TEXHOMA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

301 West Main, Texhoma, OK 73949 580-423-7231

History of our Church Part I
At the time of our Church Centennial in 1903 it was discovered that our congregation was older than first thought. When we built our present Church building in 1950, the oldest member was Mrs. C.C. Reed and she had told of the founding of the Church out north of town on June 1, 1904 at the home of the Monroes. They later met in the Pumpkin Flat and Sunnyside school buildings in that area. This group was served by a circuit Rider Minister out of Goodwell , Rev. W.O. Essary, and later by C. R. Jones and J. N. Tinkle. But the first membership book shows that the first methodist congregation in Texhoma was started by a Circuit Minister, W.B. McKeam, out of Stratford, Texas on Sept 6, 1903 with 6 members: J. M. Watterberger, who was the patent owner of sections 20, 21, 22 and 23 of the original Texhoma, Texas , and one of the first 4 settlers of Texhoma: Lea Hardin, George and Anna Spilman, Jennie Vaughn, and Iva Turner. Mrs. Vaughn was the Mother of Mrs. A.Y. Ingham, and there have been Ingham members in our congregation for most of our exsistence. Iva Turner was the wife of early Texhoma promoter, W.A. Turner and they built a home in 1907, soon after owned by W. W. Roach for many years and now the home of the Ron Murphys. this early group of worshipers soon went out to the Pumpkin Flat school to join the congregation there, but I think we are safe to say that our Church originated at this 1903 date. In 1905 the membership book shows that there were 13 additional members in 1904, 14 additional members in 1905 and 11 in 1906. When the entire group came into Texhoma in 1907 and started worshiping two Sundays a month at the white Community Church on 5th Street, they had 50 members. This church was located where the Baptist Sunday School addition is now and was used by the Baptist two Sundays a month and by the Presbyterians on the 5th Sundays. I am sure most of the people attended the Church regardless of which minister was preaching that Sunday. Other Ministers serving the Methodist group were circuit riders, M. L. Lathem, R. C. Taylor and J.A. Trickey. The Community Church was dedicated as a Baptist Church in 1908 and the Methodist started their little red brick Church on the corner of 3rd and Main soon after. In the interim years before the Church was completed and dedicated in 1911, they met in various store buildings around town. (to be continued)

History of our Church Part I

At the time of our Church Centennial in 1903 it was discovered that our congregation was older than first thought. When we built our present Church building in 1950, the oldest member was Mrs. C.C. Reed and she had told of the founding of the Church out north of town on June 1, 1904 at the home of the Monroes. They later met in the Pumpkin Flat and Sunnyside school buildings in that area. This group was served by a circuit Rider Minister out of Goodwell , Rev. W.O. Essary, and later by C. R. Jones and J. N. Tinkle. But the first membership book shows that the first methodist congregation in Texhoma was started by a Circuit Minister, W.B. McKeam, out of Stratford, Texas on Sept 6, 1903 with 6 members: J. M. Watterberger, who was the patent owner of sections 20, 21, 22 and 23 of the original Texhoma, Texas , and one of the first 4 settlers of Texhoma: Lea Hardin, George and Anna Spilman, Jennie Vaughn, and Iva Turner. Mrs. Vaughn was the Mother of Mrs. A.Y. Ingham, and there have been Ingham members in our congregation for most of our exsistence. Iva Turner was the wife of early Texhoma promoter, W.A. Turner and they built a home in 1907, soon after owned by W. W. Roach for many years and now the home of the Ron Murphys. this early group of worshipers soon went out to the Pumpkin Flat school to join the congregation there, but I think we are safe to say that our Church originated at this 1903 date. In 1905 the membership book shows that there were 13 additional members in 1904, 14 additional members in 1905 and 11 in 1906. When the entire group came into Texhoma in 1907 and started worshiping two Sundays a month at the white Community Church on 5th Street, they had 50 members. This church was located where the Baptist Sunday School addition is now and was used by the Baptist two Sundays a month and by the Presbyterians on the 5th Sundays. I am sure most of the people attended the Church regardless of which minister was preaching that Sunday. Other Ministers serving the Methodist group were circuit riders, M. L. Lathem, R. C. Taylor and J.A. Trickey. The Community Church was dedicated as a Baptist Church in 1908 and the Methodist started their little red brick Church on the corner of 3rd and Main soon after. In the interim years before the Church was completed and dedicated in 1911, they met in various store buildings around town.

(to be continued)