| The
history of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Coleman, is a saga of rugged frontier
individualism inextricably bound up with the person and character of one
man - Alexander Charles Garrett, Bishop of Dallas from 1874-1924.
Bishop Garrett’s diary records his first encounter with the “primitive
frontier” of Coleman City on July 25, 1877. His records show missionaries
from Dallas ministering to the church, often meeting in the homes of the
communicants, some of which were: Mrs. Nancy Ledbetter, Mrs. J. F. Boog-Scott,
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Babbington, Billy and Frank Anson, Mr. and Mrs. W. N.
Hawkins, Mr. Gould Busk, the Paddleford family, and Mrs. Clow.
In
1911, the Rev. F. Cecil Seaman began a regular pattern of worship, first
at the Cumbenland Presbyterian Church, then later at the Odd Fellows’ Hall
and a hall above Garrett’s Drug Store. That facility was leased for
a year on the condition that the interior be renovated.
In
December, 1915, a frame chapel, the Church of the Holy Spirit, was constructed
at the corner of Cedar and Neches Streets on land given by a member of
the congregaton, Mrs. Elizabeth Adams Clow. The church house was
remodeled in 1930; and a parish house was built. In 1962, the exterior
was brickstoned and renovation of the parish house completed several years
later by church members under the direction of Wardens Ross L. Jones and
John Dale Lewis. In the late 1940’s, the congregation was renamed
and became St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
Clergy
serving St. Mark’s, Coleman: The Rev. F. Cecil Seaman, 1911-1916; the Rev.
W. T. Allan, 1916-1921; the Rev. Percy W. Jones, 1923-1925; the Rev. F.
A. Parsons, 1925-1926; the Rev. Hall Pierce, 1927-1929; the Rev. Alex B.
Hanson, 1929-1937;The Rev. D. J. Williams, 1945-1947; the Rev. W. S. Walthall,
1950-1952 (also Trinity Church, Albany); the Rev. Frank R. Myers, 1953-1957;
the Rev. William R. McDuffie, 1960-1965 (also Trinity Church, Albany);
the Rev. James P. Haney, 1965-1968. In July, 1973, Bishop Willis
R. Henton appointed the Rev. Stephen R. Weston, Vicar of St.
Mark’s,
Coleman, the Rev. James Porter served as Vicar 1976-1977; the Rev. John
A. Holmes, 1977 to 1982. The
Rev.
Robert Manning Maxwell arrived August 14, 1983. During the interim
the congregation was served by the
Rev.
James L. Considine of Sweetwater, twice each month for Holy Communion and
the Rev. Edward Dentzer, Rector Emeritus of the Episcopal Church of the
Heavenly Rest, Abilene. Earlier interim ministers were the Rev. T.
Robt. Ingram, the Rev. Lee Adams and the Rev. Nicholas Mayer.
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