A Timeline of the History of St. James

July 4, 1879: Founding of Eureka Springs
 
1883: Episcopal Church organized as Trinity Mission, Eureka Springs
 
1887: Organization occurred through the efforts of the Reverend J. J. Vaulx of Fayetteville, Arkansas, who held services once a month for several years.  During this period, a frame chapel was built on Mountain Street.  Regular organization was effected on September 15, 1887.  The Rev. D. S. C. M. Potter, D. D., assumed charge of the mission on December 14, 1887.
 
1892-1901: The Rev. Richard S. James
In January, 1889, when a new brick schoolhouse was built, the congregation was presented with the old Cromer school building (the present-day home for St. James).  An alternative history records, “In 1890, the Eureka Springs Development Company gave the Cromer  School to the Episcopalians and they moved into the building they are still using.”  A schism occurred in which seven members left to form a mission of the Reform Episcopal Church.
 
1901: The Ven. S. B. Williams  Mission reunited at annual meeting and members returned on Easter Day 1901
 
1903: Crescent Hotel Company transferred deed to school house and land on Spring Street to Bishop Brown
 
1904-1905: The Rev. J. C. Beaubein (who also had oversight of new church at Harrison)
 
1906-1912: C. F. Ellis, lay reader; James Brooks, William Francis Dickinson, Fred Leeds, catechists; C. D. James, lay reader
 
1908: Reorganized as St. James, The Rev. Lee Heaton, rector
 
Holy Innocents, 1913: St. James formally consecrated
 
1917-1919: The Rev. Charles Beldon
 
1919-1923: The Rev. Edward T. Mabley admininstered HC monthly
 
1923: The Rev. Percy Dix
 
1924: The Rev. John Foster; The Rev. S.L. Rainey, priest in charge
 
1924-1939: No resident priests for 15 years
 
1939: Bishop Bland Mitchell returns St. James to mission status; 22 communicants on roll; services irregular until 1945
 
1943-1946: The Rev. R. S. Martin; records show seven communicants in 1946 and only one HC that year
 
1947-1949: The Rev. John M. Allin (Presiding Bishop in 1970s)
 
1949-1954: The Rev. Robert B. Hall
 
1953: First Silver Tea
 
1954-1955: The Rev. Willis A. Augsburger
 
1956-1957: The Rev. Ralph C. Kutait
 
1957-1960: The Rev. Christoph Keller, Jr. (later Bishop of Arkansas)
 
1960-1963: The Rev. Ed Salmon, Jr., vicar
Aug. 24, 1962: Fire destroys much of church.  On September 12 the congregation decided to rebuild the Church, meanwhile holding services at a temporary chapel at Lake Lucerne.  On Easter Day, April 14, 1963, the first service was held in the renovated Church.
 
1962-1964: The Rev. Edgar E. Shippey (Assistant)
 
1964-1965: The Rev. John H. Arthur (while Asst. Editor of The Anglican Digest)
 
1965-1966: The Rev. Harold H. Leake
 
1967-1971: The Rev. William Z. Buchanan (ordained March 21, 1967 at St. James.)
 
1968: Lane House donated to church
 
1971-1973: The Rev. Robert W. Jackson
 
1973-1974: The Rev. William H. Ralston, Jr., Priest-in-charge (while Assoc. Editor of THE ANGLICAN DIGEST)
 
1975-1977: The Rev. Robert W. Jackson (wife Mary Anne; Fr. Jackson broke his hip but continued ministry, served 3 people at a time at communion while seated)
 
1977-1984: The Rev. Richard N. Clark
 
1983: Building enlarged to create sacristy and enlarge undercroft as parish hall.
 
1985-1988: The Rev. Donald S. Amussen
 
1989-1990: The Rev. George W. Bersch (retired priest, noted for woodworking, beer brewing and sausage making)
 
1991-1995: The Rev. Kay Ashby, chaplain
 
1996-1998: The Rev. Kay Ashby, vicar
 
1993-2004: Lane House Ministry
 
1999- : The Rev. Edie Bird, Vicar
 
2005- : The Rev. Betsy Porter (Assisting), initiate development of Ministry Support Team

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