First Baptist Church of Kaufman
Kaufman, Kaufman County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized Nov. 5, 1871, by Elder J. B. Daniel, assisted by The Rev. A. D. Manion, missionary of East Fork Baptist Association. Nine charter members met in homes or other places until 1883, when the first small white frame church with steeple was erected. Ladies formed a Benevolent Society, 1885. Second church was a classic brick structure, razed by fire on Dec. 18, 1937. The present building was dedicated March 24, 1944. From the original nine, the congregation has grown to such size as to use a staff of four, including a bilingual pastor for its Latin-American mission.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Nine charter members gathered in 1871 to organize the First Baptist Church of Kaufman, meeting in homes until their first frame sanctuary rose in 1883. A women's Benevolent Society formed in 1885, and after a second church burned in 1937 the present building was dedicated in 1944. From those first nine, the congregation grew large enough to support a full staff, including a bilingual pastor for its Latin-American mission.
Why it matters
The congregation's arc from a handful of settlers to a mission-minded church mirrors the growth of small-town North Texas across a century.
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Themes & tags
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