PRESBYTERIAN--The first church organized in the city was the Presbyterian, May 11, 1857. Rev. F. N. Ewing presided at the organization. Rev. W. T. Adams, S. L. Kerr and wife, Silas W. Ogden and wife, John R. Gaston and wife and John R. Bigham were charter members. Mr. Ogden was first ruling elder, but Dr. Kerr succeeded him the next year. No house of worship was erected until 1864, when the present house was built at a cost of $3200. It was dedicated in December, and W. T. Adams was the first pastor. Rev. W. W. Harsha, D. D., assisted in the dedication. Among those who have since ministered to the congregation are Revs. J. H. Burns, R. Conover, Wm. Reed, Rabi, Samuel Wilson, S. B. Taggart, J. M. Baugh, J. W. Harsha, Geo. B. Black. Mr. Black served from '77 until '79 and was followed in '80 by H. S. Beavis. In '84 J. F. Hopkins was in charge and in June, '87, A. J. Herries was installed pastor. He served the congregation until '90. In the spring of '91 the present pastor, Rev. W. V. Jeffries was installed.
During the summer of 1887 steps were taken to secure a parsonage and in a short time arrangements were made and the property next to the church, owned by Mr. C. Clark, was bought for $900. This served as a home for the various pastors until the past year, when it was sold and a handsome and much larger manse erected, two blocks east on Church street, at a cost of $2500. The church has been repaired and brightened interiorly within the past few years and it is lighted with electricity.
ST. PAUL'S GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH--The first efforts toward public service by Lutherans was made in the early '60s. Ph. Pfleuger, Sr., the father of Philip and Adam, effected the first gatherings and induced the first pastors of the church to come here from Bloomington and other places. The first services were held in a public school house in or near Kappa. After that they met in West side school, Crawford's and Strathman's hall, El Paso. In '63 efforts were made to erect a German schoolhouse. It became a church. On May 8, '63, a congregation was organized with above name by some
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