Rev. W.J. McCormick
Rev. W.J. McCormick was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida from 1857 - 1883.[The following pre-1948 history unless otherwise noted was from the 1980 First Presbyterian Church Directory and was attributed then to the late E.D. Turner, Ruling Elder and Trustee.] On the first Sabbath of January, 1858, Rev. McCormick preached his first sermon in Alachua County, and in the evening of the same day preached in the County Court House. After spending several months here looking over the field he decided to return in December with his family and to make Florida his permanent home.
On the first Sabbath of January, 1859, he resumed his work in this section, and in April of the same year the Kanapaha Church was completed and ready for worship.
This first church which was built on the Kanapaha Cemetery site stood through the end of the civil war, and possibly as late as 1883. There was a wedding invitation for 1878, so we know it stood until that point. It was built on the Kanapaha Cemetery site. The New Kanapaha Church, South Arredondo was built on property purchased near the Kanapaha Railroad Station in June of 1856. Building commenced in July 1886, with A.B. Curry laying the cornerstone (W.J. McCormick having died in 1883), and the new church was dedicated on October 17th, 1886. That is the building in use today (2004). [The preceding is a quote from Warren Thomas passed on from Fenwick D. McCormick's book--the last gentleman mentioned being the great grandson of W.J. McCormick.]The Kanapaha Church made it possible for him to live by contributing $100.00 a year for his support. His early itinerary carried him to Ocala, Archer, Flemington, Orange Creek and over the Northeast counties of Florida as far as Fernandina. He established churches in Micanopy, Archer, and, in 1869, organized a church at Wacahoota with fifteen members.
For a time Mr. McCormick preached once a month in the County Court House, in Gainesville. Through the efforts of the Kanapaha Church and a building committee composed of Major Bailey, C.I. Ingram and Elder J.A. Scott, a church building was erected and dedicated in early 1860. It was located on First Street, S.E., one block north of the Post Office. It being the only church in the community, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians used it also as a place of worship and our local church continued to occupy it until the completion of the University Avenue church in 1890. The University Avenue Church continued in existence until 1954 when it was razed to be replaced by the current church at the corner of SW 3rd St and SW 2nd Avenue which opened for worship in 1954.
The Gainesville Church was formally organized March 23, 1867, when a committee of Presbytery met and organized it as a branch of the Kanapha Church with thirteen members. During the Civil War, Mr. McCormick was engaged in preaching to the Confederate soldiers, and having returned to Gainesville at the close of the war in order to eke out a living, served for some time as principal of the State Seminary here. He continued to serve as pastor here until his death on June 29, 1883, at the age of 62.
On the first Sabbath of January, 1883, Mr. McCormick on the 25th anniversary of his ministry here preached a historical sermon from the text To read more about his ministry at First Presbyterian and Kanapaha Presbyterian.
Dr. Anderson was active in all movements looking to the betterment of our city and community. At the time of his retirement he had been in the ministry for over forty-seven years.
Dr. A.B. Curry
Dr. A.B. Curry was the mininster of First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida from 1883 - 1895.
In August 1883, the Reverend A.B. Curry of the Savannah Presbytery was installed as pastor. After leaving Gainesville, he became one of the outstanding ministers of the Southern Presbyterian Church. He was, at one time, Moderator of the General Assembly and, before his death in 1939, pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, for more than thirty years. It was during his ministry that the old church was built. Dr. Curry resigned in 1895 to accept a charge in Birmingham, Alabama.
Dr. E.W. Way
Dr. E.W. Way was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida from 1895 - 1902.
On June 23, 1895, Reverend E.W. Way, cousin of Dr. Curry from the Savannah Presbytery, was installed as pastor and served until October, 1902. It was during his service here that a manse was built just north of the church auditorium and was so used until the coming of Dr. J.R. Cunningham, when a manse was bought on S.W. 2nd Avenue, the old manse being used for the Primary Department and for church offices.
Rev. T.P. Hay
Rev. T.P. Hay was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida from May 1903 - October 1911.
Reverend T.P. Hay came to Gainesville from the Palatka Church and was installed in May, 1903. He served until October 2, 1911.
Dr. John G. Anderson
Dr. John G. Anderson was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida from 1912 - 1922.
To Dr. Anderson goes the credit for the building and equiping of the Anderson Memorial, just preceding World War I at a cost of $14,000. It was dedicated in November, 1917. In a folder used on that occasion the building was described as being able to house six hundred scholars and was pronounced the most complete church and Sunday School building in the state.