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News Articles - 1950s News Articles - 1960s News Articles - 1970s-80s
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FIRST
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OF COLLEGEPORT,
By Mary
Belle Ingram
Collegeport,
a small community on
Collegeport
is situated in southwest
In
August and September of 1907, Abel B. Pierce had the townsite of
Collegeport, 320 acres, surveyed by J. C. Carrington. It became known as
the Hurd Sub-Division of the A. B. Pierce Ranch.
Collegeport
was founded by the Burton D. Hurd Land Company on
Almost
immediately these first settlers of the community began plans for a
church. On
Original Founding Leaders of the First Church of
Collegeport
Early Leaders of the Federated
Church (c1910)
(l-r George Welsby, Edward Leach, Elgene C. Van Ness, Frank Pine, Amanda Van
Ness, Will Schubring, Arnold Livers,
Rev. Murray A. Travis, A. J. Palmer, John Carrick, Rena Travis, Thos. M.
Clark, Mrs. John D. Evans, G. A. Duckworth
Photo courtesy of Robert D. Travis
On
PREAMBLE
to the ARTICLES OF THE ASSOCIATION:
(Quoting in part the following articles:)
Article II - PURPOSE - The purpose of this organization shall be the maintenance of religious services in Collegeport, and the moral and religious welfare of the citizens of the town and community.
Article III - DOCTRINES - The doctrines and ideals of this Church shall be those common to the so-called evangelical denominations of the present time as embodied in the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Association.
Each member agrees to refrain from the introduction and discussion of questions which may stir up denominational strife or prejudices in any service of the church.
The chief aim of the Church and its members shall be the development of Christian character rather than the adoption of theological ideas or doctrines.
The first officers of the church were E. C. Van Ness, Moderator; Mrs. Gussie Elmer, Records; and Charles E. Duller, Treasurer. At the time of installation, the text taken by the Dean of the University, M. A. Travis, from Joshua 1:4 was adapted to read as follows: "From the Tres Palacios and this Bay on, even unto the great river, the Colorado; all the land of the ranchman, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, the Matagorda Bay shall be your border." On January 11, 1910 , Murray A. Travis was called to be first pastor of the Federated Church of Collegeport, a position he held until 1918.
Murray A. Travis had come to Collegeport in 1909 from Canada to assist his brother, William H. Travis, in the Gulf Coast University , which was the dream of William H. for an agricultural school for poor farm boys. Murray , born in southern Canada in 1873, was two years younger than William. Murray 's nine-year-old son, Frank D., came with him that year and later his wife, Rena and four-year-old son, Hubert, joined them. William H. served as president of the university, and Murray A. became Dean of the University. In addition to his duties as Dean of the university, M. A. Travis began the newspaper the Collegeport Chronicle, which was in existence almost four years, 1910-1913.
Continuing to meet in the chapel the members purchased Lots 11 and 12 in Block 88, on October 21, 1910 , from A. B. and J. E. Pierce. On the legal document the church was called "The People's Church Association of Collegeport" and was signed by trustees W. R. Cobb, V. R. Haisley and J. H. Adams. Each lot was 50' x 146' and was at the corner of Fourth Street and Avenue I.
On April 24, 1910 , a Mr. Sicks, speaking for the building committee presented a plan for a church building which would cost approximately $2000. A five-room church building soon followed and a good program was put into motion. The first service held in the new church building was on November 27, 1910 . In connection with the laying of the corner stone, the sermon was preached by a pastor from the Palacios Christian Church. In the corner stone were the following papers, according to Miss Nina Hoffhines, a charter member: a copy of the Collegeport Chronicle, a list of the church membership in each person's own handwriting, the list of church officers, of Christian Endeavor members and CLE officers and school trustees.
Murray A. Travis and his brother, William H., were born in Canada . The Collegeport Chronicle issue of June 3, 1910 , printed an article called the "Sage of Collegeport" in which Murray wrote a biographical sketch of his brother William H. Travis. This biographical sketch gives the background of both brothers and the hardships they faced before coming to Collegeport.
One of the most familiar figures upon the streets of our city as well as the roads of the surrounding county is Professor W. H. Travis, the president of the Gulf Coast University of Industrial Arts located in Collegeport. Travis born in Southern Ontario Canada , on a small farm the oldest of a family of nine, in days when necessities were a sufficient problem, without luxuries, and under conditions which counted a boy lucky if he had a fair knowledge of the three R's without a college or technical training. Professor Travis set his heart upon a full education and in his desire for his own training, he began to work upon the solution of a problem of a thorough and practical education for the poor farmer lad, who in most cases counted the same a luxury far beyond his reach.
After a term of two in the old Vienna High School , he with a party of young men under Dr. John Crawford, set out for Manitoba where they erected a building and organized Prairie College on an industrial school basis. The long winters and short summers made the plan impossible and the college was soon closed for want of funds.
....Travis then entered the ministry and spent a number of years as pastor in Ontario , North Dakota and Minnesota without a college education, and sometimes despairing of ever completing the same. He never gave up entirely however; and with a family to support, after completing a preparatory course in Pillsbury Academy, he entered MacAlester College at St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated at the age of 38 years.
After some years as pastor in St. Paul and Dallas , Texas the easy dreams of helping the poor boy to secure an education came upon him with greater force, and gave up his work and set out to seek locations where he might found a school.
Having heard of contemplated development in Matagorda County , he came this way and after a short stay in Bay city , he came to Palacios and decided to locate there. With nothing as his capital, save his long treasured vision, and an inexhaustible amount of energy, he made a proposition to the Palacios Townsite people which was accepted. This was five years ago (1905) when the town was in its very first stages and cattle roamed at will over the entire Palacios, Blessing and Collegeport territory. At Christmas time of the second year of his work as president of Palacios College , Professor Travis had acquired a spacious campus, a substantial college building and two dormitories with seventy students in attendance.... At the end of those two years, the directors voted Travis' plan impractical and decided to return to the purely classical idea for the college. This was a severe blow to the professor's plan, but he did not give up. He courted no success unless based upon the idea of a practical education for the poor boy, and at once resigned.
Nothing daunted by his apparent failure, he spent the following months in perfecting his study and investigations in truck and fruit growing upon his own farm and watching for an opportunity to carry out his plans under more favorable conditions. The opportunity presented itself nearer and sooner than he or anyone expected, for soon after the Moore and Pierce lands were put upon the market and Professor Travis set out to interview the officers of the Burton D. Hurd Land Company. He found these men to be built on a large scale, and they at once saw the adventure of such an institution to the new development. A handsome tract of five hundred acres located on the most beautiful spot upon the Tres Palacios Bay front was set apart at a low price, and the company made a liberal appropriation to initiate the work.
From
this time on Professor Travis might be seen every morning very early
rowing across the bay, often walking over four miles to the
demonstration farm at Satsuma, now Citrus Grove, and back again in the
evening. The professor spent a number of months demonstrating the
possibilities of the country and perfection of the school. In September
(1909) the present temporary quarters were erected and early in October
(1909) the faculty and students took possession of the building.
Charter
members who signed that 1910 Register for the new
January 23, 1916
Moderator E. C. Van Ness called meeting after morning service. Moved and carried that Mr. Van Ness have power to appoint committee and fill vacancies of same in accordance with previous agreement.
Mr. Van Ness appointed the following on building committee.
Messrs. J. L. Woodward, H. Adams and Mr. Sicks.
Meeting was then adjourned.
Mrs. Gussie Elmer, Recorder
Photo Courtesy of Holsworth Family Archives
Front row: 1. Orvel White 4.
Leo Hoffman, 7. John W. Hansel, Charlie Yeamans, Thomas Clark,
Mr. Hoffman
Middle row: Ed Leach, Dr. Guy Fontaine Fausset, Robert Price
Top row: 21. Arnold Livers, 22. Will Shubring, 23. L. E. Liggett,
24. John Carrick,
25.? Haisley Mills, 28. E. C. Van Ness, 29. Rev. Murray
A. Travis
Names with no numbers were identified as being in the picture, but
exact identity was unknown.
If you can identify anyone, please
email
The Choir Marching In at the Federated Church in Collegeport, Texas c
1916
The
Collegeport Chronicle dated
Services
were held in the University Chapel, Hotel Collegeport, and on the
pavilion until the new five-room church was built. The evening
services were held in the hotel due to the fact that there were lights
and that every second week the land seeking parties were present to
help swell the congregations.
At
the beginning the church tried to raise $750 for the pastor's salary
and $550 for incidentals annually. The church roll counted 94 members
in 1911, and was revised in 1912 with 119 communicants. That same
year, a resolution was passed which read in part: "...That First
Church, Collegeport express herself as not favoring dancing,
card-playing, and other amusements reasonably classed as
questionable..."
Collegeport Early Pioneers
left to right: Mr. & Mrs. Al Luce, Samuel (died Nov. 5, 1922) &
Margaret Emeline Shuey, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Rutherford,
John B. & Sara Luella Heisey, Frank M. & Mable Pine, V. R. & Sarah
Haisley, Shannon Wright, Seth & Minnie Corse, Mr. & Mrs. Powers,
John D. Evans, B. V. Merck (behind Mr. Evans) & John Carrick
(Photo courtesy of Rosalie Nelson Ellis)
For two years the church doubled as the public school and for
twenty-four years it was the town's community center. In January
1922, the First Church of Collegeport - Federated unanimously passed
a resolution favoring the organization of a Presbyterian Church,
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First Presbyterian Church of
Collegeport - Organizational Sunday - January 1922 |
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During
the years that followed, the church had its good years and bad years.
It continued to serve as an affiliated church under the supervision of
the Presbyterian Church,
On
Activities
in the early church involved not only Collegeport members but
neighbors in nearby Citrus Grove. Citrus Grove held an annual
Thanksgiving dinner beginning in 1910 and the
Women's Union - Photo courtesy of
Ethel Williams
The
moist coastal climate and devastating hurricanes resulted in
structural problems with the building which brought about the needs
and plans for a new building. In January of 1955 at a congregation
meeting, Dean Merck, chairman of the Building Committee, explained and
showed plans on ways of financing a new Sanctuary. The committee had
contacted the Board of National Missions for assistance but felt it
would be impossible to pursue that avenue with the many rulings. The
committee recommended to use the money in the Lord's Acre Fund, and to
transfer $1000 from the general fund to the building fund and to
borrow up to $5000 from the Bay City Bank and Trust, if necessary. The
recommendation passed 27 to 1 and in May of 1955, a ground breaking
service was held with 66 members and friends in attendance.
On
The
Sadie-Ellen Hall was added to the church in 1969. Named for the
mothers of Dean and Dorothy (Franzen) Merck, this recreation hall is a
meeting place for the WOC and the Young Adult class. Church dinners,
luncheons, receptions and showers are enjoyed in this Fellowship hall.
The kitchen, known as "Carrie's Kitchen" is fully equipped
and has central air and heat.
In
1982 the sanctuary and Sadie-Ellen Hall were renovated. Members of the
congregation refinished the pews, contractors were hired to put on a
white gloss paint on the interior and exterior and new carpeting was
installed. A central air and heat system was installed. The cross at
the front of the church was made by W. L. Ellis.
The
present day church building whose construction began in 1955 has actual
pieces of the old church within it. The chancel panel in the Greek
Revival Style was removed from the old building intact, and became the
focal point of the new sanctuary. Also, salvaged from the old building
were structural beams used in trusses, pine flooring used for roof
decking, and two pocket doors.
The
original lectern is still used in the back of the sanctuary as is the
matching chair.
The
pulpit and the pulpit chairs were the ones in the original church
building. The communion service used in the worship services is the same
one presented at an Easter service in 1912. It is inscribed,
"Presented to the First Church of Collegeport - Federated, by Mr.
and Mrs. John W. Hansel and friends in other states."
The
current renovation project of First Presbyterian Church in Collegeport
began in 1997. Among the many improvements made were repainting, new
carpet, new pew cushions, installation of drywall, and modernizing the
bathrooms.
Pastors
who have served the
Murray
A. Travis, 1910-18; A. B. Buchanan, 1922-23; H. Paul Janes, 1924-27; H.
L. Smith, 1928-29; John W. Van Dyke, 1931-32; J. T. Morrow, Student,
1932; J. Marshall Janes, 1932-33; Hubert Travis, Student, 1933; James
Aiken, Jr., 1934-35; J. Marshall Janes, 1935-36; F. H. Pope, 1937-38;
George Gillespie, 1939-48, and A. G. Fitzgerald, 1954.
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Student
Pastors who served for the summer months 1950-1966 were: Bob Hawkins,
Merrell Proudfoot and Billy Bob Shifflet, 1950-54; Joe David Ruffin,
1954; Dick Holmes, 1955; David Campbell, 1956; Don Scruggs, 1957; Dan
Sebesta, 1958; Douglas Finch, 1959; William F. Menn, 1960; Bruce
Schumacher, 1961; John Massey, 1962; Steve Kerr, 1963; Guy Delaney,
1964; David Thomas, 1965; and Louis Petmecky, 1966.
Other
pastors were A. T. Dyal; and Joe Cooper, January 1, 1967 - December 31,
1967; Tom McGee, January 1, 1968 - September 1, 1968; Lloyd Nixon,
August 1973 - June 28, 1987, alternating with Elroy Weikel, 1975-87;
John Dee McClelland, July 5, 1987 - January 15, 1994; W. S. (Doug)
Blanton, 1994; David Gallaher, 1996 - January 1998; and Andrew Blair and
Janell Blair, February 1998 to present.
Although
the church did not always have resident pastors, the pulpit was always
filled each Sunday by either student pastors from the Austin
Presbyterian Theological Seminary, or others affiliated with the
Presbytery.
Through
the years many dedicated members have carried on the work of the church.
Dorothy Corporon was recognized for having served 70 years as a church
pianist in 1995. She is currently in her 73rd year (1998).
Dean Merck was recognized for 40 consecutive years of service on the
Session. First Presbyterian Church of Collegeport in its 89th
year with 12 of those years as "First Church of Collegeport -
Federated" and 77 years as "First Presbyterian Church of
Collegeport" has survived hurricanes, loss of a University and
businesses and today is still an active viable influence in the lives of
people who live in this farming community. Most have roots of those
early settlers who came from
Picture Courtesy of John M. Merck, Jr.
FIRST
REGISTER OF ELDERS 1922-2017
| NAME | WHEN INSTALLED | DISMISSED | SIGNATURES OF CLERKS OF SESSION |
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Jan. 1, 1922 | Moved away | |
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T. M. Clark |
Jan. 1, 1922 | Moved away |
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V. R. Haisley |
Jan. 1, 1922 | Died | |
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R. E. Coffin |
Moved away | ||
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H. F. Goff |
Moved away |
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Gust Franzen |
Mar. 24, 1929 | Died 1945 | |
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John Carrick |
Mar. 24, 1929 | Died September, 1954 | |
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J. B. Heisey |
Mar. 24, 1929 | Moved away | |
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Mrs. L. E. Liggett |
Aug. 1941 | Moved away |
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R. L. Corporon |
Aug. 8, 1948 |
Died
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Charlie Williams |
Jul. 3, 1949 | Died 1961 | |
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Dean Merck |
Jul. 3, 1949 | Died 1997 | |
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W. L. Ellis |
Jul. 3, 1949 |
Died
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Clifford Franzen |
Sep. 38, 1952 | Transferred by letter | |
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Gustave Franzen, Jr. |
Feb. 14, 1954 | Died 1997 | |
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Gerald Wells |
Feb. 14, 1954 | Died 1980 | |
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M. S. Holsworth |
Feb. 28, 1954 | Died 1959 | |
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E. A. Mixon |
Jan. 23, 1955 | Died 1965 | |
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George W. Hejtmanek |
Dec. 6, 1964 | Died Sept. 30, 2008 | |
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J. A. Rusk |
Dec. 6, 1954 | Moved | |
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John Maurice Merck |
May 1, 1966 |
Moved |
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U. S. McMillan |
May 1, 1966 | Died Jun. 7, 2012 | |
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Alex Franzen |
May 1, 1966 | Died Aug. 9, 2002 | |
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Mason Holsworth |
May 1, 1966 | ||
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Gerald Wells, Jr. |
May 1, 1966 | Moved | |
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Russell Law |
May 1, 1966 | Died 1994 | |
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Russell D. Corporon |
May 1, 1966 | Died Nov. 30, 2019 | |
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Rosalie Ellis |
Dec. 4, 1977 | Died March 13, 2006 | |
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Dorothy Merck |
Jan. 8, 1978 | Died April 8, 2002 | |
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Ida Mae Franzen |
Dec. 5, 1982 | Died Feb. 11, 2018 | |
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Lynda Lenz |
Dec. 5, 1982 | ||
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Jesse Ellis |
Dec. 4, 1988 | Died Jan. 20, 2016 | |
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G. W. Franzen |
Dec. 4, 1988 | ||
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Dovie Hejtmanek |
Dec. 4, 1988 | Died Feb. 6, 2007 | |
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Janice Corporon |
Jan. 28, 1990 | ||
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U. S. McMillan |
Jan. 20, 1991 | ||
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Carolyn Ellis |
Jan. 20, 1991 | ||
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Esther Sjostrom |
Jan. 26, 1992 | ||
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Jan. 31, 1993 | Moved | |
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Barbara Corporon |
Jan. 2, 1994 | ||
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Denise Franzen |
Jan. 2, 1994 | ||
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Cathy Merck |
Jan. 7, 1996 | ||
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Garrett Lenz |
Jan. 16, 2000 | ||
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Ernest "Buddy" Lenz |
Jan. 27, 2002 | ||
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Sandra Wallis |
Jan. 12, 2003 | ||
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Mark Merck |
Jan. 3, 2010 | ||
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Richard Conger |
Jan. 4, 2015 | ||
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Marty Brewer |
Jan. 24, 2016 | ||
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Elaine Meadows |
Jan. 15, 2017 |
Collegeport Minister Asks For Release
Rev. H. Paul Janes asked to be released from services at First Church of Collegeport this week. Pending release from his work here, Mr. James has accepted the position of direction of the department of budget collection of the Board of Christian Education of the Presbyterian Church, U. S. A.
Mr. Janes expressed regret at leaving Collegeport where he has spent three years as pastor of First Church of Collegeport, the oldest Community Church in Texas.
“I am leaving for three reasons,” Mr. Janes said. “First the church is in the best of condition. The years of greatest struggle and past and with the certain development of the country here a new man would have a better opportunity to take hold of the work now. It would be unwise to change administration of a church in the middle of a rapid period of growth such as is soon to follow to Collegeport.
“Second, it is impossible for me to do the graduate work in the university that is necessary, if I stay in the regular ministry, and remain at Collegeport through this period of growth.
“Third, the position I am about to take up entails a great deal of publicity work to which I have given most of my training and in which I have had most experience.
“The opportunities of the new position are great and the need urgent. Many ministers would be glad of the opportunity of serving in a community united in its religious work, hence it should not be difficult to secure a new pastor.
“I want to express my deep gratitude to the people of Collegeport and to those at Citrus Grove, whom I will also ask to release me, for their staunch support of my work here and for their exceeding kindness and graciousness to us in the past three years.
Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, July 15,
1927
Rain Ruins Papers In Corner Stone At Collegeport
Members of the Collegeport Presbyterian Church were disappointed Sunday when they opened the corner stone of the old church building and found that water had entered the sealed container.
However, they found an old Collegeport Chronicle, dated August 4, 1910 that was readable. It was difficult to distinguish the other papers due to their condition.
Mrs. Hugo Kundinger, the only charter member present, opened the container. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Nelson, R. L. Corporon and Dean Merck brought the container to the altar.
About 75 people attended the church dinner at the Mopac, which was held in honor of Gerald Hill, pastor of the church, who preached his last sermon in Collegeport.
Rev. Hill has preached on alternate Sundays there while attending Austin Theological Seminary. He plans to complete his work at Princeton in 1957.
Palacios Beacon, May 17, 1956
The First Presbyterian
Church of Collegeport
The town of Collegeport, on Tres
Palacios Bay in Matagorda County, was planned by the Burton D. Hurd Land
Company as a promotional scheme for selling the lands of J. E. and A. B.
Pierce. The company provided land for a townsite and the creation of the
Gulf Coast University of Industrial Arts. In November of 1909 community
leaders joined together at the University's chapel to discuss the
creation of Collegeport Federated Church. Representing fourteen
denominations, the congregation's early mission was to unify the
community and support a common church for all citizens. Murray A. Travis
was called as the first pastor of the church. Pastor Travis had moved to
Collegeport in 1909 from Canada to join his brother William H. Travis,
and help with the development of university programs as dean. In
addition to his university duties, Pastor Travis also ran the
COLLEGEPORT CHRONICLE, one of the area's first newspapers. In 1910 the
congregation began work on their first sanctuary building at an
estimated cost of $2,000. The five-room building was opened for services
on November 27, 1910. Among the charter members who signed the first
register were persons of Baptist, Methodist, Union, Universal, and
Presbyterian backgrounds. For many years the church doubled as a
schoolhouse and community center. In 1922 the congregation unanimously
passed a resolution to join the Presbyterian church, U.S.A., and became
the First Presbyterian Church of Collegeport. The congregation continued
to use the 1910 sanctuary until 1955 when new facilities were built
using materials and furnishings from the original church. (1999)
