All Saints Episcopal Church
Crockett, Houston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Bishop G.W. Freeman began work of this faith in Crockett, April 19, 1850. All Saints was founded Oct. 1, 1864, by Bishop Alexander Gregg. Special ministry brought many slaves into the parish. A church was built on lot given by A.T. Monroe, nephew of fifth U.S. President, but by 1867, the church building had been lost (possibly in a fire) and local economy was in ruins as result of Civil War. With layreaders and part-time or visiting priests, worship was held in homes for many years. Reactivated in 1947, All Saints built a second church in 1958. (1972)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Episcopal worship reached Crockett in 1850, and All Saints was formally founded in 1864 by Bishop Alexander Gregg during the depths of the Civil War, its special ministry bringing many enslaved people into the parish. By 1867 the church building had been lost—possibly to fire—and the local economy lay in ruins from the war, leaving the faithful to gather in homes with occasional priests for decades. Reactivated in 1947, the congregation built a new church in 1958.
Why it matters
All Saints' struggle to survive the Civil War and Reconstruction—and its ministry among the enslaved—embodies how Southern churches were tested and reshaped by the collapse of the plantation economy.
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Related people
- · Bishop Alexander Gregg
- · Bishop G. W. Freeman
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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