Elements of the history of St. Michael and All Angels
(Thanks to Mike Patterson for researching the details of our church’s history!)
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Blanco County native Lyndon B. Johnson made three trips to St. Michael’s – Easter Sunday, April 18, 1965, Feb. 25, 1968 and June 1, 1969.
On one trip President Johnson, Lady Bird, Linda Johnson and actor George Hamilton, who was dating Linda at the time, attended together. An article in the Saturday Evening Post had a heyday describing the bus ride from Austin “across the bleak and gentle hills...with hawks drifting in the pale sky; the signs on the wide road advertising ‘minnows in plastic bags’ and warning against deer roaming at night. The towns, nothing more than a few frame buildings at a crossroads, had names like Oak Hill and Dripping Springs.”
The magazine described St. Michael’s as a “simple L-shaped building of fieldstone and redwood(!) that stands under a clump of trees at the end of a dusty road.”
But the most famous of his visits was memorialized by The New York Times under the headline “The Cat Who Went to Church with the President.”
On this occasion, just before the priest began his sermon, a red cat strolled in, walked up the aisle to the altar and wandered over to acolyte Gary Hobbs. Like any young boy, Gary couldn’t resist the temptation for mischief. He caught the cat between his legs and gave it a tight squeeze.
“The fear entered my mind of what Gary was going to do,” recalled his mother, Lila Gene Hobbs. “Was he doing to hold it the whole time or was he was going to let it go, or squeeze it until he made it yell.”
Fortunately, Gary released the cat before it let out a yowl and it scampered out the door.
Another time Lila attended St. Michael’s with her daughter and niece when the president was there. “The girls got so tickled at President Johnson because he was too busy looking over the crowd to see who was looking at him,” she said in an oral history. “He was just kind of scratching and gazing and looking around. Those girls laughed so hard they had to leave the church.”
“Lyndon was very restless,” she said. “When he came to church, he would never sit still. He would sit on the end of the pew and hug the end and lean against it and cross his legs. But when it came time to for the alms basin to come by, he was very generous.”
The first time Johnson came, Lila’s husband was bishop’s warden. He had arrived early in his pick up truck. Like other ranchers back then, he carried a rifle on a gunrack behind his seat. This did not go over well with the Secret Service. An agent came to him and asked “if he would mind going out there and doing something about that gun in his pick up.” He complied with the request.
(Contributed by Mike Patterson, based on oral histories and church records)
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If you step into the large restroom at the north end of the Parish Hall, you’ll find four beautiful watercolors of a bluebonnet, Indian paint brush, Gaillardia and an assortment of wildflowers. Look closely and you’ll spot the initials of MF on each painting.
Who was MF? MF was Mary Forsythe, and she had such a prominent role in the history of St. Michael’s that it’s hard to imagine the church could have gotten off the ground without her support. While St. Michael’s was organizing as a mission in 1953, Mary chaired the Blanco Library Board and was a member of the Blanco Women’s Club. The library was sponsored by the Women’s Club and was housed in a Quonset hut behind today’s city hall. Mary was also an Episcopalian. When word of a new Episcopal Church being organized spread among the club members, Mary agreed to allow it to meet at the library on Sunday afternoons. Without her granting this favor and her networking with other Blanco women about a newly formed Episcopal Church, St. Michael’s would have likely struggled to find a suitable meeting place until the new church was built in 1956.
Mary trained many members of St. Michael’s early Altar Guild. She had a reputation for being a stickler for making sure everything was done just right. As evident by the paintings hanging today, she was also a gifted artist. “She did water colors and she painted,” Henrietta Smith recalled in an oral history. “On everyone’s birthday, if she liked you, she painted a birthday card for you, put the year on the bottom and wrote ‘Happy Birthday’ in the paints and signed it ‘Mary.’” When Henrietta’s mother moved to Fredericksburg, Mary painted a special picture for her. “They presented it to her when she moved,” she said. “On the back, it says ‘Best wishes, The Women of St. Michaels.’” All the women of the church signed the back.
Mary and her husband, Col. John Forsythe, lived in a white wood frame house on a hilltop overlooking the Blanco Valley. Trees, vegetation and other buildings have now obscured it but if you look carefully, you can see it on the rise above the Blanco Veterinary Clinic.
(Contributed by Mike Patterson, based on oral histories and church records)
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More bits and pieces from the history of St. Michael’s:
Back in the “olden days” at St. Michael’s, parishioners probably hoped that the preachers would keep their sermons short. That’s because the pews had no cushions, making long sermons a tad tough on the tushies! The hard platforms became such as nuisance to the posterior areas of the communicants that they started bringing their own cushions. After church they left them in a box at the back, and then retrieved them for services the next Sunday. And woe to anyone who dared to take a cushion that wasn’t theirs. In 1988, the church paid former church member Twosie Hathaway $1,060 to make cushions for all the pews. They are still in use today. And speaking of pews, as St. Michael’s was being built in 1956, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio was undergoing a renovation, which included purchasing new pews for its nave. Knowing that we were a new church, St. Mark’s donated its old pews to us. Most of the pews we use today are those donated by St. Mark’s in 1956.
You may wonder why St. Michael’s is located “off the beaten path” in Blanco. But when St. Michael’s was built in 1956, the main north-south highway through town was Chandler Drive/Loop 163. That put our church just one block east of the main highway and on the “beaten path” with only a half-dozen or so houses in the neighborhood. The Methodist, Church of Christ and Catholic churches were the ones “off the beaten path.” Today, this is reversed.
When St. Michael’s was built, French doors with blue glass windows were located on either side of the altar. Sometime in the 1970s or 80s, a severe thunderstorm storm blew out one of the doors. Undecided whether to rock in the openings or replace the doors, church members met with the Diocese’s Architectural Committee for advice. The committee suggested installing sliding patio doors so that they could be opened on hot summer days (air conditioning had not been installed in the church yet.)
The committee also suggested that “there might be a time” when the church was full due to a funeral or a wedding. Sliding doors could be opened and chairs placed outside on a future rock patio. St. Michael’s followed the committee’s advice and replaced the French doors with the sliding patio doors in place today. Look above the doors now and you’ll see brass plaques with the names Fannie Bierman, Ethyl Harvey, Henrietta Horton, Harris Pendleton and John Wirth. The doors are in their memory. And if you look outside, you’ll also find a new rock patio.
(Contributed by Mike Patterson, based on oral histories and church records)
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For most of its history, St. Michael and All Angels celebrated Christmas Eve by throwing a party in the Parish Hall following church services. The congregation was in great spirits after singing beautiful hymns amid beautiful Christmas adorations and an uplifting service. “The church was always decorated so pretty,” Henrietta Smith recalled in an oral history. “It was night and our church is pretty at night.”
Following the service, the congregation filed into the Parish Hall to enjoy a potluck dinner and Christmas goodies. “They always had tamales – a big roasting pan full of tamales. Then everyone else would bring whatever they chose to have on the buffets,” Henrietta said.
But that’s not all they enjoyed. As soon as the service was over, “being good Episcopalians,” it was a race to the cars to grab their bottles of adult beverages – some of which found their way into the eggnog. “One year, mother made a tequila punch” by dumping three cans of frozen lime juice over a huge bowl filled with ice. She added a fifth of tequila and “then she just started stirring,” Henrietta said.
The late Peggy Welch recalled her earliest memory of St. Michael was the Christmas Eve service she was invited to. “I called it a party,” she said, after witnessing the dash for the bourbon and whiskey. “It was wonderful,” Peggy said. “Everyone was so jovial and friendly.”
“I don’t think that they really got wild,” Henrietta said. “I don’t think anybody got drunk. They had to drive home and no one lived nearby. They all lived far out on ranches.” Church members eventually stopped bringing liquor to the Christmas Eve celebrations out of respect and sensitivity for AA members. The after-church tamales and festive dinner parties faded away a few years ago.
(Contributed by Mike Patterson, based on oral histories and church records)
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November and Thanksgiving are times when we traditionally reflect on the blessings God, our friends and families have bestowed upon us. St. Michael and All Angels likewise has been blessed over the years with an array of wonderful gifts. In thankfulness for these, let’s reflect on some of those families whose gifts have contributed to making St. Michael such a beautiful church. Here are some of these gifts you can see simply by looking around from your pew:
The church flag was donated in 1959 in memory of Allen L. Pearson by Mrs. Allen L. Pearson and friends. The American flag was donated in 1964 by Mr. and Mrs. Claude Bourland, the parents of Henrietta Smith. Look carefully and you’ll find brass plaques beneath our stained-glass windows – all given in memory of loved ones. Likewise, altar linens have been donated over the years by many family members in memory of their loved ones. Our organ was donated in memory of James (Jim) Doyal Jones, the late husband of a former organist, Kathi Jones, and William J. (Bill) Nabers, the late husband of Mary Nabers.
The stunning granite altar was given when our church was built in 1956 by Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence D. Brooks of Kendalia. The alms basin was also donated in 1956 in memory of Edward Christian Teesdale by Mrs. E.C. Teesdale. Mrs. Everett H. Jones, wife of a former bishop of the Diocese of West Texas, donated the bishop’s and priest’s chair as well as the silver candlesticks that adorn the altar on many Sundays. The missal stand was given in memory of Ellena Mae Horton by Col. and Mrs. Dwight Horton.
Some items were handmade, such as the hymn board and portable kneelers. They were crafted by Jay Sauls. More recently, Drew Faught made the pottery chalice in honor of his family. And David and Roberta Skelton donated the urn veil, burse and communion sets for Christmas and Easter in honor of the daughter, the Rev. Bryn Caddell, on the occasion of her ordination on Dec. 8, 2020.
Outside, you’ll also find gifts to the church. The concrete bench by the labyrinth was donated in memory of Claire Gardner by the late Tom and Deena Gardner, who were members of our congregation. The church bell that children love to ring was donated by Carl Chandler. The tabernacle was donated in memory of his late wife, Pat, by Carl and friends. The piano which Tal Tanwen plays during communion was given in 2015 by Paul Sumrall and Michael Orsak, who also oversaw the renovation of the Sunday House
The Remembrance Book which contains a record of many of these memorial gifts was given by a Miss Henrietta Bourland. We all call her Henrietta Smith these days. On the back of the book you’ll find this inscription: “To the Glory of God in Thankfulness for His Many Blessings.” This seems a fitting conclusion as we reflect with gratitude on our own blessings this Thanksgiving.
(Contributed by Mike Patterson, based on oral histories and church records)
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Think it’s hot now? Pity the parishioners who attended St. Michael’s from its opening in 1956 until central air conditioning was installed. It got so hot in the summer that church times were often moved to 8 a.m. to take advantage of cooler temperatures and before the sweltering summer heat settled over the town. Air conditioning wasn’t installed until 1992.
St. Michael’s church and parish hall initially had a slate roof. In late 1980s, it began leaking so bad that it needed replacing. One big problem: A slate roof was cost prohibitive. Instead, the Bishop’s Committee decided to replace it with metal in 1991. Although the original metal has been replaced, St. Michael’s continues to gleam in the sunshine.
In its early days, townspeople quipped that the parking lot at St. Michael’s was “Cadillac row,” a satirical comment about the perceived upper income levels of its members. To put the urban legend to rest, a determined parishioner stepped outside one Sunday and made a list of every model vehicle parked at the church. The count found only two Cadillacs, one vehicle of undetermined make or model, and four pick-up trucks.
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Who were the founders of St. Michael and All Angels? Let’s credit Col. and Mrs. Dwight Horton, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Pearson, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Nelson and Mrs. Mae Lear.
In early 1953, these seven met about starting an “Episcopal mission” in Blanco. Their discussions led to petitioning the Rt. Rev. Everett H. Jones, bishop of the Diocese of West Texas, to authorize the new church. On Nov. 20, 1953, Bishop Jones granted their request and accepted the proposed name of St. Michael and All Angels. He assigned the Rev. Wilson D. Rowland as priest-in-charge. He also appointed Arthur Nelson, Col. Horton, Mrs. Lear, H.K. Brill and M.C. Bierman to serve on the first Bishop’s Committee. Nelson was appointed bishop’s warden.
Before St. Michael’s was built in 1956, services were held at 3 p.m. on Sundays in the Blanco Library, located in a Quonset hut behind city hall. Today, you can walk behind city hall and see the vacant spot where the library once stood and St. Michael’s started. The Women’s Club sponsored the library and Mary Forsythe chaired the library board. She was also an Episcopalian and eagerly agreed to allow the newly organized St. Michael’s to hold services there for $100 a year.
Red velvet drapes hid the bookcases and a table covered in a white linen served as the altar. A wooden cross and candlesticks were donated and were later passed on to another mission. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Sauls Jr. made blue kneelers and a hymnal board. The hymnal board hung in our sanctuary until we switched to service sheets a few years ago; the original blue kneelers are under the front pews.
Although these founders are now gone, St. Michael’s owes them a deep and lasting gratitude. Their legacy continues today.
(Contributed by Mike Patterson)
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Mae Evelyn Lear was among the original founders of St. Michael’s. She also served many years as its treasurer. When she died in 1966, she bequeathed $500 to build a “low wall courtyard” and patio outside the Parish Hall. The project was started in May 1967 and dedicated in October. The cost was $450, plus $38 for a bronze memorial plaque and was referred to at the time as the “Lear Terrace.” Thanks to Mrs. Lear, we continue to enjoy her courtyard today.
At the time, the Parish Hall ended between the fourth and fifth double doors. When the building was expanded three decades later, the patio was extended and the north section of the wall moved to its current location. You can still see a faint outline where the wall once stood. The rebuilt section was not as long as the original. A smaller size meant leftover rocks. These were used to outline the gravel walkway from the Parish Hall to the Sunday House.
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In mid-1989, an ad appeared in the local newspaper announcing that LBJ National Park in Johnson City was accepting bids for the purchase and removal of a small house on its property.
When Peggy Welch and her husband Dick saw the ad, they thought this would be a way to give St. Michael additional space for a nursery and Sunday school. At the time, there was limited room for either of these. The parish hall was half its current length and there was no Sunday House.
The minimum bid was $50. Peggy and Dick bid $51 and got the house. They donated it to St. Michael, which paid $2,500 to move it to the church grounds. Volunteers cleaned and painted the interior. The church hired a contractor for $4,500 to renovate the exterior and a mason for $10 an hour to install rock around the foundation. Peggy and her husband stapled batts of insulation beneath the flooring, then tacked on a covering of chicken wire to prevent animals from pulling the insulation down.
The building was named the Sunday House by a unanimous vote of the Bishop’s Committee on Nov. 12, 1989. It served as a Sunday school and nursery until deterioration forced its closure in 2008. The carpet was worn, the kitchen and bathroom were eyesores, there was no air conditioning and a sickening odor from years of natural gas heating permeated the inside.
Acknowledging the need of a suitable space for Sunday school and a nursery, in early 2009 the Bishop’s Committee voted to renovate the Sunday House. Parishioners and contractors Paul Sumrall and Michael Orsak proposed to renovate the building, including installing a new roof and central heat and air conditioning, for $40,000. Just as they submitted their proposal, however, the property and white house south of the church became available for $60,000. This was viewed as a necessary acquisition for future expansion.
What had been anticipated as a $40,000 project, suddenly ballooned into a $100,000 project. Through an urgent fund-raising drive in the spring 2009, the church raised $120,000 in pledges to secure a five-year loan from the Diocese of West Texas. That, plus $20,000 from church savings, enabled the property acquisition and renovation of the Sunday House.
But the first step in the renovation happened on a Saturday when the congregation turned out to gut the Sunday House to the studs. Those that couldn’t do the manual work, cheered others on or brought food and refreshments.
And the loan was paid off in five years, leaving us debt free and St. Michael with an attractive Sunday school, meeting space and now, even a vicar’s office.