elected elder '80. 
 
 John K. Wimple, Jan. 13, '67. Dismissed '70. 
 
 J. D. Couchman, June 15, '68. Dismissed Sept., '85. 
 
 J. C J. King, June 15, '68. Dismissed Feb., '72. 
 
 J. R. Hudson, March 12, '71. 
 
 D. B. Caldwell, March 12, '71. Elected elder '80. 
 
 P. H. Carter, Aug. 29, '75. Dismissed '81. 
 
 F. P. Wilson, March 11, '77. Dismissed '83. 
 
 R. E. Wilson, March 11, '77. Resigned '84. 
 
 In '66 the church reported 60 members. From this time till 
 '78 there were 90 additions on profession and 98 on certificate, 
 and the membership numbered 136. The church has continued 
 to prosper. The fluctuations of our population are well illus- 
 trated by the fact that with 143 additions on profession and 71 
 on certificate, since '78, the number of members is now only 144, 
 and at one time decreased to 85. The Sabbath school was or- 
 ganized in '56 and has been carried on without intermission. It 
 was at first a union school, but has been carried on almost exclu- 
 sively from the first by Presbyterians, and was gradually merged 
 into a strictly Presbyterian school. 
 
 WEATHERFORD. 
 
 Weatherford church was organized by a committee, S. A. 
 King, chairman, with ten members, and was enrolled October, 
 '74. It was supplied for a time by W. S. Johnson, and proba- 
 bly by A. S. Doak. L. B. Cbaney was received as a candidate 
 on a transfer from Lexington Presbytery, and licensed June 29, 
 '77. He soon after commenced preaching at Weatherford, and 
 in April, '78, was ordained and installed pastor of the church. 
 For two years after its organization there was little or no growth. 
 The number of members reported in '76, being only eight, but 
 in April, '78, the number had risen to fortv-three, and the church 
 has since had a prosperous career. 
 
 EUREKA VALLEY. 
 
 Eureka Valley church organized by Rev. J. A. Smylie, with 
 ten members and one ruling elder, was enrolled by the Presby- 
 tery April, '75. Mr. Smylie supplied the church monthly until 
 his death. It then numbered twenty-eight members. 
 
 The Ennis church, organized by a committee, W. S. Johnson, 
 chairman, was enrolled October, '75. Fifteen members were re- 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 99 
 
 ported in '76, and twenty -four in '78. Supplied by W. S. John- 
 son, '76 and '77, and by H. Moseley in '77 and '78. 
 
 CLEBURNE. 
 
 Cleburne church was enrolled October, '75. Reported April, 
 '76, eleven members; in '78, twenty-three. Supplied for a time 
 by W. S. Johnson. 
 
 HILLSBORO OR HILL COUNTY. 
 
 The Hill County church, organized by a committee, H. Mc- 
 Donald, chairman, was enrolled October, '76. Supplied by H. 
 McDonald. Reported in '77, twenty-nine members; in '78, thirty- 
 four. 
 
 Graham church, organized by the evangelist, was enrolled Oc- 
 tober, '6. In '77, it had thirteen members, in '78, twenty-two. 
 Supplied by L,. T. Wilson, evangelist. 
 
 BRECKENRIDGE. 
 
 Breckenridge church, organized by a committee, was enrolled 
 October, '77, with seven members. Supplied by L,. T. Wilson. 
 
 WEST PORK. 
 
 West Fork church, in Tarrant county, organized by evangel- 
 ist, L/. T. Wilson, with seventeen members, was enrolled April, 
 '78. 
 
 LEBANON. 
 
 Lebanon church, with eleven members and one ruling elder, 
 was enrolled October, '78. The division of the Presbytery tak- 
 ing place just afterwards, this church did not find a place in the 
 statistical reports of this Presbytery to the General Assembly. 
 
 All these churches are now on the roll of Dallas Presbytery 
 with an aggregate of 1144 members. The name of Lebanon is 
 changed to Avalon, and Eureka Valley to Files' Valley. Breck- 
 enridge disappeared from the roll for some time but has been 
 reorganized. 
 
IOO HISTORY OF THE 
 
 CHURCHES THAT HAVE BECOME EXTINCT 
 
 OR MERGED INTO OTHER 
 
 CHURCHES. 
 
 CHAMBERS CREEK. 
 
 A church was organized on Chambers Creek, about sixteen 
 miles east of Corsicana, and reported to Presbytery in October, 
 1854, by R ev - J- T. Balch. It had eight members and one rul- 
 ing elder, John Loughridge, a brother of Revs. R. M. and A. J. 
 Loughridge. The church was supplied one year at least by Mr. 
 Balch, and in 1861 by J. M. McChord. Mr. Loughridge died 
 January 29, '65. If there were any members remaining when 
 the County Line church was organized in '65, they probably 
 united with it, and in '66, the name of the church was dropped 
 from the roll. 
 
 BLUE RIDGE. 
 
 The Blue Ridge church was organized December 3, 1854, by 
 Rev. J. T. Balch, with four members and one ruling elder. These 
 members were recently from South Carolina. On the 18th of 
 June, 1855, at a session meeting moderated by Rev. T. Alexan- 
 der, four members from South Carolina were added. July 17, '57, 
 at a meeting moderated by Rev. A. J. Loughridge, then of the 
 Eastern Texas Presbytery, four members were received from the 
 Associate Reformed Presbyterian church. 
 
 The church was served for some time by supplies appointed by 
 the Presbytery, in 1856, regularly by Mr. Balch, and from early 
 in 1857, most of the time, till the close of 1868, by A. J. Lough- 
 ridge; in 1869 and 1870, by L. Tenney; in '71, by J. A. Walker; 
 in '72, by supplies appointed by the Presbytery, the names of 
 M. C. Conoley and L. Tenney appearing as moderating the ses- 
 sion; in '73, by Hillery Moseley. It appears also that Mr. 
 Moseley supplied the church during a part, if not the whole of 
 188 1. In the summer of '74, C. H. Dobbs took charge of the 
 church, and as stated supply or evangelist, preached till the lat- 
 ter part of '78. While evangelist he held a meeting, assisted by 
 H. Moseley, in the summer of '76, at which there were twenty 
 professed conversions and nine additions to the church. At the 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. IOI 
 
 time of the camp-meeting at Hog Island in '77, there were six- 
 teen additions. R. M. Loughridge was stated supply from early 
 in '78, till the spring of '81. C. W. Alexander, from the sum- 
 mer of '82, to that of '83. Malcom Black, in '84 and '85. J. H. 
 Leps, from the summer of '86, to '88, and C. W. Peyton, Octo- 
 ber, '90, till April, '91. 
 
 In the spring of '91, on account of the changes which had 
 taken place, it was thought best to unite Blue Ridge and Kosse 
 churches, and the Presbytery was requested to dissolve the 
 Blue Ridge church, and transfer the members to the Kosse 
 church, which was accordingly done. 
 
 For a church in the country with no house of worship of its 
 own, and the membership rather widely scattered, it has had a 
 history worthy of note. The total number of members enrolled 
 is 140. In May, '75, thirteen members were dismissed to form 
 the Kosse church, and in August, '77, fourteen to form the Prai- 
 rie View church. After '78, the number of members diminished, 
 and at the time of the consolidation with the Kosse church there 
 were only thirty. 
 
 The ruling elders of the church have been, W. B. McAllister, 
 installed at the organization, December 8, 1854; Robt. Harper, 
 soon after he was received in 1857; J. C. Peoples, W. R. Erskine 
 and James Todd, June 7, 1874; J. B. Hart, spring of 1877; J. W. 
 Cochran and M. Frazier, October, 1881; Dr. J. C Shaw, No- 
 vember. 1887. Mr. McAllister is still active, an elder in Kosse 
 church. He has been in office in this Presbytery longer than 
 any other elder now living. 
 
 "Grandpa Harper," as he was familiarly called, was an excel- 
 lent example of a quiet and unostentatious life, governed by a 
 sound theology. At one meeting of the Presbytery he stated 
 that they had kept up a Sabbath school, commenced in Eutaw 
 and continued in Kosse, uninterruptedly, for twenty years. He 
 superintended it two years longer, till he became too infirm. An 
 eccentric Methodist preacher, who lived at Eutaw for a time, 
 used to compare him to Lot among the Sodomites (see 2 Peter, 
 2: 8), and would sometimes say that Lot ought to move away, 
 and let the Lord rain fire and brimstone on the place. He was 
 one of those dismissed to form the Kosse church. He died May 
 13, 1880. J. C Peoples and Dr. Shaw were of those dismissed 
 to form the Prairie View church. 
 
 Richland church, near Richland creek, sixteen miles southeast 
 of Milford, and about the same distance west of Corsicana, was 
 organized by a committee of the Presbytery Rev. J. A. Smylie, 
 chairman, May 25, 1870. There had been some Presbyterian 
 families living there, holding membership in the Milford church, 
 
102 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 for a number of years, perhaps from about the time the Milford 
 church was organized. Occasional, and probably some of the 
 time stated, services had been held there. The church was sup- 
 plied one Sabbath per month by Mr. Smylie, till his death in 
 1878. There were fourteen members at the organization, three 
 ruling elders and three deacons. Up to April, 1878, twenty-six 
 had been added on profession and twenty-two by letter, a total 
 of sixty-two; but the largest number reported at any one time 
 was thirty-five. After 1878, there was no regular supply, and 
 the membership was rapidly diminished by removals. For some 
 years there were no reports from the church, and in April, 1886, 
 it was dissolved, and the members remaining, transferred to Cor- 
 sicana. J. M. Scales, B. F. Whitton and James Smith were rul- 
 ing elders. 
 
 Alvarado church was organized by a committee, J. A. Smylie, 
 chairman, in the winter or spring of 1875, with ten members. A 
 year later, after the organization of the Cleburne church, the 
 Alvarado church, at the request of the members, was dissolved, 
 and the members transferred to Cleburne. 
 
 Mizpah church, in the western part of Lee county, was organ- 
 ized in 1876, with five members and one ruling elder, Dr. L. L. 
 Williams. Two members were afterwards added. The church 
 was supplied in 1778 by M. C Conoley; in 1880 by W. Addison 
 Smith. Part of the small membership having removed, the 
 church was dissolved at the fall meeting of the Presbytery in 
 1882. 
 
 ROUND ROCK. 
 
 Round Rock church was organized May 10, 1877, by W. F. 
 Gillespie and R. K. Smoot, D. D., a commission of the Presby- 
 tery, with six members. J. S. C Morrow was ordained ruling 
 elder, and J. W. Sillurie, deacon. Mr. Gillespie preached to the 
 church once a month till 1880. In the spring of 1880, A. H. P. 
 McCurdy commenced preaching two Sabbaths per month. The 
 only elder, Mr. Morrow, having removed, a commission of the 
 Presbytery was sent to reorganize the church. J. N. Lyle and 
 his family were received from the Austin church, and Mr. Lyle 
 was installed ruling elder on the fifth Sabbath of May. Mr. Mc- 
 Curdy preached to the church till October, 1882. During this 
 time the house of worship was built, Mr. McCurdy, it was said, 
 doing much of the work with his own hands. 
 
 G. T. Lyle, S. S., June 1, '83, to June, '84. 
 
 Geo. L. Bitzer, S. S., Dec, '84, to June, '85. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs, S. S-, Sept., '85; elected evangelist Dec, '87. 
 
 J. P. Robertson, when licensed in May, 1887, was directed by 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. IO3 
 
 the Presbytery to preach once a month at Round Rock, but there 
 appears to be no record of his work there. 
 
 W. J. Tidball, S. S., March, '88, to '89. 
 
 J. Phipps, S. S., '90. 
 
 The total number of members enrolled was 74. The number 
 reported April, 1889, was 40. The church was dissolved April, 
 1 89 1, and the members transferred to Georgetown. 
 
 prairie VIEW- 
 
 In January, 1877, Rev. C. H. Dobbs, commenced preaching, 
 monthly, at Reagan, and in May at a school-house near Bennet's 
 woods or Hog Island. In August of that year a plan that had 
 been in contemplation for some time, was carried out — to hold a 
 camp meeting in Bennet's woods. Drs. Palmer and Markham, 
 from New Orleans, were present, besides sixteen or seventeen 
 Texas ministers. The meeting was attended by large numbers 
 of people, estimated at between 4000 and 5000. The preaching 
 lasted ten days, and great good was done, — many persons con- 
 verted and skeptics convinced and brought to Christ. A church 
 of twelve members was organized on the ground, and August 
 18, J. C. Peoples and R. H. Wheeler were installed ruling elders, 
 and W. Dow and O. J. Cockrell ordained and installed deacons. 
 In October following Mr. Dobbs was installed pastor for half his 
 time, by a committee of Presbytery, Drs. Smoot and W. S.John- 
 sou. In 1878, another camp-meeting was held, at which Dr. 
 Stuart Robinson, of Louisville, Ky., and Dr. Smoot did most of 
 the preaching, and a third in 1880, at which Dr. Palmer was 
 again present. Large numbers of people were present on each 
 occasion and the results were excellent. Most of the additions 
 to the church after its organization were of people who had not 
 been raised under Presbyterian influence. Religion in the com- 
 munity previous to the camp meeting "was at low ebb." The 
 desecration of the Sabbath day — hunting, salting and branding 
 stock, horse racing, drinking, gambling and idling away the day 
 at the dram shops — was so common that it might be called the 
 rule. Two years afterwards the observance of the Sabbath as a 
 day of worship was as pronounced as had been its desecration. 
 The pastoral relations between Mr. Dobbs and the church were 
 dissolved in the spring of 1883. The total number of members 
 enrolled was sixty-one, mostly during Mr. Dobbs' pastorate. 
 The larger part of members were renters and their families, and 
 they went west, largely, to find a more healthy part of the coun- 
 try. The large number of negroes in the Brazos bottom adjoin- 
 ing, operated to induce their removal. Rev. Malcom Black was 
 S. S. part of 1884 and '85, J. H. Leps in 1887 and '88. When 
 
104 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the government census of the churhes was taken, in 1890, it was 
 said there was not a member of the church left there, and in the 
 spring of 189 1 the Presbytery dissolved the church and trans- 
 ferred the members to Marlin, but it is said Marlin church re- 
 ceived no accessions by it. 
 
 The Salt Spring church in Brown county was organized by 
 Rev. W. A. Smith, with eight members, and was enrolled by the 
 Presbytery in 1878. W. A. Smith was S. S. in 1878 and '79, 
 and J. A. McMurray, evangelist, preached there more or less from 
 1881 to '84. For several years the church rendered no reports, 
 and in the spring of 1891 it was dissolved. It was understood 
 that a part of the members had joined the Brownwood church. 
 In 1883 the name was changed to Brown County Church. 
 
 TThe Wilson Valley church, organized by Evangelist J. A. 
 McMurray, with nine members, was enrolled September, 1881. 
 Ten members were afterwards added. It was served by Rev. T. 
 McHutchon as S. S. in 1883 and '84; by M. Black in 1886 and 
 '87. In September, 1889, in consequence of the removal of the 
 larger part of the membership, the church was dissolved. A 
 small house had been erected. It was sold and the proceeds 
 given to the Austin School of Theology. 
 
 Hebron church, at Mercer's Gap, in Comanche county, was 
 organized with nine members, by evangelist J. A. McMurray, 
 and was enrolled in November, '83. It had no regular preach- 
 ing, and no additions were reported, and in April, '88, the elder, 
 D. W. White, being dead, the church was dissolved and the mem- 
 bers transferred to Comanche. 
 
 Jonesboro church, on the line of Coryell and Hamilton coun- 
 ties, was organized by a commission, J. A. McMurray, chairman, 
 and was enrolled in November, 'S3. There were nine members 
 and one ruling elder. Most of the members shortly afterward 
 removed to Hamilton, and in October, '84, the church was dis- 
 solved and the members transferred to Hamilton. 
 
 Fairfield church, organized by a commission, W. W. Ruff, 
 chairman, with eleven members, Dr. W. Griffith, elder, was en- 
 rolled October, '84. No reports were rendered by the church. 
 Mr. Ruff probably had a regular appointment there during '85. 
 Beyond this it had very little preaching. In April, '91, the 
 church was dissolved and the members transferred to Oak 
 Island. 
 
 Mathison church, at Wortham, was organized by the same 
 commission as Fairfield, and enrolled at the same time. It had 
 nine members and one ruling elder, A. E. McNair. Two mem- 
 bers were afterwards added. Partly, probably, on account of 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 105 
 
 its proximity to Mexia, it was dissolved in September, '87, and 
 the members transferred to Mexia. 
 
 Goliad church, organized by evangelist C. H. Dobbs, with 
 eleven members, were enrolled at the same time as Fairfield and 
 Mathison. Four members were afterward added; but the church 
 did not grow, and soon lost half its members. It was supplied 
 probably monthly by A. S. Doak and C. W. Peyton while they 
 had charge of the Robinson church. Ruling Elder J. W. Mc- 
 Kee was dismissed to this church from Robinson in August, '84, 
 and became an elder of it. E- H. Hatch was also ordained and 
 installed elder. The church was dissolved and the members 
 transferred to Robinson August 29, '90. 
 
 Taylor church, organized by a commission, C. H. Dobbs, 
 chairman, was enrolled April, '85, R. E. Sherrill, jr., ruling 
 elder; members at the time of enrollment, 15. R. E. Sherrill 
 was living at Taylor at the time, but does not appear to have 
 preached regularly to the church. One member only was added 
 after the church was received, and in April, '88, it was dissolved 
 and the members transferred to Hutto. 
 
 Meridian church was organized by I v . Tenney, as a committee 
 of Presbytery, in autumn of '86, with eleven members and two 
 ruling elders, E. B. Carruth and H. S. Anderson, and was en- 
 rolled in April, '87. Mr. Tenney preached to the church monthly 
 two or three years. Three or four members were added on pro- 
 fession, but, most of the members having removed, the church 
 was dissolved and the members transferred to Temple, April, '91. 
 
 The church of Goldthwaite was organized in the winter of 
 '86-87 by Rev. B. T. McClelland, then of Trinity Presbytery, P. 
 C, U. S. A., and was supplied by him for some time. It was 
 received by the Presbytery of Central Texas in April, '87. Most 
 of the members, however, soon after removed to California, and 
 the church was dissolved in April, '88. 
 
Io6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 THE AUSTIN SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY. 
 
 In July, 1884, nearly half the members of the Presbytery were 
 at a camp meeting at Belton. The subject of our great need of 
 more ministers being discussed among them, it was decided to 
 ask Dr. R. K. Smoot to open a class for students in theology 
 in Austn. Dr. Dabney had recently become a member of the 
 Presbytery, being Professor of Moral Philosophy in the Texas 
 State University. He was asked by Dr. Smoot to assist in the 
 enterprise, and on the first Wednesday of October, '84, they 
 opened the school with four students, Dr. Dabney teaching 
 theology, and Dr. Smoot church history and government and 
 pastoral theology. They, in addition to teaching without pay, 
 became personally responsible for all the expenses of the school 
 for the first year. Licentiate Geo. L,. Bitzer was employed to 
 teach New Testament Greek and Hebrew. Dr. Smoot also as- 
 sumed the responsibility of the personal expenses of the students 
 above what they should be able to pay. Voluntary contribu- 
 tions were sent in, however, to pay a considerable part of the 
 expenses. 
 
 The Presbytery met in Georgetown, October 24th, of that 
 year, and passed a resolution, formally establishing the School 
 of Theology, requesting the several teachers to teach the branches 
 they had commenced. The Synod was overtured to take con- 
 trol of the school and provide for its needs. The Presbyteries 
 of Eastern Texas and Western Texas, the same month warmly 
 commended the school to the support of the church, and to the 
 young men desiring to study theology. By an oversight, the 
 overture was not presented to the Synod, which met at Belton, 
 October 30, but a resolution commending the enterprise was 
 passed. The State University was open to the students without 
 other expense than the matriculation fee of $10. 
 
 June 2, '82, committees from the Presbyteries of East Texas, 
 West Texas and Central Texas were present at the examination 
 of the class, and in their report spoke in high terms of the char- 
 acter of the instruction given and the progress made by the stu- 
 dents. 
 
 The second session commenced the last Wednesday in Sep- 
 tember, '85, with six students. Rev. A. A. Little took the place 
 of Mr. Bitzer as teacher of Hebrew and New Testament Greek. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. IO7 
 
 The Synod met in Austin October 20th. Action was taken cor- 
 dially approving the effort to raise a native ministry, recom- 
 mending Presbyterians to advise their students to attend the 
 school and encouraging churches and individuals to contribute 
 to its expenses. This action was taken after considerable discus- 
 sion, some looking upon the school as a rival of Austin Col- 
 lege. The work of the school was again warmly commended by 
 those who attended the examination at the close of the ses- 
 sion. 
 
 The third session commenced the last Wednesday in Septem- 
 ber, '86, with seven students, two from Arkansas, two from 
 North Carolina, and three from Texas. Licentiate W. S. Red, 
 (who was ordained the next spring) taking the chair of Hebrew 
 and New Testament Greek. During the year the work of se- 
 curing a building for the school was commenced, and Rev. R. 
 E. Sherril made a large contribution of books for the library. 
 Dr. Dabney's study and the lecture room of the Presbyterian 
 church had been thus far used for the exercises of the class. 
 
 The fourth session opened with nine students. The Synod had 
 taken no further action looking to taking the control of the 
 school, and at its session this year (October,'87) said that, "It 
 does not see its way clear at the present time to take further ac- 
 tion in that direction," but heartily commended the school to 
 the patronage of the Presbyteries and their candidates. 
 
 At the fifth session there were twelve students, one from Geor- 
 gia, one from Ohio, one from Tennessee, three from North Caro- 
 lina, and six from Texas. 
 
 The building was completed, the library had grown in the 
 short time since it was commenced, to about fifteen hundred vol- 
 umes, a part of them from the library of the late Dr. J. W. Mil- 
 ler, donated by Mrs. Miller. 
 
 In 1890 Rev. J. M. Purcell was elected a professor, and taught 
 two years without compensation. 
 
 During the session of '9i-'92, Rev. J. A. L.e Fevre, D. D., 
 was in Austin, and rendered most efficient, voluntary assistance 
 in the school. In the spring of '92 he was elected a professor, 
 and continued in the office till the spring of '94, when his resig- 
 nation was accepted. The school has continued, though with a 
 small number of students, to do efficient service to the church 
 and to the Presbytery at the cost of much self-denying labor to 
 the teachers. Rev. M. J. Tidball was elected teacher of Greek 
 and Hebrew in the fall of '90, and has continued in the work 
 till the spring of '95. 
 
[08 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE PRESBYTERY. 
 
 Hugh Wilson, by division of Brazos Presbytery, April, '54; 
 died March, '68. 
 
 John T. Balch, by division of Brazos Presbytery, April, '54; 
 dis. Red River, Oct. '58; died end of '61. 
 
 Wm. M. Baker, by division of Brazos Presbytery, April, '54; 
 dis. Zanesville, April, '66; died '84. 
 
 R. F. Bunting, by division of Brazos Presbytery, April, '54; 
 dis. W. Texas, Oct., '56; died. 
 
 Michael Dickson, Talladega, Oct., '54; died March 8, '74. 
 
 T. W. Erwin, ordained Oct., '54; dis. Bethel, Oct., '55. 
 
 Sam'l Taylor, Vincennes, April, '55; died June 9, '55. 
 
 Thos. Alexander, Indianapolis, April, '55; died March 26, '64. 
 
 J. M. McChord, Crawfordsville, April, '55; dis. Vincennes, 
 April, '56. 
 
 J. M. McChord, Vincennes, 'Oct., '60; died Nov. 22, '76. 
 
 L Tenney, Brazos, April, '55. 
 
 R. M. Overstreet, Muncie, October, '55; dis. Indianapolis, 
 March, '66. 
 
 Jos. Boone, Brazos, Oct., '56; dis. Brazos, April, '62. 
 
 A. J. Loughridge, Eastern Texas, Nov., '57; died March 19, '8i. 
 R. M. Loughridge, Creek Nation, April, '64; dis. W. Texas, 
 
 April, '70. 
 
 R. M. Loughridge, W.Texas, April, '77; dis. Neosho, Nov., '80. 
 R. M. Loughridge, Muscogee, P. C, U. S. A., Jan., '92 
 Hillery Moseley, E. Texas, March, '65; died Dec. 3, '83. 
 Wm. M. King, Texas, U. S., May '65; died June 1, '82. 
 S. A. King, Texas, U. S., May, '65. 
 W. A. Smith, W. Texas, May, '65; died Aug. 4, '87. 
 
 B. Y. George, Londonderry, April '67; dis. Missouri, Feb., '68. 
 Neill McDonald, Fayetteville, April, '68; died Feb. 3, '75. 
 
 J. A. Smylie, Tombigbee, Oct., '69; died Sept. 23, '78. 
 J. A. Walker, S. Ala., Oct., '69; dis. W. Texas, April, '79. 
 Robt. McCoy, Bethel, Oct., '69; dis. E. Texas, April, '70; died. 
 A. A. Porter, D. D., S. Carolina, April, '70; died Dec. 8, '72. 
 M. C. Conoley, Brazos, Oct., 71; died Sept. 21, '78. 
 Henry McDonald, E. Texas, Dec, '73, Dallas, by division, '78; 
 died Oct., '82. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 109 
 
 H. B. Rose, Abingdon, May, '74. 
 
 W. S. Johnson, ordained May, '74; Dallas, by division, '78; 
 died '82. 
 
 C. H. Dobbs, Ebenezer, Aug., '74; dis. Greenbriar, July, '92. 
 
 W. M. Kilpatrick, W. Texas, Oct., '74; dis. W. Texas, April, '76. 
 
 J. S. Grasty, D. D., Louisville, May, '75, dis. Missouri, Oct., '76; 
 died '83. 
 
 G. P. Richardson, N. Miss., Oct., '75; dis. Dallas, Oct., '80; 
 died '86. 
 
 T. D. Lea, Knoxville, Oct., '75; dis. E. Texas, Oct., '77; died. 
 
 W. F. Gillespie; Louisiana, April, '76; dis. W. Texas, Oct., '81. 
 
 O. F. Rogers, Chickasaw, Nov., '76; dis. W. Texas, Oct., '78; 
 died '94. 
 
 R. K. Smoot, D. D., Muhlenberg, April, '77. 
 
 B. D. Thomas, E. Texas, April, '77; Dallas, by division, '78; 
 died '81. 
 
 W. W. Brimm, E. Texas, April, '77, Dallas, by division, '78. 
 A. S. Doak, Holston, April, '77; dis. Augusta, Sept., '85. 
 L. T. Wilson, ordained April, '77; Dallas, by division, '78. 
 J. A. McMurray, ordained Oct., '77; transferred to Dallas, 
 Oct., '84. 
 
 J. M. Robinson, ordained Oct., '77. 
 
 Robt. Logan, Atlanta, April, '78; Dallas, by division, '78. 
 
 L. B. Chaney, ordained April, '78; Dallas, by division, '78. 
 
 C. W. Peyton, ordained April, '78. 
 
 R. M. Tuttle, Paducah, Oct., '79; dis. Missouri, I May, '85. 
 
 A. H. P. McCurdv, ordained April, '80; dis. W. Texas, Oct., '82. 
 
 H. W. Woods, Ozark, P. C, U. S. A., April, '81; dis, High- 
 land, P. C, U. S. A., July, '82. 
 
 J. T. Paxton, E. Texas, Sept., '81; dis. La Fayette, April, '84. 
 
 W. W. Ruff, ordained Sept., '81; dis. Greenbriar, April, '86. 
 
 J. H. Zivley, West Texas, Oct., '82; dis. Nashville, Oct., '88. 
 
 M. C. Hutton, Chickasaw, April, '83. 
 
 C. W. Alexander, Dallas, April, '83; dis. Dallas, April, '84; 
 dead. 
 
 Thos. McHutchon, ordained April, '83; died Feb. 13, '86. 
 
 J. M. Cochran, Brazos, Nov., '83; Dallas, Oct., '84. 
 
 J. M. Cochran, East Texas, Oct., '94. 
 
 R. L. Dabney, D. D., West Hanover, April, '84. 
 
 Geo. T. Lyle, Holston, April, '84; dis. Greenbriar, Oct., '84. 
 
 Hugh Calvin Smith, Brazos, April, '84; dis. Louisville. Sep- 
 tember, '85. 
 
 R. E. Sherrill, Dallas, April, '84; dis. Dallas, Sept., '87. 
 
 J. S. Greenlee, ordained April, '84; dis. Brazos, April, '93. 
 
 W. E- Shive, ordained April, '84; dis. St. Johns, April, '85. 
 
IIO HISTORY OF THE 
 
 W. T. Spears, Ebenezer, Oct., '84; dis. Ebenezer, April, '86. 
 
 M. W. Millard, Holston, Oct., '84; dis. Memphis, Sept., '87. 
 
 Malcom Black, ordained Oct., '84; dis. Dallas, April, '91. 
 
 Wm. George, D. D., Dallas, April, '85; dis. West Texas, 
 May, '88. 
 
 W. G. McDonald, ordained Sept., '85; dis. E. Texas, Oct., '88. 
 
 W. W. C. Kelly, West Texas, Oct., '85; died Oct. 20, '91. 
 
 Thos. Wharey, D. D., Roanoke, April, '86; died March 24, '88. 
 
 J. K. P. Newton, Chickasaw, May, '86. 
 
 W. S. Red, ordained April, '87; dis. Brazos, April, '90. 
 
 R. B. Palmer, ordained April, '87; dis. Pueblo, P. C, U. S. A., 
 May, '89. 
 
 J. H. Leps. West Texas, April, '87; died May, '89. 
 
 John Woodruff, Solomon, P. C, U. S. A., April, '87; dis. Tus- 
 caloosa, Oct., '88. 
 
 S. J. McMurry, ordained August, '87; dis. W. Texas. 
 
 W. L- Lowrance, Dallas, Sept., '87; dis. Dallas. 
 
 John Young, ordained August, '87; died '90. 
 
 R. K. Moseley, W. Texas, Dec, '87; dis. Dallas, April, '90. 
 
 L- H. Kimmons, Washburn, April, '88; dis. Missouri, Sep- 
 tember, '89. 
 
 J. P. Robertson, ordained April, '88. 
 
 W. J. Tidball, ordained May, '88. 
 
 J. M. Purcell, ordained May, '88. 
 
 C. R. Dudley, Mississippi, Feb., '89; dis. Dallas, Oct., 90. 
 
 C. M. Hutton, Tuscaloosa, May, '89; dis. Dallas, April, '81. 
 
 Joshua Phipps, Holston, April, '90; dis. W. Texas, April, '91. 
 
 J. S. Willbanks, Arkansas, April, '90; deposed April, '91. 
 
 R. E. L,eutz, ordained April, '90; dis. Mecklenburg, Oct., '91. 
 
 J. T. Sailes, Red River, April, '90; dis. Red River, Aug., '81. 
 
 C. E- Ewing, Holston, August, '90. 
 
 E. L. Siler, ord. August, '90; dis. Mecklenburg, April, '93. 
 
 H. M. Smith, ord. August, '90; dis. Dallas. 
 
 R. C. Anderson, ord. August, '90; dis. Montgomery, April, '92. 
 
 T. C.Johnson, ord. August, '90; dis. Louisville, Feb., '91. 
 
 R. E. Dale, Pine Bluff, January, '91. 
 
 S. W. Mitchell, E. Texas, Jan., '91; dis. Memphis, March, '92. 
 
 J. N. McFarlane, Upper Missouri, April, '91; dis. '94. 
 
 N. W. McMillan, ordained April, '91. 
 
 J. C. Grow, Paris, Oct., '91. 
 
 J. W. Siler, Mecklenburg, October, '91; dis. Mecklenburg, 
 July, '92. 
 
 Wm. Hughes, Boston, N. P., April, '92; dis. Dallas, April, '93. 
 
 A. R. Shaw, Fayetteville, April, '92. 
 
 R. E. Hardin, ordained April, '92. 
 
PRESBYTERY OF CENTRAL TEXAS. 
 
 G. T. Storey, Cent. Miss., October, '92. 
 
 W. S. Baker, Arkansas, April, '93. 
 
 H. M. Sydenstricker, Trinity, P. C, U. S. A., April, '92. 
 
 G. S. Robinson, Lexington, Sept., '93. 
 
 D. N. Yarbro, ordained Sept., '93. 
 
 J. A. Creighton, Dallas, Oct., '83. 
 
 B. T. McClellan, Trinity, P. C, U. S. A., January, '94. 
 
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