DUANE
Duane's take
The way the official marker tells it, here's the story of Travis Park United Methodist Church — and it starts with one man and one bell. His name was the Reverend John Wesley DeVilbiss, born in 1818, and he came to Texas as a missionary to the Republic itself. Now, San Antonio in 1844 was no small frontier outpost — it was a city with history, with culture, with its own rhythms.
And into that city rode DeVilbiss, and he preached. The first protestant sermon ever heard in San Antonio. Ever.
You let that sit for a second. Two years later, in June of 1846, he didn't just preach — he organized. Got his congregation together right there in the courthouse.
That's a man who came to stay. But here's the detail that'll stick with you. Before there was a building, before there was a proper church, DeVilbiss bought a vacant lot on Commerce Street.
And he would stand on that lot and ring a bell — calling folks to worship from nothing but open sky and nerve. The villagers had a name for him. They called him the little priest that owns the bell.
Not the reverend, not the minister — the little priest that owns the bell. San Antonio had his number, and they loved him for it. The congregation's first real home came in 1852 — a chapel built on Soledad Street, named for Bishop Paine.
And Paine Chapel didn't just serve the faithful on Sundays. In 1859, the San Antonio Female College opened right there inside it, enriching — as the marker says — the cultural life of the city. That institution later became the University of San Antonio.
And nearly a century on, it would merge with others to form Trinity University, in 1942. One chapel, and the seeds of a university. Not bad for a lot that started with a man and a bell.
Now, the Travis Park edifice itself — that story begins in the pastorate of Dr. W. J.
Young, in 1882. The building committee was no small gathering: S. C.
Bennett, Francis Crider, G. H. Johnston, James T.
Thornton, W. L. Thompson, and William Votaw.
Six names on a committee means six opinions, and what they built was Romanesque Revival architecture — sturdy, serious, the kind of building that says we are not leaving. And they weren't. Additions came in 1901, then 1910, then 1922, then 1941.
Each one shaping and reshaping that Romanesque Revival frame. Then in 1955, a fire. It prompted major remodeling — the building bending once more, as buildings do when fire has the last word.
Inside today, memorial windows tell the congregation's history in light and color. And the pastors who have stood at that pulpit — many noted men among them, five of whom were elected bishops. Five bishops.
From a vacant lot on Commerce Street where a man rang a bell to call anyone who'd listen. The little priest that owns the bell built something that lasted.
What the marker says
Founded by the Rev. John Wesley DeVilbiss (1818-83), missionary to Republic of Texas, who in 1844 preached first protestant sermon ever heard in San Antonio and in June 1846 organized his congregation in the courthouse. Villagers called him"the little priest that owns the bell, "as he rang calls to worship from vacant lot bought for church on Commerce Street and afterward preached there. The earliest methodist building was a chapel erected in 1852 on Soledad Street and named for Bishop Paine. Cultural life of the city was enriched in 1859 when San Antonio female college, later the University of San Antonio, opened in Paine Chapel. This institution was to merge with others nearly a century later to form trinity University (1942). The Travis Park edifice was begun in pastorate of Dr. W.J. Young (1882) with S.C. Bennett, Francis Crider, G. H. Johnston, James T. Thornton, W.L. Thompson, and William Votaw on building committee. Additions (1901,1910,1922,1941) modified the Romanesque Revival architecture. A 1955 fire prompted major remodeling. Memorial windows depict the congregation's history. Pastors have included many noted men, five having been elected bishops.