St. Stephen's Baptist Church
Clarendon, Donley County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Following the relocation of Clarendon along the railroad in 1887, the African American population began to grow. By the 1890s, African Americans were searching for their own place of worship in the growing community. For a time, they gathered in private homes or met under a shade tree to read bible verses. While riding the combination train into Clarendon, a young African American cowboy, Matthew “Bones” Hooks (1867-1951), met Reverend Sid Stephens and persuaded him to help organize a church for the African American population. A location was found in an empty shelter in 1897 and Rev. Stephens gave the new church his name and stayed on as pastor. Bones Hooks also remained in Clarendon and helped build St. Stephens before he married and moved to Amarillo. Pastors included Rev. Stephens, Rev. L.G. Farley and Rev. A.G. Monagram. In May 1918, the church building was destroyed by a massive flood. However, under the leadership of Rev. Pickford, the congregation found a new location and in spite of declining membership, the church remained strong. In 1930, Rev. J.J. Hayden organized the first choir who sang at church services and performed for the public on special occasions. In the 1940s, a building was moved from Lelia Lake to Clarendon to be used by St. Stephens. During the next thirty years, the congregation held many fundraisers to support the church and celebrate its heritage. The old schoolhouse was purchased for the pastor’s home and a baptistery was added to the church. As the first African American church in the panhandle, St. Stephens Baptist Church has survived for more than a century due to the determination of the congregation and community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
As Clarendon shifted to meet the railroad in the late 1880s, its growing African American community sought a church of its own, worshipping in homes and under shade trees until a young cowboy, Matthew "Bones" Hooks, helped bring a preacher to town. Founded in 1897 and named for that minister, Rev. Sid Stephens, the church survived a devastating 1918 flood, relocations, and lean years to remain a cornerstone of Black life in the Texas Panhandle.
Why it matters
As the first African American church in the Panhandle, St. Stephen's testifies to the faith and determination that built Black community institutions across the segregated West.
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Related people
- · Matthew "Bones" Hooks
- · Sid Stephens
Themes & tags
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