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City's pioneer congregation. Organized by the Rev. A.M. Dean, who with hymn book and revolver came in 1855 to the riotous six-year-old hamlet on the Trinity. He held services (at present Belknap and Houston streets) in a log house built for post surgeon, 2nd Dragoons, U.S. Army, stationed at fort that gave the city its name. Charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. James K. Allen, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin P. Ayres, Mrs. Francis M. Durrett, Mrs. Alfred D. Johnson, Mrs. Florence Peak, Mr. and Mrs. William A. Sanderson, and Stephen Terry. First regular meeting place, a one-story concrete house at present Belknap and Lamar, was used on weekdays by Col. John Peter Smith (member of congregation) for sessions of the first public school established in Fort Worth. Rev. Mr. Dean, a frontier farmer, was followed as pastor by Dr. B.F. Hall, a dentist, and by Dr. Mansell Mathews, physician and judge of Red River County, and head of a large family grazing cattle in this area. Confederate General R.M Gano of Grapevine after the Civil War preached regularly at this church. In later 1860s came the Rev. Joseph Clark and sons Addison and Randolph, who in 1873 founded Add-Ran College, forerunner of Texas Christian University. First Christian is the oldest church in Fort Worth. (1970) |
