First United Methodist Church of Joaquin
1876-2016
The First United Methodist Church of
Joaquin
Celebrating 140 years
1876-2016
The Joaquin
United Methodist Church has existed for one hundred and forty years in three
locations, and at least four different buildings. The church has provided
worship opportunities, spiritual support, a venue for joyful weddings and
baptisms, solace in times of sorrow, lively bible schools and youth activities,
divinely inspired music and community service across multiple generations through
floods, drought, the Great Depression, wars, and in times of peace and
prosperity.
When early
Texas settler Henry I. Brook died in October 1871 he was buried just west of
the Brookland-Logansport ferry crossing on the Sabine River. His burial site
began the Brookland cemetery. Henry’s widow, Mary Jane Brook, donated land and
lumber for a church to be built in the northeast corner of the cemetery.
Worship services started in 1876 with circuit-rider Reverend George Hughes.
The church
was soon relocated farther south to a more populated area of Shelby County and
named Harmony Methodist Church.
As the
Houston East and West Texas Railroad (HE&WT) route from Houston to
Shreveport was being built through Brookland the area had an increase in
population. In 1884 the church was returned to the original site at the
Brookland Cemetery near the new train depot until a new church building was
completed in the budding township of Joaquin in 1894-1895.
Leona and Dillard Brook Sr. (Nephew
of Henry Brook who lived and is buried at Brookland Cemetery also).
According to the late Richard Wharton’s father, Henry
Wharton, the still intact Joaquin Depot originated in Brookland. The depot was
moved to Joaquin when the station was established and remodeled, later adding
annexes and platforms that no longer exist.
The first
known wedding ceremony conducted in the new church located in Joaquin was that
of Dr. William Allen Ramsey and Miss Clara Short on August 8th
1895.
Charter
members of the church included a local farmer, Alabama-born Thomas A. Henry,
William R. (Bob) Crawford and his wife Emmie T., W.D. Wade (Postmaster at BoBo
in 1893), a Brook family and the Erastus Sayers family.
As the
church grew another building was erected across the street 10 years later. Vol 43 page 270 of Shelby County Real Estate Records
reveals W.R. Crawford, his wife, E.T. Crawford and R. A. Rushing sold to W.R.
Crawford and John Mills (a local Blacksmith) serving as church trustees, ½ acre
of land located “300 yards north of the town square” for the sum of $150.00 in
1904.
The new
church building sustained wind damage in 1921 resulting in another building
being erected at the same site. Shelby County Real Estate Records Book 10 page
381 dated 10/12/1923 attested M. M. Carroll (a local merchant), S.B. (Sam)
Crawford and J. C. Brook were Trustees of Record for the church named Joaquin
Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
These
trustees signed a document of indebtedness for $1500 to the Board of Church Extension
Methodist Episcopal Church, South by Joaquin Methodist Episcopal Church, South
on September 24th 1922 to complete the new church.
Sam B
Crawford, an early trustee of Joaquin Methodist Church
This photo shared by Jo Heller shows Gladys Nixon’s car in
front of the Methodist church. Jo stated her mother (Gladys) was
preparing/decorating the church for the wedding of her daughter Lou Ann to
Billy R. Freeman on September 10th 1950. Their wedding was probably
one of the last taking place in that building.
After the merging of several Methodist associations in 1939 the church became known as Joaquin Methodist Church. During this time preaching was conducted every-other-Sunday until 1945 when Joaquin Methodist became a full-time church.
The present
church building was constructed and consecrated in 1951. The building was
officially dedicated in 1961 when the debts for the building were paid in full.
Sample of church building bonds issued in 1951.
After the
uniting of more branches of American Methodist Churches in 1962, the church at
Joaquin became known as the First United Methodist Church of Joaquin. Through
the years, the church has sponsored nursing home ministries, scholarship
programs and luncheons for graduating high school seniors; Joaquin Christian
Services for those in need; and church bazaars.
The
Methodist Church facilities provide a polling site for elections, and have been
used as a quiet site for student testing by the Joaquin Schools.
A fellowship
hall was added in 1987.
The steeple
was replaced in recent years.
Pastor History
1876-1905 East Texas Circuit including Rev. George
Hughes
1906-1907 Rev. W. L. Easterling 1946-1947 Rev. Lewis Risinger
1908-1909 Rev. I. J. Coppedge 1947-1950 Rev. Charles W. Williams
1910 Rev. W. L. Easterling 1950-1951 Rev. Clyde C. Shoemaker
1911 Rev. I. J. Coppedge 1951-1953 Rev. Robert H. Jonte
1912 Rev. W. L. Easterling 1953-1955 Rev. Lawrence Lanzrum.Jr.
1913 Rev.
I. J. Coppedge
1955-1957 Rev. H. Leroy Stanton
1914 Rev. A. G. Hall 1957-1959 Rev. Henry Alloway, Jr.
1915-1916 Rev. R. E.
Beaird 1959-1960 Rev. Lloyd E. Holt
1917-1919 Rev. Frank Platt 1960-1961 Rev. Robert H. Koch
1920 Rev. E. G. Downs 1961-1964 Rev. Buford Fenley
1921-1922 Rev. E. C. Goins 1964-1966 Rev. H.O. Bonner
1923-1924 Rev. L. A. Humphries 1966-1967 Rev. Vernon Fincher
1925-1926 Rev. W.C. Hughes 1967-1869 Rev. W. Byron Boyette
1927-1928 Rev. J. I. Weatherby 1969-1972 Rev. Claude S. Decelle
1929-1931 Rev. M. J. Bigger 1972-1975 Rev. D. Z. Danheim
1932 Rev. C. H. Dark 1975-1977 Rev. John B Rozell
1933-1934 Rev. T. H. Gibbs 1977-1977 Rev. W. F. McQueen
1934-1935 Rev. R.B. Bates 1977-1979 Rev. Randall Barlow
1936-1938 Rev. E. S. Brawner 1979-1989 Rev. Hershell Ramsey
1939-1940 Rev. James F. Ferguson 1989-1991 Rev. Ray L. Freeman
1941-1942 Rev. J. M. McCain 1991-1992 Rev. Gerald L. Phillips
1943-1944 Rev. C. T. Wallace 1992-2001 Rev. Billy R. Freeman
1944-1946 Rev. R. Eugene Jonte 2001-2015 Rev. Randall K. Smith
2015-present Rev. Robert
Ortigo
Easters in the Walter Rainbolt
Memorial Garden
Christmas in the Sanctuary
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Sources:
http:
State of Texas Historical Marker Number 16832. Atlas Number 5507016832. Marker Title Brookland Cemetery. Index Entry
Brookland Cemetery. Address 12996 U.S.
Hwy. 84 E.
History of Shelby County, Texas 1988
published by Shelby County Historical Society, page 157
Oral and written history by Richard Wharton.
Church
records and memorabilia of Joaquin First United Methodist Church
Shelby
County Texas Real Estate Records
A HISTORY OF
POST OFFICES AND COMMUNITIES
First
Congressional District of Texas SHELBY
COUNTY
COMPLIMENTS OF WRIGHT PATMAN Texarkana, Texas
Copyright
1968 by Wright Patman
Photos by Cynthia Webster
