First Presbyterian Church of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Wise County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1893, the Rock Island Railroad established a line close to Bridgeport on the banks of the West Fork of the Trinity River, and soon the town began to grow. In 1895, the family of J.A. Weakley moved from Decatur to Bridgeport and, as charter members of other Presbyterian churches in the area, decided to start a Presbyterian church in Bridgeport. After meeting in a school for several years, the twelve charter members officially organized on April 1, 1898. In September of 1898, the Bridgeport Town Company sold two lots to the church for $1. The first church building, a dignified Carpenter Gothic structure, was completed at the conclusion of 1898. The church would reside in several buildings over the years: the original 1898 structure, a second structure built in 1960, and a rebuild of the second structure after a fire in 1974. Opportunities for women to organize within the church began almost immediately and included the Women's Auxiliary in 1899 and the Women's Missionary Union in 1901 (later called the Presbyterial Auxiliary of Fort Worth Presbytery). Martha Green Weakley, one of the first leaders of both organizations and a charter member of the church, traveled the area delivering speeches on Christian education and methods of organization. Descendants of the charter members, William Montford and Jane Holden Montford of Ireland, have held continuous membership in the church to this date. In the 1960s, the church began to share services and programs with other denominations in Bridgeport, such as youth, community, and educational activities. For more than a century, the church has been a beacon of light in the community. 175 Years of Texas Independence * 1836-2011
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
After the Rock Island Railroad spurred Bridgeport's growth in 1893, the Weakley family and a handful of others organized a Presbyterian congregation, officially chartering twelve members in 1898 and buying two lots from the town company for a single dollar. A dignified Carpenter Gothic church rose that year. Women organized almost immediately, and charter member Martha Green Weakley traveled the region delivering speeches on Christian education and church organization.
Why it matters
The church shows how women's societies and leadership were often the organizing backbone of frontier congregations, extending their influence well beyond the pew.
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Related people
- · Martha Green Weakley
- · J.A. Weakley
Themes & tags
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