History Of Bosqueville Methodist Church

History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

History of Bosqueville Methodist Church Bosqueville, Texas Alston W. Ferrill, Pastor W.W. Ward, Presiding Elder H.A. Boaz, Bishop Original Printing June 1936

Dedication To our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Silent Partner in all our undertakings, the Answerer of all our worthy prayers, the One who has been the source of inspiration to every Christian who has been a member of this church and its church school since it was organized, we affectionately dedicate this little book.

Acknowledgements: The author wishes to use this method of thanking each one who has helped in any way with the production of this booklet. Historical information furnished by Mrs. Matt Steinbeck, Mrs. J.F. Cobbs, Mrs. Ora Mitchner, Mr. L.M. Layne, Mrs. Mary Woodward, Miss Al Giles, and others has been of great value. Brother Fate Walker’s “History of McLennan County Baptist Association” has been of great help, and especially a “History of McLennan County” by various authors and owned by J.F. Cobbs has been of very great help. Special thanks are due Miss. Lucille Boggs for her work in typewriting and helping print this work.

A Brief History of Methodism God Bless a Great Leader “Thou are not far from the Kingdom of God.” “These words gripped the soul of a troubled minister as he sought personal peace with God on May 24, 1738. That morning at 5 o’clock, he had opened his Bible and his eyes fell upon these haunting words: “There are given unto us, exceedingly great and precious promises that we should be partakers of the divine nature.” The anthem that day in St. Paul’s Cathedral seemed to voice the tempest within his own soul as the choir sang, “Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice; let Thine ears consider well the voice of my complaints.” Then these words of hope sang their way into his restless spirit,; “O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and he shall redeem Israel from all his sins.” That evening this perplexed seeker after divine assurance, John Wesley, went reluctantly to the society in Aldersgate where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. Let us listen as he describes what happens on this memorable night, both in his life and that of the unborn centuries. “About a quarter before nine, while describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation.” God had found John Wesley. John Wesley had found God. God Finds a Great Leader

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

Truly there was a man sent from God and his name was John Wesley. The long night of doubt was gone. He has found Christ not only as the light of the world, but of his own life. Then for ever a have century, he moves with a new purpose and objective, witnessing to the power of God to redeem men from sin, and establishing groups of seekers by the hundreds who, like himself, were groping fro inner light and peace. When Wesley joined the choir invisible in 1791, he left some 300 ministers and 76,000 members enrolled in the societies be had set up. Today, 142 years after his translation, worldwide Methodism has some 153,000 ministers, more than 1,000,000 teachers in her Sunday Schools, 105,000 houses of worship, and a constituency of more than 40,000,000. Surely and truly, we should say, “What wonders God has wrought.”

Methodism Comes to America In was an evening in 1776 in the city of New York. A group of men were playing cards. A woman, Barbara Heck, in whose soul the fires of the eternal were burning, discovered them. She dashed the cards into the fire and preached a brief but fiery sermon to them. Then she hurried to the home of her cousin, Phillip Embury, and said, “Phillip, you must preach to us or we shall all go to hell together, and God will require our blood at your hands.” He asked, “Where shall I preach?” She replied, “In your own home.” He asked, “Who shall hear me?” She solved the problem by gathering a small congregation for Embury and he preached the first regular Methodist sermon in America. It might be more truly said that Barbara Heck preached first, although Embury gets the credit. Today, 1167 years after that memorable hour, American Methodism and the old John Street Methodist Church in New York City, were this small group gathered, standing as living testimonies of what God can do through men and women whose hearts are “strangely warmed” by the same spirit that brought new life and light to John Wesley. Since that special hour, no denomination has carried the gospel with greater zeal and more effective results to the masses of America and the world than has our beloved Methodism.

Methodism Comes to Texas Methodism felt she had a divine message for all men. She pushed her way into the frontier and erected her simple Churches or preached in private homes and established her congregations. Like other parts of the nation, the Methodist circuit rider was early in Texas. In 1817, William Stevenson preached on the Texas side of the Red River in the home of a Mr. Wright. The place seems to have been Jonesboro. Here, a Methodist class was formed. This was several years before any other Protestant denominations actually established work in Texas. Thus, Methodism has the honor of being the first evangelical Church to begin work in the State. Today, there are some 580,000 Methodist members in Texas and a constituency of some 2,000,000. In 1834, Henry Stephenson was placed in charge of all the Methodist work in Texas. The first effort by the Missionary Board to send missionaries to the State was in 1837, when the Rev. Martin Ruter was appointed superintendent of the Texas Mission with the Rev. Littleton Fowler and the Rev. Robert Alexander as helpers. This work was in conjunction with the Mississippi Conference. Dr. Ruter died during the year and the Rev. Littleton Fowler was selected by the Conference as the Superintendent. The Mississippi Conference, which met December 3, 1838, appointed the following ministers to work in Texas; I.L.G. Strickland, Robert Alexander, and Jesse Herd.

Methodism Comes To Bosqueville When we remember that as late as the year 1836, there were no white settlements any farther up the Brazos than Cameron, we are surprised at the great advances the Bosqueville Methodist Church had made by the year 1855. At the dawn of the Nineteenth Century the land called Texas was but a shadow upon the consciousness of people. In the 1820’s and 30’s the Indians were still roaming over our state, the Wacos, Tehuacanas, Cherokees, and Comanches roaming on the section now known as Bosqueville. By 1845 a man named Neil McLennan had begun a homestead eight miles west of Waco on South Bosque River. In his former travels through this section, he said that the first time he laid Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

eyes on the Bosque Valley, that he determined that this would be his future home, and the people of Bosqueville and the Bosque Valley still think as much of his estimate of the valley as did Mr. McLennan for whom their county was named. Major George B. Erath in the 1840’s had roamed over the country, as he said that he longed to have the opportunity to see a city of town size surveyed near the banks of the Brazos by the Waco Spring. This opportunity came to him in 1849 and 1850 when he was called upon to do the surveying. From 1850-1855 a group of business houses were erected along Bridge Street and Waco Village came into being. Notwithstanding the fact that in 1842, a trading post had been established eight miles north of East Waco by David Terry and George Barnard. The Waco settlement soon grew into large proportions; by 1850, the population had reached eight hundred people and McLennan County, which had been organized in 1850 out to the old Milam County, now had a population of 5,200. When the county was organized there were three well-recognized settlements; Erath (of which Bosqueville is now part), White Rock, and Waco, but soon there came to be recognized two chief villages, Waco and Bosqueville. Had Bosqueville had as good a commercial location as Waco, the proportion of the sizes of the two places today might have been reversed. We may say, then, as Bosqueville Community was begun between 1850 and 1855. In 1854, a school district was created, J.H.Starks, J.T.Eubanks and W.Gill as trustees. Sine then, Bosqueville has ever been prominent in the sponsoring of education. In 1854, the Bosqueville Community built a log schoolhouse where the cemetery now is. Mrs. Matt Steinbeck says that about this time, her father, J.H.Sparks sent her to Waco to a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher who was teaching school there. His teaching was so well liked that Mr. Sparks prevailed on this teacher, Dr. John F. Collier, to establish a college at Bosqueville and in 1857 the college was established with Dr. Collier and Mrs. Dr. Rowe as the heads of the teaching force. This college consisted of a school for the boys and a seminary for the girls. Over 180 students were enrolled. The Civil War broke up this Bosqueville College, Dr. Collier going to war himself. The Baptists opened up a school there for a while but it was discontinued. When we begin to think of the history of the Bosqueville Church, we must remember that to get records of what happened in church life is a difficult thing, especially with a moving population and an even more rapidly changing ministry. Much of the work has been unrecorded. Probably there are no two institutions in which Bosqueville people have taken more sincere ride than their education and religious activities, and yet there are no class of institutions, which have been more careless and lax in preserving their history than are her churches and schools. We do know, however, that the pioneer preachers were of such kind that they were fit for all emergencies. They could preach the gospel, teach the rudiments of education, protect themselves against Indian attacks, and if necessary, support themselves by farming or some other occupation. They were men of heroic mold, men who loved the hearts of the people of the frontier better than they did the comforts of a more settled region in which they had their advantages. A service could be held and a congregation gathered with far less ceremony than is necessary today. A man who came to this wild country and endured its hardships could scatter the news that he was going to preach in some grove, or in some cabin, or under some tree, or from a wagon bed, and he would have plenty of hearers. People heard him gladly because they had nothing else to hear. The old log schoolhouse in the cemetery was first used, then the college building was used, and as we have a pictured of a real typical American settlement which our forefathers were used to. We must not forget the old “Camp Meeting” place which has been rightly called “God’s First Temple” and which is decidedly a pioneer institution. Bosqueville had a camp down on the Bosque near the springs, close to where Mrs. Shaw now lives. Those were the days when men and women had more time than anything else and when three hours was not considered too long for a sermon, three of which were delivered each day. Many a person in this community can remember how that they camped out, a custom which was very natural and suitable to pioneer conditions. People were settled a long distance from each other and there was no paper and no way of seeing or learning of each other as there is now. The mails were far and few between, and a letter was a rarity. There was no daily newspaper thrown into the yard by a delivery boy to keep people in touch with what was going on. No wonder there was such a craving for society, friends, and acquaintances. The camp meetings satisfied this want, and therefore let us not overlook the social phase of this institution. Let us not over-value, too, the educational phase of the camp meeting. In our day, we have speeches, papers, books, and radios, not only to entertain, but to inform us. In those days, instruments of information were as rare as they now are plentiful. The preacher was usually the only man who had Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

news from civilization for the barren frontier. This mad him the herald of “Good News”. He was teacher, newspaperman, history, post office, schoolbook, magazine, street corner, telephone, telegraph, besides being a preacher. In it no wonder then, that the camp meeting was attended with delight as the Mecca of society from many dreary miles away. People went away from these camp meetings and carried with them material enough for fireside conversations for many a day. These were the days full of doctrine of vigorous mold. Preachers and members had backbone and sturdy character, which could subdue the wild frontier. Most people then knew why they were a member of a certain denomination better than they do now, because the force about them made them think seriously about life, religion and their problems. Conversions were more in number because the attention was more easily gained, but all who claimed to be converted, of course, were not. In the early days of Texas, the pioneer denominations were chiefly the Methodist, the Baptists, and the Presbyterians. The Methodists were the first to organize a congregation in Waco in 1850 and to erect a building in 1851 under the direction of Rev. Joe F. Sneed. This was a small structure on First and Mary streets on the banks of the Brazos and for a ling time, this building was used by all denominations, and in that day people came from all over the county to attend church there. When the Waco Church was first organized, there were fifteen members, and while it is not our purpose to trace the history of the Waco Methodist Churches, yet re-glean some satisfaction from a look at this church when we remember that Bosqueville Methodist Church cam into being soon after the Waco Church. Let us take up at this point a year-by-year history of the Bosqueville Methodist Church and Community. 1830-40 Bosqueville community still is the property of the Indians. Men like Colonel George P. Erath, (For whom Erath was named) and Neil McLennan, Sr., roamed over this territory. 1836 The Texas Revolution began and ended. Bosqueville territory was still wilderness in the hands of the Indians. 1845 Texas becomes a part of the United States. By this time, the Waco and Bosqueville territory was under the protection of troops dispatched by the government, but these troops were few and protections was meager. Neil McLennan moved to the South Bosque Valley and completed his homestead there in 1847. 1849 Waco Village was surveyed out into a city. The Waco Spring was used as a starting point, and the main streets, Bridge Street, was run in a westerly direction from this point. The first main business houses, (wood store buildings) were built along Bridge Street, and the Courthouse was placed where the City Hall is now. This was the year of the great “Gold Rush” to California, but Texans saw greater opportunities at home. 1850 Bosqueville was still the home of the Waco, Tehuacana, and Cherokee Indians. A man by the name of Ben Moore settled in the valley of the Bosque (meaning “bushy”) River about this time. Major George B. Erath had just surveyed Waco, and there were a few stores put up this year along Bridge Street. This same year, the First Methodist Church in Waco was organized with Rev. Joseph F. Sneed as the pastor. This same year, McLennan County was organized and named after Neil McLennan, Sr. who had been one of the first settlers to settle in the county. 1851 Rev. Joseph F. Sneed and his fifteen members of the First Methodist Church in Waco built a church in Waco near the Brazos River at First and Mary Streets. It was a board shanty. In this building in the late spring, the Baptist people organized the First Baptist Church of Waco. For a few years, they used the Methodist Church building, each having two Sundays.

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

Two villages were recognized then in the county: Bosqueville and Waco. There were three main settlements: Waco, Bosqueville and Erath, and White Rock, (East of the Brazos). Preachers from Waco began about this time to come to Bosqueville and preach there as yet there was no organized church. 1852-53 (Notes from now on we shall take up each Conference Year, beginning in Nov., as in Nov. 1852 and running to the following October, as in October 1853, in this particular year). Preaching services were held at various homes and localities in Bosqueville but the re was no organized church 1853-54 Mr. J.H.Sparks, father of Mrs. Matt Steinbeck, moved to Bosqueville with his family about this time. He as a Cumberland Presbyterian, but the soon began working for a community church. A log schoolhouse was built where the cemetery now stands, and it was also used for religious services. Two Methodist Circuit riders by the name of _________(sic) and Whit were among the first to preach there. Although there are no definitive records, it seems that in the latter part of 1853, the Methodist Church of Bosqueville was organized, and the following year, 1854, a Rev. Mr. Solomon G. O’Bryan organized the Baptist Church. Rev. Mr. O’Bryan was also a schoolteacher and it seems that he was the first to use the old log schoolhouse to teach in. Mr. J.H.Sparks was one of the trustees of the first school. This year, 1854, Bosqueville School District was created by the county-state law as the first school district in McLennan County. When Rev. O’Bryan organized the Baptist Church at Bosqueville, there were six males and two females who became members on the fifth Sunday in November 1854, the date of organization. 1854-55 The small Methodist congregation at Bosqueville was gradually growing. At that early date, a preacher could clear out a space in the woods and say he was going to hold a revival there, and the people would come regardless of distance. Consequently, there were several places around Bosqueville where meetings were held, but the two chief places were down on the Bosque River near the springs, and in the grove of trees near where John Gorham now lives. John R. White was sent to the Bosque Charge. The first Presbyterian Church of Waco was organized in the year 1855. 1855-56 The Bosqueville Methodist congregation was gradually growing in numbers The Waco Female College was organized in 1856 under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, with F.C. _______ as the first President. Other presidents that followed were, (in order) Wm. M. Lambden, Wm. Pinkney Downs, F.P. Madden, R.F. Deckard, W.G. Connor, Sam P. Wright, and R.O. Reunsavull. (These served between 1855 and 1892). This college was gradually superceded by Southwestern University at Georgetown. 1856-57 The Bosqueville Methodist Church is still growing at this time. In 1857, Dr. John F. Collier and Mrs. Dr. Rowe established the Bosqueville College, a Presbyterian school. Gus Jenkins was one of the teachers of higher Mathematics. At one time it grew to the enrollment exceeding three hundred, and Bosqueville was made famous as an educational center. There was a seminary for the girls and a college of the boys. Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

For many years, all denominations used this college to preach in, and the log schoolhouse in the cemetery was gradually abandoned.

1858-59 Bosqueville town was laid out about this time, and three stores, near where the present schoolhouse is now, were built. Later a gin was built near where Mrs. Mary Ellen Gregory now lives. The Methodist Church is still growing in numbers and spirit. Wm. M. Lambden was sent to the Bosque Mission. 1859-60 Bosqueville’s school, church and town in general were growing. John Carpenter was sent to the Waco Circuit and Colored Mission of which Bosqueville was a part. 1860-61 At the end of 1860, the population of Waco was 800, and the population of McLennan County was 5,200. Bosqueville College’s enrollment was large. In the spring of 1861, the Civil War began, and Bosqueville College enrollment began to drop. Dr. Collier left to enter the war and the college was finally abandoned. The Methodist Church at Bosqueville was still growing. J.L. Crabb was pastor of the Waco Circuit and Colored Mission. 1861-62 At this Annual Conference, which met in the fall of 1861, Mordecai Yell was appointed to the Waco Circuit and Colored Mission. Isaac G. John was Presiding Elder under Bishop Barley. Bosqueville was a part of the Waco Circuit. ON the whole circuit there were 105 white members and 19 colored members. 1862-63 Mordecai Yell, (died in 1897) served a second year on the Waco Circuit 1863-64 Mizell becomes Preacher in charge of the Waco circuit and Colored Mission. J.W. Phillips was Presiding Elder. At the Annual Conference in the Fall of 1863, there was no Bishop in the President’s chair because the Bishop was occupied with War matters. Solomon G. O’Bryan was new serving as president of the Bosqueville College. 1864-65 Mordecai Yell is sent back the second time as preacher and the Waco Circuit and Colored Mission. L.B. Whipple was Presiding Elder and Rev. Andrew was Bishop. Bosqueville begins recuperation from the War’s effects. 1866-67 In the fall of 1866, the Texas Conference was divided into the Texas Conference and the Northwest Texas Conference, and Bosqueville fell in to the territory that would belong to the Northwest Texas Conference. In the first session of the Northwest Texas Annual Conference, which met to send out preachers for the first time, preachers were so scarce, that none could be sent to the Waco Circuit, and it had to be supplied later. L.B. Whipple was Presiding Elder under Bishop Marvin. 1867-68 Over the Waco Circuit, J. Fred Cox became pastor in Charge (he died in 1891); L.B. Whipple was Presiding Elder. 1868-69 Bosqueville now becomes a part of the Brazos Circuit with William D. Kidd as the pastor. Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

1869-70 Bosqueville was still on the Brazos Circuit. John F. Neil was the pastor in Charge. On June 5, 1870, the Suspension Toll Bridge at Waco was completed. Ferries had been used up to this time to cross the Brazos. First Disciples of Christ Church was organized in Waco in 1870. 1870-71 Bosqueville was still on the Brazos Circuit. James Peeler was the pastor. Texas was now on a boom. The old “Central” Railroad was built into East Waco from Bremond and became the first railroad in this county. With the aid of the railroad, Waco began to grow rapidly. 1871-72 Bosqueville was still on the Brazos Circuit. Samuel D. Akin, (died in 1880), was pastor. Thomas Standford was Presiding Elder under Bishop Marvin. 1872-73 Bosqueville was still on the Brazos Circuit. J.W.F. Noland, Pastor in Charge, Thomas Standford, Presiding Elder under Bishop J.C. Keener. 1873-74 In the Northwest Texas Conference Journal for 1873, Bosqueville Charge is mentioned. This is the only time Bosqueville has been listed without being linked to some other church. W.L. Kistler pastor, (died 1877), W.G. Veal was Presiding Elder under Bishop Kavanaugh. 1874-75 Bosqueville now goes back into the Waco Mission. Samuel Paschal Wright (died in 1911) who had been President of the Waco Female College became the pastor. W.G. Connor was the Presiding Elder under Bishop McTyeire. 1875-76 Bosqueville now became the head of a work. A church was built where the present one now stands, the old rocks about this present church being the foundation of the old church. It was a long white structure with the pulpit about where the new church pulpit now is. A Mr. Ballew was the contractor. W.T. Melugin was the first pastor in the new church. W.G. Connor was Presiding Elder under Bishop Pierce. 1876-77 The old Methodist parsonage directly across the road from the Baptist Church today was built about this time. W.T. Melugin was pastor; W.G. Connor was Presiding Elder under Bishop Pierce. 1877-78 W.T. Melugin was pastor for the third year. W.G. Connor was Presiding Elder under Bishop M.H. Waighman. 1878-79 E.R. Barcus of South Bosque was pastor in Charge (died in 1896 and was buried at Standford Chapel). Mrs. Dunnie Cobbs joined the church by Baptism. 1879-80 In the fall of the year 1879, Sam J. Franks came on the Bosqueville Circuit as preacher in Charge. Thomas Standford was Presiding Elder under Bishop Horland N. McTyeire

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

1880-81 S.J. Franks remained on the Bosqueville Circuit as pastor. 1881 was a great year for McLennan County as three railroads, namely the Missouri, Kansas, & Texas, the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe, and the St. Louis & Southwestern Railroads were built across the country. Towns such as, McGregor, Moody, West, Eddy, Crawford, Elm Mott, and Axtell were laid out and soon began to flourish. Paul Quinn college was founded by the African Methodist Church in 1881. Hill’s Business College was founded at Waco in 1881 with one teacher and one pupil. 1881-82 S.J. Franks was still pastor of the Bosqueville Circuit. 1882-83 Benjamin F. Gassaway became pastor of the Bosqueville Circuit. Rev. J. Lafayette (Fate) Walker was pastor of the Baptist Church from 1882-85. 1883-84 Samuel P. Wright was pastor for the second time. L.M. Lewis was Presiding Elder under Bishop Linus Parker. At this time, Bosqueville had more members enrolled in its Circuit than Waco Station, Waco Circuit, or East Waco Circuit, and was second in the district only to Mexia Circuit. 1884-85 E.A. Bailey was Pastor in Charge (died in 1907), E.L. Armstrong was Presiding Elder under Bishop H.N. McTyeire. 1885-86 J.H. Tremble (died in 1904) was Pastor in Charge; E.L. Armstrong was Presiding Elder. Y.M.C.A. was organized in Waco. 1886-87 J.H. Tremble was Pastor in Charge; E.L. Armstrong was Presiding Elder under Bishop J.N. Keener. 1887-88 B.F. Gassaway was Pastor in Charge; S.P.Wright was Presiding Elder under Bishop A.W. Wilson. 1888-89 B.F. Gassaway was Pastor in Charge; S.P.Wright was Presiding Elder under Bishop E.R. Hendrix. 1889-90 J.P. Callaway was Pastor in Charge; S.P.Wright was Presiding Elder under Bishop J.S. Key. 1890-91 J.P. Callaway was Pastor in Charge; S.P.Wright was Presiding Elder under Bishop J.S. Key. 1891-92 J.P. Callaway was Pastor in Charge; R.C.Armstrong was Presiding Elder under Bishop O.P. Fitzgerald. 1892-93 Charles Davis was Pastor in Charge; R.C.Armstrong was Presiding Elder under Bishop R.K. Hargrove. 1893-94

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

Charles Davis was Pastor in Charge; R.C.Armstrong was Presiding Elder under Bishop A.W. Wilson. 1894-95 B.F. Gassaway becomes pastor for the third different time on the Bosqueville Circuit. James Camel was Presiding Elder under Bishop R.K. Hargrove. 1895-96 S.C. Littlepage was Pastor in Charge (died 1915); James Campbell, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.W, Duncan. 1896-97 C.E. Gallagher was Pastor in Charge; James Campbell, Presiding Elder under Bishop J.C. Keener. 1897-98 C.E. Gallagher was Pastor in Charge; James Campbell, Presiding Elder under Bishop J.C. Granberry. In 1898, Marion, Isaac, and Burr Mills who gave most of the money for the building organized Mills Chapel or Rock Creek Methodist Church. Marion and Isaac Mills were both Conference preachers and Burr was a local preacher. This church and Bosqueville have been linked together several times and enjoy a friendly cooperation. 1898-99 C.S. Cameron was Pastor in Charge; S.P. Wright, Presiding Elder under Bishop C.B. Galloway. 1899-1900 C.S. Cameron was Pastor in Charge; S.P. Wright, Presiding Elder under Bishop R.K. Hargrove. 1900-01 B.R. Belton was first sent as pastor but from the records it seems that he was made Presiding Elder and W. Gilleland was made pastor (Brother Gilleland is now a superannuate preacher at Georgetown). 1901-02 W.A. Gilleland was Pastor in Charge; B.R. Belton, Presiding Elder under Bishop A.W. Wilson. 1902-03 R.F. Dunn was Pastor in Charge; B.R. Belton, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.R. Hendrix. 1903-04 R.F. Dunn was Pastor in Charge; B.R. Belton, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.W. Duncan. 1904-05 G.L. Irvin was Pastor in Charge; J.G. Putman, Presiding Elder under Bishop E.E. Hess. 1905-06 G.L. Irvin was Pastor in Charge; J.G. Putman, Presiding Elder under Bishop E.E. Hess. 1906-07 W.B. Martin was Pastor in Charge; W.L. Nelms, Presiding Elder under Bishop E.E. Hess. 1907-08 B.H. Kennedy (died in 1909) was Pastor in Charge; W.L. Nelms, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.A. Candler.

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

1908-09 Sterling Richardson was Pastor in Charge; W.L. Nelms, Presiding Elder under Bishop J.S. Key. 1909-10 W.H. Keener (who was now superannuated at Ennis) was Pastor in Charge; W.L. Nelms, Presiding Elder under Bishop J.S. Key. 1910-11 J.M. McCarter (died in 1929) was Pastor in Charge; W.B. Andrews, Presiding Elder under Bishop James Atkins. In 1910, the Northwest Texas Conference was divided and two conferences were formed; the Northwest Texas Conference and the Central Texas Conference. Bosqueville, of course, came within the bounds of the Central Texas Conference. Under Brother J.M. McCarter, a movement was launched to build a new church at Bosqueville. We are sorry to relate that during this year, one of Brother McCarter’s children was accidentally killed while playing near the parsonage. 1911-12 M.H. Bowden was Pastor in Charge; W.B. Andrews, Presiding Elder under Bishop James Atkins. During this conference year, the present church building was erected due especially to the work performed by the financial solicitation committee composed of Mrs. John Steinbeck, Mrs. George Keas, Mrs. Mary Y. Giles, Mrs. Frank Washington, and Mrs. J.M. Bewley. With all the members cooperating with the ladies, the beautiful church, which now stands, was erected and paid for. In the same year, the old parsonage was sold and the new one built where it now is. 1912-13 O.C. Swinney was Pastor in Charge; W.B. Andrews, Presiding Elder under Bishop James Atkins. 1913-14 N.E. Gardner was Pastor in Charge; W.B. Andrews, Presiding Elder under Bishop James Atkins. Southern Methodist University was organized or founded. 1914-15 N.E. Gardner was Pastor in Charge; J.A. Whitehurst, Presiding Elder under Bishop James H. McCay. 1915-16 W. Vinsant was Pastor in Charge; J.A. Whitehurst, Presiding Elder under Bishop James H. McCay. 1916-17 W. Vinsant was Pastor in Charge; J.A. Whitehurst, Presiding Elder under Bishop James H. McCay. 1917-18 W. Vinsant was Pastor in Charge; J.A. Whitehurst, Presiding Elder under Bishop James H. McCay. 1918-19 M.M. Smith was Pastor in Charge; J.W. Bergin, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.N. Ainsworth. 1919-20 Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

T.L. Sorrells was Pastor in Charge; J.W. Bergin, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.N. Ainsworth. 1920-21 T.L. Sorrells was Pastor in Charge; J.W. Bergin, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.N. Ainsworth. Before the end of the year, Brother Sorrells left and Rev. Willie Cole finished out his term. 1921-22 T.D. Ellis was Pastor in Charge; C.H. Booth, Presiding Elder under Bishop W.N. Ainsworth (Brother Ellis later went to Eliasville). 1922-23 O.A. Morton was Pastor in Charge; C.H. Booth, Presiding Elder under Bishop James B. Dickey. (Brother Booth is dead and Brother Morton is now pastor at Talpa-Crews). 1923-24 A.C. Carraway was Pastor in Charge; C.R. Wright, Presiding Elder under Bishop James E. Dickey. 1924-25 P.W. Lane was Pastor in Charge; C.R. Wright, Presiding Elder under Bishop James E. Dickey. (Brother Lane is now a superannuary preacher at Gatesville) 1925-26 P.W. Lane was Pastor in Charge; F.P. Culver, Presiding Elder under Bishop James E. Dickey. 1926-27 J. Fred Patterson was Pastor in Charge; P.E. Riley, Presiding Elder under Bishop John M. Moore. (Brother Patterson is now pastor of the Ben Brook-Brooklyn Churches at Ft. Worth) 1927-28 J. Fred Patterson was Pastor in Charge; P.E. Riley, Presiding Elder under Bishop John M. Moore. 1928-29 W.E. Harrell was Pastor in Charge; P.E. Riley, Presiding Elder under Bishop John M. Moore. (Brother Harrell is now at DeLeon) 1929-30 M.W. Clark was Pastor in Charge; P.E. Riley, Presiding Elder under Bishop John M. Moore. (Brother Clark is now in the Northwest Texas Conference) 1930-31 M.W. Clark was Pastor in Charge; A.D. Porter, Presiding Elder under Bishop Sam R. Hay. 1931-32 M.A. Turner was Pastor in Charge; A.D. Porter, Presiding Elder under Bishop Sam R. Hay. (Brother Turner is now at Big Hill-Ben Hur) 1931-33 M.A. Turner was Pastor in Charge; A.D. Porter, Presiding Elder under Bishop Sam R. Hay. 1933-34 M.A. Turner was Pastor in Charge; A.D. Porter, Presiding Elder under Bishop Sam R. Hay. 1934-35 A.W. Ferrill was Pastor in Charge; W.W. Ward, Presiding Elder under Bishop H.A. Boaz. 1935-36 Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

A.W. Ferrill was Pastor in Charge; W.W. Ward, Presiding Elder under Bishop H.A. Boaz.

Present Day Condition of the Bosqueville Methodist Church The present condition of our church at Bosqueville is very satisfactory from a spiritual and material standpoint. Several souls have been born into the Kingdom and many have been added to the church roll by letter. The Sunday school attendance record showed a higher average last quarter than had been reported in fourteen years. Nearly two hundred and fifty dollars have been spent on the parsonage and church buildings, and they are in a good state of repairs now and will be in excellent shape after they are painted. However, we are far from perfect. The chief function of the Church is to save souls and then keep them saved. When we look about us and see the lost, we are compelled to admit that there is much more to do. May each of us pray and work toward a great harvest of souls this year. Your pastor wishes to take this opportunity to thank each member and constituent for his or her fine cooperation during the last two years May God’s richest blessings rest with you. Your Pastor, Alton W. Ferrill (signed)

“There are two good rules which should be written upon every heart: First, never believe anything bad about anybody unless you positively know that it is so; And, Second, Never tell even that unless you feel that it is absolutely necessary, and that God is listening while you tell it.” --- Henry VanDyke

The Old Camp Meetin’ A history of Bosqueville Methodist Church would not be complete without mentioning the camp meeting place down on the Bosque near where Mrs. Shaw lives. People came from miles around and camped two and three weeks at a time around the arbor. The old arbor had a clap-board roof which was made of boards split from logs by means of a flat instrument called a fro. The floor of the arbor was covered with and abundances of straw. The benches were made of logs, and later, slat benches with backs on them were used. At first, there was no platform to speak from, and the pulpit consisted of two posts standing upright with a horizontal plank across it. For lights, torches resembling the ones used by the highway department today were placed around the tabernacle. Pine knots were not available. The early pioneers believed in keeping order at the church. Brother L.M. (Cully) Layne says that one night he attended a service at the old tabernacle and some boys created a disturbance in the rear. The preacher immediately dispatched Layne and one or two others to go to the Justice of the peace at Erath and file papers against them and have the arrested. They first went to Erath and after being unable to find the Justice there; they rode to Speegleville and then back to Erath and then back to Bosqueville with the papers. By the time they returned, the guilty parties had disappeared and have not been heard of since. Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

To begin the day at the camp meeting, a sunrise prayer service would sometimes be held. There would also be preaching at 10:30 or 11:00 in the morning, then again that night. We must not forget the grove meeting, which were held just before services at night. The men, women, and children each went in different directions into some enclosure in the woods. There they would form a circle after a brief talk by the one appointed as leader for the night, each one would lead in prayer. Testimonies would be called to the center of the circle. The Christians in the outer circle would then kneel in prayer with those seeking salvation. Sometimes, there would be so many conversions and the Holy Spirit’s presence would be felt so greatly that members of the grove meeting would come back to the Tabernacle shouting and rejoicing so much that there would not be a preaching service by the next two or three hours would be taken up with songs, praises, and exhortations.

Bosqueville’s Circuit Connections Since Bosqueville has rarely if ever been able to support a full-time pastor, it has been linked with various churches from time to time. In the 1850’s, it was served by various traveling evangelists. About 1860, it was placed on the Waco Circuit, with the pastor living at Waco. This arrangement continued until 1863 when it was placed on the Waco Circuit and Colored Mission. From 1865-8, it was listed again under the name of Waco Circuit. From 1868-73, it was a part of the Brazos Circuit. From the year 1873-4, Bosqueville Charge is given for the first and only time in the Conference Records. In 1874-5, It was a part of the Waco Mission. 1875, Bosqueville was made the head of a work called Bosqueville Circuit. The parsonage was just across the highway from where the one now stands. From 1875-1928, various churches, namely Wesley Chapel, Greenwood, Mt. Zion, Evergreen, Mills Chapel (Rock Creek), Speegleville, Lakeview, Erath, have been linked with Bosqueville at various times. Sometimes as many as four churches have been on the circuit at a time, but most the time, Bosqueville had half time and was linked with tow quarter-time churches. In 1928, Bosqueville and Hewitt, two half-time churches, were linked together and remained until 1934, when the parsonage was again occupied at Bosqueville and it became the head of a work connected with Rock Creek and Axtell. In April 1936, Axtell was dropped from the circuit, and the Rock Creek Church and Bosqueville Church each have half time. (Church Roll omitted here) “Church letters are much like money in the bank; the names need to be on the books, and at the same time, they should be working and drawing interest.”

Our Oldest Member We must not forget to mention the oldest living member of our church; Mrs. Matt Steinbeck is now ninety-four years old. Her greetings come to up today and in turn we wish her the best of happiness I the years to come. Although she is the oldest member of this church, she has not been a member of this church as long as some others have. Our best wishes go to them too. (Church Officers List omitted here)

Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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History of Bosqueville Methodist Church - Bosqueville, Texas

Transcribed by Amanda McNamara Hefner - 2001

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