First Methodist Church of Haskell

Article from "Haskell Free Press" of January 29, 1910, transcribed and provided by Judith Atkeison from her collection.

Laying the Cornerstone

The cornerstone of the new Methodist church will be laid Monday, January 31st, A.D.1910, at 2 o'clock p.m. This will be done with appropriate ceremony and the Masonic fraternity will participate. In this connection we deem it appropriate to reproduce an article published in the Free Press of July 10, 1909. This article was a paper read by W. G. Alexander in the presence of a large assemblage on July 5th preceding the occasion of breaking the dirt for the new edifice, entitled:

First Methodist in Haskell

  "Having been asked by our pastor to give to you some of the past history of Methodism, not because I could give it better, but because I was the only male charter member of the church at this place. Now here permit me to say something of this place before the church was organized.
  "I came to Haskell Feb. 1884, to make it my home. At this time this county was not organized. There were no preachers here and only four families lived in this county. There were at this place the families of W. R. Standifer and R. D. Wilfong and southeast of Haskell, lived the family of Judge Tucker who was elected the first county judge of Haskell county. Then northeast 16 miles, lived the Casner family, they at this time, constituted the inhabitants of Haskell county.
  "During this year there were possibly a dozen families came into this county with several men seeking their fortunes. During the latter months of this year, a Methodist preacher by the name of Woods, preached the first sermon ever preached in Haskell county. Then Bro. R. R. Rayinou who was traveling for his health, preached here for a few days. The results were no doubt for good for some of the old timers today refer to some of his sermons with much interest.
  "Then in Nov. of 1884, our annual conference attached Haskell county to Jones county as a mission field; it was then in Abilene district, and sent a timid young bashful preacher to this wild western country to fight the battles of our Master with but few members of the church to encourage him in his labors, and even these few felt somewhat backsliden on the account of the associations of the day. Most all the people were here for the money and gave very little attention to a religious life.
  "One night in the latter part of Nov. or first of Dec., 1884, about 8 o'clock, a man hallowed at my front gate. (This was after supper.) I went to the door and said "Get down and come in" not knowing who it was. But the party asked if Mr. Alexander lived there. "Yes, get down". Then he said "I understand you are a Methodist family and I am a Methodist preacher. I did not wait longer but said to my wife "Did you hear that? I have found us a Methodist preacher. Fire up the stove, make ready a warm supper". So I went to him and insisted he go in the house while I took care of his horse, but no - he would go with me, anyway.
  "He had made his way from the little town of Anson, 30 miles south of Haskell, without any road and, after dark, saw the lights and finally found my house. This man was J. H. Wiseman, the first pastor of Haskell county. He organized the first Methodist church in a family residence in the county of Haskell with six members, namely myself and wife, S. S. Cummings and wife, Mrs. R. C. Lomax and Mr. J. L. Deweese. Myself and wife are now the only charter members remaining with the old church. Our church was then a part of Anson mission. Brother Wiseman remained from 1884 to 1888. J. Fred Cox was our first P. E. and he stayed four years with us.
  "In 1885 a school house was built near where the South Ward building now stands. During Bro. Wiseman's pastorate - '85, '86 and '87 - we had the worst drouth West Texas ever had; many of our counties were almost depopulated. In 1888 Haskell Mission was formed and Bro. C. V. Bailey came as our first resident pastor and made his home with myself and Judge McConnell.
  "During the stay of Brother J. H. Wiseman, the first effort to raise money to build a church was made. My wife, Mrs. McConnell and Mrs. Lomax walked from house to house asking donations to a public dinner for the benefit of the proposed church. Not a refusal came to them from anyone. The people were a unit to that and results of that dinner was $51.00 The church had not grown much up to that time.
  "J. N. Snow then came and stayed through 1889-1891, two years. J. A. Wallace was still our P. E. Our old church was built in the year 1890. Lumber was hauled by Judge McConnell, S. W. Scott, myself and others from Abilene. The windows were bought of the old Abilene church. Abilene donated $65 to the building of this church. The contract to build this house was let to the venerable old man and much loved by all the old-time people of Haskell, Bro. J. W. Evans, at the sum of $150.
  "Brother Jerome Harralson was our next pastor, staying with us only one year. Bro. E. L. Armstrong was our next P. E., a faithful good man who has been, for 13 years, bed-ridden with that awful disease of paralysis. During Bro. Harralson's stay, the parsonage was wrecked by storm and lightning.
  "Next came Bro. W. D. Bass and stayed with us one year on his first charge. Brother Armstrong, still our P. E. Bro. N. B. Bennett then came and stayed three years and Brother Armstrong took superannuate relation because of failing health in 1895. We had our first District Conference in 1895. We went to Merkel for it and captured it for Haskell.
  "Sometime during the year '94 or '95, Abe Mulkey came and held a Revival Meeting of great power. All churches cooperated and great were the results. Much good material lives in the church here at present as a result of this Meeting.
  "M. L. Moody was our next pastor for three years of faithful service. C. W. Daniels followed Bro. Armstrong as P. E. and stayed three years. Our charge was then placed in the Vernon District. J. H. Wiseman, in 1898, ten years from the time he left this work as pastor, returned as P. E. to see the growth and development.
  "J. T. Bloodworth next came and stayed two years and the church continued to grow. R. B. Young then came and stayed one year. This was a hard year and the church did not grow much. Next came R. S. Heizer and stayed one year. E. A. Smith came as our next P. E. Brother Heizer did a fine as fine work and everybody loved him. Then came Brother J. H. Chambliss in 1903 and stayed four years. Under his leadership, the church was greatly strengthened. He was loved by all.
  "J. R. Morris came as next P. E., and during his stay we again had the District Conference with us and under Bro. Morris, we were again changed to the Abilene District. Brother C. B. Meador, our present pastor, followed Bro. Chambliss and in one year nearly doubled our membership. Our church now numbers over 600 members and is much more able to pay a preacher a $1500 salary now, than for many years to pay $100 in those days. In 1908 came Bro. Griswold as our P. E. of Stamford District and Haskell was changed to that district.
  "If time would permit there be much I would like to say on behalf of every one of our preachers who labored so faithfully among us, starting in an unorganized county and coming in the present day when our church now stands as among the leading appointments in the Conference, and our town with a population of nearly 4,000. There is much history connected with our growth and development that would read like romance if we but had the time to tell it."
W. G. Alexander