First Baptist Church of Keller
Keller, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded in 1882 as the Keller Baptist Church, this church was started by twenty former members of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church soon after rail lines reached the area. Early meetings were held in a schoolhouse and then in the Union Church Building. The Rev. Elihu Newton (1845-1925) served as the first Pastor, with R.I. McCain, William J. Prewett and William Crawford as the first Deacons. A charter member of the Tarrant County Baptist Association founded in 1886, the First Baptist Church of Keller continues to faithfully serve God and this community. (1983)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Twenty members broke away from Mt. Gilead Baptist Church to found the Keller Baptist Church in 1882, just as the railroad reached this corner of Tarrant County and drew new settlers. They gathered first in a schoolhouse and a shared union church before establishing themselves, and in 1886 helped charter the Tarrant County Baptist Association. The Rev. Elihu Newton led them as first pastor.
Why it matters
The church's origins show how rail expansion seeded new North Texas towns and how frontier congregations knit those communities together.
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Related people
- · Rev. Elihu Newton
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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