St Thomas Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church was among the first of any religious body to begin work in the city. In 1860, Bishop Picture of the churchTalbot, Then residing in Nebraska City, drove to Falls City with the Rev. Mr. Adams. There was but one plastered room in Falls City. The Bishop and Mr. Adams shared that room with two Judges and a third man who combined in his person the official dignities of " A person learned in the Law" and a Campbellite preacher. Before retiring to rest, service was held by the Bisho...

The Episcopal Church was among the first of any religious body to begin work in the city. In 1860, Bishop Picture of the churchTalbot, Then residing in Nebraska City, drove to Falls City with the Rev. Mr. Adams. There was but one plastered room in Falls City. The Bishop and Mr. Adams shared that room with two Judges and a third man who combined in his person the official dignities of " A person learned in the Law" and a Campbellite preacher. Before retiring to rest, service was held by the Bishop and his attendant Priest, in a building put up to serve as both a schoolhouse and a Church. It was the session of court, yet there was at the service only one person who knew how to read the responses. This was Mr. Ed Thomas, a young lawyer who happened to be attending court, and who now lives in Falls City, and is our oldest communicant. The Parish of St, Thomas', New York, largely aided in the construction of the church. The church proper was built a considerable height above the street, to allow of a parish school house being constructed in the basement. The church was a long time in the building, owing to the lack of materials. Originally intended to be made of brick with a stone foundation, the bricks delivered were found to be of so inferior that they were rejected, and wood was used instead. The wood had to be brought from St. Joseph, Mo. The building was finally completed in 1873, the basement being used in the meantime for services , and loaned to the Presbyterians for theirs also. It was located jjust north of the present church. The mound where the flagpole is now located contains some of the foundation of the original church. The first service in the church was the baptism of Edward Grand Houghton, June 30, 1873, by the Rev. Thomas Betts. The carpenters shavings and sawdust were still strewn on the floor. That baptism was the Rev. Betts last official act, he falling asleep in the Lord at a ripe old age shortly thereafter. He was followed by various Priests, each remaining only a short time, but three of them returning for a second rectorate. Strangely enough the church was never consecrated , even though it was debt free. The Congregation wished it to remain un-consecrated. The first marriage in the church was solemnized by Bishop Clarkson on May 19th 1876 when J. P. whitmore and Hetty Schoenheit were united in wedlock. In 1893, Richardson County had a population of 3000. St. Thomas Parrish had 36 communicants and property worth $2000.