Hopkins Co. TX - History of Reilly Springs - McDonald Submitted by: June E. Tuck ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute any historical facts in the article. Early History of Hopkins County, Reilly (sic) Springs by J. C. McDonald May 11, 1921 I was fortunate enough last week to get hold of a typewritten copy of the minutes of the old Presbyterian church at Reily (sic) from the day the church was organized down to 1887, and believe that it will prove of interest to the old timers I am going to give some extracts from it for this week. They are as follows: Sept. 27, 1870 - According to previous arrangements after preaching by Rev. C. M. Shepperson, evangelist of the Presbytery of Eastern Texas, the requisite steps were taken to organize a Presbyterian church at this place. Rev. C. M. Shepperson presiding, satisfactory evidence of membership in good and regular standing in the Presbyterian church in behalf of the following persons was presented: D. N. C. McDonald, Mary Ann McDonald, Lizzie Hendrix, Mary McDonald, N. A. McDonald, W. P. McDonald, J. P. McKay, Ruth McKay, Nancy K. Gamblin, Lucy Foster, Arma Della Foster, Thos. J. Stribling, Thos. E. Stribling, W. C. Foster, Mrs. Leana Gray. Francis Foster, J. W. Foster, Mary Ann Foster, and Hugh A. Wilkerson. Whereupon they were duly organized into a church in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the Presbyterian church in such cases made and provided. Messrs. T. J. Stribling and H. A; Wilkerson were unanimously elected to the office of ruling elders, and Daniel N. C. McDonald and J. W. Foster to the office of deacon. These officers thus elected, having signified their acceptance, were at once set apart to their respective offices by the solemn rites of ordination, except T. J. Stribling, who having previously filled the office of ruling elder elsewhere, was only installed.. The meeting then adjourned with prayer, singing and the apostolic benediction by the evangelist. (Signed) T. J. Stribling, Clerk At the night meeting of the same day Mrs. Amanda Kirkland, Albert B. Kirkland, Mrs. Mary Harwell, and Mrs. Blue joined the church. So far as I know there are now only three of these original members alive. Mrs. Arma Della Foster, wife of Mr. Ed Foster, Sr., is alive and lives in Louisiana. She visited at Willy McKay^Òs last year. Thos. E. Stribling was Uncle Joe Stribling^Òs oldest son, and lives in Hamilton County, Texas; and Mrs. Lenna Gray, widow of Capt. Bill Gray, who is buried at Reily Springs, lives at Denton, Texas. If any of the others are alive I do not know it. The Mrs. Blue mentioned in the list was the wife of one of the earliest school teachers that ever taught at Reily. Thos. J. Stribling mentioned was Uncle Joe Stribling. He was clerk of the session as long as there was a church there and all of the minutes are signed by him. The first regular pastor that is mentioned is Rev. R. E. Sherrill, who is mentioned first in the minutes of Sept. 21, 1871. He lived at Green Hill on the other side of Mt. Pleasant and rode horseback to fill his appointment on the third Sunday of every month. At that meeting, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. John H. Wilson, Miss Mary C. Russell, Mrs. Mary E. Wilkerson, Mr. Smith Rowlen, Miss M. L. Nelson, Miss Anna Brown, Miss Elizabeth R. Stribling, and Mr. Neil Stribling were admitted upon examination and Mr. D. E. McMillan, and Mrs. Margaret McMillan were admitted by letter. Of this number Mrs. Mary Wilkerson still lives at Reily, and Miss M. L. Nelson, who married Neil McDonald, and Mr. Neal Stribling both live at Sulphur Springs. I do not know all of the others, but so far as I know they are all dead. During this year, beside the charter members, they took in thirteen by letter and granted letters to Mrs. Amanda Kirkland and Albert Kirkland. They baptized five adults and four children, but the minutes do not say who the children were. They paid the preacher $100 salary and paid $36. to other causes. On Sept. 15, 1872, Mr. Robert C. Alexander and his wife, Fannie Alexander, and Mrs. Sarah C. McCurry joined the church. Mrs. McCurry was Mrs. Alexander^Òs mother. They were evidently engaged in a protracted meeting at the time, for on the 17th Mrs. Anna E. Parker joined and on the 19th Mr. Benjamin Johnson and his wife, Mrs. Ellender Johnson, Mrs. E. M. Bailey, and Mr. Benjamin Johnson, Jr., joined. The minutes of March 16, 1873, named Rev. Matthew McFeeters as presiding. Mrs. S. C. Simmons joined by letter and Mr. Benjamin Johnson was elected as elder, and N. A. McDonald and D. E. McMillan deacons. Mrs. Simmons lives near Oglesby, Texas. May 18, 1873, Mr. Samuel Alexander and his wife, Mrs. Mary E. Alexander, joined by letter. June 21, 1874, mentions Rev. J. A. Meeklin as presiding and letters were granted to Wm. C. Foster, and Frances Foster, his wife, Mrs. Sarah McCurry, Robert C. Alexander, Fanney H. Alexander, his wife, and S. H. Alexander. It is my understanding that Mrs. S. H. Alexander died Reily and is buried there. You will notice that she joined with her husband in May 18, 1873. Sept. 20, 1874, Miss M. A. Stribling, Miss L. M. Stribling, Neil Boggs, Cal Boggs, R. W. Nelson, Miss Mary Helm, Miss Lula Helm, Mrs. Sallie Williamson, Miss Martha Williamson, A. A. Mitchell, Mary Mitchell, J. A. Milling, and Missouri Milling joined. Of these Mrs. M. A .Stribling married Neil Boggs, and after his death, married W. D. Nelson and lives at Pecos, Texas; Cal Boggs still lives at Reily; and Mrs. Sallie Williamson lives at Como. I am not sure, but I think the Miss L. M. Stribling, and if so, she married Dr. Dunbar and lives at Campbell. Sept. 6, 1876, W. D. Nelson J. B. Stribling, T. W. Stribling and S. A. Gamblin joined. None of these, unless it is S. A. Gamblin, is dead. W. D. Nelson lives at Pecos; J. B. Stribling at Oklahoma City, and T. W. Stribling at Dallas. If the S. A. Gamblin referred to was Sam Gamblin, he died recently and was buried at Stamford, Texas. Sept. 22, 1876, J. F. Stribling, Mrs. L. C. Stribling, Mrs. Jemima Helm, Alonzo Helm, Miss Mat Helm, Will Helm, Miss Mat Williamson, Mrs. Sarah A. Stribling, James Hurley, Mrs. Florence Lewis, Jesse Rowe, and Mrs. Rowe joined. I do not know if any of these are living. A part of the member who had joined this church were really Cumberland Presbyterian and had joined themselves with the old church only until they would be able to organize a church of their own, and the minutes of March 17, 1877, show that letters were granted to B. F. Johnson, Mrs. Bailey, John Milling, Mrs. Milling, S. E. Williamson, D. E. McMillan, A. A. Mitchell, Mary Green, and Joseph Mitchell. This is also the first minutes that mention Rev. R. H. Caldwell as pastor. From here on some of the minutes must have been lost, as there is no mention of any of Rev. Caldwell^Òs family joining the church when they came here, and the next record is in August 1879. At this meeting R. R. Stribling, J. E. Stribling, Frank Craig, Mrs. Moody, Miss Florence A. Craig, and Miss Janie McElroy joined. Of these, J. E. Stribling lives at Sulphur Springs and Miss Florence Craig, who is now Mrs. Barker Summers, lives at Gould, Okla. Two sets of minutes which were written in 1880, but do not have the date on them, recorded that Nathan Moody, Miss Mary Moody, Miss Della Simmons, Mrs. Sibby Bowie, and Miss Lula Caldwell joined. Of these Miss Mary Moody married Ab Williamson, and I do not know if she is living or not. Miss Della Simmons married Ed Foster, Jr., and lives near Oglesby, Texas, Miss Lula Caldwell married Web McDonald and lives in Oklahoma. This brings us down through 1880, and as that was the limit set, I will not give these minutes further. If any of the old timers want to read them through, they can see them here at the bank.