White Deer Land Museum
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Exhibits
  • Eloise Lane Articles 1-100
  • Eloise Lane Articles 101-200

Rev. C. E. Lancaster Was a Chaplain during World War I

Eloise Lane
There was an air of great excitement in the small town of Pampa when most of the residents prepared to meet the train that was soon to arrive at the Santa Fe depot. Most elated were the members of the First Baptist Church because their pastor Rev. C. E. Lancaster was returning from service as a chaplain in the army during World War I. Clinton Earl Lancaster, born July 11, 1888, in Amory, Mississippi, was one of eight children born to Alex and Cynthia Martin Lancaster who came from Miss- issippi to Texas soon after his birth. After a brief time in Indian Territory near Wapanucka, Oklahoma, the family settled in Lampasas County, Texas. Clint attended Howard Payne College in Brownwood,Texas, as a ministerial Student. In 1916 he married Stella Brown, who was born in Temple, Texas. She was the daughter of Walton Ector Brown from Macon, Georgia, and Sarah Ann Shillings Brown from Milam County, Texas. Stella was a 1910 graduate of Baylor College of Belton, Texas. She had taught school in Fort Stockton and Lampasas before her marriage. Clint was called as half-time pastor at both Kempnenand Copperas Cove while Stella taught in Lampasas. Both of them attended Howard Payne College and received degrees and a diploma in Bible in 1917, the year the United States declared war on Germany. Clint was called to be pastor of the First Baptist Church in Pampa and assumed that position on August 26, 1917. Soon he volunteered for military service and served as a chaplain with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. Armistice was signed November 11, 1918, and C. E. Lancaster returned to Pampa in June, 1919. During his absence Stella taught in the Pampa schools. After his return they remained in Pampa until 1920 when they went to the Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth. Clint served as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Chillicothe, Texas, while he was attending the Seminary. The First Baptist Church in Coleman, Texas, was Clint's next pastorate. In 1930 he was called back to Pampa. The following years were those of the "great depression," and the church was deeply in debt because of the construction of a new building in 1929. Clint and Stella made many sacrifices to benefit the church. In 1934 the Lancasters adopted their only child, Margery Jane Wilson, a full- blood Indian (Sioux-Navajo). In 1936 Clint was called to pastor the First Baptist Church of Big Springs, Texas. The Lancasters lived in Big Springs until Clint's health failed and he had to retire from full-time ministry. In 1941 they moved to a stock farm at Pecan Grove in San Saba County. Clint had been in Pecan Grove as a young ministerial student and had often returned there to fish in the San Saba River. The Lancasters bought their farm in 1937. Although his health continued to fail, Clint farmed and also pastored several small community churches, served on the board of Baptist General Con- vention of Texas, and on the Board of Trustees of Howard Payne and Wayland Colleges. He received an honorary Doctorate degree from Howard Payne College. He was active in Masonary most of his adult life. Clint died in 1961 at the age of 73. Margery Lancaster Walker attended San Saba schools and graduated from Baylor University in 1953 with a Bachelor of Music degree, the first full-blooded American Indian to graduate from Baylor. Since that time she has taught in six states in both public and government schools on several Indian reservations. Stella Brown Lancaster continued to live on the farm until her death, at the age of 92, on October 18, 1983.

(From an article in Gray County Heritage - 1985)

Home | About Us | History | Location | Exhibits | Volunteer | Donate

116 S Cuyler St | Pampa, TX 79065 | Phone (806) 669-8041 | Fax (806) 250-2185

Website Design by TechnicalLee
✕
  • Welcome
  • History
  • Location
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Articles 1 - 20 >
    • About Eloise Lane
    • The "White Deer" Name
    • The Log House
    • Obtaining The Land
    • The Lands Organized
    • Cattle Brands Tell Story
    • Ghosts And All . . .
    • Southern Kansas Railroad
    • Fire Guard Dam
    • When The Railroad Came
    • The Sutton RR Station
    • Post Office At Pampa
    • The Bell Family
    • J. C. Short
    • Pampa 1892-1902
    • Pampa Laid Out in 1902
    • Crystal Palace Founded
    • Gray County Organization
    • Organization - Continued
  • Articles 21 - 40 >
    • The "White Deer" Name
    • Gray County - Lefors
    • McLean - The Largest Town
    • Gouge Eye
    • The "Mother Road"
    • German Family Reunion
    • Desks From Hopkins
    • Grandview School Begins
    • The Oil Money
    • History Wall Painted
    • Boydston Or Boydstun?
    • Ontario???
    • Laketon - Early Farming
    • Laketon - Continued
    • First Couple To Marry
    • Hoover
    • Water Well Drilling
    • Kingsmills Visit Pampa
    • George Tyng Left
  • Articles 41 - 60 >
    • Tragedy In Utah
    • T.D. Hobart - Manager
    • M.K. Brown Arrives
    • Rider Livery Stable
    • The Pioneer Cottage
    • Pampa's First Doctor
    • Doctor Makes House Calls
    • A Red Cross Nurse
    • Pampa's First School
    • Hobart Went To London
    • Cemetery Began In 1904
    • First Business District
    • C.P. Buckler Arrives
    • Five Barrett Brothers
    • Influence Of The Santa Fe
    • Trains Still Roll
    • John V. Thomas - Teacher
    • Cattle-loading Center
    • Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
    • A.H. Doucette Arrives
  • Articles 61 - 80 >
    • Lands Are Advertised
    • The Holland Hotel
    • Wheat Left Pampa
    • First National Bank Begins
    • Pampa News Begins
    • First Denominational Church
    • 2nd Office Of WD Lands
    • J.N. Duncan Arrives
    • Nels Walberg Sells. . .
    • Dormer Simms
    • Fourth Of July Celebrations
    • Pampa's First Cars
    • Pampa In 1907-08
    • J. S. Wynne Family Arrives
    • Gray County State Bank
    • Baptist Church Organized
    • Joe And Lizzie Bowers
    • Threatened By Prairie Fire
    • Library Began In 1907
    • J.R. Henry
  • Articles 81 - 100 >
    • Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
    • Three Vicars Brothers
    • Dodd Grain And Produce
    • December 29, 1991
    • D.C. Davis Family
    • Long Christmas Celebration
    • First Christian Church
    • Facts About Pampa
    • Buster Brown
    • The Last Hanging
    • Bones Hooks
    • The "Red Brick" Is No More
    • The Purviances Family
    • The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
    • Boards Of 1st Headquarters
    • Mary Jane Purvis
    • Cook - Adams Addition
    • Nativity Scenes
    • Clyde Carruth
  • Articles 101 - 120 >
    • The Mine Tragedies
    • Additions To Pampa
    • Third Family In Pampa
    • Frank Dittmeyer
    • Bricklayer Indian Jim
    • A.A. Tiemann
    • First Movies And Lights
    • Pampa Incorporated
    • Mark And Sara Fletcher
    • Annie Baker Daniels
    • Pampa's Business District
    • Birthday Tea Of 1919
    • Former Pampa Minister
    • John Mack Patton
    • The First Brass Band
    • Early Graduating Class
    • "How We Met"
    • F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
    • George Tyng's Father
  • Articles 121 - 140 >
    • L. H. and Lula Greene
    • John and Lena McKamy
    • Robert and Mary Yeager
    • "Dear Old PHS"
    • Supt. Believed in People
    • William A. and Ruth Greene
    • Jason A and Alice Poole
    • Wayside School
    • Pampa Football Begins
    • The Pampa School Building
    • Rev. C. E. Lancaster
    • Panhandle Lumber Co.
    • Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
    • An Unusual Valentine
    • Charles A. Tignor
    • O. A. Barrett
    • Poppies In Flanders Fields
    • Barnard & Williams Families
  • Articles 141 - 160 >
    • 4th of July Celebrations
    • Cuyler Street Underpass
    • The King Family
    • Kretmeier and Baer Families
    • Stephen B. Oates
    • Phebe Worley
    • Organization of Gray County
    • First Courthouse
    • Pampa Laid Out in 1902
    • Pampa in 1902
    • W. R. Kaufman
    • The Pampa Country Club
    • Living In Pampa in 1902
    • Pampa Buildings of 1902
    • May Foreman Carr
    • Scaffers - Early Residents
    • Nita Luna
    • Former Sub Debs Reminisce
    • PHS In 1932
  • Articles 161 - 180 >
    • PHS Appreciated
    • The Forth Worth and Denver
    • From Pampa to Childress
    • The Origination Of "Taps"
    • The Warners
    • J. C. Studer
    • Floyd, John and Otto
    • Our American Flag
    • Stories and Memories
    • Museum in Pampa?
    • The Franklin Farm
    • The Franklin Family
    • Beryl Wayne Vicars
    • Historian Made Cookies
    • The Pioneer Cottage
    • The Orginial Swastika
    • Library Clerk
    • Women's Clothing Store
  • Articles 181 - 200 >
    • Jon and Pat McConal
    • Whitey Walker Gang
    • How Rudolph Began
    • Gwendolen Avenue
    • Jerry Kerbow
    • Two Paintings
    • Second Part - Paintings
    • Bones Hooks
    • Original Nativity Figures
    • Why "V" Instead of "U"
    • Pampa Incorporated
    • Prairie Fires
    • Abert's "Day of Anxiety"
    • George Autry's "A Fable"
    • Girls Basketball
    • Thomas and Lard
    • Henry and Jenny Ledrick
    • C. J. Walstad
    • Ledrick and Walstads
    • Bert and Annie Lard
    • Peter Gray
    • H. H. and Kate Heiskell
    • The Story of Elsie (Lard) Hall