Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: TruLife

The First Presbyterian Church on the corner of McPherson and High streets was once two separate churches, occupied several buildings and worshipped outside during some time in Kirksville's history.

Georgia Walter, author of "The History of the First Presbyterian Church of Kirksville, Mo.," said she has been a member of the church since 1938 when her family moved to Kirksville. She was part of the Centennial Committee formed to celebrate 100 years and was appointed to put together the short book. Walter was the director of the library at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences for 17 years and has written several other books, including the "First School of Osteopathic Medicine" and "The First D.O., Dr. Andrew Taylor Still."

Presbyterianism in Kirksville dates back to 1846 when the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was established, according to "The History of the First Presbyterian Church of Kirksville, Mo.," . Reverend James Dysart came to Kirksville only five years after the small settlement had been established. The members started the Cumberland Academy in 1859, where the congregation used the auditorium for their worship and rented it to other churches for worship. The building eventually was sold to Joseph Baldwin, who used the building to start the State Normal School, now Truman State University.

"The Cumberland Academy was built where Memorial Park is now," Walter said. "It was a nice two-story building, and it was never completely finished. They used it for a hospital during the Civil War. Then it was finally sold to Joseph Baldwin."

The old First Presbyterian Church was established in 1857 According to "The History of the First Presbyterian Church of Kirksville, Mo.,". One of the founders, W.P. Mason, erected what is said to be the first schoolhouse on the corner of Florence and Buchanan streets where he taught classes and allowed members to worship in the school on Sundays. The members commissioned to build their own church in 1868 on the corner of McPherson and Franklin streets, where Sieren's Palace currently is located. It was the first brick church in Kirksville, but the church burned down in 1892.

"I like the part in history where we switched churches with the Baptists," Walter said. "The Baptists had erected a brick building at McPherson and High streets, which they found was too big for their needs. So in 1877, there was an exchange of properties. So that's the current building we're in."

Continued...

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