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The First Presbyterian Church of Denver was
organized December 15, 1861, by Rev. A. S. Billingsley,
acting under a commission from Board of Domestic
Missions, Old School. The services were held in
International Hall, on Ferry street, West Denver, then
known as "Auraria." Eighteen members, of whom eleven
were women, were enrolled. Mr. Billingsley remained
with the church but four months, until April, 1862, and
then the little church was without a Pastor until the
following November, when Rev. A. R. Day assumed the
ministration, receiving his support is in part from the
same Board of Missions. Mr. Day at once commenced
agitating the subject of a church edifice, with such
success that he secured a donation from Maj. John S.
Fillmore, Paymaster United States Army, of a lot 40x100
feet, on Fifteenth street, between Arapahoe and
Lawrence. Citizens of all classes and denominations
contributed liberally for the erection of the church,
the Home Mission Board contributed $500, and a brick
structure, 37x65 feet, was commenced in 1863, and
completed in 1865. Mr. Day resigned in February, 1865,
and again the pulpit was vacant for several months. In
the following October, Rev. J. B. McClure, of Fulton,
Ill., became the Pastor, and continued in charge two
years, when he resigned, and the pulpit was again vacant
until March, 1868, when A. Y. Moore, of South Bend,
Ind., became the Pastor. Hitherto, the Old School
Presbyterian Board of Missions had contributed to the
support of the Pastor, but the Board becoming
financially embarrassed it was unable to continue the
contributions, and Mr. Moore was compelled to return to
his home. Failing to receive the necessary
encouragement and assistance from the Old School Board,
the Church opened negotiations with the New School
Board, and extended a call to Rev. E. P. Wells, at the
same time asking to be connected with the Presbytery of
Chicago, through which the call to Mr. Wells was made.
On November 29, 1868, the Church was legally
incorporated, and on Sunday evening, November 28, 1868,
Mr. Wells was formally installed Pastor. About this,
[sic] time several members of the Church withdrew, and
formed what is now known as the Seventeenth Street
Presbyterian Church.
pgs. 269-270
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