About Us

St. Stephen

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Text Box: A MISSION WAS BORN (Taken from a History of St. Stephen’s 1952, written by A. Marjorie Boulton) St. Stephen’s Mission and I have grown up together in Beaumont. For that reason and because I am the only one of the charter members of St. Stephen’s still living in Beaumont, I have been asked to write down something of the early days of the Mission and of the gradual development until we became a Parish. Before 1910, the Beaumont territory had been surveyed by the Diocesan Mission Board with the idea of buying a piece of property, to be used for summer camps and other Diocesan activities. Also, for a short time, and before 1910, there had been a Mission in Banning called St. Luke’s. When in 1910 my mother, Mrs. George D’Arcy Boulton. my sister and I, followed my brother Kenneth to Beaumont, we found no Episcopal church nearer than Trinity, in Redlands. As there were few automobiles then and the roads were bad, Redlands was a long way off. We wrote to the Bishop of the Diocesan, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Horsfall Johnson, asking about the possibilities of establishing a Mission. In the late summer of 1915 the Rev. Charles Stanley Mook, then Dean of the Convocation of San Bernardino and Riverside, came to Beaumont and again made a survey, this time with the idea of establishing a Mission. Though he did find the usual number of the Episcopalians, one to every hundred of population, Mr. Mook still thought we were not ready to start a new work. In December, however, the Mr. And Mrs. Royalty purchased a home in Cherry Valley and were disappointed at not finding a church where their children could attend Sunday school. The Bishop was notified and on December 26, 1915, Mr. Mook came to Beaumont, and in the basement of the Library gave us our first service. There were some twenty in attendance. Then and there the Mission was organized. As December 26 is St. Stephen’s day, the Mission was called St. Stephen’s. The first Bishops’ committee consisted of my brother, Kenneth P. Boulton, Warden: Robert Wilson, Clerk; and Able T. Gantt, Treasurer. For the next five months we held services in the Library building, Mr. Mook being with us as his time allowed. We prepared for each service by covering a table with a fair linen for the Alter and on it we placed a cross, candlesticks and vases. Very soon after we were organized, we began to feel ourselves really a part of the church; for from the Diocesan Alter Guild we received the cross, candlesticks and vases. The cross was returned later when Mrs. Gantt gave the present one in memory of her husband. Our first linens were given to us by St. Jame’s Church, South Pasadena; and the Alter Guild of Trinity Church, Highland Park, Illinois, the church that we as a family had always attended, sent a white Burse and Veil. To complete our needs, my mother, in memory of my Father, George D’Arcy Boulton, gave the Chalice, Paten and Bread Box. In these first months Mr. Mook organizing St. Stephen’s Guild. The constitution and by-laws were drawn up with these objectives: To aid the Vicar in every way - To care for the Alter - To further the work of the church - To care for the children. Our first social work was assisting Miss Roberts in her work at the school for Mexican children. We provided bandages for their wounds, handkerchiefs on which they can blow their noses, soap to keep them clean, and any other thing we could do to show our friendship. The Guild, needing money, originated the “Talent Fund”. Each member of the Guild earns money for the organization by using her own particular talent. Then a “Talent Luncheon” is held in each woman turns in her offering, with a verse describing how she earned her money. Mrs. A. T. Gantt was our first President. Before we had a Mission, she had been active in the United Presbyterian Church and was responsible for starting the first Flower Show. While we were still worshipping in the Library, the Bishop asked the Rev. Charles Maimann, then officiating as Missioner to Hemet, San Jacinto, Murrieta and Elsinore, to take over the Beaumont and Banning area. Mr. Maimann was a Dane. He was a widower then living in Hemet. He was a consecrated man, a teacher with determination to make his parishioners intelligent Church men and women. When some of us wanted to start Sunday School, he said “No, not until the teachers will promise to be in attendance every Sunday, you’re in and year out”. So of course Mrs. George Decker, Mrs. A. T. Gantt and Miss Bethune Shipp volunteered. I offered to take over the music. Isabel Henderson Covington and Captain William Henderson were among the first pupils. Before Mr. Maimann left him, he married again. He was long since retired and lived in Lompoc, California. The following letter, received from Mr. Maimann at the time St. Stephen’s became a Parish, will, I think, give you a better picture of the man and his work. “In April, 1916 Bishop Johnson called me from Yuma, Arizona to take up Missionary work in the Hemet field, which at that time included Hemet, San Jacinto, Beaumont, Banning, Murrieta, Elsinore and Perris. I held my first service in Beaumont on Sunday, May 14, 1916 in the basement of the Public Library, twenty-five persons present. I made the first trips to Beaumont by rail, leaving Hemet and on Saturday, 8 A.M. and reaching Beaumont at 6:30 P.M.” “I realized that it was out of the question for me to do justice in the way of providing services for my scattered flock in the Beaumont- Banning part of the field if I had to spend so many hours in reaching the place by rail. I told the then Dean of Convocation, Rev. C.S. Mook, that the Board of Missions would have to provide one better transportation; so a “Ford” was given me for use. At first I had to travel the famous Lambs Canyon road - had many narrow escapes and much tire trouble. Then when the new road was opened, the Old Rabbit Trail, just a dirt road then, I made my trips to Beaumont and Banning over that route. From May 14, 1916 I managed to give alternate Sundays to Beaumont and Banning, arriving on Saturdays to call on the people. We had the first communion service May 28, 9 A.M., twelve present, an Evening Prayer 7:30, same place, Public Library, twenty-four present. My record shows that I held a week’s mission from November 13 to 19, poorly attended, wind blowing gale-like day and night. On December 10, 1916, Bishop Johnson visited Beaumont and administered the rite of confirmation – forty present. How many were confirmed I forgot to note unfortunately. (Note: Class included Robert Wilson Able Gantt.)” “I cannot remember the date when we held first service in the old building across from the Water Company office; but do remember the first Sunday morning there. We started the Sunday School and we had many well attended services in that old place.” “On Sunday, April 29, 1917 I brought Dean Mook and Mrs. Mook to Beaumont. The Dean had resigned Corona and took up his residence in Beaumont and Banning: and Sunday, September 9th, I held my last service in Beaumont - Holy Communion 8 A.M., Morning Prayer 11 A.M. I note that on Friday, September 14, 1917, I held a baptismal service in Beaumont 4 P.M . I think you were present at the service; it was my last appearance in Beaumont until 1923 when we had convocation there and Father Wilson was in charge of St. Stephen’s Mission. I was at that time rector of St. John’s, San Bernardino and Dean of Convocation. “ OUR FIRST CHURCH Mr. Maimann mentions our church across the street from the Water Office. As the interest in the work grew, we realized we must have a permanent church home. This was difficult to find, as, with no money, we were not independent. However, we discovered an old store building opposite the Water Office. It was the oldest building in town and was tied up in the estate of Mr. Mellon, one of the earliest settlers. This was lent to us free of rent. It was truly a humble home. The building was old. It was DIRTY. It had been papered and the paper was hanging from the walls. It smelled of meat and bacon and groceries. The windows were broken. When Mr. Maimann looked in for the first time he was discouraged. However, nothing has ever downed the men and women of St. Stephen’s. They have imagination and they know how to work. The first thing we had to do was to clear out the rubbish; then Miss Shipp, clever with handling tools, fashioned an alter and choir stalls out of the old counters. The building contained a main room for services, a smaller one for Sacristy, another for a kitchen. Mrs. Logan Seitz had loaned us an organ (one hard to pump!) We were now ready for our first service in what was to be our church for some time. When Mr. Maimann arrived this time instead of saying “oh” with a downward inflection, he said “Oh, my little cathedral”. In this building we had our first dinner. I assure you there was just as much conversation and time wasted in planning that dinner as there is today, and as usual we ended up with chicken pie, scalloped potatoes, fruit salad, pie and coffee. And we made money! The building really needed a new roof. In fact, there was only one place where it didn’t leak, and that was over the Alter. After each service we protected our books, etc by placing them on the Alter. The church treasury was depleted but the Guild had money! The Bishops’ Committee asked for help and we learned the joy of giving. Through the years, the Guild has always done it’s share. In April, 1917 the Bishop relieved Mr. Maimann of the Beaumont- Banning field and Mr. Mook came back to St. Stephen’s for two years. Mr. Mook was a wonderful organizer. We are grateful to him for establishing St. Stephen’s on such a solid foundation. His gift to the community was his advice on how to raise our first quota of eighteen thousand dollars in liberty bonds in World War I. Mrs. Mook had the rare gift of telling stories, particularly at Christmas time when she told the Sunday School the Christmas story
Our next Vicar was the Rev. Mortimer Chester, the Bostonian just graduated from the General Theological Seminary. He lived in Hemet but spent part of his time in Beaumont at the home of Mr. And Mrs. George Decker. He was a bachelor whose hearty laugh cheered everyone. He was tremendously interested in this, his first Mission. It was during these three years that the thought of a permanent church home was maturing. On Easter day, 1919, The Rev. Robert B. Gooden, now our beloved retired Suffragan Bishop, came to Beaumont for a service, and with his gifts started the building fund. Mr. Chester married a Hemet girl. At present they are living in Salt Lake City where he is rector of St. Paul’s Church. I know his own letter, written to me at that time we became a Parish, will interest everyone. “I find from my personal record book that I held my first service in Beaumont as a deacon on March 16, 1919, and that I held services thereafter every other Sunday. On the other Sundays I held services at Hemet, San Jacinto and Elsinore. I was ordained priest in St. James Church, South Pasadena on Ascension Day, May 29, 1919; and I celebrated my first communion in Beaumont on Sunday, June 1, 1919, the Rev. Pryor Grant assisting. My last service in Beaumont was on February 24, 1921, St. Matthias’ Day.” “There is little information I can give you of any special events. I note that Convocation met in Beaumont on November 19, 1920 and that Bishop Stevens blessed the processional cross at that service. I held several communion services in Banning but always private in sanatoriums. I had eleven baptisms in the Beaumont-Banning field (the first baptism I had in my ministry was that of Robert Eugene LeBeau, Jr., 1 April 6, 1919 in the little Beaumont Mission church). I presented twelve for confirmation two to Bishop Johnson and ten to Bishop Sanford. I had no marriages and two funerals, both in Banning.” “I remember the many Guild Meetings we had, the many happy visits to your home and to the Deckers’, the work we did in the little store used as our church. I recall Miss Shipp’s enthusiasm and the time she used to scrub the little Mission and I remember we put a specially designed paper on the windows to make it seem more churchly.” The processional cross mentioned above was given the Mission by the Sunday School boys under the direction of Mrs. John Harmon. THE BUILDING OF OUR CHURCH Dear Father Wilson came to us from the Diocesan of Chicago where he had served long and faithfully. He was not too strong. He had the misfortune to have one leg amputated below the knee. Often we could feel his suffering, but he never complained. St. Stephen’s was to be his last work. I imagine he belonged to the catholic party; however, he never thrust that upon us. One day looking at his photograph hanging in the study we remarked on the beautiful silk Alb he wore. He shrugged his shoulders and said he wore it to please his wife. He was a large man, both in stature and in his thinking, and particularly in his understanding of his parishioners: the strong, aggressive ones and the shut-ins alike. His thought always in visiting each individual shut-in was to help him strengthen his own faith, not to try and convert him to our way of thinking. I remember him telling of one woman in particular, determined to take her own life. In this particular call he told her he thought the time had come and that she should plan how and where. Where woould she commit this act? Surely not in the home where she had received nothing but kindness! With question after question he led her on until her better self merged and there was no further thought of suicide. When Miss Shipp would argue with him about certain things and the way he did them, he would smile and say, “She is generally a right but I don’t change.” Father Wilson had a rare gift for story telling. He would have a particular story for each person he called upon, leaving him cheered and comforted when he left. He was a good preacher and loved to draw his sermons from the desert and the mountains; but the services I liked best were those on the Saints’ Days when he gave a meditation using the Gospel or Epistle for the day. So much for the man; now for his work. During Mr. Chester’s time, my mother had given a lot to St. Stephen’s hoping some day there would be a Church or Parish House on it. Knowing this, Father Wilson immediately began thinking of a building. Soon plans drawn by Mr. Carlton Winslow, the Diocesan Church Architect. As I remember, our Mission was copied after a little church in Spain. Even the color of the paint, blue and yellow was a copy of the original. The Guild had worked hard and earned, and others had given until we had a thousand dollars to begin the work. Then Father Wilson suggested that each one of us (twenty in all) would pledge $10.00 a year for ten years, the debt of two thousand dollars would be paid. And so it proved. Here I must mention Father Wilson’s wife, Julia, and her sister, Mrs. Tremann, who lived with them. They were always more than ready to do their part. One day they invited us to a tea in the kitchen of the new building. When we had all arrived we found there a complete service for fifty, their gift to St. Stephen’s. Many of these pieces we’re still using. The Guild had much fun and many arguments over purchasing a carpet for the Sanctuary, and then of the pros and cons of buying a piano. In Coachella Valley we found the one we are still using. We paid one hundred dollars for it. It was a horribly hot day when we went there. There were no roads then and we drove through dirt. We found the piano in a tiny little house, filled with sand (both house and piano). We cleaned it up and it has served us well. To recall two of our good deeds during this time: Bishop Johnson had an old friend, Brother Gilbert Thomkins. Brother Gilbert had hoped to become a lay brother in the order of the S.S.J.E. and live in the Monastery. That was not to be, so he gave his time to doing for others. Each summer he would come to Beaumont and we would find him a home, provide him with jars and fruit and sugar and he would spend his time canning. Generally we had one or two hundred quarts of fruit which we gave to the Home for the Aged at Alhambra. At another time, one of the priests of the church, a Mr. Mott, sick with Tuberculosis, needed to come to this climate. We found him a home and for some months supplied him with the things he needed. In thinking of the Guild I have digressed, so must come back to Father Wilson and the Parish house. When at last the building was completed, Bishop Stevens came and dedicated it and it’s furnishings for us. He dedicated it for the worship of God and for fellowship. At this service our guests were the men who had used their skills in erecting the building. The Chancel was furnished with an Alter made by Miss Shipp. The Alter rail was made in given by the contractor, Mr. Ernest Thompson. The reredos was made of gold curtains that had hung in our living room in the East. The reading desk and lectern were made and given to us by Mr. A. DeMund. During these years we had many days of inspiration. Mrs. John Gaynor Banks (then miss Tulloch) came very often to speak on the subject of Spiritual Healing. Dr. George Davidson also came, just to mention one or two. As the Diocese was growing so rapidly, Bishop Johnson often asked for the assistance of the Bishops from the neighboring Missionary Districts. Bishop Sanford of San Joaquin came twice. Bishop Frederick Foot Johnson, retired Bishop of Missouri, Bishop De Pensier of new Westminster, Vancouver, and Bishop Moulton of Salt Lake City were others who came. The latter was Missionary Bishop to the Indians. Once when he was here preaching, I remember him telling us that when he preached to the Indians he always used an interpreter. One day he was conducting the service of Confirmation at the Cathedral. He looked up and there in the doorway stood his Indian interpreter, in full regalia, presenting himself for confirmation! His description was so real that we, too, turned around expecting to see him. So you see, as the years went on we were constantly reminded that we were part of the larger church. Father Wilson varied his services. For instance, weather permitting, on Ascension Day we met at our home on the Mesa and he would administer the Holy Communion under the wisteria-covered pergola. On a Sunday evening at harvest time we would gather on the Mesa. He would use the old English service of the blessing of the hills, the fields and the orchards, going from corner to corner; north, east, south and west. In these days my mother was busy sewing aprons and other articles, selling them to her friends. If anything was left in December she had a sale, inviting the members of the Parish and serving them tea and biscuits. (The biscuits were always filled with fig j.) Thus she provided a backlog. When the treasury was empty, the salary and other expenses could be met. Her sale was so popular that friends came from Redlands and one friend about the same age as my mother, carried the idea back to Redlands, providing a discretionary fund for their rector. After mother’s death, the Guild carried on with this activity, always speaking of it as the “Mother Boulton Sale”. Later, when her name was dropped from the bazaar, the Guild held a dinner in her memory. One thing I like to remember is the friendship between Mother and Bishop Johnson. He always stayed with us on his visits to the church. When Father Wilson, accustomed to entertaining the Bishops, asked him to be their guest, the Bishops said, “No, as long as Mrs. Boulton lives, there is my Beaumont home”. On his last visitation he brought Mrs. Johnson with him, for he said he knew she and my mother would be friends. We had many fine workers in those years (indeed haven’t we always had fine workers!) To mention only a few of those who were members from the beginning were Mr. And Mrs. A.T. Gantt: Mr. And Mrs. Robert Wilson; the Anderson family, Mrs. Anderson playing the organ and Mr. Anderson singing in the choir; Mr. And Mrs. George Decker. Mrs. Decker had a vivid personality. She taught Sunday school, she cooked, she put on dinners, she did monologues, she sang in the choir. She was a great grandmother, called by all who loved her “Si”, but by my brother, who sat behind are in Church, she was called “Lottie”. Why Lottie? Because every time the door was opened, like Lot’s wife, she looked back. Then there was my brother, Kenneth, Senior Warden for many years. He had a glorious base voice and his singing filled the church with music like an organ playing. During the last months of Father Wilson’s life he was confined to the house. Dean Cowan came often to us, watched over us, guided and administered to our needs, coming in twice on some Sundays. Father Wilson died on October 2nd, 1929. May Light Perpetual Shine Upon Him. A copy of the History of St. Stephen’s (1915 to 1951) can be viewed in the Rector’s Office in its entirety. The St. Stephen’s Writer’s Guild has taken upon the task of bringing St. Stephen’s history up to date.

Gathering a history of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Beaumont from its beginnings in 1915 sounds like one of those thankless tasks that might take hours of research, especially for a recent parishioner like myself. Still, I did feel a ripple of interest. What would it be like to research the documents and personalities involved in such a history? What kinds of discoveries were hidden away in dusty, old archives? Would there be skeletons dancing behind locked closet doors?

I was soon handed a couple of manuscripts and some old albums. The yellowed, crumbly pages smelled and felt and looked as if they had been locked up in a rectory closet for many years. The pictures in the albums made clear the various eras of our American history that influenced the development of this small church community. Even more exciting was meeting Marjorie Boulton who wrote a history of the first half-century of St. Stephen’s development:1910 to 1952, years that she and her family were living in Beaumont. Her obvious charm and story-telling skills were in themselves motivation enough to have this pioneer woman’s history more widely known and to continue the history of St. Stephen’s, as this church moves toward erecting a new building and celebrating its centenary year.

Not very far into my research at Beaumont and Banning libraries, I saw how much help I need from those who lived through or who remember stories of those early days. I invite all of you to read the following serialization of the history of St. Stephen’s as they are produced. Please send your stories, additions, corrections, questions or comments to: DOROTHYHALLINAN@msn.com or call me at 951-769-2032. (Right now, e.g., any info about the St. Luke’s Episcopal Mission in Banning will be much appreciated.)

By: Dot Hallinan