Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1896-08-28
HISTORY OF A HILLSBORO
CHURCH.

The history OF Christ Churc
Mission begins with The arrival i
Hillsboro Of DR.. and Mrs. Crew
and family from Florida in June
1879. On their arrival they foun
Just the nucleus of town. In th
early part Of IT Dan Dougan an
David Stitzell, two prospectors
accompanied by a Mexican. disoov
cred gold quartz in the neighbor
hood and concluded to locate a
this spot. Dougan, Scotchman
bailt what is known as "Recl
Cabin" In the shade of gigantic
old juniper trse, which has sine;
succumbed to decay and the wood
mans axe; and Stitzell (who is
stilf resident of Hillsboro,) the
old adobe dwelling now IN the rear
Of the Murphy premises, in which,
blythe. way, the first religious serv-
ices of any kind was held, 1879
BY and by, gold dust was found in
large quantities at the placers and
the fame of the camp spreading
abroad, numerous miners were
attracted hlther.
when, later on, it became neces-
sary to name the camp, the earliest
settlers each and all claimed the
privllege~~of selection. AS a way
out of the difficulty the names
suggested were written on slips of
paper and aheken up in hat 4
selection was then made with the
raslit that the nomination of one
Joe Yanker was successful, Hills
boro 5olng the name of this gentle
mans native town in Ohio. II
would be interesting to know what
other names were in the hat. The
writer knows of but one, Golden |
the nomination OF the aforemen-
toned David Stitzell
Mrs. Creas, a devoted church
woman, who has the distinction of
being the fourth American woman
ia Hillsboro and to whose nntlring
exertion5 in the face of almost
overwhelming difficulties the pres
ent' prosperity OF the Mission is
largely due, began at once in the
Masters service by gathering the
children together on the Lords
Day and instructing them in
truths. In this noble
work she was gallantIy assisted for
some lime by Mrs. McPherson,
Mrs. John Bennett and Mrs. DON
1hoe. In this modest way the
Union Sunday school had its orig
n. L. etill fiourishes, and remain
ID the only Sunday school in the
own until the spring Of 1896,
when chi ildren belonging to Meth,
,dist parents were withdrawn and {
prned into separate school. The
,hildren met at Mrs. Crews own :
esidence at first; then at the Blue /
room" adjoining Mr. McPherson's
,remises, then at the school house Oh q
he hill, and finally at the Union i
Jhurch Much OF the time Mrs. Crews
vas alone ia the work. She aet with [
nany discouragements and difficulties
he majority OF the scholars at this time
gere Mexicans and she found it neces- I,
ary to learn their language in order to A
lstruct them. Not only was this ener |
etic lady for some time The sole teacher,
ut also organist and choir " "
It was in the fall Of this year 1879 n
nat news Of the approach Of band of $.
,negade Apache Indians created con @
d9rasle excitement in the camp. Han n n
ily they did not raid Hillsboro. Never r
lelesa seven miners belonging to the
amp ado went ia pursuit Or them ii
efense OF outlying families, were am
ushed and killed not great distance ~
gay. while several people were mur- :,
cred between Hillsboro and Lake u
alley.
In 1880 a Church clergyman "a Rev
n Green Of Silver City.) made his way CO
10 town afoot and was prevailed upon RI
hol service. He did 80, baptlzing h 4
,ree of Mrs. Crews children. The con- sL
egati-n numbsrei abont 20. On On
thanksgiving Day Of the same year Rev. ca
nos. Harwood, Methodist minister, IS
,nducted religious worship in one If the IA,
looms, which had been placed a. his D,
sposal for the time being Both serv-
o. were we'll appreciated. Il.
Bishop Dunlap visited the camp year
two latsf and held services II the
MON Hotel. On one OF his visits about n.
is time he baptized Gertrude, the -
FAINT daughter Of the Hon Nick and te
he. Gailes. The even, is remembered Sl