This last year (1935) Miss Bertie Taylor turned over to the church for safe keeping a copy of the “First Directory of the Jefferson Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Jefferson Station, Marshall District, East Texas Conference.” This directory was compiled in 1896 by the following Directory Committee:
L. S. Schluter. R. B. Walker. W. C. Hill. W. P. Schluter. John Grant. D. M. Smith. O. P. Thomas, Presiding Elder. G. V. Ridley, Pastor.
It contains a letter to the membership from the pastor, lists of former pastors, presiding elders, bishops, lists of the Official Boards, ushers, assessments, order of church worship and roll of the membership.
It is impossible to include all the many gifts to a church from every faithful and unselfish member and friend of the church. Gifts of service are continuous and do not stand out as these single ones.
The Organ
In the basement of the Methodist Church is the Sunday School Organ given in memory of little F. A. Schluter, only child of Mr. W. P. and Mrs. A. L. Schluter. F. A. died at Hughes Springs on August 21, 1892 at the age of 8 years. By adding to the savings their son had kept over a period of time, Mr. and Mrs. Schluter bought the organ to be used in the basement for Sunday School. The gift was most probably made in 1892 or 1893. Several Jeffersonians say that the gift was made shortly after the child’s death.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH OF JEFFERSON, TEXAS
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
In April 1866 James M. Murphy and Allen Urquhart of Jefferson, Texas, donated, for the purpose of building a Catholic Church and school, to Bishop Claudius M. Dubuis, Catholic Bishop, of Galveston, Texas, lots 10-11-12 in block 29, Urquhart division, said lots fronting 50 feet on Polk street and 150 on LaFayette street. These lots are where Sedberry’s store now stands.
The contract for building the church was given, by Rev. J. M. Giraud, a Catholic priest, to Mr. Benard Whitkorn of Nacogdoches, Texas. He was assisted by George Whitkorn and Tony Hillenkamp and the building was completed in 1869.
In 1870 William H. Ward deeded lots 10-11-12, block 28 on LaFayette and Vale streets to Rev. J. M. Giraud and the church was moved to this location, where it now stands.