|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, The proud history of New Hope Missionary Baptist |
|
Church in Wheelock is being recognized with the dedication of an |
|
Official Texas Historical Marker on May 6, 2017; and |
|
WHEREAS, In 1895, former slaves Sam and Lucy Bell Stubbs |
|
Mitchell and their 12 children moved from Georgia to Wheelock, |
|
Texas, where they raised fruit, vegetables, dairy cows, and |
|
chickens on 200 acres as part of a community of African American |
|
landowners; and |
|
WHEREAS, Many members of that community worshipped at New |
|
Hope Missionary Baptist Church, which was originally located west |
|
of the Spring Creek settlement; in 1911, the congregation decided |
|
to move the church to a more accessible location, and Lucy Mitchell |
|
donated two acres of land to accommodate the new sanctuary; the men |
|
of the church disassembled the original church and moved the pieces |
|
by wagon to the new site, where a local carpenter constructed the |
|
present building; and |
|
WHEREAS, Between 1880 and 2003, New Hope MBC was served by |
|
four ministers, the Reverend R. A. Smiley, the Reverend Aaron |
|
A. Manning, the Reverend R. M. Blocker, and the Reverend |
|
W. C. Adams, and the church sponsored such auxiliaries as a Sunday |
|
school, a Mission Society, the Baptist Training Union, and the |
|
Brotherhood Starlight Band and Choir; and |
|
WHEREAS, Over the years, the church has also served as a vital |
|
community center, a site for meetings, classes, revivals, reunions, |
|
political events, and Juneteenth celebrations; on the first Sunday |
|
of each June, members and friends of the church gather to celebrate |
|
its rich history and the families who have sustained it; and |
|
WHEREAS, One such family member is Estelle Adams, a |
|
granddaughter of Sam and Lucy Mitchell; it is thanks to her |
|
dedication and hard work that New Hope is being honored with a state |
|
historical marker; and |
|
WHEREAS, The only remaining African American church in the |
|
Wheelock area, New Hope Missionary Baptist continues to provide a |
|
spiritual and cultural home to the local black community, and it is |
|
truly deserving of this special recognition from the Texas |
|
Historical Commission; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of an Official Texas |
|
Historical Marker at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and extend |
|
to all those present sincere best wishes for a meaningful and |
|
memorable event. |