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This keepsake
100th Anniversary Edition was compiled by Mrs. Manoah (Pam Houston) Franke from
records of the First United Methodist church of Paint Rock, minutes of the Paint
Rock Lodge No. 613 A. F. & A. M. and other sources, including contributions
from past and present members of the church.
Typesetting and printing were contracted to the Eden
Publishing Company.
From Circuit Riders to
Present Clergy,
Many Pastors have Served the Church
Although
the early unorganized church meetings held in Paint Rock were served by
circuit-riding pastors, many of whom only passed this way once, a record book
beginning in 1886 shows A. E. Rector as first pastor of the church after its
organization as a Methodist Church, South. Whether he served one year in
residence or simply passed through from time to time is not known.
He was succeeded in 1887, for a period of one year, by
William F. Gibbons. Felix A. Knox followed, and served two years. He was
succeeded by L. G. Watkins. In 1891, Rev. Knox returned to serve six
months, until the appointment of A. W. Wilson who remained at the church two
years. In 1893, R. M. Leaton came for one year to be followed by Charles W.
Peele, j. W. Gibbons, F. L. McGeehee, J. M. Linn and N. D. Wood, each of whom
served the church approximately one year.
J. S., Rice was the next to pastor the church. He arrived in
1899 and remained until 1901 when J. A. Phillips came to stay for one year and
four months. M. T. Allen was pastor in 1903, and a904 brought S. J. Drake,
He was succeeded in 1906 by J. W. Long, who remained until November 1909 when C.
F. Davis was appointed to the charge.
In 1910 and 1911, the church was served by one of its most
colorful preachers, A. Y. Old. Following in his footsteps was R. S. Adair, who
served the church from 1912 until 1916. C. Excell Rozzlle's year of service was
followed by Jas. H. Clark, who remained in Paint Rock from 1917 until
1922.
Conference at that time must have been in the fall of the
year, as all of these early appointments were made in October or November. All
of these early pastors are now deceased.
O. M. Cole served from 1923 until 1926. He was buried in
Sterling City in 1952. Jack Whitaker, who came to Paint Rock in 1927, remained
until 1929. Then W. S. Ezelle served one year.
Louis D. Hart, J. W. Leggett and Marcus Williamson served
during the 1930s. Williamson remained until 1945 when O. E. Hutmaker came. He
later became a teacher and no record was made of when he left Paint Rock.
Paul t. Spellman was appointed by Bishop A. Frank Smith and
Dist. Supt. Fred J. Brucks to take charge. He remained only a year.
1954 brought G. G. Cecil to assume the pastorial duties. Tom
Mitchell relieved him in 1956 and served until 1959. In 1959 Homer Weimer was
appointed to Paint Rock. During his tenure the educational building was built.
Malford Heirheizer served the Paint Rock church in 1960,
followed by Asa Avant in 1961. Joseph M. Scott pastored the church from 1962
through 1965. From 1966 to 1969, Gene H. Schweizer was pastor and helped the
church celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary. e is now living in Kenedy,
Texas.
Ralph M. Reed transferred to Southern New Jersey Conference,
and O. O. Moore, deceased, served Paint Rock in 1969. Charles H. Branning, who
withdrew to another denomination, stayed from 1970 until 1975.
Following Branning in 1975 was Jesse A. Long, who now lives
in Cost, Texas. Billy J. White, now living in Three Rivers, served one
year. Paul Terry remained in Paint Rock from 1980 until 1983. He now lives in
San Angelo and still visits with friends here. Ralph Mann, who now lives in
Catulla, Roland Cole, who now makes his home in Hearne, and Lynn Tousha, who
lives in Carlsbad, New Mexico, each served only one year.
Walt Rowell, who served only six months and lives in San
Angelo, was followed by the present pastor Mark Deaton.
Each of these men who have served their God and their
Community through the Paint Rock church have left a part of themselves with the
congregation. Their faith and determination have helped the First United
Methodist Church of Paint Rock to be the first church built in Concho County
that is still in use after 100 years.
Josie Williamson Class
Honors
Wife of a Former Minister
The
Josie Williamson Sunday School Class was organized during the time of Rev. and
Mrs. Marcus Williamson's stay in Paint Rock. She served as the first teacher.
Members were: Mrs. G. C. Peek, Mrs. Gilmer Williams, Mrs. J.
A. King, Mrs. Ray Marlin, Mrs. C. D. Crunk, Mrs. Charles Dankworth, Mrs. Harvey
Hartgrove, Mrs Frank Coker, mrs. George Click, Mrs. Lanny Coffman, Mrs. Dick
Hadley, mrs. W. C. Hartgrove, Mrs. R. S. Houston, Mrs. Stanley Mosteller, Mrs.
Malford Heirholzer, Mrs. Scott Hartgrove, Mrs. William Warren, Mrs. Forrest
French, Mrs. Edwin Tickle, Mrs. Ed Whitesides, Mrs. Elmo White, Mrs. W. M.
Hartgrove, Miss Laura Tharp, Mrs. Louie Blair and Mrs. Gene Schweizer.
Since that time most of the members hAve served as teachers
in the children's department.
Their purpose and projects have been for part of the upkeep
on the educational building and parsonage, from selling church plates to
memorials.
(Taken from July 31, 1966 Jubilee Edition)
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TEXAS COLLECTION |

Background Art work by DANNY HAHLBOHM
Thank you George and Danny for allowing me to use your work.