Coke County, Texas

HAYRICK METHODIST CHURCH

From Historical & Progress Edition of the Bronte Enterprise (75th Anniversary of Coke Co.) Sept. 3, 1964 Found in the Vertical Files of the West Texas Collection - Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX. Permission has been granted by The Observer/Enterprise to copy articles for the internet. Early in 1885, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Robbins moved to what at that time was known as Tom Green County and setled near the Hayrick Mountain. In a short time a small settlement was started at the foot of this mountain. The community took its name from the mountain and became the first county seat of Coke county in 1989. In the meantime, in 1886, Mr. Robbins and a few others who were Methodists came together in the home of Charley Roe and organized a Sunday School. Mr. Robbins was the first superintendant. It is believed to be the first Sunday School in Coke County. In 1887, Rev. J. P. Hulse, a Methodist circuit rider, was sent to the old Fort Chadbourne mission, Abilene District, Old Northwest Texas Conference. He soon found the Methodist people in the Hayrick settlement and organized a church the same year. Mr. Robbins and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charley Roe and a few others were the charter members. Robbins, the last of these pioneers to pass away, died in 1934. After the organization of the county in 1889, the Sunday school and church met in the upstairs room of the first Coke County courthouse in Hayrick. Hayrick was put on the Robert Lee charge, after it was established in 1891, when the county seat was moved to Robert lee. This was the oldest church in this part of the country. It was later transferred to the Bronte charge. It was put in the West Texas Conference in 1934, with Bronte, out of the Central Texas Conference. Later, both were made members of the South West Texas Conference. The Hayrick church continued for many year, meeting in the school house, until May, 1959 when it consolidated with First Methodist Church in Bronte. Many of its early members still attend church services here. (1 in 1964)