DE BERRY, Texas (KETK) – After nearly 80 years without any payments, an East Texas church is finally receiving compensation for minerals being extracted from their land.  

“Man, that was a long journey. That was a real long journey,” Deacon at Zion Hill Holiness Church of God, Anthony Price Sr. said.

Church historian and relative, Johnathan Matthews, said for 78 years, an unknown amount of money in mineral royalties have not been paid to Zion Hill Holiness Church of God. He said the money could have helped the church and family for generations.

“To finally figure out that they have stopped, you know, paying the wrong people for church minerals is a joyous day for us,” Matthews said.

While Matthews is relieved for his ancestors, Price said he wants to be satisfied until they start receiving payments. 

“They stopped paying the wrong people until they started paying the right people. I want to be relieved until they cut that check,” Price said.

Zion Hill Church is in rural Panola County, near the Louisiana state line. It was one of two churches that were built in the 1800’s. Bethlehem Baptist still stands, but there’s nothing left of Zion Hill. 

“They never even tried to occupy that land until 1954,” Matthews said. “That was when they wanted to ask and try to get the royalties and that’s when they burned the church down because they came up with a new survey map. On that survey map, none of our relatives, none of the colors that are from this area are on those maps.” 

Matthews acknowledged how racial opposition in the community stopped his ancestors from fighting for the money they were owed. 

“Intimidation, tactics, things of that nature, lynching’s. This is why, if you live back here, you couldn’t report these types of things to anybody,” Matthews said. 

 Now, as they walk through the cemetery of their relatives, strength is renewed to continue to fight for them. 

“This was a life journey for us, it was we would never stop. It was never going to stop. So as long as I had breath in me, this was going to be a fight that was going to be fought,” Matthews explained. 

In the last few years, Matthews fought in federal court and said Chevron, who owns the wells on the land, has finally suspended the payments being made to the wrong people. 

KETK reached out to the company who said, “Chevron does not publicly comment on an individual’s mineral ownership nor the outcome of a title review.”

The Matthews family said they were pushed down for so long, but through their rooted faith, they are finally making major strides, and after nearly 80 years, the church is getting back what always belonged to them. 

“We know we are going up against Goliath. We aren’t under any other illusion than that, but we David though. You better believe we David,” Price said.