The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas
Encyclopedia
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
, and 4 temples
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
1844 Texas consideration for Latter-day Saint nation
Due to increased persecution around NauvooNauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
, Joseph Smith realized that he would have to relocate the Church outside the borders of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
was considered by Smith a place where the Church members would be able to peacefully practice their religion. The prophet began to negotiate with Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, president of the Texas Republic, for the southern and western portions of Texas for the future Latter-day Saint nation. Joseph Smith sent Lucien Woodworth to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
to meet with Houston.
Woodworth returned to Nauvoo and reported the progress he had made in May. Reports indicated plans for purchasing large tracts of land. A commission composed of Woodworth, George Miller
George Miller (Latter Day Saints)
-External links:**...
and Almon W. Babbitt
Almon W. Babbitt
Almon Whiting Babbitt was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement, a Mormon pioneer, and the first secretary and treasurer of the Territory of Utah...
was organized to lead the final negotiations. Joseph Smith asked that Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight
Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr...
and Miller to prepare to lead a group of settlers to Texas with assumption that negotiations would be successful. These negotiations ended with the death of Joseph Smith
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
in June 1844.
1845-1890s
Even though Brigham YoungBrigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
relocated the Church in the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, he allowed Wight to take a group of 150 to Texas. On November 10, 1845, they arrived north of present-day Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. Eventually, Wight and the colonists settled near a German colony of Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
and founded a town named Zodiac
Castell, Texas
Castell is a small unincorporated riverside town in Llano County, Texas, United States. Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, its northern border is formed by the Llano River. Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964, Marker number 9440....
.
In 1848, Preston Thomas and William Martindale were sent by Brigham Young to invite Wight and the colonists to join the Church in the Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley
Salt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
. Wight declined the offer and was consequently excommunicated from the Church. Although he was no longer a member of the Church, Wight and his followers pioneered settlements in five Texas counties and generally left a good reputation for Mormons in the area.
Brigham Young sent several missionaries to preach in Texas in the 1850s. Those who joined the Church were encouraged to gather with the Saints in the Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. On December 25 1855, a conference
District (LDS Church)
A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches. A district is a subdivision of a mission of the church and in many ways is analogous to a stake of the church. The leader of a district is the...
was established in Texas. Nearly 1,000 converts from Texas immigrated to the Great Basin prior to the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Missionary work in Texas essentially ceased during the Civil War. But in 1875, nearly 10 years after the Civil War, missionary work in Texas resumed. The Texas Conference was once again organized in 1893.
Rural settlements and the Kelsey colony
The population of Latter-day Saints in Texas increased dramatically when Church members began to gather in Mormon enclaves within the state. Converts living in the Southern U.S. endured ostracism and occasional physical violence because of their membership in the Church. In the early 1890s, President James G. Dufffin of the Southwestern States Mission suggested to Church leaders that they establish a gathering place for Southern U.S. Church Members. His suggestion was accepted and branches were organized in MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Texas. Included in the Texas colonies were Odom Settlement (also known as Odomville) near Spurger
Spurger, Texas
Spurger is an unincorporated community in southeastern Tyler County, Texas, United States.The Spurger Independent School District serves area students.-Historical development:...
, Williamson Settlement near Evadale
Evadale, Texas
Evadale is a census-designated place in Jasper County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,430 at the 2000 census. The population gained a 3.8% growth as of the June 2010 census, with 1,483 residents.-Geography:...
, Jozye (also known as Little Utah), and Poynor
Poynor, Texas
Poynor is a city located in Henderson County, Texas, United States. The population was 314 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Poynor is located at ....
.
One of the most successful and long-lived colonies was located at Kelsey
Kelsey, Texas
Kelsey is an unincorporated area in Upshur County, Texas, United States that was the longest-lasting settlement founded by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the state. Now a ghost town, it has been called the "mother colony" of Latter-day Saint colonies in...
. It was founded by brothers John and James Edgar in December 1898. Nine Latter-day Saint families settled in the area by the fall of 1901. Elder Abraham O. Woodruff
Abraham O. Woodruff
Abraham Owen Woodruff , born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was also the son of LDS Church president Wilford Woodruff...
of the Quorum of the Twelve visited the site and assisted in laying out the town. On August 4, 1901, a Sunday School was organized. By the end of the month, a meetinghouse was built, and by the end of the year, a branch had been organized.
Missionaries in the southern states encouraged converts to gather in Kelsey. There were approximately 400 Latter-day Saints living in the township. A school began operating in 1901 and was staffed by missionaries. Kelsey became "one of the largest branches outside the stakes of Zion." Later that year, the colony was divided and the settlement of Enoch
Enoch, Texas
Enoch is an unincorporated community in Upshur County, Texas, United States.Enoch was established by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Samuel O. Bennion's organization of the Enoch Branch in 1911. The first Latter-day Saint settlers had arrived in 1906. In 1908 a...
was founded and a branch was organized there.
Kelsey's population reached its peak in 1923 with 750 inhabitants. The rail line was closed the same year causing the population to slowly decline. The Church-sponsored school was closed in 1943, and in 1958, the congregations in Kelsey and Enoch were combined with the Gilmer Ward.
Dallas and North Texas
Nearly all Church activity in Texas occurred in rural setting. In 1913, Harriett M Knight, a widow with five children moved from Kelsey to Dallas which had no organized branch. Eliza E. Davis was the only other Latter-day Saint living in Dallas, having moved there in 1908. Other Latter-day Saints moved to Dallas over time. Missionaries occasionally visited these urban Church members, but it wasn't until 1916 that a home Sunday School was organized in Dallas. The Dallas Branch was organized sometime between 1918 and 1921.Other urban areas began to see Latter-day Saint presence. By 1918, Latter-day Saints were living in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, and San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. However, Dallas was the first urban branch in Texas to have a meetinghouse. In 1927, Dallas Latter-day Saints moved into a vacant building formerly used by another denomination. In 1943, the North Central Texas District was organized with 500 members. A new meetinghouse was built in Dallas on Turtle Creek Blvd. in the early 1950s and dedicated by President David O. McKay
David O. McKay
David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...
on April 26, 1953. On October 19, 1953, Mark E. Peterson of the Quorum of the Twelve organized the Dallas Stake, with Ervin W. Atkerson as president.
Houston and East Texas
The first branch in Houston was organized on December 5, 1921. The first official Church-owned meetinghouse was a home willed to the Church by Mrs. Gussie Farmer. This house was quickly remodeled and dedicated on November 19, 1933. The Houston Stake was created on October 11, 1953.In response to Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
in 2008 members of the LDS church across Texas and other parts of the country volunteered relief and service.
As of September 20, 2008, total Church response to Hurricane Ike included:
- 80,640 hygiene kits (six truckloads).
- 8.064 cleaning kits (four truckloads).
- Four truckloads of water.
- 11,520 blankets (two truckloads).
- 4,800 food boxes (four truckloads) which include rice, vegetable oil, peanut butter, fruit drink mix, and assorted canned goods. Each food box will feed a family of four for a week to 10 days.
- Food, water, generators, sleeping bags, tools, chain saws, tarps and other items.
In addition of this aid, thousands of LDS volunteers came into the area to assist in clean up efforts.
El Paso and West Texas
The city of El PasoEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
played an important role in the establishment of the Church in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the American Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
. In 1876, Daniel W. Jones
Daniel Webster Jones (Mormon)
Daniel Webster Jones was an American and Mormon pioneer. He was the leader of the group that colonized what eventually became Mesa, Arizona, made the first translation of selections of The Book of Mormon into Spanish, led the first Mormon missionary expedition into Mexico, dealt frequently with...
led a company of missionaries there, where they prepared to begin missionary work in Mexico. These missionaries stayed in El Paso for several weeks, where they studied Spanish and conducted missionary work, though no conversations were recorded.
Towards the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, a few Latter-day Saint families from the Mormon colonies in Mexico
Mormon Colonies in Mexico
The Mormon colonies in Mexico are settlements located near the Sierra Madre mountains in northern Mexico which were established by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints beginning in 1885. Many of the original colonists came to Mexico due to federal attempts to curb and...
relocated to El Paso and Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
. In July 1912 nearly 3,000 saints fled their homes in Mexico because of a revolution and made their way to El Paso, where assistance from local residents was received before leaving to settle elsewhere.
The first ward in Texas was organized in El Paso on October 11, 1918. It was originally part of the Juarez (Mexico) Stake, but was later transferred to the St. Joseph (Arizona) Stake. The Mexican Mission headquarters was located in El Paso from 1919 to 1929. The El Paso Stake became the first stake in Texas on September 21, 1952 with Edward V. Turley Sr. as President.
Texas Membership History
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1893 | 64 |
| 1898 | 300 |
| 1906 | 1,000 |
| 1930 | 3,840 |
| 1977 | 50,000 |
| 1984 | 120,000 |
| 1990 | 154,000 |
| 1999 | 210,892 |
| 2008 | 278,492 |
Missions
Responsibility for Texas has been shared by several different missions. Originally in the Southern States Mission, it was transferred to the Indian Territory Mission, which later changed its name to the Southwestern States Mission and, in 1904, it became the Central States Mission. Texas remained in the Central States Mission until the Texas Mission was organized in 1931. Texas and Louisiana were combined to form the Texas-Louisiana Mission in 1945. Texas was part of the Gulf States Mission from 1955-1960.In 1961, a new Texas Mission was organized. This became the Texas Dallas Mission in 1974. As the Church grew, other missions in Texas were organized.
| Mission | Organized |
|---|---|
| Texas Dallas Mission | February 16, 1961 |
| Texas Houston Mission | July 3, 1976 |
| Texas Houston East Mission | July 1, 1990 |
| Texas McAllen Mission | July 1, 1989 |
| Texas Fort Worth Mission | July 1, 1986 |
| Texas San Antonio Mission | December 10, 1967 |
| Texas Houston South Mission | July 1, 1997 |
| Texas Lubbock Mission | July 1, 2002 |
- The Texas Dallas Mission was originally named Texas Mission in 1961. It was renamed the Texas North Mission on June 10, 1970, and ultimately the Texas Dallas Mission on June 20, 1974.
- The Texas San Antonio Mission was originally named Texas South Mission in 1967. It was renamed the Texas San Antonio Mission on June 20, 1974.
- The Texas Fort Worth Mission was originally named Texas Lubbock Mission in 1986. It was renamed the Texas Fort Worth Mission on January 20, 1988.
- The Texas McAllen Mission was originally named Texas Corpus Christi Mission in 1989. It was renamed the Texas McAllen Mission on February 24, 1994.
Temples
In 20 years, four temples have been built in Texas.|}
Communities
Latter-day Saints have had a significant role in establishing and settling communities within the "Mormon CorridorMormon Corridor
The Mormon Corridor is a term for the areas of Western North America that were settled between 1850 and approximately 1890 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , who are commonly known as Mormons....
" and other locations, including the following in Texas:
- EnochEnoch, TexasEnoch is an unincorporated community in Upshur County, Texas, United States.Enoch was established by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Samuel O. Bennion's organization of the Enoch Branch in 1911. The first Latter-day Saint settlers had arrived in 1906. In 1908 a...
- KelseyKelsey, TexasKelsey is an unincorporated area in Upshur County, Texas, United States that was the longest-lasting settlement founded by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the state. Now a ghost town, it has been called the "mother colony" of Latter-day Saint colonies in...
LDS vs FLDS
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church) has repeatedly emphasized that it is not affiliated with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day SaintsFundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
(FLDS Church), who operate the YFZ Ranch
YFZ Ranch
The YFZ Ranch, also known as the Yearning for Zion Ranch, is a community which housed as many as 700 people just outside of Eldorado in Schleicher County, Texas, United States. It is owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints . It is about southwest of San Angelo and ...
in Texas. If members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints engage in polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, they are excommunicated.
See also
- Ciudad Juárez México TempleCiudad Juárez México TempleThe Ciudad Juárez México Temple is the 71st operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The Ciudad Juárez México Temple, located in the border city of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, serves about 12,000 Mormons in northern Mexico and the adjacent U.S. state of Texas. About 1,700...
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics (United States)The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics (United States)This page shows membership statistics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints within the United States.* Official LDS Membership - Membership count on record provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
External links
- LDS Newsroom (Texas)
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Official Site
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Visitors Site