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The First Presbyterian Church, Wichita, Kansas |
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The person who was responsible for establishing the first church in Wichita was a Presbyterian minister by the name of Timothy Hill. He was an "Easterner" having been born in Mason, New Hampshire on June 30, 1819. His father was a Congregational minister, a Harvard graduate so Timothy Hill grew up in a strongly religious home. He attended school and graduated from New
Ipswich Academy (1838), Dartmouth College, (1842) and Union Theological Seminary (1845).
He became a Synodical Missionary in 1868 and was assigned the responsibility for finding locations, establishing and nurturing churches in Kansas, The Indian Territory and Texas.
It is not known when Rev. Hill first came to the little settlement that would come to be known as Wichita but we do know he was here in the late summer or early fall of 1869. He knew that the land here was Osage Indian land and could not be officially settled. He also knew that congressional action would soon be taken that would open the land to official, legal settlement. He was impressed. He realized the potential for growth in the immediate future. After leaving Wichita he went to Emporia where a Rev. Boggs, a Presbyterian Church organizing minister was then in residence. He told Rev. Boggs of what he had seen in Wichita and suggested Boggs come to Wichita, investigate and "if the need be there to establish a Presbyterian church".
Boggs came, made contacts, preached some and decided to organize a church. He returned to Emporia to tell his wife, organize his personal affairs and returned Wichita in 30 days. He then filed on a claim, started to build a cabin and set about in earnest to establish a church. Timothy Hill helped Boggs along the way. The church was chartered on March 13th of the next year 1870. We don't know how many times the Rev. Hill came to Wichita but in August of 1870 he wrote "Sabbath Came: I preached in the upper part of an unfinished store, the carpenters had not completed their work, and the shavings were not swept out; the seats were boards supported on nail-kegs, boxes etc. In that room was an attentive congregation of 60 persons, of whom but 7 were women. Indeed there were but few women in town, its inhabitants were young men and men whose families were still East, for whom they were preparing homes." When Dr. Hill came to Wichita he always walked the streets and counted the homes and business buildings and then multiplied by a figure known only to himself. In this way he had his own way of determining the increase in population of Wichita. In August of 1869 he had counted only 9 buildings. In August of 1870 he had counted 127 buildings and determined the population to be 650 people.
Rev. Hill was found dead at his desk on May 21, 1887. He was slumped face down on his desk with his glasses still on. The letter he had been reading was on the floor at his feet. This is how the minister delivering the eulogy at his funeral described him "Dr. Hill was a born Missionary. It can be truthfully said of him that he organized and helped to organize more Presbyterian churches in this country than any other man;' and I am proud when I say: THIS IS A TIMOTHY HILL ORGANIZED CHURCH.
Compiled by Al Witherspoon, First Presbyterian Church, Wichita Kansas |
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Checked for accuracy on Jun 21, 2001
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