Rev. Joseph W. Tays - El Paso, Texas
Reverendo Joseph W. Tays - El Paso, Tejas

Rev. Joseph W. Tays - El Paso, Texas

Reverend Joseph Tays, an Episcopal missionary who founded El Paso's first Protestant church, arrived in El Paso in 1870, a widower with two boys. C. L. Sonnichsen records the story that a month after he began his mission in El Paso, Tays sent word to Austin that he was "doing his best." Tays was learning Spanish and at least one saloon keeper had closed his doors and found another vocation because of him. He not only preached and taught, he worked in real estate and served the county as surveyor. Tays laid the cornerstone of the first St. Clement's Episcopal Church on Christmas day in 1881. Local Historian and Author Leon Metz writes that after having conducted the funeral of a smallpox victim, Tays contracted the dreaded disease himself and died after a week's suffering. Late in the evening of November 21, two men from the city wrapped Parson Tay's body in a sheet and delivered it quickly to Concordia. He was buried without ceremony in the middle of the night during a violent rain storm. The man who had helped so many in early El Paso was buried with only two grave diggers present. (per http://www.epcounty.com/history/concordia.htm)

Area: Central / El Paso High

Source: El Paso County Historical Society

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

Unknown house with U.S. and Texas flags

Unknown house with U.S. and Texas flags flying.

Turney Home

The picture shows the Turney Home. William Ward and Iva Turney ...

Parade in front of St Patrick Cathedral

Parade in front of St Patrick Cathedral on Mesa Street

Franklin Mountains Postcard

The Franklin Mountains are located primarily in far west Texas ...

Rio Grande Street Postcard

Notation on front of card: "Rio Grande Street, El Paso, Texas. ...

702 North Kansas Street

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

702 North Kansas Street

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

808 East Missouri Ave

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

1115, 1117, 1119 N. Ochoa Street

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

812 E. Missouri Ave

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

816 E. Missouri Ave

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

1316 St. Vrain back view

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

1316 St. Vrain front view

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

802 E. Missouri back view

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

802 E. Missouri front view

Photo taken by Thurman Studio Portraits & Commercial Photography ...

El Paso High School

The photo shows the interior of El Paso High School's ...

Women's Club on N. Mesa Street

Located at 1400 N. Mesa Ave, this building houses the El Paso ...

Horsemen during Sun Bowl Parade 2008

The image shows men on horses wearing traditional dresses and ...

Puma in Sun Bowl Parade 2008

A huge balloon in form of a puma was part of the Sun Bowl Parade ...

Cathedral High School

Cathedral High School located at 1309 N. Stanton St, El Paso, TX ...

Cathedral High School

Cathedral High School at 1309 N. Stanton St, El Paso, TX 79902. ...

Owen White

Owen Payne White, a son of Dr. Alward and Katherine Payne White, ...

Queen Edita White

Queen Edita White----December 28, 1961. Lady in waiting--Anne ...

home.search_collection