History of Coryell
     
 

 

CHAPTER IX

REPUBLIC OF TEXAS LAND PATENT

In the Coryell County legal records are shown many copies of the earliest land grant patents connected with the history of the county. These patents were issued by the constituted authorities when this territory now known as Coryell County was included in Milam County, and while Texas was yet a Republic, shortly before the Republic was annexed to the Federal Union of States; Appended, we present one of those land patent instruments.

EARLY DAY LAND PATENT

In the name of the (Seal) Republic of Texas:

To all to whom these presents shall come, know ye, I, Anson Jones, President of the Republic aforesaid, by virtue of power vested in me by law in accordance with the Statutes of said Republic in such case made and provided, do by these presents, grant to Erederich Helmiller, his heirs and assigns forever, eight hundred acres of land situated and described as follows: In Milam County, on the ridge between the Leon and Owl Creek and about 27 miles above the Three Forks of Little River.

Beginning at northeast corner of a survey made for A. Rhoades, from which a liveoak leans N 43 E. 38 varas. Another leans N 31 W 15 varas for the SW corner of this survey. Thence south 71 East two thousand and two hundred varas to the east corner in the prairie. Thence North. 19 East seven hundred and forty varas to SW corner of a survey made for A. S. Thurston assignee, two thousand and fifty three varas to NE corner of mound. Thence North 91 West, two thousand two hundred varas the NW corner, a pile of rocks, in the line of John Grasson's survey. Thence with said survey S 19 W two thousand and fifty-three varas to site of beginning.

Hereby relinquish to him the said Frederich Helmiller and his heirs or assigns forever, all the right and title in and to said land, heretofore held and possessed by the Government of said Republic, and I do hereby issue this Letter Patent for same.

IN TESTIMONY whereof I have caused the Great Seal of the Republic to be affixed as well as the Seal of the General Land Office.

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Done at the City of Austin on the eighth day of February One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-Six ,and the year of independence of said Republic, the Tenth.

ANSON JONES, President.

Thomas William Ward, Commissioner.

Presented for filing in Coryell County Records December 20, 1887, at 4 p. m. Recorded at 5 p. m. same day.

R. W. WELLS, County Clerk.

The original of this paper is in the legal papers of the late Dr. D. C. Homan, Oglesby, Texas.

EARLY CHURCHES IN CORYELL COUNTY

Religion is the life and culture basis of a people. Wherever white settlers have established homes in the early development of a country, ministers of the gospel were among the vanguard. History records many instances where ministers led whole congregations to new places for the sole purpose of gaining freedom of worship. Ministers have pioneered into many strange lands and among strange peoples who spoke Alien tongues, for the sake of the gospel that has bolstered civilization for more than two thousand years. They have been in the vanguard since the day Stephen was stoned to death in the streets of Jerusalem. No family, no nation of people, have ever risen in the cultural scale higher than their spiritual ideals.

With the pioneers who early settled in Coryell County we would expect to find ministers of the gospel in the front ranks; coming along with the good and the bad people. We would expect to find a high percent of religious people; and this is true, for we find whenever a settlement was made it was only a short time until a church was organized and spiritual development sprung along with industrial development.

Coryell Missionary Baptist Church

By Miss Minnie Boyd

Miss Minnie Boyd was born and reared near Coryell Church and there received her religious training. She compiled a history of the church. I told the story to the late Fred Acree of Waco, and he asked me to buy it for him, and Miss Boyd sold the story to Mr. Acree. Mr. Acree presented the manuscript copy to the Baylor Historical Library, and Mr. Guy B. Harrison gave permission for the publication of this story.--Frank E. Simmons.

Coryell Baptist Church

Coryell Missionary Baptist Church was constituted in

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June, 1854, by Elders John Clabaugh and S. G. O'Brien, in the home of Green Franks. Charter members were Green Franks, J. G. Green, Sarah Ann Green, James Mcllhaney, Jesse James, Catherine James, Martha Hicks, Rebecca Gibson, Margaret Mcllhaney, Naomi Hall, Martha and Jesse Jones and Wyatt Hall. The church was named for James Coryell.

John Clabaugh came to Texas in 1830, and died in Freestone county in 1889. He organized the church at Perry in 1853, and was its first pastor. O'Brien also was among the early preachers at Perry, and they both assisted. Rev. John McClain in the organization of the Onion Creek Church at Eagle Springs in 1858. S. G. O'Brien was born in North Carolina and was educated in Wake Forest College. He taught school in the O'Brien School located at Bosqueville in the early 1850's and was active in school and church work thruout his life. The Coryell

Church was the first church of any denomination to be organized in Coryell County and it has had a continuous service since that early day in 1854.

There are no written records of this church that bear an earlier date than 1855. For that reason we have relied upon fragmentary history, as remembered by early pioneers.

During the Civil War, the church was served by the Rev. J. H. McClain, who was instrumental in the organization of many churches, including Perry, in 1853, Onion Creek, 1858, Coryell 1854, Comanche 1582, McGregor 1884, White Mound at Mound, 1874, and many others.

During those turbulent days prior to and during the Civil War the worshipers at church would bring their guns for protection, for Indian raids were common on this, the advanced frontier, and horse rustlers were marauding the country to secure horses for illegitimate trading.

Among the very early members of this church that have been gratefully remembered by the pioneers are the following: Dr. Jim Revis and wife, Bill Edmonds and wife, August Meroney and wife, Jim Lee, Savina Draper, John Taylor, J. W. Ragsdale, Andrew Kerby and wife.

In later years came the following families: W. J. G. Mcllhaney, J. F. Strickland, N. E. Foster, T. E. Stribling, J. W. Merritt, J. H. Morris, S. V. Merritt, Sam Morgan, Lewis Graves, Minerva W. Whitlock, Felix Boyd, Calvin Edwards, W. K. Anderson and S. J. Caldwell.

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Besides these, there were also people of many denominations and no denomination who cooperated for the success of the church.

Prior to 1883, the congregation worshipped in the old two story building, and in that year, the old building collapsed with the congregation, fortunately, no one was injured. It then became necessary to erect a house of worship, Henry Hall and Green Franks gave the land. W. J. G. Mcllhaney and wife, M. A. Davis and wife, J. H. Morris and wife; J. F. Strickland, Ethan Allen, Mrs. Mollie Allen (Mrs. Jim Graham), Mrs. S. J. Caldwell, and Mrs. Martha Earp were the committee appointed by the church to canvass the settlement to secure funds to build the new church. After many difficulties, the new building was erected and put into use in 1888. It was kept in use until 1929, when six Sunday School rooms were added, and now, the old building, with the additions is still in use and in good condition. (1941).

In conference the membership were discussing the purchase of a new stove, when Grandma Whitlock offered $1.00 which she had earned knitting. People contributed liberally after Mrs. Whitlock had given all she had.

In 1892 the first musical instrument was used in connection with worship. It was an organ used during the annual revival meeting. Some objected to music in the church (other than vocal). Some hailed it as an innovation. After the meeting closed, and after a lengthy discussion by the members, in conference, the organ was purchased. However, some of the aged members felt that the door was thereby opened for the devil's entry into the church, and they asked for the church to withdraw fellowship for them. Most of the early membership opposed Sunday School, and that organization was broken up by conscientious objectors at an early date, to be regenerated and made strong in later years.

Coryell Church is the mother church of Rainey Creek, Bluff Creek, Tonk Creek and Oglesby Baptist churches.

In August 1916, under the leadership of pastor R. H. Gibson, the first B. Y. P. U. was organized in the church, and Pitson Boyd was the first president and Miss Jessie Foster, secretary.

On Sunday, October 1, 1929, Coryell Church celebrated its 67th anniversary with a rally and homecoming and 1200 people gathered at the call of Rev. J. O. Jolly, pastor.

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Many of Texas' greatest preachers have attended services here including R. C. Buckner, B. H. Carroll, R. C. Burleson, P. B. Chandler, S. L. Morris, I. E. Gates, J. M. Carroll, J.. B. Cranfill, John C. F. Kyger, Jeff D. Ray, Hal Bucknes, E. D. Head, S. P. Brooks, and many others.

The church-has licensed to preach the gospel: A. J. Beatty, T. A. Daniel, W. P. Boyd, Thornton McGregor, Charley Cluck, Hollis Yielding and Eual Strickland. W. P. Boyd was ordained into the full ministry of the gospel, November 1, 1931, and Yielding in 1939, and Strickland in 1940.

Pastors serving the church are: John Clabaugh, J. S. Holmes, L. D. Stringer, J. H, McClain, J. M. Renfro, J. M. B. Gresham, S. B. McJunken, R. H. Gibson, A. N. Porter, W. D. Boswell, Pit F. Walton, A. H. Isbel, A. J. Armstrong, J. O. Jolly, W. C. Moore, T. E. Funderburk, L. A. McKinney, H. T. Mayberry, J. F. High, A. Myers, Poy Clayton, W. E. Floyd, A. Loper.

 
 

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