DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Christ Episcopal Church in Nacogdoches County. Pull up a chair, because this one's got layers. It starts in 1848, the way a lot of Texas stories do — with somebody answering a call they weren't quite expecting.
The Reverend Henry Sansom, born 1821, came to East Texas as a missionary. Now, what brought him? A request from Mrs.
Frances Cox Henderson, wife of General J. Pinckney Henderson — the first governor of the State of Texas. That is not a small name to have in your corner when you're tryin' to plant a church on the frontier.
This was to become one of the original churches in the Diocese of Texas. But first, the congregation had to meet somewhere, and so they did what practical Texans do — they borrowed the county courthouse. You make do with what you've got.
Then, in 1851, they built something of their own. The first Protestant church in Nacogdoches. Let that settle for a moment.
The first one. And to get there, they needed land. A lot was donated by former empresario Haden Edwards.
But here's where it gets interesting — the structure itself went up at 108 North Church Street, on a site given by a man named Frost Thorn. Frost Thorn was one of the earliest Anglo-American settlers in this country, and his wife, Susan Edwards, was an early communicant of the very church they were helpin' to build. Layers, I told you.
The parish kept growin', and in 1902 a second church was erected — this one on Washington Square, on the campus of Nacogdoches University. The man who designed and built it was Dietrich A. G.
Rulfs, born 1848, died 1926. A craftsman's work, and it shows in what came next. Because inside that 1902 church, the Reverend George L.
Crocket — born 1861, died 1936 — carved the altar and the woodwork himself, with his own hands. He served as rector at intervals stretching from 1888 all the way to 1936. A man who shaped the church in more ways than one.
Then came 1937, and here's where the story does something a little unexpected. That second church gave birth to this one — a replica, built using the plans and materials from that 1902 structure. The carved altar, the woodwork, all of it carried forward.
Under the Reverend Scott Field Bailey, who served as rector from 1946 to 1951, a day school was founded. Bailey went on to become suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Texas — so Nacogdoches was just one chapter in a longer story for him. In later years, the parish expanded its buildings and stretched its ministry out to the students of Stephen F.
Austin State University. From a borrowed courthouse to a handmade altar to a replica built from memory — Christ Episcopal Church in Nacogdoches didn't just survive the years. It kept choosin' to carry the best of itself forward.
That's not nothin'. That's a congregation.
What the marker says
Founded 1848 when the Rev. Henry Sansom (1821-1903) came as a missionary to East Texas at request of Mrs. Frances Cox Henderson, wife of Gen. J. Pinckney Henderson, first governor of State of Texas. This was one of original churches in the Diocese of Texas. Christ Church congregation, after holding services in the county courthouse, built (1851) first Protestant church in Nacogdoches. A lot was donated for church by former empresario Haden Edwards, but structure was erected at 108 N. church Street, a site given by Frost Thorn, one of earliest Anglo-American settlers and husband of Susan Edwards, an early communicant. Second church for this parish was erected 1902 on Washington Square, campus of Nacogdoches University. Architect-builder was Dietrich A. G. Rulfs (1848-1926). In 1937, this replica was erected, using plans and materials from that structure, including altar and woodwork carved by the Rev. George L. Crocket (1861-1936), who served intervals as rector, 1888-1936. Under the Rev. Scott Field Bailey, rector 1946-51, later suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Texas, a day school was founded. In later years, the parish expanded its buildings and increased its ministry to students of Stephen F. Austin State University.