The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-09-25
Early Difficulties Are Overcome
By The First Presbyterian Church

eCAys
Thirty charter members were re-
ceived among whom only Mr.. and
Mrs. A. c. Elgin of Key West re-
main presently members.
A Sabbath School was organized
with 1t. J. S. Dusenbury, as super
intendent. Early meetings of the
congregation were held in the Key
West City Hall.
Early Difficulties
The Church had difficulty in Sc
curing a regular minister after its
organization and the records show
that the first regular minister Rev.
erend H. H. Newman, was not call
ed until March 1912. /.
At this time several additional
members were received, among
them the Donald H. Chapman fam
lily whose name appears in the re-
cords until 1924 as Sunday School
Superintendent.
The first minister resigned just
four months after coming. He was
followed two years later by Tex
an, Rev. John MacWi.liams, who
stayed nine months.
Meeting Places
During the early years the con-
gregation met in various places a.
round town - the City Hail.. the
Harris School, at the homes Of
members of the congregation.
In 1915 the Rev. S. w. Rogers
was called as minister. He stayed
for one year. From 1917 to 1923
no record appears.
In October 1928 the congregation
was again called together with q
Rev. P. w. Sinks, as Stated Sup
ply.
At this time the name of A. R.
Miller appears on the records as
having been received from the
First Presbyterian Church of Jack
sonvil.e.
Mrs. Andrew Miller is still an ac-
tive member of the Church. Dur
ing this time the Church services
were. held in the Monroe High
School,
First Church Building
Under the leadership of Mr.. A.
c. Elgin and Mr.. Miller plans were
made to build a Church at the cor
ner of South and Walton st.
This building is now the Church
Manse.
From 1924 until 1880 the congre.
CATION met in the building at South
and Walton. A number of minis
tiers served the Church from 1924
to 1927 when the Rev. DeBarritt
came. DR.. DeBarritt is remember
ed by several Church members.
After a, ministry of three years
DR.. DeBarritt left the First Pres
byterian Church to become minis
ter of the newly organized Trinity
Colored Presbyterian Church on
Simonton St.
Present Church Built
In 1881 DR.. J. c. Gekeler was
called to become the minister. Dur
ing his pastorate the present
Church structure at the corner Of
White and Washington Streets was
built.
Again the new Church was built
thru the efforts of the small con-
gregation and considerable help
from the Home Missions Commit
tee.
In 1885 the disastrous hurricane
hit the Keys. The backbone of the
Church was composed of those con-
nected with the P and o Steamship
Co. and the result of the hurricane
was that these families were fore
Cd to move from. Key West.
Evangelist Minister
After the hurricane the Church
membership declined until it was
left without any officers and the
Presbytery saw fit to give the min
lister the powers of an evangelist,
allowing him to act without a Ses-
sion.
The longest tenure, of any mix
lister to serve the Key West Church,
has been that of DR.. Gekeler, who
was minister just under ten years
DR.. Gekeler died in 1871.
other Ministers
Rev. M. G. Lyerly came to Kew
West in 1914 and remained until
1913. In January 1943 Mr.. w. M.
Whitley a Presbyterian Elder from
Ohio became a member of the
Church and shortly thereafter the
Session was again constituted.
Mr.. Lyerly resigned in MAY of
and was followed by Mr.. Sellers
and was followed by Mr.. Sellers,
who remained pastor for 16 mon
tbs.
Mr.. Sellers was followed by the
Rev. NJ. E. Avery, under whose
Leadership the Church began to
show its potential as a growing con-
gregation.
Growth Of Church
Or. Avery served until earlv
when ne was succeeded by Col.
Ralph Rogers a retired Army chap
lain and Methodist minister.
During Col. Rogers tenure of four
years the church grew in numbers
ana enthusiasm. Col. Rogers ter
minated his connections with the