The Alto Herald and The Wells News 'N Views (Alto, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 14, 1988 Page: 2 of 8
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PAGETWO— I HE ALTO HERALD OE ALTO. TEXAS—THURSDAY. JANUARY 14 1988
Historical markers to recognize Rusk churches
Two Rusk churches whose work
in the community span almost 140
years each will be recognized Sun-
day, Jan. 17, with the dedication of
Official Texas Historical Com-
mission markers in ceremonies
scheduled at 2 p. m. at one and at 2:45
p.m. at the other under the auspices
of the Cherokee County Historical
Commission.
The first dedication ceremony will
be at First United Methodist Chur-
ch, 308 North Henderson Street, at 2
p m At 2:45 p.m., a similar marker
will be dedicated at the First
Presbyterian Church, 312 North
Main Street, about two blocks away,
according to Mrs. Henry Rose, the
Commission marker chairman.
“It is not often that two such
historic churches whose work has
had such a lasting effect on a com-
munity receive historical markers
the same day,” Mrs Rose said, ‘‘but
it is indicative of the way the
Methodist and Presbyterian
congregations have worked
t ogether all those years. ’’
The ceremony at First United
Methodist Church will begin with the
invocation by the Rev. Dr. L. B
Broach, Palestine District Superin-
tendent. Texas Annual Conference,
The United Methodist Church. John
Mark Lester, Commission member,
will lead the pledges of allegiance to
the United States and Texas flags.
Johnnie McKay, member of the
church, will unveil the marker, and
Terry Guinn, member of the church
and the Commission, will dedicate
the marker. Judge J W. Summers,
member of the church and Com-
mission, will tell the history of the
church. The Rev. Dr. Doyle Riley,
church pastor, will give the benedic-
tion closing the dedication
ceremony.
At the First Presbyterian Church
ceremony, the Rev Dr. Mac Hart,
Executive Presbyter, Grace
Covenant Presbytery, Presbyterian
Church in the U S.A., Dallas, will
open the ceremony with the in-
vocation. Robert McNatt, member
of the church, will lead the pledges of
allegiance to the United States and
Texas flags. Mrs. Jewel Coupland,
member of the church since
childhood and its oldest living mem
ber, will unveil the marker, which
will be dedicated by Miss Bill Mar-
ch, member of the Commission.
Mrs. Lois Henry, a ruling elder in the
church and also author of an exten-
sive historv of the church several
years ago, will tell the church’s
history The Rev Richard Gilmer,
church pastor, will close the
ceremony with the benediction.
John Allen Templeton, com-
mission chairman, will preside at
both ceremonies.
First United Methodist Church
began its congregational life in 1849
when Presiding Elder John W.
Fields conducted worship services
for the small block and encouraged
members to build a church in Rusk.
His words struck home, for on May
22 the congregation bought its chur-
ch site, and in 1851 built their first
house of worship. Methodist had
been worshiping in homes before the
Rev. Fields exnoried them inlu
becoming a full congregation, and
some historians date the
unorganized worship services even
earlier, but a written record on that
is unavailable.
It is known that Protestants of
various faiths worshipped clan-
destinely even earlier in what is now
Cherokee County, although to own
land the settlers had to swear
allegiance to the Catholic faith, the
official religion of the area governed
by Spain and then by Mexico.
Progress report presented Monday
with bid packages to open January 18
A progress report on the new
Cherokee County jail construction
was presented Monday morning to
members of the Cherokee County
commissioners court by Gary
Adams, jail planner.
Adams said bids will be opened
next Monday for concrete packages
and sewer lines. Bid opening is set
for 2.30 p.m. Bids will be studied by
Adams and his associates at
Creative Environment Concepts in
Lufkin and a recommendation for
approval will be presented at the
Jan. 25commissioners meeting.
Dirt work at the site has basically
stopped and the contractor is
waiting for the site to dry out,
Adams said. This phase of the con-
struction work should be completed
within one and one-half to two
weeks, he said.
Simon Traylor of Jacksonville is
contractor for the dirt work and is
approximately 75 percent finished
with the project. Adams said
Traylor is asking for 60 percent
payment of his contract price.
In addition to the bid opening next
Monday, other bid openings are
scheduled for Feb. land Feb. 22
Adams said he had visited with
Just ‘Home Folks’
By JANET GATES
I talked with Mrs. Eunice Morgan
who has just recently celebrated her
80th birthday with family and frien-
ds. Her children and grandchildren
hosted a reception at the Cold
Springs Methodist Church in the
Fellowship Hall for their mother and
grandmother.
Those attending were Mary and J.
L. Hassell, Weida and Danny
Woodruff, Anita Ocker and
children; Nellave and Joe W.
Vining, JoNell Stricklen and her 3
children; Jerry and Debbie Vining
and daughter. Amy; Terry and Julie
Vining with children, Christie and
Julia Michelle. Also attending were
Jenna Lou Clanton, Houston; Jim-
my and Janell Morgan, Austin,
Michael and Rachel Suzanne with a
friend ; Ruth Wallace, Bob, Holliand
Vicki from Austin; Cathy and Tony
Bridges and Judd, Austin. Over 100
persons attended. Mrs. Morgan was
gi ven a money tree made by guests.
Rev. and Mrs Auston E. Kennedy
have been under the weather as of
late, but are doing better now
Speaking of under the weather, we
have all been in or over or under the
weather lately. We were not of lights
for 5 days and I hope everyone has
their’s on by now Husband and I
have decided that we like the new,
modern ways of living, we missed
the central heat, coffee maker,
mixer, etc. Our children missed the
microwave oven most of all. What
are we going to eat?...was their cry.
Well, lam happy to report that we do
have electricity as of now, 1 hope!
The children certainly enjoyed
their days off from school, even in
the dark. Thank goodness, Christ-
mas toys were still not old! Well, I,
for one, am ready for some sun and
less ice.
Rusk Mayor James Long and the
city is willing to work with them.
In another matter, Judge Em-
mett Whitehead reported on a Sun-
day afternoon meeting with Texas
Department of Corrections officials
in Austin. He said he presented a
copy of the order authorizing the
county to construct a road connec-
ting the state property to Loop 343.
He Iso carried a letter from the
Rusk Industrial Foundation, to the
meeting that made available any or
all of a 57 acre tract to the agency.
“We want it all for future expan-
sion,” Jerry Hodge, TDC board
member, said.
Whitehead said Snider had raised
$1 million for 350 jobs and Amarillo
has spent $.5 million. “We stand to
gain between 400 and 500 additional
jobs,” he told members of the court
Some 129 MSU employees have been
accepted for employment with TDC.
They will be employed in Anderson
County or at Huntsville beginning
Feb. 1. Some$l million in renovation
of present facilities will begin March
1. TDC says everything is in "good
shape” at their end.
In other matters, commissioners
approved holidays for 1988 to include
Texas independence Day, Wed-
nesday, March 2, Good Friday,
Friday, April 1; Memorial Day,
Monday, May 30; Independence
Day, Monday, July 4, Labor Day,
Monday, Sept. 5; Veterans Day,
Friday, Nov 11; Thanksgiving,
Thursday and Friday, Nov 24 and
25; Christmas, Thursday, Friday
and Monday, Dec. 22,23 and 26; New
Year’s Day, Monday, Jan 2,1989.
Prospective members of a county
salary grievance committee were
drawn. Members of the committee,
if they agree to serve, will be Harold
Stafford of Rusk; Albert Tisdale,
Jacksonville; Carl Lee Matthews,
Rusk; Richard Johnson, Alto;
From the mayor ’s desk ...
When I was running for the office
of mayor, I was asked this question
by a man from Jacksonville. “What
seems to be the City of Alto’s biggest
problem?” My answer was "There
are too many chiefs and not enough
Indians." Later, after I had become
mayor, I told this to some of the
members of the City Council. They
agreed that this had been the biggest
problem.
! havp spent most of my years in
school as an administrator. There is
one fact that is true in all businesses
or government: there must be an
order of authority or command. In a
public school the order is
schoolboard, superintendent, prin-
cipal In other words, if you have a
* ALTO COUNCIL,
Also, I want to say that the Fire
Department is owned by the City,
completely, and is run by Volun-
teers, not owned by the Volunteers,
am I not right, Mr Baugh?”
“That's right, no one has ever said
anything else," answered Garwin
Baugh, Alto E'ireChief "Now, this is
what I want and would like made in-
to a motion: The E'ire Department
can get gas anytime but they must
have a purchase order for
everything else This will help our
bookkeeping system So that we
know what's being spent, when,"
continued the Mayor
Chief Baugh then told the Council
that after figuring the average per
vehicle for an eight month period for
the Fire Department, each vehicle
averages $370 99 for gas and main
tenanee while the City vehicles
average $2,216 87 j>er vehicle for the
same eight month period "You just
don’t know how many miles these
city trucks have to cover' Just as
they get hack to Alto from fixing a
leak m Wells, they are called back
for another leak, it’s just hack and
forth,” said Mayor Wallace
"Another thing that I have been
thinking about," said Baugh, "is
when we have to go to Wells to help
them put out a fire, which hasn't
happened in a while, we should
somehow tie reimbursed for the
mileage I think a deal should tie
made up with the City of Wells for
these costs i think so, hut W* will
... from page one
list that on our next agenda,” said
Mayor Wallace. The E'ire Depar-
tment expenses listed for the Oct. 1,
’87 until Jan. 10, 88 period is as
follows:
Utility, $280.12; Insurance,
$2,614.38 (6 mos.); Gasoline,
$327 31; Truck Repair, $1,508.05;
Coats and etc. $725; Keys, $9.30;
Chemical, $85 50; Alarm System,
$459 65 for a total of $6,009.31
Chief Baugh stated that the coats
listed on the list of expense was
budgeted last year, therefore it was
paid out of last year’s budget and
should not he counted this year. "We
have not bought any chemicals,"
said Baugh about his budget. "We
have also spent about $5,000 of our
donations on equipment for the fire
department," he said
The Council also decided to bring
in professional help to repair a leak
in City Hall's roof "There has been
considerable rain damage done to
the building already," said Mayor
Wallace The fact that the roof was
pul on upside down and the nails
were put in the valleys was brought
out and Duplichain Contractors had
fixed it by turning the tin over and
renailing it A report will be
available for the next council
meeting
The Council approved a revised
local floodplain management or
dinance that is necessary for con
tinned participation in the National
i llfln! Itlhui niH • I'i i^Hlltl
Walter R. Voltz, Jacksonville;
Thomas R. Beckham, Route 5,
Jacksonville; Charles M. Broad-
way, Jacksonville; Paul Douglas
King, Reklaw and Dorothy Jo Mc-
Milliam, Route 5, Jacksonville.
Until there is
\o I.OMIIMSS,
NO DESTITUTION,
NO SICKNESS,
NO WAR.
IMcasc support
America
Red Cm
Fir?* Presbyterian Church comes
from a union Sunday School
organized in the town by the Rev. J.
B. Harris in 1850. When the Southern
Presbyterians and Northern
Presbyterians merged, the Rusk
church went into the Southern bran-
ch (Presbyterian Church in the
U S.) in an arrangement in which
the Jacksonville Presbyterian chur-
ches merged into the Northern
Presbyterian church to give both
new denominations equal represen-
tation in the county. The Rusk and
Jacksonville churches today,
however, are in the same
denomination as the result of a
nation-wide merger of
Presbyterians just a few years ago.
Throughout the two Rusk chur-
ches’ lives, they have cooperated ex-
tensively by sharing facilities,
carrying on various programs
together, and sponsoring numerous
union meetings.
Text of the marker for the First
United Methodist Church reads:
Organized in 1849, this
congregation was first served by the
Rev. Henderson D. Palmer (1812-
1869). A circuit riding minister,
Palmer received his license to
preach in 1838 in Nacogdoches Coun-
ty
The tirst deed lor Metnodisi Chur-
ch property in Rusk was recorded
May 22, 1850. The first church
building was erected the following
year. A second sanctuary was built
in 18% during the pastorate of the
Rev. V A Godbey. Those serving on
the building committee were E. L.
Gregg, J. W Summers, and J. P.
Mallard. The present building was
completed in 1920 while the
congregation was under the leader-
ship of the Rev. J W Goodwin. It
was dedicated in 1935, when the
building debt was retired. The dedi-
cation was referred to as a great day
in the life of the church. All three
Methodist sanctuaries have stood on
this site. There have also been three
parsonages. The first, built in 1879,
was replaced by a second home
inl947. Recent additions to the chur-
ch property were an educational |
building in 1961 and a parsonage in
1981.
For over a century, the First
United Methodist Church of Rusk
has been a vital part of the com-
munity. Many descendants of early
members continue to be actve in the
life of the church.
The marker for First
Presbyterian Church reads:
The Cumberland Presbyterian
Church of Rusk was organized May
2,1847, by the Rev. J. B. Harris, with
a charter membership of four. A
Sunday School was begun in 1850 and
existed as a union school until the
1880’s. Ecumenical relationships
were strong with other churches in
town, and the Presbyterian Church
building was used by various
denominations.
The "Old School" congregation of
the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.
was organized in March 1851 by the
Rev. J. M Bee ton and the Rev J. C.
Sharp with eight members. A san-
ctuary was built on Henderson
Street in 1854, and a parsonage was
added in 1888-89, largely through the
efforts of the Ladies’ Aid Society.
The two congregations united to
form the E'irst Presbyterian Church
on April 6, 1906. This property was
acquired, and uolh church buildings
were moved to the new site. The
"Old School" church was used for
worship, and the Cumberland Chur-
ch was converted into a parsonage.
The present sanctuary was built
in 1913-14, and was the first brick
church in Rusk A new parsonage
was added in 1925.
Throughout its history, which
began one year after the city’s foun-
ding, the Presbyterian Church has
sought to serve its community with
outreach programs.
The public is invited to attend both
of the ceremonies, Chairman Tem-
pleton said, and to share these im-
portant occasions with members of
the two congregations
Mmmm
IVII I II I II 1 1
good!
Golden fillet fried fish,
<KR OR
crispy french fries.
hush puppies and
delicious coleslaw.
ALL YOU CAN EAT
1 Country Kettle j
Hwy. 69 South, Alto
Phone 409/858-2235 [
The Alto Herald
and Weils News N Views
11 .s/'s oir> 020i
A Leader in Southern
Cherokee County
Since 1896
Entered as second class matter
at the post office in Alto, Texas
75925 Published weekly on Thurs
day by
WHITEHEAD ENTERPRISES
P.O Box 637, Alto, Tx 75925
Ph (409)858-4141 or (214)683-2257
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
PAYABLE in ADVANCE
$11.00 per year in county
$13.00 per year in Texas
$15.00 per year out of state
$20.00 per year overseas
problem, you first go to the prin-
cipal If you can’t solve your
problem with the principal, then
your next step is to go to the superin-
tendent. The schoolboard is the third
and final step.
The order of authority or com-
mand in city government is much
the same. The order of authority is
City Council, Mayor, City Ad-
ministrator. E'or instance, you first
go to the City Administrator with
your problem. Your second step
would be the Mayor, and your final
step would Deinei tty Council.
You must remember that a school
trustee nor a city eouncilmember,
sitting alone, has no power-neither
the power to issue orders to a depar-
tment, nor the power to supervise or
discipline a department head, nor
the power toapprove the purchase of
supplies for a department A school
trustee or eouncilmember exercises
power only collectively, sitting with
other trustees or with other council
members at meetings of the gover
ning body The City Council makes
the laws. The mayor's job is to en
force the laws made by the council
If laws are not clear, it is the duty of
the attorney hired by the city to in-
terpret the law
This is the order of command that
we are now using in our city gover
nment. It is working The City Coun-
cil, the Mayor, and the City Ad-
ministrator are working together
for the good of the City of Alto Since
I became mayor in April, 1987, (he
City Council has voted 98 times-90
times the voting was unanimous-
only eight times was the votes split
This is 93 percent of the time that the
City Council was in complete
agreement The majority of the City
Council has agreed with the mayor
100 percent of the time
At the December meeting of the
City Council, the mayor asked the
council for suggestions that might
help the city workers do a better job.
The mayor asked about each depar
tment separately- gas, water,
streets, landfill, garbage, police,
etc The City Council appeared
pleased with the work as it is being
carried on, for no one offered a
suggestion nor gave a complaint
To keep our city government run
ning smoothly, we need to elect
people who are willing to work
together for the benefit of the com
nuinity Remember this when you
goto votethis year
l< \ Wallace. Maun
Attend the Church of Your Choice
BAPTIST
Calvary Baptist
Bro. Fred Neal, Pastor
Wells 876 4391
Campground Baptist
Rs. Charles Russel! Inter:**' Pas‘o'
• .•» • • • A I a
rirsT oapnsT, hou
Rev William Smdow, Pastor
Phone 858 4826
First Baptist, Wells
Edward L Davis Pastor
Phone 867 4900
Forest Baptist
Jim Boone Pastor
Hilltop Baptist Alto
Rev Bill Morgan, Pastor
Alto Missionary Baptist
Rev Odis Bryan Pastor
New Hope Baptist
Rev T J Bagley Pastor
Old Palestine Baptist
Rev Hollis Bass Pastor
Phone 858 3301
Pollok Baptist
Iro Bright Pastor
Phone 053 2835
Union Hill Baptist
Rev Issac Wiley Pastor
Weches Primitive
Baptist
Elder R R Burron, Pastor
First, Second & Third Sundays
METHODIST
A Frank Smith UMC
Rev James R Knight Pastor
Phone 858 4347
Lynches Chapel UMC
Rev Jimmy Hawkins Pastor
I st & 3rd Sundays 9 30 a m
Cold Springs UMC
Rev Jimmy Hawkins Pastor
Falvey UMC, Wells
Rev James E Wilkerson Pastor
Phone 867 4525
Mt. Zion UMC
Rev James R Knight Pastor
Fourth Sunday 2 30 pm
St. Thomas Chapel AME
Rev t G Reed Pastor
Phone 858 371 1
ASSEMBL Y of GC )D
First Assembly of God
Rev V C Troutman
Phone 858 4626
CHURCH of CHRIST
Alto Church of Christ
Travis W, Ferrell Pastor
Church of Christ, Alto
John Peal Pastor
Phone 858 3829
Ckurrk r\t Ck riel Welle
’*»• • • • •••*•* • f * • w w
Cecil Stringer Pastor
Ni )n-D(1noniin^ \tioric 11
First Church
of Holy Sanctified
Mother B B Wotts
Sweet Union
Rev T J. Hart Pastor
Church of the
Lord Jesus Christ
John R Grubbs Pastor
PENTECOSTAL
Calvary Tabernacle
United Pentecostal
Rev Tom Wamwright Pastor
Phone 858 4360
First Pentecostal
Rev Oayton McClendon Pastor
I his Presentation
Is Made Possible Bv Support
Of I hese Advertisers:
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The Alto Herald and The Wells News 'N Views (Alto, Tex.), Vol. 92, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 14, 1988, newspaper, January 14, 1988; Alto, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1097990/m1/2/?q=%22~1%22~1&rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Stella Hill Memorial Library.