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Just over the border from Louisiana stands McMahan Chapel, the oldest Protestant church with a continuous history in Texas. In 1831, when Samuel Doak McMahan (1789-1854) emigrated to Texas from Tennessee, that area was the San Augustine Municipality of the Mexican Government, and Protestant preaching was illegal. The following year, Methodist preacher James P. Stevenson was apointed to the Sabine Circuit in Louisiana, a few miles east of McMahan's home. Stevenson was asked by some Texans to come over the border and preach for them; after being assured of his safety from possible arrest, Stevenson came and held services. McMahan attended the services and then invited Stevenson to come and preach in his home, too. Stevenson preached at McMahan's home several times; he also held a camp meeting on McMahan's property. In September 1833, Stevenson organized a "religious society" since it was illegal to organize a church. The Society had at least twenty charter members, including McMahan and his wife and four of their children and spouses. McMahan was named class leader and in 1837 was licensed as a local preacher. After the Texas War of Independence in 1836, Protestant preaching was no longer illegal, and the little congregation grew as more and more white settlers moved to Texas. In December 1837 Littleton Fowler(1802-1846) was sent as a Methodist missionary to Texas. He was named Presiding Elder (now District Superintendent) of the Texas Mission District and built his home (and district headquarters) near Samuel McMahan' house. Some months later, the McMahan congregation built its first house of worship, a pine log chapel forty by thirty feet. Littleton Fowler served as the church's first pastor. He died in 1846 and was buried beneath the pulpit, as he had requested. The log chapel was replaced by a frame church in 1872, which was in turn replaced by a new building in 1900. The present structure, a brick church, was built in 1949 and is the fourth building on the site. The nearby cemetery contains the remains of Samuel D. McMahan and other early Texas Methodists.
Restrooms and parking are available. The Chapel is open daily for visitation, prayer and meditation from 9:00am until 5:00pm. (Later in the summer months). There are caretakers living on the grounds who will offer their services if needed. Reservation for use of the Chapel and Events Center must be made with Bobbie N. Thompson.
CONTRIBUTIONS to McMahan Chapel United Methodist Church can be made by contacting, Bobbie N. Thompson, 409 Baxter Lane, San Augustine, Texas 75972 at telephone |
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In 2002, at the annual McMahan Chapel Celebration, the new Jack and Charlsie Maund Museum/Events Center was presented to the congregation and the Texas Annual Conference. The traditional covered dinner, formerly held in the Littleton State Park just across the road, was enjoyed in this newly completed facility. The Events Center is a popular place for family reunions, confirmation classes, weddings receptions, class reunions, etc. The museum commemorates Methodism's first presence in Texas and honors the clergy and laity who have served McMahan Chapel since that beginning. Two bronze busts, one of Rev. J. Aldous Smith representing the pastors down thru the years and the other of Mrs.Della Cobb Noble representing the dedicated laity. Acquisition Policy is in place to facilitate the acceptance of additions to the collection which is concerned with McMahan Chapel historical items as well as early Texas Methodism.
The Chapel is on a fifteen acre site. The present chapel is the fourth on the same location and is notable for it stained glass windows and the furnishings, all of which memorialize early Texas Methodists. Rev. Littleton Fowler's tombstone can be seen -----pullpit area.
Littleton Fowler State Park is across the road from the Chapel and is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. With tables, benches, and barbecue pits available, many families continue to enjoy this delightful setting for picnics with lots of space for children to run and play.
The "Well Spring of Texas Methodism" is a living spring of water located just east of the Park. Its continuous source of water may be the primary reason this location was chosen for campsites and the meeting place for worship. Under a "New Deal" program in the late 1930's the Spring was cleaned out, rocked up and steps were built down into the spring area. This became a very popular attraction as it bordered the Lettleton Fowler State Park with its tables and cooking areas. In 2002, a Boy Scout in nearby San Augustine, took the refurbishing of the Spring as his Eagle Scout project. Visitors are again able to visit this historic site and receive renewed blessings.
McMahan Chapel Cemetery dates from before 1833. Its location on the Old Spanish Trail (El Camino Real - The King's Highway) and the campsites located there because of the spring of water, made it a natural burial place for those unfortunate early settlers who died as they crossed the Sabine River into this wilderness area. There are several unmarked graves whose stories will probably never be known. The Cemetery has been charted and mapped with a guide to graves available just inside the gate into the cemetery.
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