Presbyterian Historical Society of the Southwest
James S. Currie, Executive Secretary
When those who are familiar with Texas history hear the name “San Felipe,” in all likelihood they might think of the town in Austin County which was the social, political, and economic center of the Stephen F. Austin colony which settled there in 1824. One might also think of a major street in Houston by that same name.
However, this column will focus on a community in Del Rio, Texas that bears that name. Del Rio is a city in southwest Texas which lies on the Texas-Mexico border. Historically, there have been two distinct communities in Del Rio – an Anglo community and a Latino community. Each is separated by the San Felipe Creek. In his book Raza Schools: The Fight for Latino Educational Autonomy in a West Texas Borderlands Town (published in 2023), Jesus Jesse Esparza describes the starkly segregated division in Del Rio that the San Felipe Creek represents. It is a story well worth reading. It is one that recounts the prejudice of Anglos toward Latinos, but it also depicts the stubbornly persistent determination of the San Felipe community to develop its own educational system that maintained very high standards.
Incidentally, another book, Mustang Miracle (published in 2012), is the story of several Mexican-American students from San Felipe High School who, having worked as caddies at the local Anglo-only country club, taught themselves the game of golf and who won the Texas state high school championship in 1957. That story has been made into a movie, “The Long Game,” which came out this spring.
In 1925 the Iglesia Presbiteriana Mexicana was organized in the San Felipe community. The organizing pastor was C. C. Acevedo who served that congregation from 1925-1930. There were 67 communicants in the church at that time. It was part of the Texas-Mexican Presbytery (which was formed by the Synod of Texas in 1908) and remained part of that presbytery until 1960 when all the Mexican American churches in Texas merged with the Anglo presbyteries in their particular area.
Among those who served the San Felipe congregation as pastors, in addition to Acevedo, were: Ventura Euresti (1930), Abraham Fernandez (1933-1937), D. E. Lujan (1937-1938), D. G. Vera (1938-1940), S. G. Ramirez (1940-1950), M. G. Garcia (1950), and J. F. Rojas (1951). From 1960 to 1971 when the church was dissolved and merged with First Presbyterian Church the pastor was Jose Fuentez Martinez.
The San Felipe church went by two other names over the years. In 1948 it became Iglesia Presbiteriana San Felipe and in 1951 its name was changed to Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana Mexican. The high point of its membership seems to have been in 1941 when there were 108 communicant members and 150 enrolled in Sunday school.
In October 1971 the San Felipe Church and First Presbyterian Church merged. According to the minutes of the Synod of Texas, the “two Presbyterian Churches were joined together into one united ministry of worship and service to our community and God’s World-Wide Community. This was a historic day which had long been in the minds of many in both of our Presbyterian Churches, San Felipe and First…. The Rev. Jesse Leos, who has long been a part of the discussions about this union of our two churches, was the guest preacher at a special Worship service in San Felipe Presbyterian Church at 9:45 A. M. Mr. Leos is currently the Assistant Headmaster of Pan-American School in Kingsville. He is Chairman of Synod’s Mexican-American Task Force. Prior to his service at Pan-American Mr. Leos was pastor of El Buen Pastor in Austin, the largest Mexican-American Church in the Synod of Texas. Rev. Martinez and Rev. Caldwell assisted Mr. Leos in this service…. A second service of worship was held at 11 A.M. in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church….” Martinez had served as pastor of the San Felipe church while Caldwell served as pastor of First.
According to First Presbyterian Church’s current pastor, Rev. Maria Vargas, the building that housed the Presbyterian Church in San Felipe was demolished leaving only the foundation. In an email she writes that prior to her coming about six months ago First Presbyterian Church had been closed for about six years. Since her arrival the church has experienced something of a revival with a diverse membership. There is an eagerness to see the church stay alive and continue its ministry. Currently, there are three members there who were members of the San Felipe congregation.
Vargas and some of the church’s members have been active in reclaiming the history of the San Felipe church and its 46-year ministry (1925-1971).
The story of the Texas-Mexican Presbytery (1908-1960) is one for another time.
The Presbyterian Historical Society of the Southwest exists to “stimulate and encourage interest in the collection, preservation, and presentation of the Presbyterian and Reformed heritage” in the Southwest. If you are not a participating member of the Society and would like to become one, the annual dues are $20 per individual and $25 per couple. Annual institutional and church membership dues are $100. Checks may be made out to PHSSW and sent to:
PHSSW – 5525 Traviston Ct., Austin, TX 78738.