Years of Modest Growth 1886-1950

In 1916, some younger men of the Church bought a log house across for the Church and made it into a recreational room. About that time the Sunday School took on a new life. Shortly after that, at the prompting of the Presbytery, the long house was sold and a house bought on East Second Street which became the Manse. However the Manse was later sold because it was considered too large. The proceeds were invested for a time. In 1950 three members of the prominent Gehres family gave the church a seven room modern home which became the Manse. This released the money from the sale of the original manse to be added to the building fund which had been started by the efforts of the women of the Church.

Membership grew from 28 in 1876 to 80 in this period. Much of the time the ministers who served the church were stated supplies not full time pastors. Records show that from 1891 to 1914 the salaries paid by the local church ranged from $400 to $600 a year, one exception being $712.50. For part of this period, salary supplements were paid by the Home Mission Board.

The following reminiscences are from, 90 year old church member Claribel Fagan, 315 East North St., Waverly, as told to John Hamlin in August 2002.

"My mother told me that I first attended the Presbyterian Church with her in 1914 at the age of two, when Rev. Galbreath was Pastor, and I have been going ever since, that is, until I developed macular degeneration in about 1995. I have been a deacon and a Sunday School teacher. I remember how Rev. [William} Price shed tears when a Session voted not to allow a Negro to attend our church services. I remember what seemed a grand ceremony when Rev. [George] Masselink was ordained in our church. Most of our pastors lived in what is now a barber shop next to the Jail on Second Street."

Pastors 1886-1950

• Rev. William Morrison Galbreath, SS, April 1886 - April 1887 (1 year)
• Rev. T. S. McWilliams, June 1889 -
• Norman Jones, SS, 1890
• Rev. Frank G. Moore, SS, October 1891 - September 1892 (1 year)
• Jonah Smith, May 1893
• Rev. Edward M. Page, SS, October 1894 - June 1895 (1 year)
• Rev. Jacob F. Slagle, SS, November 1897 - December 1902 4 years
• Rev. W. M. Reese, 1903
• Rev. Scott I. Wallace, P, February 1904 - October 1905 (1 year +)
• Rev. I. N. Wilkins, SS, 1906
• Rev. Earl A. Miller, SS, March 1907 - January 1909 (2 years)
• Rev. James L. McWilliams, January - March 1920
• Rev. J. G. Galbreath, SS, then Pastor, February 1913 - March 1916 (3 years)
• Rev. George W. Bell, P, September 1920 - October 1922 (2 years)
• Rev. George L. Pake, P, April 1923 - May 1926 (3 years)
• Rev. T. C. Kerr, P, October 1923 - 1929 (3 years)
• Rev. William Price, SS, May 1931 - April 1934 (3 years)
• Rev. George Masselink, September 1934 - April 1935 (1 year)
• Rev. A. P. Donnelly, SS, May 1935 - May 1936 (1 year)
• Rev. Harry Wickerson, SS, then Pastor, December 1936 - February 1939 (3 years)
• Rev. Philip L. Williams, SS, September 1939 - May 1941 (1 year)
• Rev. Glen Sylvia, SS, September 1941 - September 1942 (1 year)
• Rev. Charles Mathew Brown, SS, March 1943 - June 1945 (2 years)
• Rev. R. L. Offield, SS, June 1946 - May 1948 (2 years)
• Herbert F. White, SS, December 1948 - May 1950 (2 years)
• Rev. Thomas M. Patterson, SS, June - October 1950