Central Presbyterian Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, in my own words and my own voice. Central Presbyterian Church, Ellis County: let's take it from the top. It begins, as so many good Texas stories do, with a small gathering of determined people and a borrowed piece of ground.

The year is 1853, and twelve charter members come together to form what starts out as a Cumberland Presbyterian congregation. Leading them is the Reverend Daniel G. Molloy, and a man named William Irwin donates the land so they have somewhere to meet.

Twelve people, one preacher, and a plot of donated ground; modest beginnings, but the story doesn't end there. It rarely does. The congregation worships in that building until 1862, when circumstances shift and they begin sharing space in the Methodist church building alongside other local congregations.

Now, there is something quietly stubborn about a church that shares a roof with its neighbors and keeps right on going. They did exactly that. By 1869 and into 1870, the Presbyterians had built their own sanctuary, their own place, on their own terms.

And then, in 1892, they picked that sanctuary up and moved it to this very site. Moved it. That's a thing people did in Texas, and I have always admired the audacity of it.

Then comes the 1890s, and here is where the story takes a grander turn. The congregation played a role in bringing Trinity University to Waxahachie. That drew people in, and membership grew considerably.

Now, Trinity University eventually moved on to San Antonio (churches can't hold a university forever), but Central Presbyterian didn't shrink. It kept growing, not just in numbers but in programs, in service, in outreach, including a close relationship with the Presbyterian Children's Service. Twelve charter members in 1853.

And from that start, a congregation that built, moved, grew, and kept reaching outward. That's a long road, and they're still on it.

What the marker says

Central Presbyterian Church Central Presbyterian Church began as a Cumberland Presbyterian church in 1853, with twelve charter members led by the Rev. Daniel G. Molloy. The congregation met in a building on land donated by William Irwin until 1862, when it began sharing space in the Methodist church building with other local churches. The Presbyterian church built its own sanctuary in 1869-70 and moved it to this site in 1892. During the 1890s, the congregation helped bring Trinity University to Waxahachie, which greatly increased membership. Although the university later moved to San Antonio, the church continued to grow in programs, service and outreach, including a close relationship with the Presbyterian Children's Service. (2003)