Ables Springs Church of Christ - Ables Springs, TX
N 32° 48.922 W 096° 07.186
14S E 769666 N 3634493
The Ables Springs Church of Christ is in the 18000 block of Kaufman County Rd 338, about a third of a mile southeast of FM 429. The nearest city is Quinlan, eight miles away. They meet on Sunday at 10:30 AM and 6 PM.
Waymark Code: WMQE0V
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/13/2016
Views: 2
There is very little information on the Internet about the church, but a 1985 Texas Historical Marker in the nearby Ables Springs Cemetery provides some community background:
This small settlement, which lies in a region of natural springs, was named for an early Kaufman County family. James W. and Eliza (Godfrey) Ables moved to this area in 1853 and settled on land granted to his father, Ezekial Ables, in 1848. The Ables were active Methodists who, in 1878, deeded nearly nine acres of their land to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. A church building, a tabernacle, and a public school were built on the land. Part of the site was set aside for this cemetery. The oldest marked grave here is dated 1880.
Never the scene of much commercial activity, Ables Springs has remained a quiet, rural settlement throughout its history. Besides the Methodist congregation, Church of Christ and Baptist fellowships also have been organized here. Prior to World War I, the community had an active Woodman of the World Lodge. The tabernacle on the Methodist church property has been the site of many religious camp meetings, and the school played a vital role in the community until its consolidation with other school districts.
A reminder of the early settlement in northeast Kaufman County, Ables Springs is an important part of the area's pioneer heritage.
Supplemental plaque: Marker should read James Ables (1829-1891), not James W. Ables (1860-1944). James's father, Ezekiel, received Nacogdoches land grant number 25 in 1838, not 1848.
An article from the Terrell Tribune references the church's role in a 2015 homecoming event, noting that it's over one hundred twenty years old. I have a copy of the article should the link become invalid.