H.R. No. 1936
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The proud history of New Hope Missionary Baptist
Church in Wheelock is being recognized with the dedication of an
Official Texas Historical Marker on May 6, 2017; and
WHEREAS, In 1895, former slaves Sam and Lucy Bell Stubbs
Mitchell and their 12 children moved from Georgia to Wheelock,
Texas, where they raised fruit, vegetables, dairy cows, and
chickens on 200 acres as part of a community of African American
landowners; and
WHEREAS, Many members of that community worshipped at New
Hope Missionary Baptist Church, which was originally located west
of the Spring Creek settlement; in 1911, the congregation decided
to move the church to a more accessible location, and Lucy Mitchell
donated two acres of land to accommodate the new sanctuary; the men
of the church disassembled the original church and moved the pieces
by wagon to the new site, where a local carpenter constructed the
present building; and
WHEREAS, Between 1880 and 2003, New Hope MBC was served by
four ministers, the Reverend R. A. Smiley, the Reverend Aaron
A. Manning, the Reverend R. M. Blocker, and the Reverend
W. C. Adams, and the church sponsored such auxiliaries as a Sunday
school, a Mission Society, the Baptist Training Union, and the
Brotherhood Starlight Band and Choir; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, the church has also served as a vital
community center, a site for meetings, classes, revivals, reunions,
political events, and Juneteenth celebrations; on the first Sunday
of each June, members and friends of the church gather to celebrate
its rich history and the families who have sustained it; and
WHEREAS, One such family member is Estelle Adams, a
granddaughter of Sam and Lucy Mitchell; it is thanks to her
dedication and hard work that New Hope is being honored with a state
historical marker; and
WHEREAS, The only remaining African American church in the
Wheelock area, New Hope Missionary Baptist continues to provide a
spiritual and cultural home to the local black community, and it is
truly deserving of this special recognition from the Texas
Historical Commission; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the dedication of an Official Texas
Historical Marker at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and extend
to all those present sincere best wishes for a meaningful and
memorable event.
Davis of Dallas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1936 was adopted by the House on May
12, 2017, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House