ANDERSON COUNTY - CHURCH - First Baptist Church of Palestine *************************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Scott Fitzgerald – scottfitzgerald@tyler.net East Texas Genealogical Society, President 3 January 2005 *************************************************************************** Originally published in The Tracings, Volume 5, No. 1, Winter 1986 by the Anderson County Genealogical Society, copyright assigned to the East Texas Genealogical Society. TRIBUTE TO REMAINING MEMBERS OF THE NICKEL CHURCH What is now known as the First Baptist Church of Palestine had its beginning on March 20, 1851. It was called the Old Town Baptist Church and was located on Perry and Murchison Streets. In 1887 the church was moved to a new location and given the name of Avenue A Baptist Church. It was also called “the Nickel Church” because most of the contributions were nickels. It is to the name, Avenue A Baptist Church, that we pay tribute today. At least twenty-six members of that congregation are presently worshipping with us. Some cannot attend but listen by radio and make monetary contributions. But more than half of this group of twenty-six are very active in their attendance. They are: Mr. And Mrs. Harvey Atkinson, Miss Eleanor Beacham, Mrs. A. A. Brooks, Mrs. Pearl Campbell, Mrs. Walter Connally, Miss Annie Cutter. Mrs. J. B. Fitzgerald, Elmer Fitzgerald, Gordon Hancock, Mrs. Vera Hardman, Mrs. O. E. Henderson, David Joost, Mrs. J. C. Johnson. Gilbert Kendrick, Mrs. Henry Kitcher, Mrs. Paul Kitcher, Mrs. Carl Kirk, Mrs. Joe Laumen, M. A. Moser, Mrs. Ross McCown, Mrs. J. V. Prather, Miss May Rogers, W. T. Reeves, Mrs. C. S. Vineyard and Clara Willard. [Transciber’s Note: This article includes a black & web picture/drawing of the church in 1852, 1887 & 1912.] CHARTER MEMBERS Deacon John Smith Sara Smith J. E. Teague Rachel Teague Thomas V. Smith Theresa Stevens Annie Harris Z. Worley -------- Mrs. Frank Crutchfield Member longest PASTORS 1851 - Z. Worley 1876 - W. G. Capleton 1878 - J. A. Bell 1879 - W. J. Collins 1882 - W. N. Wallace - Bledsoe - J. M. P. Morrow - B. S. Gay 1887 - W. C. Penn 1889 - J. T. Jenkins - J. B. Armstrong - W. T. Tardy 1893 - A. J. Holt 1894 - J. C. Wingo 1898 - A. P. Scofield - Isaac Sellers 1906 - A. D. Sparkman 1911 - R. L. Gillon 1913 - D. B. Clapp 1921 - Byron Smith 1926 - Calvin Nelson 1942 - D. D. Sumrall 1951 - L. T. Daniel HISTORY 1851 - Organized 1852 - Purchased lot for first building 1854 - Baptist State Convention met in Palestine 1876 - Reorganization 1876 - First Sun. School & Wed. Meeting 1887 - Ave. A. (Nickle Church) Completed 1911 - Church Burned 1912 - The First Baptist Church was built 1931 - Educ. Bldg. 1950 - Elem. Bldg. 1950 - New Auditorium Completed