First Presbyterian
First Presbyterian Church of Pass Christian
On February 3,1871, church trustees: Edward S Keep, Arthur B Griswold, Wm H Thomas, Wm J Pattison, Charles B New, and AM Payne purchased a 71' wide strip of land on Front St by 250' deep for $600 paid to William and Margaret Champlin for use by First Presbyterian Church. Church Street, later named Davis Avenue, was created at that time.
First Presbyterian Church of Pass Christian was incorporated on 3-14-1871.
On May 8, 1883, Alfred V. Davis sold a 100' Gulf side lot to the Trustees of First Presbyterian Church (E.S. Keep, Wm J Pattison, John T Hardie, Wm H Thomas, and Henry J Leovy) (This was the eastern portion of the former “Devereaux Property”which was acquired by AV Davis from AK Northrop on February, 15, 1877 — Perhaps this lot sale occurred as a result of the impending construction of the Mexican Gulf Hotel across the street.)
On June 6, 1892, perhaps due to the increased traffic at the Mexican Gulf Hotel across Davis Avenue, the Trustees of First Presbyterian Church of Pass Christian agreed to sell their 71' Church Lot on Beach Avenue, however, without the Church building which would be moved after sale completion. Church Members who witnessed the sale offer were: Wm J Pattison, KA Monroe, Polly Monroe, MW Tunstall (widow), Sarah T Block (widow), HE Payne, Peter Meyer, Mrs. EA Meyer, Adolph Kestner, EA Scarborough, Mrs MA Scarborough, Georgia Scarborough, Anna Norris, Mrs Ane Pierson, George Pierson, Elizabeth Dale, BF Lindsey, MV Lindsey, Levi Drew, George Perring, Mrs EM Perring, John R Eaton, and Mrs RE Eaton.
On July 8, 1892, the Trustees of First Presbyterian Church of Pass Christian sold the church lot measuring 71' fronting on Front Street by 250' depth along Church Street, later named Davis Avenue. The church building was not included in the sale and was to be moved within 60 days.
Trustees who signed were John T Hardie, Wm T Hardie, Henry J Leovy, Victor P Leovy, Thomas J McMillan, and Wm J Pattison.
Fifteen years earlier, on September 27, 1877, church members Stephen and Elizabeth Dale conveyed to Trustees of First Presbyterian Church of Pass Christian for $1, a 70' square lot on Red Creek Road in the Village of Pineville. (This is probably the current church site, where the Congregation began taking services following the Hurricane of 1915. The demolished church was located on the beach-side of Beach Avenue (fronting 737 and 741 East Scenic Drive,) and had previously been remodeled following a hurricane in 1893.)