FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

First Baptist Church constructed in 1906.

   On the first Sunday in April 1877, Liberty Baptist Church, today’s First Baptist Church of De Leon, was organized under a live oak tree in the Morrison community located about four miles east of present day De Leon.  A church building was built from raw lumber and furnished with benches also of raw lumber with no backs.

   In 1882, after the founding of De Leon the church moved into the new town sharing a building with the school, the Masonic Lodge and the Methodist.  But in 1883 a storm ripped through De Leon destroying that building as well as the school and a new site was obtained on the southwest corner of Texas and Reynosa (the present location of the Ayers building).  A frame building was constructed on that site that was described by George Ross as “too tall and of too light of timber to withstand the high winds,”  and it too was destroyed by a storm.  Another frame structure on that same corner which was used until 1906.

    In 1906 the church purchased a site at Houston and Labadie and constructed the church on the left.  It served until 1926 when the brick building pictured below was constructed at a cost of $24,040.36.  It was dedicated March 13, 1927.

    In 1968 the church acquired the adjacent land and built an auditorium and north wing adding a south wing in 1974 after the removal of the previous building.

    The church was organized by Elder J.P. Northcutt and Rev. William Barker with 23 charter members.  All of the members came out of the Round Grove Baptist Church which had been founded by Rev. R.D. Ross.  The members came primarily from the Northcutt, Barker, Morrison, Faglee and Brumbelow families.  Rev. Barker served as the first pastor of the church.  The first baptism was that of Conzada Morrison held on November 3, 1877.

     In 1952 the church purchased land on Manchacha for a mission that eventually evolved into the Northside Baptist Church.

Above:The 1926 church at the time of completion.  Note the cornerstone on the right front corner.

Below:  The church about thirty-five years later.  Notice the addition of classrooms above the second floor auditorium.

Peal Duncan’s Sunday School Class 1955

A few members of the class have been identified.  On the front row (L-R) Possibly Mrs. T.H. Sharp, possibly Mrs. Revis Smith, Mrs. Marchbanks, Mable Moore holding son Gary Don Moore, and Pearl  Duncan.   In the rear with the hat sitting in front of the window is Alice Singleton.

Photo: Provided to De Leon’s Monitor by Bonnie Singleton