The First Presbyterian Church of Arcadia, Florida, was founded on August 28, 1898. It was truly born in a storm. So severe was the weather on that hot summer Sunday that only five persons were able to gather for the organizational meeting of the church. Those five and they alone, constitute the charter roll of the church. On that day when the life of the church commenced, two were elected as elders and two were elected as deacons. The only one not chosen to serve in an elected office was the only woman present, Mrs. Sarah Green. Elders chosen that day were Dr. James MacFie and Colonel C D Douglas. Deacons were W H Shedden and Solon Evens.
The five met with Henry Keigwin (a Reverend that conducted a series of evangelistic services in the county court house a few years prior to the founding of First Presbyterian) and became members of the Presbyterian Church. Some might call Henry Keigwin the founding father of the Arcadia Church. Indeed, it was his labors that established Presbyterianism in Desoto County, both here and in Punta Gorda, which was part of DeSoto County until 1921.
If one man can be truly called the founding father of Presbyterianism in Arcadia, it was certainly Dr. James MacFie. A practicing physician in Arcadia, and a native of Scotland, he had come to Florida by way of Canada. He was determined to have a Presbyterian Church here in Arcadia.
The evangelistic services in 1898, which led to the organization of the church on August 28th, were held in the building of First Baptist Church. Indeed, prior to the organization of the Presbyterian congregation, an agreement was entered into on June 1, 1898, to use the small Baptist sanctuary built on the corner of Polk and Hickory Streets on alternate Sundays, with the Presbyterians to pay one half of the upkeep of the building.
It is interesting to note that only the five who braved the storm and were actually there on August 28, 1898, are recognized as charter members of the congregation.
There were others who played a vital role in the life of the church in its early years. These included A M Smith, Dr. and Mrs. C H Smith, John McIntosh, Dr. Blair, and his three daughters: Sally, Mary, and Wilsie, and Mrs. Laura Craig and her son, James Craig, who operated the Arcadia House, the first major hotel in town.
By the year after the foundation of the church, a pastor, C H Ferran, had been called, and his name appears, along with those of Dr. MacFie, Colonel Douglas, L. King, and T D Bourland as trustees of the church upon the deed for the lot acquired by the church in December 1899. This lot would be the site for the first sanctuary, which was begun in early 1900. Completion of that construction was delayed until a manse could be completed for the pastor.
About that time, C H Kirkpatrick, a carpenter and builder, had moved to Arcadia, with his family. He was responsible for the completion of the manse, at the cost of $750, and construction on the sanctuary continued as time and money permitted. C H Kirkpatrick was elected to serve as an elder in the church and in that role represented the church at the meeting of the Presbytery for many years. He also served on committees of Presbytery.
By the end of 1905, church membership reached thirty-seven. 1905 was the year of the great fire which destroyed much of downtown Arcadia, including the courthouse in which the first services by Reverend Keigwin were held. Many of the records from the early days of the church are missing, and may be assumed to have been destroyed in that fire. Remarkably, the sanctuary and the manse of First Presbyterian Church appear to have escaped the damage.
Thus, the church born in a storm was spared by the fire.
-Adapted from “To Be Continued….” a personal history of First Presbyterian Church, written by Rev. Ted Land