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ITOLKLORE-WHITE PIONEER,
Miss. Effie Cowan,P.W.
IcLennan County, Texas,
District p.
NO. of.Words
:Pile NO.240.
Page NO.1.
REFERENCE.
"Interview with 1,ir Obe Adams, Mart, Texas.
I was born in 1857 in Grimes County. My parents came to Texas in 1836
and came with some of Sterling hobertson's colont.A7hey settled on the
lower Blue ,--Adge, a settlement near Aeagan, Texas. I was about 13 year;a-
of -,age when the 'riouston and Texas Central railroad came through the com-
mu#ity of what is now the town of Reagan Texas
"We had a little school and church house combined oui on the Ridge, and
it was called the Shady Grove school and church. tI helped to build this
building Some of the members were my father I.N.and Bad Crouch, and
the Powers family others I will mention in the history of the church.
I remember that iev. Kinnard was a Primitive s3aptist preacher and preached
in the homes.
I was married in 1875 ,to Emmiline Crouch ero as was born three chil-
-dren. Mary, Tom, and 2annie. The two girls are mattted and still living,
our son, Tom lived to marry and had a familtinow deceased. ,,My wife died
in January of 18831and in1894 I married Miss Lillie Miles of Reagan. She
was a daughter of Benjamen Miles and arah Jane Crouch Miles. My wife,
is still living with me and to this marraige was born to as)ten chil-
dren. 6ix of whom lived to be grown, the others dying in childhood. The
ones who lived to be grown are Mrs Mike Matthews,(Bessie),eceased). Mrs
Bonnie Hudgins of Little tock Arkansas. Frank,deceasei,Mrs Erato Woodward
Corsicana Texae.Mrs Vera Autherford, Mart, and LorRine, Mart.
pOLRLORE-WRITE PIONEER,
tiss Effie Cowan,P.W.
4cLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
Pile NO. 240
-Page NO. 2.
"My present wife is a relative of the 4arlln family through the Crouch
family. They came with the Sterling Robertson colony and one of the ances—
tors on the ()roach side of the family was in the fight between the white
men and the Indians in the battle which took place ten days after the
Morgan -Marlin massacres ,at What is called worgans 2oint, and where
still stands the cabin which one of the Morgans lived, (This cabin is
owned by the misses Gill of Mart who are grand -daughters of Mr Oakes,
the only one to whiellthe deed to the land has been given since the
-loan government deeded it to the Morgan family about the year 1836.)
The coming of the Houston and Texas Central railroad through the
country from .6remond to Waco, caused some of the families on the -:Ridge
to move into the towns to be nearer the better schools and churchesas
they began to build up. However after the old bhady Grove church had
dissolved and the members bad Wirtheir letters in Aleagan and other
churches, it was used for a -(Acnic ground for many years.
rganization of the .4etbodist church South, began in Falls county as
early as 18491 when that church had a missionary in the field. This was
before the county was organized. This pioneer missionary was Rev. DeVil-
bis. One of the first services after reaching the field was at the res-
idence of Wm. Capps, a pioneer settler in this vicinity for whom one of
the nrominent streets of Marlin is named. Our community for some time
was the base of operation throughout this section and this missionary
w-fe the first to reuresent the Methodist church in this field. I will
give you the following brief history of the ReaganApthodist charch'as
collected by 4r Zeb Burke and Ur Henry Kelley of Reagan.
FOLKLORE -WHITE PIONEER,.
Miss Effie Cowan, P.W
McLennan eoanty, Texas,
District 8.
File NO. 240.
Page NO. -3
"The aethodist Church at Reagap,Texas, was first organized throuot
the efforts of Rev. Theodore Gillette, a preacher living at that
time in Bee County, Texas. The founding of a church at Reagan was
the result of a visit made Rev. aillette to his sister, the late Mrs.
H.E. Johnson and while here on the visit conferred with several of the
Methodist families then residing in or near Reagan. These families
included the Warlin, Adams, Covington, and other families. As a
result of these conferences, it was decided that to establish a church
to serve this community, and it was fIrther decided that a location
be selected which in later years became widely known as Shady Grove,
which is located some three and one half miles east of the present
town of Reagan.
"Tbe first pastor of the nely founded church was Rev. Howell Taylor
in the year of 1872; and be .,11.8 followed in tarn J. J. Davis in 1873,
and W. T. Welugin,1874-1875, Frank Compton in t876, S. S. Scott 1877,
14.W. Glass in 1878, B. F. Gassaway: 1879-1880, J. P. ausset in 1881,
O. S. Weaver in 1882, H. T. Hart in 1883.
'It was daring the ministry of Rev. Hart that the trustees of the
church at Shady Grove, led by Uncle Newt Crouch as Chairman of the
Board, in August 1883, purchased three town lots in the town of
Reagan from the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company at $105.00,
and erected threron the first Methodist Charoh in the town of Reagan
proper. This church was built under contract by W. A. MoOlarty of
WootenW Wells, Texas, and was painted by Mr. Charlie Elgin, a• resident
FOLKLORE -WHITE PIONEER,
Miss Effie Cowaft,P.W.
McLennan COunty, Texas,
District 8.
File NO. 240.
Page NO..
of Reagan at that time. .rhis action caused a consolidation which gradt-
ually led to the abandonment of the Shady Grove site, but that location
was used for several years afterwards as the place of many famous
camp meetings which were popular in that period.
"The pastor at the time the church was built was Rev. T. F. Dimmitt
who came to Reagan in 1884 and stayed here as pastor three years. He
was followed by F. L. Allen in 1887, G.C.STovall in 1888,, W. Wooten
in 1389, O. T. Hotchkiss 1890, J. M. Armstrong 1891, J. B. Cochran
1892, 1893, and 1894.
'The Sunday School was immediately organized in the new church with
Bro. Jim Hays as first superintendent; Bro. Hays was followed in this
connection successively by H. A. Carlton and Brother C. Ward.
"On Sept. 27, 1892, two small boys, one a white boy by the name
of Carpenter and the other a negro boy by the name of Dan Channey
having found a nest of pigetn eggs and accordingly tectded to have
a feast and went into the church and obtained a can of kerosene oil
kept in the building as fuel for lights and to build fires in the
stove, and poured the oil on the floor and started a fire for their
eggs. The result was the joss of the Carpenter boy's dog,the feast
of roast nigeon eggs and the church building on which there was
no insurance.
"The pastor at the time of the fire was ROT. J. B. Cochran, and work
of raising funds to build a new church was immediately started. The
pastor made a list of the membership of the Church and assessed each
FOLKILORE-WHITE PION3ER
Miss Effie Cowan, P. Wi0
McLennan, County, Texas,
District 8.
FILILNO. 240
Page No.
member his part to meet the expenses of the new building and
recorded that every member responded to the assessment, many
siderable sacrifice to themselves and caid their part toward
church. It is related in this connection that Brother M. W.
sold his fine saddle horse
it is
at con
the new
Cnbaniss
to raise his part and that Brother A. M.
Anderson sold one of his best mules to meet his assessment. Both of
these men are still in Reagan to recall the loyalty of the member-
ship on this occasion. -qere were doubtless other oases where
extreme sacrifice was made to raise the amount needed.
"The new church built to replace the burned one, was located on the
present site, a gift of Grandma Tennessee Rogers, and a building was
erected there and it is in that building that we meet today to
celebrate the 45th. anniversary of the first services held in this
building. ?he date was Uarch 12, 1893. On this Sunday Scbool was
conducted by the Superintendent, C. Ward, and the ooening song
number 878 in the old Hymnal. All officers were present and all
teachers were present with the exception of Isaac Crouch, teLicher
class Number 2.
"Tbe first officials of the church were as follows: Rev. J. B. Coehren,
Pastor in Charge, Bro, C. Ward, Superintendent of the,Sunday School
and Steward, N. A. Carlton, Librarian, I. N. Crouch, R. O. Adams,
W. H. C.Scheibagen, Henry W. Ward, J. T. Pruett, S. H. Robertson,
and M. Anderson Were stewards. The ttustees of the church were
I. N. Crouch, R. P.O.Adams, and T. J. *uett.
FODKIJORE-WRITE PIONEER
Miss Effie Cowan, P. W.
McLennan, County, Texas
District 8.
PILE .N0.240
Page No.
'The following were the teachers of the Sand4 School classes, W. H. C.
Scheihagen, Mrs, Bettie Rogers, Isaac Crouch, Mrs. M. E. Crouch,
Mrs Frank Carlton, and idirs. Julia Anderson.
"At the first Sunday School services there were thirty-five. scholars
present, thirty-two being absent. The Scripture Lesson was Esther the
4th. Ohapter, verses 10-17; and 5:1-3. The subject of the lesson
was "Esther Before the King." The offering for the Sunday School
on this Sunday was 10.55. On the Sunday School toll at the time of
this first service and still active and enrolled today were the
following people, Mrs. H. W. Ward, Mrs. E. R. Boyles, Mrs. Leona
Burke, Mrs. A. M. Andersin, Mr. Dave ard, and Mr.Luther Ward. There
are also eight others who still live in Reagan who were on this
Sunday School roll in 1893 at this first service, but who, because
the infirmities of age or loss of health, are not at present In
regular attendance.
"In further connection with the building of the new church, it is
related that the bell in the new church building„the same one now
in use was hung by M. W. Cabaniss, W. B. DeWalt, Tom .:\ogerS, Isaac
Crouch and J. B. Cochran, the pastor. In banging the bell, this
group enclosed themselves inside the steeple And were forced to
crawl through the lattice work to reach the ground. When the bell
had been hung, the pastor, Rev. Cochran, asked that whomever of the
group that were living when be should die, should toll the bell in his
memory. The only living member of the group to survive him, was M.W.
FOLKLORE -WHITE. Pinar,
=sit Effie Cowan, P. Ai
Melennan COunty, Texas,
District 8.
PITAKNo. 240
Page 47
Cabiness, who mot bearing of the death of Rev. Cochran for a consider-
able peroid of time, was not able to carry out his wish.
"Church and conferenoe records reveal that at the time of building
this church there were on this charge, which included Bremond and
Wooten Wells, 369 members, during the year 1893, 24 were added on
profession of faith, 7 by certificate and 13 were removed by death
and otherwise. /7 infants were baptised, and 9 adults were baptized
this first year. The financial accomplishments of the charge daring
this first year were as follows: Pastors salary $700.00, presiding
elder $100.00, bishop $13.00, conference collection 06.00, 7Toreign
Missions $87.50, Domestic Missions 49.35, Church Extension $30.00,
Education $21.00, Delegate to Geiteial Conference $8.00, District
Parsonage 112.00, and for printing and conference minutes $5.00--a
total for the year of $1083.10.
"Since that time the following men have become preachers from this
church, Jim Adams, Bob Adams, Cal. Adams, A. T. Walker,and A. J. &no-
way, all of these have rendered notable services to the church and to
the &use of Christianity in the world and each were devoted followers
of the Lowly Nazarene and were faithful shepherds of their flocks as
they went about doing good. Two of them are still active in the
ministry, Rev. A. T. Walker and Rev. Bob Adams.(9 4A"-
"Brother and lire. Newt. Crouch beautifully endowed the charch with-ra
sum of money amounting to $2,000.00, stipulating that the sum should
remain a trust fund, the interest being spent under the direction of the
:TOLKIORE-WHITE PIONEER
Miss Effie Cowan. P. W.
McLennan County, Texas,
District 8.
PILE NO. 240
Page NO. T.
Trustees in furthering the cause of the Reagan Methodist Church.
"The ministers following Rev. Cochran as pastors of the Reagan numb
are as follows:
G. H. Phair S 1895-1896
J. W. Harmon 1897-98-99
T. S. Williford 1900
G. H. Collins 1901-02
S. F. Chambers 1903
J.W. Threadwell 1904
A. A. Wagnon 1905-06
A. T. Walker 4907-08
T.M. Brownlee 1909
J. W. Goodwin 1910
Jesse Willis 1911
Weems Wooten 1912
J.E. Payne 1913
W. A. Craven 1914-15
O. F. Zimmerman 1916-17
T. C. Sharp 1918-19
D. S. Hotchtiss 1920-21
H. G. Ryan 1922-1923
W. J. Brient 1924-25
L. C. Lilly 1926-27-28
C. T. Cammings----I928-29-30
S. H. Innis I931-32
W. O. Hughes 19315-35
C. E. Hall 1936
C. A. West 1937
FOLKLORE -WHITE PIONEER'
Miss Effie Cowan, P. Wp
McLennan County, Texas.
District 8.
FILE NO. 240
Page No.
'Those who served as Sunday School superintendents since 1893
f9119wiwBro! C! Ward are J. M. Neal, H. E. Moore, R. L. Perdue,
5: 0. Love, H. E. telley, O. L. Moore, H. E. Moore ,and W. H. Barles.
"Conoluding a brief summary of the histtry of the Reagan Methodist
Church, we find that it isas served the purpose a true Church of
God should serve; it has administered to the spiritual needs 1 an
ever ehanging popalance, been a bulwark for better educational
facilities, a guarantor of freedom of worship, and a true messenger
of the Gospel according as God Would have it do.
It remains today a monument to a sturdy pioneer people who sacri-
ficed and gave of their all that it might live; it has been handed
down from generation to generation and each in tarn has proved
worthy of his heritage. It therefore remains to the present and
coming generations to further outline the progress it shall make and
may they)like their forebeareprove as worthy of the trust that
will be entrusted to them."