Amarillo Sunday News-Globe (Amarillo, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 33, Ed. 1 Sunday, August 14, 1938 Page: 100 of 264
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PAGE TWELVE—SECTXOW C
AMARILLO SUNDAY NEWS AND GLOBE, AMARILLO, TEXAS.
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY EDITION, HI3B.
Polk Street Methodist
By HERBERT and CAROLYN
TIMMON8
In the spring of 1888, a Methodist
circuit rider, Rev. Isaac L. Mills,
riding the Childress circuit which
covered 32 counties came to Ama-
rillo and preached in the home of
Judge W. B. Plemons. Eight per-
sons attended this service. Rev.
Mills promised to return and bring
with him the presiding elder of the
Weatherford district, of which Ama-
rillo was a part, to organize a
church.
The annual conference of the
Methodist Church formed the Ver-
non district at their session in the
fall of 1888, placing the Texas Pan-
handle in the new district. Rev.
Jerome Haralson was made pre-
siding elder.
On Nov. 23, 1888, Rev. Haralson
and Rev. Mills, then assigned to
the Clarendon Mission came to
Amarillo and the Methodist Church
was organized in a board house lo-
cated where the state highway of-
fice building now stands. This
building was used as courthouse
and public meeting place.
Charter members of the infant
church were A. J. Breeding and
wife, Louis Breeding, Mrs. William
Breeding, David Akin and wife, J.
H. Wills and G. A. F. Parker.
H. B. Sanborn immediately offered
the new church the choice of any
lots needed for a building. The
half block at 701 Jackson, strategic-
ally situated between the old and
the new towns, was selected. Plans
were made for the construction of
a union church, with G. A. F. Park-
er as chairman of the building com-
mittee, and J. M. Russell, a mem-
ber of the Christian Church carry-
ing a subscription list. The build-
ing erected was used by each de-
nomination, but the Methodists, as
the only organized body, held title.
was on with Felix Franklin heading
the bulldinr; committee. The fall of
1907 saw the Northwest Texas
Conference of' Methodist Churches
holding their annual session in the
new brick church, the finest In
Northwest Texas. Many of the
preachers came almost 500 miles
to attend this conference.
Reverend Ferguson began holding
services in north and east Amarillo
soon after he came to the city and
organized Methodist congregations
in these sectioas. The necessity
then arose for definite names for
the organizations. It was decided
that street names should be used
for all Methodist churches of Ama-
rillo. hence the name Polk Street
Methodist Church.
First services in the new church,
known as Parker's Chapel, were
held in July, 1889, by Rev. Isaac
Mills, still pastor of me Clarendon
Mission.
The annual conference of 1889
created the Amarillo circuit, which
included Amarillo, Canyon, Pan-
handle and Washburn. Rev. B. F.
Jackson wxs appointed pastor. He
made his home in Amarillo.
When plans for the erection «!
the church building were first con-
sidered, Mr. Parker made applica-
tion to the Methodist Board of
Church Extension for help. The
application was refused, with the
explanation that there were so many
demands from populous places it
was thought to be unwise to donate
money for church buildings in a
country where there were no people. !
Mr. Parker wrote to his mother,
and told her of his great disap-
pointment. Now, Mrs. Parker was-
a niece of Bishop Hendricks of the :
Methodist Church. She wrote to !
her uncle, the bishop, and asked I
him to help. Bishop Hendricks re-
opened the hearing before the boa id
and secured a gift of $500 for the
Amarillo Church. This lifted all
indebtedness against the building 1
and a parsonage for the bride of
Rev. Jackson was erected in 1890.
Amarillo was made a full-time j
station in 1891, and Rev. J. G.
'Jakei Miller was appointed pas-
tor. serving two years. During the
pastorate of Rev. Miller, Abe Mulkey
held his first revival meeting in
Amarillo.
Rev. J. W. Gibson was the next
pas-tor, but he was a sick man.
Early in this year, Rev. J. B. Cul-
pepper i father of the well-known
evangelist. Burke Culpepper) came
to Amarillo to hold a revival. At
the close of the meeting a free will
offering was taken for Reverend
Culpepper, who turned and handed
the money to Reverend Gibson, j
telling him to use the money for
the needed trip for his health. This I
touched Amarillo people, who I
showered Reverend Gsbson with ;
money until there was sufficient
for his needs.
The young Vanderbilt. student,
J. Sam Barcus, filled out the un-
expired year for Reverend Gibson. ;
Rev. John R„ Henson. known
over the Plains country as the fight-
ing prohibition leader, was pastor
during 1894-9i-96 An addition
was built to the church in prep-
aration for the second Abe Mulkey 1
revival.
The Epworth League, young peo-
ple's organization, was formed in !
Amarillo in 1906 with E E. Adams
as first president.
Rev. M. R. T. Davis was the next
pastor, sent here in the hope that i
ihe ciimate would benefit his j
health. He was too sick to serve
long, and his year wa.s finished by
a college student, C. W. Dennis.
Rev. C. S. McCarver followed. He
•etflblished regular preaching points
for Sunday afternoon at Hill's
Grove and other country places
near the town.
Rev. J. A. Whitehurst was pas-
tor from 1899 to 1902. He saw that
a new building was necessary, so,
owning the two lots at 800 and 802
Polk Street, he donated the inside
lot to the church and sxjld the
corner lot for $100. This sum was
given by Reverend Whitehurst to
start a building fund. W. J. Beck
was contractor for the structure,
which was known a.s the White
Church and is now being used by
the Nazarene congregation at 1309
Lincoln Street.
B. S. Dodson, now a teacher of
theology at Mc-Murry College In
Abilene, followed as pastor, re-
maining two years. During his pas-
torate a parsonage was built at 905
Taylor Street.
Rev. C. N. N. Ferguson, the next
pastor, saw the need for a larger
church building and purchased the
corner lot, 800 Polk Street, in his
own name. He then announced tha'
Amarillo must build a large br,'k
church to care for the needs of the
(rrowing town. Reverend Ferguson
donated the corner lot to the con-
gregation and the building drive
REV. ISAAC L. MILLS, circuit rider
Before Reverend Ferguson fin-
ished his four years' pastorate in
Amarillo all indebtedness on the
Polk Street Church wa.s cleared
and the building was dedicated by
Bishop Joseph S. Key.
Rev. O. F. Sensabaugh was pas-
tor In 1909-10, and the Methodist
parsonage at 804 Polk Street was
erected.
Rev. E. E. Robinson followed. He
early announced as .his aim that
all indebtedness against any church
property be raised. This was soon
accomplished, and theia Rev. Rob-
inson began building up the church
work in the east and north sections
of Amarillo. On Sunday, Nov. 23,
1913, Polk Street Church observed
its silver jubilee. Rev. Isaac L.
Mills was honor guest, preaching
to an overflow congregation. J. H
Wills and G. A. Parker, charter
members, were also present. Rev-
erend Mills was given a bag of
silver as a token of esteem from
Polk Street Methodist Church
members.
Rev. New Harris served as pastor
for the next two years, and a large
two-story building situated south
of the church property, which was
purchased by the church during the
pastorate of Rev. Robinson, was
remodeled for use as an educational
building. It was known as Epworth
Hall.
Rev. J. F. Carpenter filled the
pastorate during two year* of the
World War and was a leader in
Red Cross and other war work.
Rev. Sam R. Hay. now Bishop Hay,
wa.s pastor the following year, and
served the congregation well through
the strain of war terrific sub-zero
weather and devastating flu.
Rev. Henry F. Brooks came next.
A temporary annex was constructed
between the parsonage and the
church building to care for the
growing Sunday school. In 1920
Rev, Burke Culpepper held a three-
weeks' revival in a large tabernacle
erected by the Polk Street congrega-
tion where the Fisk Building now
stands. In 1921 the annual confer-
ence was again entertained by the
Polk Street church.
Rev. Stanley W. Hayne, leader In
all civic and political moves for
righteousness, was pastor in 1921-25.
Rev. Ira T. Huckabee was employed
as assistant pastor In 1922 and Miss
Llewellyn Deason became the first
church secretary. Gaston Foote
came to Polk Street as assistant
pastor in 1924. While Dr. Hayne
was pastor, the quarter block at 1300
Polk Street was purchased as a
future church site.
* * •
Rev. Lewis N. St,uckey came to
Polk Street church as pastor In
1925, and Caradine R. Hooten, a
successful young lawyer who had
decided to enter the ministry, be-
came assistant pastor, director of
finance and of music. Mrs. J. R.
Rich wa.s employed as church sec-
retary, to be succeeded later by Mrs.
Buford Harris.
The oil boom was at its height in
Amarillo at this time and it was
apparent «that the Polk Street con-
gregation should have a larger
church building. Since no more
ground could be purchased on the
1300 block on Polk Street, the quar-
ter block owned there was traded
in on the purchase price of the half
block at 1400 Polk Street. A half
million dollar church and parsonage
were erected. The building commit-
tee was composed of E. C. Lamb
and W. W. Lynch, a.s co-chairmen.
W. H. Blackburn. George M. Wad-
dill. C. J. (Jeff) Blackburn and S, D.
Vaughan, chairman of the board of
stewards.
Formal opening services were held
In the new church auditorium on
February 26. 1928. with Bishop John
M. Moore preaching.
C. R. Hooten entered the active
ministry in 1928, and Rev. Joe
Strother came to Polk Street as as-
sistant pastor and organist.
Rev. J. A. Bays was the next pas-
tor. He remained for only one
year, because of the ill health of
his wife. It was during his pastorate
that the Woman's Missionary Coun-
cil held to session in the Polk Street
church with delegates, missionaries
and fraternal messengers from all
parts of the world taking part in
| the services. At eight o'clock on
| the evening of March 18, 1930. a
| processional led by returned mis-
| sionaries and home workers who
had given their life's services to the
j work of the church, marched to the
altar of Polk Street church, where
21 young women, who had completed
i the training, were consecrated as
j missionaries and deaconesses.
Rev. Ira F. Key came as the next
| pastor, remaining for tv years,
| and was host-pastor for the annual
session of the Northwest Texas
j Methodist Conference, which was
entertained for the third time by
Amarillo.
Rev. fJ. T. McClure followed Rev.
Key as pastor, and through the
worst, years of the r>- n he
handled the church affairs in such
a manner that financial obligations
were met on time.
Rev. C. C. Grimes is now in the
fourth year of his ministry at Polk
Street. Under his able preaching
and guidance the church has shown
steady growth. An assistant pas-
tor Is to be employed by the Polk
Street Church for the new confer-
ence year.
In 1935 David McPherson was em-
ployed as financial secretary and
choir director, remaining until mid-
year of 1937. Mr. J. N. Whitehurst
assumed the direction of the Polk
Street Church choir, working until
he was transferred from the city.
Paul Ellis is now u?ad of the
choir. It is to be regretted that
there are no records of the early
Sunday school work in Polk Street
Church. It is recalled that a Mrs.
Rankin and. Dr. Irvin Rlnehart,
probably Amarlllo's first dentist,
were early superintendents of the
church school. Another who served
was S. Lightburne, at one time
DAVID AKIN, charter member
mayor of Amarillo. M. S. Park and
J. T. Parks were also early heads
of the organization.
• • •
In 1901 Tom Turner, beloved of
all Methodism throughout the
United Statas, returned to Ama-
rillo and was appointed superin-
tendent of tlje Sunday school. Un-
der his guidance the school was re-
organized and classified.
C. C. Chenoweth, now a promi-
nent business man of Abilene, serv-
ed next, working faithfully until
business took him away from the
city.
Judge F. P. Works was the next
superintendent, continuing until
1927, when he resigned to become
teacher of the Browning class.
George M. Waddill succeeded
Judge Works and is the present
head of the school. Enrollment is
now 1,700, with 150 teachers and
officers caring for the different de-
partments.
The Woman's Missionary Society
wa.s organized while Rev. Gibson
was pastor. The organization meet-
ing was held in a back room of the
office of Dr. J. W. Cartwright. Mrs.
Annie McGowan was first president
of the Missionary Society, and Mrs.
J. W. Cartwright -first vice presi-
dent.
When Rev. Whitehurst was pas-
tor the Woman's Foreign Mission-
ary Society was organized, with
Mrs. Otis Trulove as president.
In conformity to the plan of the
! General Conference, in 1924 the
j two societies were united.
Prior to this time, under the pas-
torate of Rev. C. N. N. Ferguson,
the Young Woman's Home Mis-
sionary Society - -s formed, with
| Mrs. Castlefcerry as prp"'-'"nt. This
organization took the name Belle
Bennett Missionary Bociety when
the home «nd foreign groups were
combined.
These two societies worked in
unity for 15 years, but in January,
1927, the two groups decided, be-
cause of difficulties arising through
duplication of work, making full
credit to either group Impossible
with the general board, that It
would be best to unite.
Presidents of the society follow:
Mrs. Annie McGowan. Miss Light-
burn, Mrs. M. S. Park, Mrs. Felix
Franklin, Mrs. J. W. Veale, Mrs.
N. H. Tudor, Mrs. Louis Anthony,
Mrs. H. H. Cooper, Mrs. Taylor,
Mrs. Tom Miller, Mrs. O. P. Kiker,
Mrs. D. W. Owen, Mrs. H. M.
Bainer, Mrs. E. E. Adams, Mrs. A.
M. Cornelius, Mrs. Otis Trulove,
Mrs. O. K. Gilvin, Mrs. F. P. Works,
Mrs. J. W. Burks, Mrs. W. T. Leach-
man, Mrs. W. R. Armstrong, Mrs.
A. M. Hughes. Mrs. Jerry Ratliff
is now president.
The Woman's Missionary Society
is highly honored in having two
conference members chosen from
her membership. Mrs. E. E, Adams,
who has been a conference officer
for 23 years, is now confcrence
superintendent, of publicity, litera-
ture and world outlook. Mrs. J. M.
Simpson is conference treasurer.
Fifteen women served faithfully
a.s president of Belle Bennett Mis-
sionary Society through the years.
Mesdames Castleberry, J. L. Scott,
Anding, Esther Schriber, C. C.
Chenowith, J. N. Beasley, Will
Dawson, T. B. Jones, R. S. Killough.
D. R. Simpson, Joe Smith, G. C.
Davis, M. W. Lemons, W. A. Combs
and G. M. Waddill.
The board of stewards of Polk
Street Methodist Church has 71
members. E. H. Quattlebaum Is
chairman of the board. C. W. Furr
is vice-chairman. H. J. Farwell is
secretary. Dave Park is treasurer,
and R. C. Martina is chairman of
the finance committee.
Polk Street Methodist Church
will observe its fiftieth anniversary
in November of this year. Already
plans are made for a jubilee and
homecoming celebration, with for-
mer pastors and old members as
honor guests. It is the plan at this
time to have Bishop Sam R. Hay,
a former pastor, as guest preacher
for the morning hour at this serv-
ice.
Among the presiding elders that
have served in Amarillo are O. P.
Kiker, 1910, 1911, 1912; J. T. Hicks,
1913; E. E. Robinson, 1914, 1915;
C. N. N. Ferguson, 1916, 1917; J. W.
Story, 1.918, 1919, 1920. 1921; George
W. Shearer. 1922, 1923; W. M Lane,
1924, 1925; W. M. Pierce, 1926, 1927,
1928, 1929; L. N. Lipscomb, 1930,
1931, 1932, 1933; and J. O. Haymcs,
1934, 1935, 1936, 1937.
KILLED IN DUEL
Walter Dyer; "On that first trip
j my sister made to Palo Duro, Good-
j night and our brother. Granger
j Dyer, came down together. I met
them beyond Tascosa, on a hill,
j Granger was killed afterwards in
a duel at Mobeetie with a man narn-
j Pu McCabe. Granger was an officer
j in the war when I was a child. I
went to him when he was hurt. He
was in a Government Hospital at
[ Fort Elliott. He, Leigh and Alhert
I are buried at Goodnight, and Sam
j in Missouri."
THE FOX WAS HONORED
In 1922 the Fox Drug Company
originated in Clovis, N. M., later
opehing in Amarillo and now oper-
ating eight drug stores.
George Sasser was operating the
Clovis store. John Smlthee, who
had been connected with the
Thompson Wholesale Drug Com-
pany of Amarillo and who was the
first city salesman employed by that
firm, purchased ail interest in the
Clovis Drug.
With the purchase, the name of
Fox Drug was originated. At that
time there were a Clovis Laundry,
Clovis Machine Shop and several
other businesses using the name
Clovis.
Because it was short and easy to
remember the name Fox was se-
lected by Mr. Sasser and Mr
Smithee, who reasoned the picture of
a fox in their advertising also
would have an appeal to children in
addition to being remembered easily
by older people.
Fox Drug Company, having the
best location in Clovis, prospered
from the start.
In 1925 the Duke Drug Store at
Seventh and Polk Street was pur-
Calculatiir
Way back before the turn of the
century, before automatic calculat-
ing machines were invented, there
were three very popular ways of ad-
ding figures; (1) with paper and
pencil; <2) in the head; (3) on the
fingers.
Then a young man named Monroe
invented an automatic calculating
machine, patented it. and placed it
on the market in 1913. It was years
later, in 1923, before the first office
of the Monroe Calculating Machine
Company was established in Ama-
rillo.
The Amarillo office, which is lo-
cated in the Fisk Building, serves
as district headquarters for the en-
tire Panhandle area and is one unit
of a world-wide organization which
has more than 200 offices in the
United States and many in foreign
countries.
"Amarillo was first selected a.s
our district office because of its
central location," states J. L. Den-
nis, present district manager for the
Monroe Calculating Machine Com-
pany, Inc. Mr. Dennis has been
| here five years.
"We are so completely equipped
j now that right here in Amarillo we
■ could build an entire calculating
j machine without ordering a single
; part," Mr. Dennis declares.
The Monroe Company expects to
; anounce a new machine which. Mr.
| Dennis believes, will revolutionize
office systems.
TEACH 'EM TO DRINK
Walter Dyer: "The finest time
I ever had was when I drove sheep
from Arizona to Tule. I had sold
j out to Bugbee and got this job at ten
| dollars a month. We had t,o teach
the sheep how to drink; they had
been on the desert so long they
| didn't know how. Cattle .are dif-
i ferent; they go crazy when they
j don't have any water. Can't do any-
' thing with 'em."
chased by the Fox Drug Company,
and John Smithee came to Amarillo
to take charge of the store, which
back in 1918 was Just about his
southernmost call as a city sales-
man for Thompson Wholesale Drug.
In 1927 the three Johnson Drug
stores—Fourth and Pierce, Tenth
and Tyler and North Fillmore were
purchased by Pox Drug Company.
Mr. Smithee having disposed of his
interest in the Clovis store and
forming a partnership with W. R.
Wilson, H. P. Witherspoon and Mark
Cullen.
A decade ago two more stores
one at Tenth and Pierce and the
other in San Jacinto—were pur-
chased, and in 1929 a new store was
installed in the Santa Fe Building
to replace the original No. 1 store
at Seventh and Polk. The Oliver-
Eakle Building store also was In-
stalled in 1929. The No. 7 store
at 3522 Line Avenue was Installed in
1931 and Store No. 9 was establish-
ed last year at 2121 Washington.
* * ♦
Fox Drug Company was the first
in Amarillo to establish toiletries de-
partments with salesladies in charge
and among the first to establish
food departments in connection with
soda fountains.
In addition to maintaining a ware-
house, Fox Drug Company has a
central buying unit and handles
merchandise from every section of
the North American continent —
grape juice from Kennewick, Wash.,
chocolate syrup from Hershey, Pa .
limes from Old Mexico and camera
supplies from Binghampton, N. Y.,
for instance.
The eight stores now operated by
Fox Drug Company are No. 2 ak
Fourth and PWrce, No. 3 in the OIlv-
cr-Eakle Building, No. 5 at SlxteentU
and Polk, No. 7 at 3522 Line Ave-
nue and No. 8 at Seventh and Polk,
all owned by John Smithee, No.
4 at Tenth and Tyler and No. 8 at
Tenth and Pierce, both owned by
W. R. Wilson and No. 9 at 2121
Washington, owned by John Smithes
and Cecile Dawson.
When John Smithee stepped off
the train at Amarillo in November
of 1918 to accept a job as salesman
for the old Thompson wholesale
drug, there was a deep snow on the
ground.
"And snow stayed on the ground
until the next February," he recall-
ed- , 1 u.
At that time there were only right
drug stores in Amarillo. They were
all down town and the store owned
by Mr. Golding at Seventh and Polk
was on the outer edge of the busi-
ness district. The city salesman had
two other calls beyond that- Har-
rington's grocery and Baker's Bean-
ery.
After working the cltv trade, Mr.
Smithee wa.s transferred to outside
j territory, first working in the Lub-
bock district and later in New Mcxl-
co.
"I never came back to the home
office without noticing how Amarillo
was growing," said Mr. Smithee.
-I wanted to go into the retail busi-
j ness and decided the three best
towns in which to locate were Ama-
rillo, Lubbock and Clovis. These
three towns have been outstanding
trade centers since 1918."
For the last 10 years Fox Drug
Company ha.s employed from 50 to
j 75 people and is one of the leaders
in drug store merchandise sales in
I Amarillo.
AT fhis time we wish to pay tribute to
the hardy pioneer who laid the
foundation for the present industrial and
social advancements we now enjoy.
Klock Construction
Company
George W. Klock, Mgr.
Amarillo, Texas
Street and Road Construction
Excavating and Building Materials
18 YEARS
IN AMARILLO
DENDYS
SCHOOL OF
BEAUTY CULTURE
321-323 East Fourth St.
BUILDING
PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
IN THE PANHANDLE-PLAINS
For 32 Years
w. FRANK LITLE
C. A. JAMES
W. Frank Li
Construction Company
AMARILLO
1013 WEST 14TH
PHONE 6668
Protecting The Public
Against Fire And Burglary
For over ten years the Beasley Alarm System has served th«
Business Men of Amarillo with the most modern fire and burglary
protection system anywhere existent in the United States. The
Beasley equipment has gained National attention.
mSVi
mm
CENTRAL OFFICE EOUIPMENT OF BEASLEY ALARM SYSTEM
• Specially Built Equipment . . . Dust Proof
• Only Silent System in Existence
® Largest Hook-Up of Any City of Like Size in the U. S.
® Up-to-Date With Every Modern Improvement
® Electric Eye or Wire Control as Desired
Where most other protection concerns demand the subscriber
pay the costs of all wiring, hook-up, etc., the Beasley Alarm
System makes all the necessary installations free of charge and
merely charges a comparatively small monthly fee for service.
Beasley Alarm System
W. B. BEASLEY
AMARILLO BLDG.
AMARILLO, TEXAS
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Amarillo Sunday News-Globe (Amarillo, Tex.), Vol. 13, No. 33, Ed. 1 Sunday, August 14, 1938, newspaper, August 14, 1938; Amarillo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth299921/m1/100/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hutchinson County Library, Borger Branch.