First Baptist Church of Rochester
Rochester, Haskell County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Thirteen charter members organized the Mesquite Baptist Church in March 1899 in the community later known as Marcy. J. R. Wood and J. M. Speck were the first deacons, and interim pastor D. James was called as first minister in October 1900. Plans for a permanent home for the congregation were set in motion in June 1901. The first service in the new building was held in April 1903 when the church name was changed to Marcy Missionary Baptist Church. When the railroad came through Rochester in 1906, the Marcy congregation moved to be near it. The first service at Rochester was held in October 1906. The congregation thrived at its new location. A third sanctuary was dedicated in 1957. The church continues to serve the community with a variety of programs. (1998)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Thirteen charter members organized a Baptist congregation in 1899 in the little community of Marcy, calling their first minister the following year. When the railroad pushed through nearby Rochester in 1906, the congregation picked up and moved to follow it—holding its first service at the new town that October and thriving there. A succession of buildings, culminating in a 1957 sanctuary, marks its long life at the heart of the community.
Why it matters
The congregation's move shows how the coming of the railroad literally relocated frontier communities, deciding which towns would grow and which would fade.
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Related people
- · J. R. Wood
- · J. M. Speck
- · D. James
Themes & tags
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