History of First Presbyterian Church
First
Presbyterian Church was organized in the home of Wilson Vance on December 21, 1830.
The Reverend Peter Montford was its first pastor. During the first years of the
church, services were held with much regularity in private residences. The first
church building, a plain frame structure, was located on East Crawford Street, and was
built between the years of 1835-1841.
By 1856, the congregation had grown to the point that a
new building was needed. It was erected on the corner of Main and Hardin Streets.
This building served the congregation until 1899, at which time continued growth
necessitated a new, larger building.
In 1901, a new church was dedicated on the corner of
Main and Lincoln Streets. This building was destroyed by fire in 1951, and our
current church building was completed in 1955. Memorial Chapel was added in 1980,
and a handicapped accessible entrance and elevator were added in September of 1993.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH PASTORS
*Pastor Emeritus
| Peter Montford |
1830-1833 |
|
Joseph M. Broady |
1943-1946 |
| Thomas Clark |
1833-1834 |
|
Russell G. Bisnett |
1949-1953 |
| Peter Montford |
1834-1835 |
|
Ernest Noe Bigelow |
1953-1968 |
| George Van Eman |
1835-1841 |
|
Donald E. Howitz (Associate) |
1955-1958 |
| Simon Peck |
1841-1842 |
|
Frederick Allen (Associate) |
1959-1966 |
| R. H. Holliday |
1842-1854 |
|
Terry G. Bard* |
1968-1998 |
| John A. Meeks |
1855-1865 |
|
Dean M. Carzoo* (Associate) |
1969-1999 |
| J. M. Cross |
1865-1869 |
|
Helen Webb (Associate) |
1977-1978 |
| A. B. Fields |
1869-1872 |
|
Margaret (Peggy) Wood (Associate) |
1979-1988 |
| Eban Muse |
1872-1875 |
|
Michelle Stecker (Associate) |
1989-1996 |
| R. R. Sutherland |
1876-1881 |
|
Harris H Schultz (Interim) |
1999-2001 |
| John C. Watt |
1881-1885 |
|
William Barnard (Interim Associate) |
2000-2002 |
| Joshua R. Mitchell |
1885-1898 |
|
John W. Wurster |
2001-2007 |
| John Montgomery |
1899-1906 |
|
Donna Giver Johnston (Associate) |
2002-2008 |
| Lester S. Boyce |
1907-1911 |
|
Thomas Oxtoby (interim) |
2007 |
| W. F. Dickens-Lewis |
1911-1917 |
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| W. Frank Reber |
1917-1923 |
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| John David Lindsay |
1924-1939 |
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| Charles W. Muir |
1939-1948 |
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