Alpine Presbyterian Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Alpine Presbyterian Church in Gregg County. Now settle in, because this one starts with a single man riding into the community with purpose, and ends with a congregation that just kept on growing. The date was December 2, 1881, and the Reverend J.

DeWitt Burkhead, evangelist, set about founding what would become Alpine Presbyterian Church, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, U.S. He didn't do it alone, not by a long shot. Right from the start, the elders were L.

P. and S. F. Henderson and Curtis Mackey.

The deacon was J. L. Henderson.

And the list of organizers reads like a roll call of two determined families, the Hendersons and the Mackeys, with C. N. Henderson, Mmes.

T. C. and Mary Henderson, Miss Mattie Mackey, and Mrs. R.

J. Mackey all coming over from the Longview church to help lay the foundation. Mrs.

R. J. Williams came from Longview too.

Then there were those who joined by professions of faith, Miss Alice, W. M., R. T., and W.

H. Henderson, H. G.

Lampkin, R. O. Mackey, and Miss L.

J. Mattox, each one standing up to be counted. Now here's a detail worth savoring.

In those earliest days, this congregation didn't have walls of their own. They held services in Tyron School, making do with what the community could offer. But by 1885, the members had built their own church.

Their own. Then, decades later, a new church was constructed right adjacent to that one, and it was dedicated in 1964. Two sanctuaries, side by side, each one a chapter in the same long story.

And the congregation kept coming. By 1967, Alpine Presbyterian Church reached its largest membership ever recorded, one hundred and twenty-two souls. Started by one evangelist, two founding families, and a borrowed schoolroom.

That's a foundation that held.

What the marker says

(Affiliated with Presbyterian Church, U.S.) Founded Dec. 2, 1881, by the Rev. J. DeWitt Burkhead, evangelist. Elders: L. P. and S. F. Henderson and Curtis Mackey. Deacon: J. L. Henderson. Other organizers: C. N. and Mmes. T. C. and Mary Henderson; Miss Mattie and Mrs. R. J. Mackey; Mrs. R. J. williams, all from Longview church. Also Miss Alice, W. M., R. T., and W. H. Henderson, H. G. Lampkin, R. O. Mackey, Miss L. J. Mattox, by professions of faith. Services were held in Tyron School. Members built church in 1885. The new church adjacent was dedicated in 1964. Reached largest membership (122) in 1967.