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Llano, Texas
We are friendly, family oriented Christians that regularly gather together in fellowship and worship. We encourage you to visit us and experience for yourself our friendly atmosphere.
As part of starting our new Website, we are documenting in better detail "Who We Are". Please check back soon for more about Who We Are.
In May of 1881 our founders first gathered to worship in Llano. Later, in January 1893, the land where we meet today was deeded to FPC by Mr. J. Duff Brown, Jr. We erected the original building shortly thereafter. A few years passed and we expanded the original sanctuary building with the classroom addition. We use the original building today, little changed from its original form.
The 1880 federal census shows the town had five retail merchants, two livery stables, a blacksmith, a lumber yard, two hotels, three physicians, two druggists, two butchers and three saloons. Three churches had been organized: Methodists, Lutherans, and Baptists.
Our Church history goes back to a time when Llano was part of the Texas frontier. In 1873, the Packsaddle Indian Battle was fought and was still fresh in residents' memories. Lawlessness and shootouts were still common. In 1882 the Carter-Coggins family feud erupted with bullets flying in downtown Llano, leaving both dead and wounded. Then, in 1889, two ex-sheriffs battled each other on Main Street right at the Courthouse square. Once again there were both dead and wounded people.
Over the decades our membership included various community leaders, some of whom were:
Additional research on our fourth pastor, Jacob Clarke (J. C.) Grow
J. C. Grow was born in 1841, and died in 1903. He came to FPC in late April of 1891 and stayed through January 1894. While leading FPC, he helped the church grow tremendously. The church rolls grew, adding 34 new members, and our building was constructed and occupied. Rev. Grow came to us from the Sulphur Springs, Texas Presbyterian Church with his family, Mrs. Margaret (Maggie) Scott Grow, Master Willie P. Grow, and Miss Mary Sumner Grow. While in Sulphur Springs, Rev. Grow also started the Presbyterian Church in Commerce, Texas and pastored both congregations during his time there.
Additional research on our fifteenth pastor, Tom Van Puffelen
A photograph of Tom Van Puffelen is available from his time at Evangelical Theological College (now Dallas Theological Seminary). He is shown with the other international students attending the Seminary in 1931.
