First Baptist Church of Madisonville
Madisonville, Madison County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In 1856, two years after the formation of Madisonville, J. W. D. Creath, a missionary to the fledgling State of Texas for the Southern Baptist Convention, deeded two town lots south of this site to the trustees of Madisonville Baptist Church. In 1877 the Liberty Baptist Church was born from a revival meeting held about four miles from town. Four years later the Liberty Church accepted an invitation from Madisonville residents, probably including members of the adjourned Madisonville Baptist Church, to move into town. Despite lean years, the congregation erected its first permanent home in 1889-1890. Church women led fund raising efforts to provide a bell and organ for the new building. In 1902, as part of a statewide Baptist division, six members left the church to form the Madisonville Missionary Baptist church and the original congregation became the First Baptist Church in 1903. The two congregations were reunited in 1913 with a combined membership of 217. The following year, weekly services began. A new building was erected and a church complex began to take shape. The congregation became active in mission work in the 1950s, supporting a total of eighteen missions. In 1983, the First Baptist Hispanic Mission of Madisonville was established. This work continued through the 20th century. The founders of the First Baptist Church of Madisonville built a tradition of community service, worship and mission work. Many descendants of the early members continue to uphold that tradition, serving the community with a variety of programs. (1998)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1856, missionary J.W.D. Creath deeded town lots to a fledgling Baptist congregation in the newly formed town of Madisonville. After lean early years and a merger with a nearby revival-born church, the congregation built its first permanent home in 1889–1890, with church women raising funds for a bell and organ. Reorganized as First Baptist Church in 1903, it went on to sustain mission work, including a Hispanic mission established in 1983.
Why it matters
The church's long arc—from frontier missionary outpost to enduring community institution—mirrors the religious life that helped anchor settlement across central Texas.
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Related people
- · J. W. D. Creath
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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