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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSt. Andrew's HistorySAINT ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL. CHURCH -OpriYovvff Saint Andrew's Church, Bryan, had its beginnings in Millican when, in the spring of 1864, the Right Reverend Bishop Alexander Gregg held the Episcopal service at the school house. (1) The family of George D. 'Haswell was the only known Episcopal family in the area but the service was well attended. (2) In 1865, Bishop Gregg held services again in Millican as part of his regular spring visitation.. He baptized Lizzie Haswell and confirmed Mollie Haswell and Laura _e Pert. (3) Bishop Gregg M-.11i .. was i car -- 1866 as par:. of . ". -•- spring visitation; while there he baptized two infants and performed the marriage cf Mol Haswell and Dr. S. Z. Conger. (4) The Mission of Saint Andrew was formed in August 1866 "and by license fro,,. the Bishop, Lay Readings were commenced and which were continued with gr eat regularity throughout the year." (5) The year 1867 saw the Mission of Saint Andrew grow and hold regular services. The last service held in Millican was or 6 September 1867; the yellow; f e•, er epidemic had taker: its t o l l on the congregation others were packing tc leave the area. (6) In November of 1867, the M i s s i o n of Saint Andrew had moved to Bryan where they were joined by Mrs. Mix, Mrs. Kirly, Miss Lizzie Fearis and Mr. T. B. Wright, members of the church. (7) The congregation went to work to form a lo� and to raise funds to build a church as the Central Railroad had donated four lots. (8) These lots were Lots 4, 5, 6, and 7 in Block 14C at the corner of what is now William Joel Bryan Parkway and Parker Street. (9) ; ; _1 f ,,,, c' Or, 1 C December 1867, at the instance of George D. Haswell, 'seventeen men met at the office of Messrs. Haswell & parish assuming the name Son to organize a p Saint Andrew's assuming . Church, Bryan. (1C) A vestry, a ou ld:ng committee, and finance committee were appointed. .'; Or. 15 December 1867, the Mission of Saint Andrew was resigned to the hand of the Wardens and Vestry of Saint Andrew's Church, Bryan. (12) Oh 19 December 1867, the vestry invited the Reverend Robert Jope to the rectorship of Saint Andrew's Church with the annual salary of $1,000. ( �3) Bishop Alexander Gregg consecrated the church on 22 March 1868. (14) This first church was built of rough whitewashed boards and seated approximately 300 people. (15) A brick chapel was built at the same site in 1875 and was known as "the Old Church." (16) It had a fenced yard and in the church yard was a cemetery which was moved to the Bryan • fit City Cemetel'J when the church moved. (17) A bell for the church was ordered from M. E. McEly and Company of Troy, New York. (18) It was put in position in January of 1879 after a ; tower was constructed to hold the bell. (19) The plans for the present Saint Andrew's Church building were underway by 1907. (20) Funds were raised through a subscription list that totaled $18, 225 which amount almost paid for the building. (21) Plans for the church building were sought from the Society of Domestic and Foreign Missions by the Reverend William Wesley Daup. (22) The site was chosen at West 26th and Parker Street, a block away from the old site, being the highest rise of the city (23) and was purchased from three separate individuals for a total of $3900. (24) When the plans arrived, it was found that the building was to be nine feet longer than the site so the plans were changed to omit nine feet at the nave. (25) The builders were two brothers, George and Charles E. Jenkins, who were responsible for many of the fine homes in Bryan. (26) The cornerstone was laid on 30 May 1912 at 5:00 PM b the Masonic lodge. (27) Placed in a box in the cornerstone were "the names of all vestrymen and presidents of various parish organizations, architects, contractors and building committee; copy of daily paper, prayer book and hymnal, Bible and coins made in 1912." (28) The first service was held in the new church on Sunday, 12 April 1914 by the Reverend Randolph Ray (29) who later became famous as the rector of the Church of Transfiguration in New York City (30). The building was consecrated by the Right Reverend George H. Kinsolving, Bishop of Texas, 3 May 1914. (31) The building itself is a Gothic revival church t' made of brick •ne, and concrete. (32) The altar, altar ® ra , an redodos were given in memory of George Samuel Parker, the anion service in memory of Mrs. Kate Parker Oliver, the pulpit for Mr. and Mrs. Frank Webb Clarke, and the altar candlesticks and cross for Bishop Alexander Gregg, the first Bishop of Texas.(33) The memorial stained glass windows were given in memory of deceased members of Saint. Andrew's Church Altar Guild, of George D. Haswell and his wife, Eliza, and of Mrs. Guy M. Bryan, Jr.; other windows were given in honor of Mrs. M. A. Jenkins, Mrs. 0. H. Astin, Mrs. J. W. English, and the Sunday School. (34) Page When the church was consecrated, the bell from the old church was in its tower at the new church, pealing forth a glad welcome to the new church. (35) The link between the old and the new was again emphasized with the use of the altar cross from the old church as the processional cross in the new church. (36) With a bequest from the estate of John E. Astin and Page 3 gifts from the Astin family, a parish house was built adjoining Saint Andrew's Church in 1920. (37) It was dedicated at 3:30 PM on Sunday, 21 March 1920 by Bishop George Kinsolving. (38) The architects for the parish house were Messrs. LaRoche and Dunne of College Station and the parish house cost $13,000. (39) A new Pitcher organ was bought for Saint Andrew's Church and dedicated tc Della Lawrence Parker on 29 December 1925. (40) The building has suffered only one major disaster when on 22 March 1938, the bell tower was struck by lightning causing $867 worth of damages. (41) Charles Jenkins, builder of Saint Andrew's Church, still had enough of the original metal shingles that were used when the church was built to repair the roof. (42 ) Saint Andrew's Church started negotiations to buy the Piasek Building which adjoins the parish house in 1952. (43) It has been used for offices and classrooms, undergoing a complete renovation which was dedicated by Bishop Maurice Benitez on 20 May 1990. (44) -Saint Andrew's Church has been a part of the history of Bryan since its founding in 1867. !t is the oldest church facility in continuous use in Bryan. (45) Author: Miss Alice Nixon 1525 East 29th Street #201 Bryan TX 77802 Phone: (Home) 775 -6426 (Work) 779 -1736 Notes, page 4 SAINT ANDREW'S CHURCH, BRYAN NOTES D 1 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1864. 2 Saint Andrew's 1864. 3 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1865. 4 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 186E. 5 Saint Andrew's 1866. 6 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1867. 7 Saint Andrew's 1867. 8 Saint Andrew's 1867. Brazos Countv Deed Records. Brazos County Courthouse, Bryan, Texas, Volume I, 20 -21. 10 Saint Andrew's 1867, 10 December 1867. 11 Saint Andrew's 11867, 10 December 1867. 12 Saint Andrew's 1867, 15 December 1867. 13 Saint Andrew's 1867, 19 December 1867. 14 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1868. 15 Hazel Richardson, History of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. (Bryan, Texas, 1967) [4]. • 16 Richardson [5]. 17 Richardson [5]. 18 Richardson [5]. 19 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1879. r- • v., Notes, page 5 "`' t 20 Richardson [5] . -f a 21 Richardson [5]. 22 Glenna F. Brundidge, ed., Brazos County History: Rich :. r' Past. Bright Future (Bryan, Texas: Family History r - Foundation, 1986) 146. 7 23 Richardson [5]. 24 Brazos County peed Records, Vol. 35, 134-136. 25 Richardson [5]. 26 Richardson [67. 27 W. W. Daup, "Episcopal Church Corner Laying, Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot 29 May 1912, 8. 28 Bryan Daily Eagle. 29 May 1912, 8. `fir Pilo t 29 "St. Andrews New Church," Bryan Daily Tagie and 11 April 1914, 6. 30 J. H. Randolph Ray, Little Church Around the Corner (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957) 85. 31 St. Andrews Church Consecrated to God," Bryan Daily _I Eagle and Pilot 4 May 1914, 8. - I 32 Historic Resources • off Bryan. Texas -- a `% Comprehensive Survey and National Register of Historic Place Nominations for the City of Bryan/ an Inventory, 5 vols. (Hardy, Heck, and Moore, Inc., Preservation Consultants, Austin, Texas, 1986) vol. 1 (Survey Forms). 33 Bryan Daily Eagle 11 April 1914, 8. 34 Bryan Daii Eagle 11 April 1914, 8. 35 Bryan Daily Eagle 4 May 1914, 8. 36 Bryan Daily Eagle 4 May 1914, 8. IL 37 Richardson [6]. 38 "St. Andrew's Parish House Is Dedicated," Bryan. Daily Eagle 22 March 1920, 1. 39 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1920. 40 "Dedication Service for New Parker Memorial Pipe Organ Is Held at Episcopal Church," Bryan Daily Eagle 30 December 1925, 1. 41 "Lightning Bolt Hits St. Andrew's; Roof Is Damaged," Bryan Daily Eagle 23 March 1938, 1. 42 Richardson [7]. 43 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1952. 44 Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Bryan, Texas, Vestry Minutes, 1990. 45 Hardy, Heck, and Moore. Notes, page 6 • Sources, page 7 SAINT ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH WORKS CITED Brazos County Deed Records. Brazos County Courthouse, Bryan, Texas. Brundidge, Glenna F., ed. Brazos County History: Rich Past. Bright Future. Bryan, Texas: Family History Foundation, 1986. "Dedication Service for New Parker Memorial Pipe Organ Is Held at Episcopal Church." Bryan Daily Eagle 30 December 1925: 1. Daup, W. W. "Episcopal Church Corner -Stone Laying." Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot 29 May 1912: 8. Historic Resources of Bryan. Texas -- a Comprehensive Survey and National Register of Historic Place Nominations for the City of Bryan/an inventory. 5 vols. Austin, Texas: Hardy, Heck, and Moore, Inc., Preservation Consultants, 1986. "Lightning Bolt Hits St. Andrew's; Roof Is Damaged." Bryan Daily Eagle 23 March 1938: 1. Ray, J. H. Randolph. n Little Church Around the Corner. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957. Richardson, Hazel. 'History Qf St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.. Bryan, Texas, 1967. Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church. Vestry Minutes. Bryan, Texas, 1864- "St. Andrews Church Consecrated to God." Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot 4 May 1914: 8. ' " Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot 11 "St. Andrews New Church April 1914: 8. "St. Andrew's Parish House is Dedicated." Bryan Daily Eagle 22 WORKS CONSULTED Sources, page 8 Bentley, Nell. "Yellow Fever Epidemic Resulted Episcopal Congregation Moving From Millican to Bryan in 1867." Bryan Weekly Eagle 17 April 1930: 30. Brown, Lawrence L. Episcopal Church in Texas. 2 vols. Austin, Texas: Eakin Press, 1985. "Bryan Church History Replete with Progress." Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot 20 April 1916: Section 4, 7. Chidsey, Alan Lake. Bishop: a Portrait of the Right Reverend Clinton S. Quin. Houston: Gulf Publishing Company, 1966. Gregg, Wilson. Alexander Gregg: First Bishop of Texas. Sewanee, Tennessee: University of the South Press, 1912. "Memorial Window Dedicated Sunday at St. Andrew's." Bryan Daily Eagle 30 May 1938: 8. Ray, Randolph. "St. Andrew's Church." Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot 4 April 1914: 8. Wilcox, Lois. "Early History of Bryan, Texas." Diss. University of Texas, 1952. "Xmas Services At St. Andrews Church Tonight." Bryan Daily Eagle 24 December 1925: 1.