The original Episcopal church located at Star and West 7th Streets in Bonham burned to the ground in 1961, destroying not only the building but church records, documents and photographs. At the time of its destruction by fire, Holy Trinity was the oldest originally existing church building in Bonham having served the community for eighty years.
The current Vestry is seeking any photographs held by local residents of the original building. They are hoping that nearby neighbors and families of communicants during and prior to 1961 will have family photos which capture the image of the old building in the background or of events inside the church such as weddings or baptisms inside the church prior to its destruction by fire.
Holy Trinity was chartered in 1877 and, according to a chronicle of the history of Holy Trinity by Tom Scott, held services on a regular basis at First Baptist Church and, although less frequently, the First Methodist Church in Bonham as well as in private homes. Funds raised for the construction of a church building came from generous donations by communicants as well as non-Episcopalians in the community, and by fund-raising events at the then new Russell Opera House.
A cornerstone at the site of the present Holy Trinity church was laid on May 1, 1881. The first service at the site of the church, then under construction as funds for the volunteer construction workers were made available, was held by Bishop Alexander Garrett in April 1882 with the congregation seated on benches borrowed from the First Baptist Church or rough planks sitting on whatever was available, and a rough plank nailed onto a strip serving as the altar.
Thirteen days later, Bishop Garrett returned to Bonham to consecrate a cornerstone for the new church on property owned by The Reverend Dr. T. B. Lawson and later deeded to the Episcopal Diocese of Texas for the construction of a church building for the congregation of Holy Trinity.
The cornerstone was reported to have included a Bible, an Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, copies of The Bonham News, the Bonham Advocate, the Sherman Courier-Chronicle and the Fort Worth Churchman. It also included a list of state and county officials, a history of the Episcopal Church in Bonham, a photograph of Rev. S. T. Lord, and several small U.S. coins. That cornerstone was apparently removed when the church building burned in 1961 and has never been located and recovered.
The original church building was completed and was totally unencumbered by any indebtedness. It was consecrated by Bishop Garrett on May 18, 1883, the same day he presided over the laying of a cornerstone for St. Mark's Church in Honey Grove.
Many prominent citizens of Bonham were communicants at Holy Trinity including Erwin Evans Smith who became famous for his photography of life on the range of the old west. Any photographs offered by members of the community will be copied and returned to those who own them, with gratitude for their preservation of their history as well as that of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church of Bonham.
The website and contact information for Holy Trinity is http://www.holytrinitybonham.org/. Also included on the website is the wording on the Texas Historical Landmark plaque dedicated to the church on its 100th anniversary.
