MILE OF DOLLARS, Methodist Church, Bells Texas 1950

An added note from George Kimbrough.

Added by George Kimbrougn: Bells Methodist Church, 1950 Greetings, from Paris TX! I grew up between Bells and Savoy, and was nine years old when the old church burned. As you know, I'm sure, it was said that Bro. Bryant and some church members- maybe just one - were burning grass around the church on Thanksgiving Day and that was the cause of the fire that eventually destroyed the church.
I was closest to Baxton's son, Don, who was a year or so older than me, as I recall. I visited the Bryants home many times in the early 1950s, and Don and I played at our farm, about 1 1/2 miles southeast of Bells. In addition to Don, I remember their beige Ford car, Lucretia, Doyne, Thela (sp?), and Mrs. Bryant, an especially attractive lady.
The Mile of Dollars drive was a great success, and I have vivid memories of the dollar bills placed end-to-end on a wire that was supported by wooden stakes along Highway 69 south of Bells. I think the whole town turned out, and passers-by would stop to add their dollar to the long chain. At the time, I was a member of the Cub Scouts, and we were out en masse, selling candy bars as I recall. These are all very fond memories of my childhood. The last time I saw Bro. Bryant was in 1982, not long after a tornado hit Paris, leaving 11 dead and many injured. I was working at The Paris News, and was covering the presentation of a check from a Methodist congregation in Wichita Falls to help cover relief costs here. Paris had earlier sent money to Wichita Falls to aid them after a tornado hit there, and they were returning the favor....
. Anyway when I met the Wichita Falls delegation, there was Bro. Bryant,

Baxton, 1988, was pastoring the Wichita Falls at the time. I almost dropped my teeth! I'd not seen him in almost 30 years..
We had a great, although brief, visit.
I do have one of the souvenir dollars, but I want to hang on to it. You might want to contact John Wayne Ramsey, Morrisann Bass or Delores Pell, all of whom still live in Bells, to see if they have any souvenirs from the Mile of Dollars, or if they could direct you. Best wishes in your search!
George Kimbrough Baxton passed away in 1996 in his NC home.

If you have a copy of the 1950 Souviner Dollar, please Email it to us at pinbally@gmail.com .

See the Churches in Bells .

BellsTexas.com..

Thanksgiving Day, 1950, was a wendy day. Baxton Bryant and Mr Moir, thought they had the Fire Out??

If you want to add your rememberances, to this story, Email me at: Pinbally@gmail.com .

Add your news at www.myfamily.com
username, bellstexas and password: bells1

Thanks for stopping By!

Subject: "Mile of Dollars" Church The "Mile of Dollars" Methodist Curch that burned to the ground in 1950. story as written up many years ago and is always used in the history of the church. ... There are still quite a few people in the church who participated in the events. Here it is - with some notations of my own: "The church was established in 1880 at Bailey Junction in northwest Bells. Rev. A.L. Miller, great grandfather of Lois Everheart (who is still an active member), was the first pastor. In 1889, the church moved to south Bells on land given by Mr. W.B. Dugan (g or gg? -grandfather of another very active member). On Thanksgiving Day, 1950, Rev. Baxton Bryant (Rev. Bryant passed away in 1996 at his home in NC) was burning trash when sparks caught in a high wind and ignited the dry grass. In a matter of minutes the grass was a torch destroying the church building. Only a pile of ashes was left. The church, insured for only $5,000, needed twenty-five thousand dollars to rebuild. The congregation pledged $10,000, yet an additional $10,000 was still needed. Rev. Bryant and his friend, Rev. Ashley Jamison, Methodist minister of Whitewright, had the idea of finding 10,000 people to donate one dollar each, which after much figuring was determined to measure one mile. This "mile of dollars" idea received nation-wide publicity, including an article in Life Magazine. Donations and best wishes came from all over the United States and foreign countries. On May 6, 1951 a mile of dollars was strung out along U.S. Highway 69 south toward Whitewright. The first service in the new brick "Mile of Dollars" church was held January 6, 1952." In 1980 the church celebrated its 100th anniversary by burying a time capsule containing, among other things, a copy of the 1951 issue of Life Magazine with the article in it. I've never seen it but figure that at least Fairy Ramsey (mother of the tax collector) has one. Fairy recently celebrated her 90th birthday and kept the nursery in the church for over 60 years until just a few months ago when she broke her hip. I have seen a photo of the church in flames along with an article which was published in the Sherman newspaper. ... I've always found it to be a fascinating story -

See the 1951 Bells School Yearbook.


	Mile of Dollars, 1950 front of the Methodist Church building.. updated: July, 2011 The Bells Methodist Church was established in 1880 at Bailey Junction in Northwest Bells. Rev. A.L. Miller, great grandfather of Lois Everheart, was the first pastor. In 1889, the church moved to south Bells on land given by Mr. W.B. Dugan. Thanksgiving Day, 1950, the Bells Methodist Church burned. Pastor S. Baxton Bryant and Mr. Moir burned the grass around the church, in the morning. The Pastor’s family planned to go to Arkansas for Thanksgiving, and did not want to worry about the dry grass. They had finished burning the grass around the church and went to Mr. Moir’s home to burn the grass there. They thought they had the grass fire put out. It was a windy morning. After seeing the church burning, a black man called Mose, slowly walked down the road. When he saw Baxton Bryant, he casually said, “Hey Preacher, your church is on fire.” The burning Church Photo, was taken by 16 yr old, Billy Ray Hall, while visiting the Whit, J. T. and Barney McBroom families in Savoy Photo taken from Life Magazine, May 21, 1951. The 80 year old Methodist Church was burned to the ground leaving about 60 families without a place to worship. Rev Baxton Bryant & Whitewright, Methodist Rev Ashley D. Jameson, wanted to find a single donor with $10,000 to donate to the rebuilding of the church. The town consisted of farmers and working people, so this was not possible, so they made a plan to find 10,000 persons with a dollar to donate. On May 6th, Sunday afternoon, reports say that an estimated 10,000 visitors turned out to see the Mile of Dollars. The idea of seeing a Mile of Dollars stretched out along the road, lured people like a magnet to Bells. Many had not even heard of Bells. A squad of 40 state highway patrolmen attempted to control the bumper-to-bumper traffic. The dollars donated were taped, end to end on a wire strung on top of 5’ posts, from the new church site down Hwy 69. Each donor wrote his name across the back of the dollar donated. Some were given Souvenir dollars, showing a artist-eye view of the proposed new church on one side and Rev S. Baxton Bryant on the other side. The event, in Bells, Texas, was covered by newspapers, television, newsreel, and magazine cameras. During the three hours the bills were being strung on the highway, hymns could be heard. A temporary stage, on back of a truck-bed, set over the burned ruins and singers from churches in Denison, Sherman, Dallas and practically every other Grayson County community kept a continuous hymn singing program going at the church site near downtown Bells. It would take 10, 560 one dollar bills to complete the Mile of Dollars. On Tuesday, Nov 6th, 1951, United States, Speaker of House of Representatives, Honorable Sam Rayburn, spoke at a Victory Banquet at the Church. The dinner plates were $10 each, to raise money for the Mile of Dollars. Turkey was served at the banquet, and Parker House Rolls. The inventor of the Parker House Rolls, Mrs. Parker was also present. These photos were taken from the Life Magazine, May 21st, 1951. In the photos, you'll see Baxton, Don Bryant, & the cars lined up on Hwy 69. Note, the Dollar bills are stretched for over 1/2 Mile, along the fence posts. This photo is of the inside the old Methodist Church . Note the flags. With all the publicity, dollars poured in by mail, from nearly every US. State, as well as from countries as far away as the Philippines, Korea, Brussels, Alaska & Belgium. Business men & individuals started programs of their own. At a filling station and a café, the owner’s collected one dollar bills and spelled out their names on their walls, by taping the dollars end-to-end. When passers by would ask about the dollars, they would wind up making a donation also. Ralph & Roy Duncan filling station, Hwy 56, Bells. Fifty years has passed,(61 years, now,) since the burning of the Bells Methodist Church. A time capsule is buried outside the church. When the capsule is opened in 2080 AD, it will be interesting to see the souvenirs kept and see what new facts will be revealed about the fire that burned the church down on Thanksgiving Day, 1950. Thanks to Don Bryant, George Kimbrough, Josie Tarpley & Bessie Ramsey, for telling me, his rememberances of the church burning, in 1950. S. Baxton Bryant sits swathed in in 2,670 feet of Bills taped together, before deposting them in the Bells First National Bank. Baxton poses w total take. The bank itself collected $350 towards the new church. Photo link: 1951 Church members . Methodist photo link: 1951 Church members .