Church of the Holy Comforter
Cleburne, Johnson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
As early as 1860, the Rt. Rev. Alexander Gregg, first bishop of Texas, visited Johnson County. This parish, first in the county, was formed 1871; the Rev. Robert S. Nash was first rector. First church building in Cleburne (NE corner, Henderson and Robinson) was completed by congregation of the Holy Comforter in 1874. Present church, built 1893 during ministry of the Rev. W. W. Patrick, has been in continuous use, and is preserved in original state. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1970
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Johnson County's first Episcopal parish was organized in 1871, not long after the region's first bishop, Alexander Gregg, began visiting in 1860. The congregation of the Holy Comforter completed Cleburne's first church building in 1874, then raised the present sanctuary in 1893, which has served continuously and survives in its original form. It is a rare intact example of a frontier-era Texas parish church.
Why it matters
As the county's founding Episcopal congregation, Holy Comforter marks how organized religion took root in newly settled North-Central Texas and left durable landmarks of community life.
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Related people
- · Alexander Gregg
- · Robert S. Nash
- · W. W. Patrick
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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