125th Anniversary
1882-2007
November 18, 2007
First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
THE HISTORY OF
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
BRIDGEPORT, TEXAS
Compiled by the History Committee
of First Baptist Church - 2007
Myrle Duncan, Chair
Carl Cox
Ilene Enochs
Imogene Everett
Billie Doris Ford
Myrna Goode
Carolyn Molloy
Church Staff
Dr. David Burrows, Pastor
Craig Erb, Associate Pastor for Youth
John Bell, Associate Pastor of Music
Jennifer Faglie, Minister for Children and Preschool
Kim McElroy, First Friends Preschool Director
Karen McGraw, Financial Secretary & Accompanist
Carla Robinson, Ministry Assistant
Ford McElroy, Pastoral Assistant
Janie Newton, Accompanist
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First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
HISTORY OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
BRIDGEPORT, TEXAS
By reviewing several documents which chronicled the history of First Baptist Church in
Bridgeport, Texas, and discovering the Texas Baptist Historical Collection administered by the
Baptist General Convention of Texas, the following pages trace its history until 2007. Although some written histories indicate that the church began in 1894, associational records
from the archives verify the organization of the church in 1882. The various local documents
were compiled from information provided by the following people: Mrs. Nannie Wells, Mrs. J.
B. Green, Sr., Mrs. Lawson H. Kaker, Rev. R. E. Bost (1939), Rev. J. R. Ferguson, Dr. Joe
Mosley, and Dr. Raymond Horne.
1856 Wise County is established.
1873 Bridgeport, Texas established. The town receives its name from an employee of the
Butterfield Overland Stage Line who names towns along the stage route.
Where First Baptist Church originally met
First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
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1882 First Baptist Church organizes in Bridgeport, Texas, and joins the Jacksboro Baptist
Association. Alphus Hawkins is the first pastor and W. W. Cannon is the church clerk.
Bro. A. Hawkins serves as pastor through 1884. W. W. Cannon serves as church clerk
from 1882 until 1892 and again from 1894 through 1904. The 23 charter members include: W. W. Cannon and wife, William Carney and wife, Fayt Crawford and wife, William Ellis Johnson and wife Minerva, West Mullins and wife, Belve B. Pate and wife
Claud, Andrew Jackson Ray and wife Lucinda, Katie Ray (A.J. Ray’s sister), and Henry
Pate. The church meets in Old Town (located near the river on FM 920) in the twostory building that is the Masonic Hall (from recollections of older members and citizens). Other denominations meet there in addition to school classes.
Alphus Hawkins, Our First Pastor
(Photo taken April 4, 1915)
1885 J. W. Cearley is the pastor until 1887.
1886 The church joins the newly formed Wise County Baptist Association.
1888 W. G. Hudson is the pastor and serves through 1892.
1892 - 1893
No associational records for our church are found for these years.
1894 J. W. Cearley is the pastor. The growing church finds quarters over Ratliff’s Grocery in
the Leonard Building.
1895 W. G. Hudson is the pastor. The church moves into its first church home, a one-room
auditorium which can be enlarged as the church grows. It is located at 1201 Cates
Street.
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First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
First church building, 1895
(this is a later photo showing addition)
1896 J. F. Head is the pastor.
1897 B. F. Fronaberger is the pastor
1898 No pastor is listed in the Associational minutes
1899 Alphus Hawkins is the pastor again.
1900 M. L. McDowell is the pastor.
1901 - 1902
The church has no pastor.
1903 - 1909
J. B. Tidwell is the pastor and W. W. Cannon, J. W. Bailey, and J. A. Liles are the
church clerks. Dr. P. C. Funk serves as Sunday School Superintendent for 22 years as
well as a director of the Wise County Baptist Association. 1904 is a remarkable year for
baptisms and additions to the church: 77 additions with 44 being by baptism. The
membership is 197 in 1908 and 247 in 1909.
1910 J. B. Pyatt is the pastor and J. A. Liles is the church clerk. The membership is 330.
1911 - 1912
Associational minutes do not include pastor information for these years.
1913 - 1917
P. M. Murphy, R.L. Estes, are the pastors. J. F. Liles, J. B. Green, and E. F. Butler
serve as church clerks. The GA’s raise the first $5.00 to pay for a pastor’s home which
is built in 1912. It is located at 1208 Cates St. The white frame house has six rooms
and a bath. The membership is 330 in 1912, 334 in 1913, 308 in 1914, and 281 in
1915 .
1918 - 1921
A. J. Holt is the pastor in 1918 and R. A. Watson in 1919. S. M. Ward, Miss Eura
Street, Arnold Giles, and W. A. Reeves serve as church clerks. The membership is 276
First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
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in 1918, 277 in 1920, and 292 in 1921. Miss Blanche Groves is commissioned as a
missionary to China by the Southern Baptist Convention Board in June, 1920, and
sails for China in August, 1920.
Miss Blanche Groves - 1920
1922 - 1923
A. D. Roberts is the pastor. The membership is 266 in 1922 and 354 in 1923.
1924-27
E. L. Moody is the pastor, and T. S. Pate is the church clerk. Mamie Moody is the pastor’s wife. The WMU raises the first money for the new brick church which is completed
in 1925. It is located at the corner of 12th Street and Cates Street. The membership is
350 in 1924, 345 in 1925, 410 in 1926, and 417 in 1927.
1928 J. D. Thorne is the pastor, and L. H. Kaker is the church clerk. The membership is 400
in 1928.
First brick church, 1925
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First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
Faithful Workers - 1928
1929-36
A.L. Gregg, J.F. Rogers, and E.M. Agee serve as pastors in this order. Rev. Agee’s
wife is Annie. The association becomes the Montague-Wise Baptist Association. In
1936, it becomes the Wise County Baptist Association. The membership of FBC is
453 in 1936.
1937-41
R.E. Bost is the pastor. Miss Faye Shelton and Miss Marian Ray serve as church
clerks. The music director is Bert Hawkins. The membership is 448 in 1937, 425 in
1938, 485 in 1939, and 496 in 1941.
R.E. Bost, Pastor, 1937-41
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1942-43
C.E. Roark is the pastor, and E.L. Paschall is the church clerk. T.S. Pate serves as
music director. The membership is 511 in 1942 and 515 in 1943.
1944-50
John R. Ferguson is the pastor, and his wife is Margaretta. Homer Green and Mrs. J.
R. Ferguson serve as church clerks. Bert Hawkins and Frank Newton serve as music
directors. In 1947, the church completes the brick educational building which is located
between the 1925 building and the alley. Cates Street Baptist Church, a mission of
First Baptist Church, is organized in 1950. The membership is 529 in 1944, 602 in
1945, 682 in 1946, 718 in 1947, 775 in 1948, and 862 in 1950.
John R. Ferguson, Pastor
1947 Building Committee
Willing Workers Sunday School Class in 1947 Educational Building
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First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
Congregational Photo with John R. Ferguson, Pastor in 1925 Building
1951-56 Ed Stewart is the pastor, and his wife is Nola. Mrs. Melvin Bush (Jean), Miss Joy
Rutherford, and Mrs. Earl Ray (Dorothy) serve as church clerks. Charles Van Frank is
the first paid music minister. Emmanuel Baptist Church, a mission of First Baptist
Church, organizes in 1954. The membership is 840 in 1951, 897 in 1952, 772 in 1954,
797 in 1955, and 819 in 1956.
Ed Stewart, Pastor & Family
1952 Revival with Evangelist Freddie Gage
and Singer Jimmie Snelen
John W. Baker,
Pastor
& Family
1956 - 61
John W. Baker is the pastor, and his wife is Joyce. Mrs. Earl Ray (Dorothy), Mrs. Joe
Brooks, and Mrs. G.B. Funk (Norma) serve as church clerks. B. D. Nimmons and Russell Hightower serve as music ministers. The new auditorium completion is August 16,
1959, and is located east of the 1925 building. The membership is 887 in 1957, 883 in
1958, 930 in 1959, and 989 in 1960.
First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
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1961-67
James (Jimmy) H. Stiles is the pastor, and Oneida is his wife. Mrs. John F. Moody
(Loreta) and Mrs. Bobby (Wanda) Hawkins are the church clerks. Dale Keeton is the
music minister. The membership is 896 in 1962, 982 in 1963, 1,043 in 1964, 986 in
1965, and 1,024 in 1966. In 1967, the Stiles were appointed missionaries to South
America.
Jimmy & Oneida Stiles
Joe Mosley, Pastor & Family
Dan Castleman, Pastor
1967 - 72
Joe Mosley is the pastor, and his wife is Eileen. Mrs. Bobby Hawkins is the church
clerk. The music ministers are Gene Johnson, Edward Miller, Bert Ball, and Mike
Slimp. The membership is 1,116 in 1969, 1,189 in 1970, 1,197 in 1971, and 1,224 in
1972.
1973 - 77
Dan D. Castleman is the pastor, and his wife is Janice. Mrs. John F. Moody is the
church clerk. Bert Hawkins, Lynn Madden, and Don Cleary serve as music ministers.
The membership is 1,222 in 1974, 1,235 in 1975, and 1,250 in 1976. Dedication services for the remodeling of the auditorium occur on May 6, 1973.
1977 - 80
Hal Kinkeade is the pastor, and his wife is Sandy. The educational building and gym
on the east side of the church property is dedicated on March 9, 1980. The membership is 1,236 in 1977, 1,247 in 1978, and 1,256 in 1980.
1981 - 83
Troy Cartmill is the pastor, and his wife is Janice. Mary Lou Kenyon, Steve Summers,
and Eulalah Kersey serve as church clerks, and Herb Todd is the music minister. The
membership is 1,278 in 1981, 1,315 in 1982, and 1,227 in 1983. The 1925 red brick
church building with the basement is demolished in the early 1980’s.
1984 - 93
Dr. Raymond Horne is the pastor, and his wife is Janice. Rosie Vaught serves as
church clerk for several of these years. Richard McCollum and Kent Barnes are music/
youth ministers. David Belk serves as youth minister during these times as well. The
membership is 1,192 in 1984, 1,049 in 1986, 1,167 in 1987, 1,190 in 1988, 1,240 in
1989, and 1,294 in 1992. The faceted stained glass windows are ordered on July 24,
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First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
1986, and installed later in the year. First Baptist Church of Runaway Bay and El Calvario Bautista of Bridgeport are started as missions of FBC Bridgeport.
1994 - 2001
Dr. Bill Dye is the pastor, and his wife is Amy. Keith Burrow is the music minister. The
youth ministers are Lance Burch and Alan Danielson. The membership is 1,301 in
1993. The new and remodeled educational/office area is dedicated on May 6, 2000.
The 1925 building is demolished and a two-story educational space is constructed on
Dr. Bill Dye
First Baptist Church of Runaway Bay - Building Dedication 1995
Mission of First Baptist Church Bridgeport
Dr. Raymond Horne
the site. The original 1947 educational building is renovated into an office area.
2001 - 2003
Bo Blakey is the pastor, and his wife is Holly. David Cox is the music minister, and
Scott Rawlings is the youth minister. Wise County Baptist Association becomes Harvest Baptist Association in October, 2001.
2003 - 2005
Dr. Paul Sands serves as interim pastor. Craig Erb is the Associate Pastor for Youth.
2005 - 2007
Dr. David Burrows is the pastor, and his wife is Debbie. John Bell, Associate Pastor of
Music joins the staff in 2006. Jennifer Faglie joins the ministerial staff in 2007 as Minister for Children & Preschool. The membership is 1306 in 2007. 2007 is a busy and exciting year: Updating and remodeling the auditorium, gym, kitchen, and children’s area
is completed including “The Island”. A new sound system and projection system are
installed in 2007 as well. The church celebrates its 125th Anniversary on November
First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
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First Baptist Church Bridgeport, Texas ~ 125th Anniversary 1882-2007
1204 12th Street
Bridgeport, TX 76426
940-683-4037
Reaching People...Touching Lives
w w w. f b c b r i d g e p o r t . c o m
Vacation Bible School in the 1940’s