CYNTHIA WEBSTER'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF JOAQUIN -- 140 YEARS

The Illustrated version of this Blog can be found at:

https://communicatinglife2.blogspot.com/2018/05/first-united-methodist-church-of.html

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 8^th 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 24^th 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 10^th 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.

 Members of the Methodist Church gladly minister to our entire community, bringing the good news of God's love made known through Jesus, by witnessing the Gospel, sharing our lives, and being committed to the welfare of the others.  We strive to be a church where love is an action and not just a word.

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

Compiled with love by Cynthia Webster in memory of our church members who have gone before us.

SEE ALSO -- The History of the United METHODIST CHURCH of Joqquin by Richard Wharton https://communicatinglife2.blogspot.com/2013/02/history-of-joaquin-methodist-church-by.html

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.

http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Marriages/bridesshea-shray.htm

  History of Shelby County, Texas 1988 published by Shelby County Historical Society, page 157

  Oral and written history by Richard Wharton.

 

http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Marriages/groomsfoy-fulsom.

Church records and memorabilia of Joaquin First United Methodist Church

http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Census/1900Census-HEA-HEN.htm

http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/Census/1900Census-MIC-MIL.htm

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

Secrets of Success in College: Part 1 -- How to be admitted to Your "Dream" University

SECRETS OF SUCCESS IN COLLEGE:  A Few of the Things I Wish I Had Known 

PART 1 — HOW TO BE ADMITTED TO YOUR DREAM UNIVERSITY.

Since the age of 17, I have spent over 40 years living, studying, and working on University Campuses.  Along the way, I learned a few things — often too late to do me any good.  I decided to share a few of the things I wish I had known.  I am writing first person as though the reader is my beloved grandchild facing the challenges of today’s higher education.

To begin at the Beginning — ADMISSION

Before going further, I want you to consider a question, a binary choice you may not have considered before.  Which of the two following options are most important to you?  While you may really want  both — for the sake of this discussion, you can only have ONE.

OPTION 1 — YOU ARE ADMITTED AS AN ENTERING FRESHMAN AT YOUR DREAM UNIVERSITY.

OPTION 2 — YOU GRADUATE FROM YOUR DREAM UNIVERSITY.

If you chose Option 1, you can stop reading now — either you are too dumb to appreciate what I have to share with you, are your motives for going to college are more social than academic.  If you are scratching your head because you can’t figure out how you can graduate without being admitted — Pay Attention.  The limiting phrase in the question is “as an entering Freshman.”

Every year thousands of students graduate (many with honors) from Universities that would never have admitted them as “entering Freshmen.”  How did they become graduates?  Quite simply by transferring as a second semester freshman, a sophomore, or a junior.  WHAT?   HOW?  The answer is very simple:

STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION OF TRANSFER STUDENTS DIFFER FROM STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION OF FRESHMEN

Secret —  The standards for transfers are less stringent than those for entering freshmen.

If you ask a college counselor about this, they will point out that transfer students have a “college track-record;” i.e. proof that they can succeed in college level courses.  They will argue that their freshman requirements are their way of predicting which students can succeed at their institution.  While TRUE, this is only a part of the story.  

The “whole truth” is that Universities and Colleges are RATED and RANKED based on the quality of their entering Freshmen.  The highest ranked Universities are those whose entering freshmen have the highest ACT and SAT scores; the highest GPA’s; and the highest class rankings. While other criteria (quality of faculty, faculty/student ratios, etc.) are included, the quality of freshman admissions is critical.

In a circular form of logic, the entities that rate and rank institutions of higher education assume that the BEST colleges will attract the BEST students.  Therefore, they attempt to measure the quality of the entering freshmen, and use this measure for deciding which colleges are BEST.  It is therefore in the interest of every college and university to enroll a freshman class consisting of WINNERS.  The University that recruits the BEST freshmen is considered the BEST University, and this fuels the battle to attract the BEST (and ONLY the BEST) students.  Admitting less “qualified” students as freshmen will lower the status of the institution.

However, after the precious “entering freshmen” are weighed and measured and showcased, the University turns their attention to other essentials, like filling their classes and paying their bills.  For both of these, transfer students are just as valuable as the elite freshmen.  Indeed, some of the elite can be counted on to drop out; fail; get homesick; fall in love; or decide to transfer to another school.  Pragmatically, transfer students are necessary and valuable.

Secret —  After graduation no one gives a toot whether you were admitted as a freshman.

While the status of the University from which you graduate carries weight, after you have your degree, no one ever asks, or cares, whether you were admitted as a freshman.  Admission is only a first step; graduation is the goal.  When you achieve your goal, no one cares about the first step.

PROS and CONS of TRANSFERRING —

1. PRO — You can save a some serious money. If your “dream” school is more expensive and your “starter” school is more economical (and this is usually the case), a year or two (1/4 to 1/2 of your total credits) at the less expensive school will lower your college costs substantially.
2. CON — You will miss out on freshmen activities.  Friendships, networks, fraternities, sororities, school politics, and extra-curricular activities begin during freshman orientation.  It is often difficult for transfer students to “make-up” or compensate for these lost experiences. 
3. PRO or CON — Your GPA will be affected by your transfer.  This can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on your performance and the school’s policies.  Better schools are sometimes loathe to believe that the grading standards at other schools are as rigorous as theirs (and some first-class schools, may have a point).  There are differing policies regarding the transfer of grades, and how these “count” in your final GPA and/or class rank. Some schools do not transfer grades.  That is, all transferred courses become Pass/Fail.  Others transfer grades, but compute two GPA scores, one based on all your credits and one based only on the credits taken at the school from which you are graduating.  Others transfer and use all grades.  For some students, the GPA is actually better because of their “first” school; for others the transfer lowers their GPA.  The same can be said for class ranking, and honors.  All of these can be positively or negatively affected.  The important thing is to be aware of your school’s policies so you will know what to expect.

IMPORTANT —   If you are considering becoming a transfer student, be sure to get details related to transfers from the office of admissions. For example, know the regulations regarding the status of the institution you wish to attend as your “first” college; know the number of credits, types of courses, and required grades (there are often minimum and maximum numbers of credits in transferring). 

These vary greatly from one University to another, and the DEVIL can be in the DETAILS.  While there are University-wide considerations, there can also be DEGREE PROGRAM considerations related to your chosen major or minor.  If you have already chosen a major, be sure to check with the PROGRAM to learn about their preferences for your transfer credits.  In general, most DEGREE PROGRAMS prefer that you take your general requirements before transferring, and then take the courses in your Major Field of Study at the Institution where you will receive your degree.

NOTE — With the exception of two-year colleges, it is generally unwise to advise faculty or staff at your “first” college that you are planning to transfer.  This will not endear you to them, and who knows, you may change your mind — I did.