Shortly after Greenville became a community in 1846, new residents began to build churches. The first was a Baptist Church followed by a Methodist Church. The third church built in town was organized as a Cumberland Presbyterian Church, circa 1863. John E. Nicholson was the first minister. Very little is known about Reverend Nicholson or his family. This was during the height of the Civil War; few records and no newspapers were available. But we know the young congregation persevered. In 1905 a roster of members was 99; 47 active adults, 15 active young people, and 37 non-active members.
As the church grew, one particular gentleman was a member of the Board of Elders. V. W. Grubbs was known throughout the entire state of Texas for his opinions of prohibition and
vocational education. Grubbs was also owner of a local newspaper where he published his ideas and opinions.
In 1908 the name of the church was changed from Cumberland Presbyterian Church to Grace Presbyterian. In 1958 the United Presbyterian Church of USA re-united with Presbyterian Church of US. The United Presbyterian Church that Grace was affiliated with was formed during the Great Revival of 1800. A disagreement over the mechanics of revivals caused the Presbyterian to split into two denominations. By 1810 the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized with most congregations in the South; although other flourished throughout the United States. The Cumberland sect developed a socially progressive tradition.
The Presbyterian US group was first organized in Philadelphia in 1706 by John Calvin. While older than the Cumberland sect, it took some time to arrive in Greenville. The church was organized in 1880 with a dozen charter members, under the auspices of Reverent W. N. Dickey, evangelist and Superintendent of Missions for the Paris Presbytery and Dr. H. B. Boude, president Austin College in Sherman. Austin College was and still is supported by the Presbyterian Church.
For the first fourteen years that the second Presbyterian Church was in Greenville, it was under the Presberty with monthly meetings in the courthouse, city hall, and other public buildings. In 1888 the congregation purchased a lot on the southeast corner of Wesley and Pickett Street and erected a frame building of their own. Dr. Charles T. Caldwell was the first full-time minister. Dr. T. O. Perrin served from 1914 to 1920, and again from 1930 through 1948. Both times were during painful years, not only in Greenville but throughout the entire nation. While Dr. Perrin was in the pulpit, the congregation voted to building a brick building at the corner of Wesley and Jordan in 1915. In 1962, First Presbyterian as it was known, joined the other congregations moving to the south side of town. The new church was and still is located in the 5900 block of South Stonewall Street.
As church membership has decreased in the 21st century and the two denominations were officially united, the two churches Grace and First Presbyterian, agreed to merge. With two outstandingly beautiful buildings, the members decided to put both churches on the market to sell. The first church to be sold would mean that the other building would be their new church. Grace Church sold leaving First Presbyterian as the new home of United Presbyterian of Greenville. The plan has been so successful that within the last two or three years it was necessary to enlarge the facility.