First Baptist Church of Bailey
Bailey, Fannin County, Texas
Marker Inscription
On May 23, 1888, a small group of neighbors met together at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Baywood Atkins to discuss forming a Baptist church. Assisted by the Rev. J. L. Mays and the Rev. R. L. Pearce, a congregation was begun with twelve charter members: Mr. and Mrs. Baywood Atkins, Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Gray, Dr. A. J. Ray, Mr. and Mrs. Elijah H. Smith, Mrs. Mary Branch Sisson, Mr. and Mrs. John Turner, Charles T. Turner, and George Turner. The group first met in the Portland schoolhouse, and the congregation was named Corinth Baptist Church. Services were held in the schoolhouse once a month until 1890, when the church relocated to its present site in Bailey. The name was changed to First Baptist Church of Bailey, and the congregation shared a building with the local Masonic lodge. In 1912 the church began construction of a new sanctuary, which was completed and dedicated in May 1913. It was used until 1940, when a larger brick building was erected. Over the years, the First Baptist Church of Bailey has actively served its community. A part of Fannin County history for over one hundred years, the church continues to be a vital part of the town of Bailey.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1888 a handful of neighbors gathered in the Atkins home to found a Baptist congregation, twelve charter members strong, first calling themselves Corinth Baptist Church. They met monthly in the Portland schoolhouse until relocating to Bailey in 1890, sharing a building with the local Masonic lodge and taking the town's name. Growth brought a dedicated sanctuary in 1913 and a larger brick church in 1940, more than a century of continuous life in a small Fannin County town.
Why it matters
The congregation's shared quarters — first a schoolhouse, then a Masonic hall — show how rural churches, schools, and fraternal orders pooled scarce resources to build community in frontier Texas.
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Related people
- · Baywood Atkins
- · J.L. Mays
- · R.L. Pearce
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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