The First Presbyterian Church of Bay City was enrolled as a member of the Brazos Presbytery in the fall meeting held at Velasco in September, 1898. The dream of a handful of Presbyterians, who had labored faithfully in bringing Protestant worship to the new city of Bay City, had been realized.

In the year 1894 Bay City began its career as a town. The first dwelling had not been completed in December of that year, and most of the prospective citizens were living in tents. There was no church building, practically no church organization, ad no Sabbath school. In the late summer of 1894 a Sabbath school was organized and A.D. Hensley (a Presbyterian) was superintendent for several years. Another staunch Presbyterian, G.M. Magill was in Bay City as Manager of the Town company. Mr. Hensley and Mr. Magill ascertained that there were approximately seventeen Presbyterians living in Matagorda County at that time.

A.D. Hensley

Actually, the first church building was located on the corner of 8th Street and Avenue E. This was a community building, being used by all denominations rather than any one single denomination.

Mr. Hensley and Mr. Magill took up the matter of organizing a Presbyterian church and applied to the Home Mission Committee, requesting a visit from the Presbyterial Evangelist. The committee was much opposed to the organization because there was no one to supply this field.

During the early part of 1898 the Evangelist, then Rev. E.C. Boaz continued to give one service each month until the Spring meeting of Presbytery in 1899. However, on July 31, 1898, at the conclusion of the morning service, all Presbyterians and others who might be interested in the formation of a Presbyterian church were invited to remain. After a free discussion it was unanimously agreed and resolved to organize a church. A church covenant was drawn up and signed by the following persons: Font Winston, Fannie L. (Robbins) Winston, Carrie (Robbins) Rugeley, Mrs. C.M. Robbins, G.M. Magill, A.D. Hensley, Dr. J.E. Simons, John McCall, and Jessie McCall, nine in all.

During the three years which had elapsed since the first effort to organize, the Methodists and Baptists had built up strong congregations and gained a long lead over the Presbyterians. The individual Presbyterians assisted very materially in the community efforts, and it has been said that during those years “all met and worshpped together in one building and dwelt together as brethern without ever the slightest friction.”

The organization, then, of the Bay City First Presbyterian Church was completed by the election of A.D. Hensley as Ruling Elder and G.M. Magill as deacon. This church was then enrolled at the meeting of Presbytery in Velasco, in September 1898.

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