The Baptists in Hamilton trace their beginning to 1873. Dr. Donavan Duncan Tidwell recorded the history of a ten-day revival held during the Fall of 1873 in Hamilton by Daniel Babb, Edmund Eldred Sellers and R. S. Underwood. As the result of this revival three people were baptized into the nearest Baptist Church--the Leon Baptist Church (No. 1), seven miles east of  Hamilton. 

The Hamilton Missionary Baptist Church with eighteen members was admitted to the Leon River Association in 1874. Captain Alfred Hayne Watson, the Hamilton school teacher, invited the church which was to become First Baptist Church to meet in the school building which was in the 500 block of East Henry. After 1882 the Presbyterian Church invited the Baptists to share their building for their monthly meeting. 

Members of Hamilton Baptist Church attended the 4 July, 1877, meeting in Cottonwood Springs School when the Hamilton County Baptist Association (HCBA) was constituted.  Since Hamilton Baptist Church was a member of the Leon River Baptist Association, it could not become a charter member of HCBA. Hamilton Baptist Church was dismissed by letter from the Leon River Baptist Association on 10 September, 1877.  At the first annual meeting of Hamilton County Baptist Association at Plum Creek Baptist Church on 12 October, 1877, Hamilton Baptist Church was admitted to HCBA.

On August 24, 1888, Alfred Haynes Watson, W. W. Kilpatrick, George H. Robbins, S. J. Allen, and G. R. Freeman, trustees of the Baptist Church in Hamilton purchased Lot No. 3, in Block No. 11 of the original town of Hamilton from Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Walker for $30 for the church. It was not until 1896 that a church building was erected on this property on South Bell. The first Baptist Church building in the village of Hamilton was a native stone edifice constructed by James Malcolm "Jim" Tomlinson. [This building was still being built in June, 1897.

(Click  small pictures to see  enlarged pictures.)

Hamilton Baptist Church
1896--the construction of this building was still in progress in June, 1897.

Old First Baptist Church Organ
Donated in July, 2004
to the Hamilton County Museum
by Bradley and Sue (Wilson) Garner
From  The Hamilton Herald-News, July 22, 2004

When this building was destroyed by fire  on 6 February, 1924, the Baptists met in the courthouse until a brick building could be completed in 1925. After the death of his wife Fronia in 1921, George Morrow Carlton gave a pipe organ to First Baptist Church in her memory. Mr. Carlton’s second wife, Mrs. Marcie Wysong was organist for many years. 

Hamilton Baptist Church, 
February, 1925 to
27 May, 1970

In 1970 fire again destroyed the First Baptist Church and the current building was constructed the following year.

  CHURCH CLERKS

 MESSENGERS TO THE ANNUAL ASSOCIATION MEETING

IN MEMORIAM

Deceased members of the Baptist churches comprising the HCBA/HCMBA/HBA were remembered during each annual session. Since 1906 the names of those who died between the annual sessions of HCBA were printed in the published minutes.

A HISTORY OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, HAMILTON, TX, 1873 - 1998

1907 HCBA Minutes

1908 HCBA Minutes

1909 HCBA Minutes

1910 HCBA Minutes

1911 HCBA Minutes

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