First Presbyterian Church, U. S. of Troup

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to honor every word. Back in 1873, a railroad line was reshaping East Texas, and right along that line, the town of Troup got platted. Didn't take long for a man of the cloth to come riding in.

The Reverend W. W. Brimm, out of Tyler, began conducting Presbyterian worship services in this area that very same year.

Under his direction, a church was organized, and when the dust settled, eight charter members had signed on. Eight. That's a small congregation to plant a flag with, but those eight were serious people.

The first ruling elder among them was Colonel Thomas W. Bell, born in 1802 and died in 1876. The Colonel had made quite a journey before he ever set foot in a Troup pew.

He'd come to Texas from Tennessee in 1849, settled in a place called Canton, which goes by Omen now, and there he owned a hotel. At some point he picked up and moved to Troup, became a charter member of the First Presbyterian Church, and by all accounts was instrumental in the early development of the congregation. A man who'd run a hotel knew something about keeping people together under one roof, I suppose.

Services were held in a temporary sanctuary first, but in 1876, the trustees acquired land from the railroad company and moved worship to this very site. A building here served that congregation faithfully until 1908 and into 1909, when a new structure was completed. During all that construction, the congregation didn't miss a Sunday.

They held services in the local Masonic Lodge Hall and kept right on going. For over a century now, the First Presbyterian Church, U. S. of Troup has been active in the development of the community.

Pioneer settlers, early civic leaders, seminary students who went on to become prominent Presbyterian leaders across the denomination. It all started with eight people, a reverend from Tyler, a colonel from Tennessee, and a railroad town that was just finding its footing. Some roots go down deeper than you'd ever guess from the outside.

What the marker says

The Rev. W. W. Brimm of Tyler began conducting Presbyterian worship services in this area in 1873, soon after the town of Troup was platted along a line of the Houston and Great Northern Railroad. Under his direction, this church was organized that same year with eight charter members. The first ruling elder was Colonel Thomas W. Bell (1802-1876), who moved to Texas from Tennessee in 1849. After settling in Canton, now Omen, where he owned a hotel, he moved to Troup. A charter member of the First Presbyterian Church, he was instrumental in the early development of the congregation. Services were moved to this site from a temporary sanctuary in 1876, when trustees acquired the land from the railroad company. A building here served the congregation until 1908-09, when a new structure was completed. During construction of the facility, services were held in the local Masonic Lodge Hall. For over a century the First Presbyterian Church, U. S. of Troup has been active in the development of the community. Many pioneer area settlers and early civic leaders were members here. Part-time pastors have included several seminary students who later became prominent Presbyterian leaders.