First Baptist Church of Lovelady

Lovelady's first religious organization was a union Sabbath school, started shortly after 1870 in the frame building used for day school, according to the church history Mrs. Ella Mainer Young wrote for Aldrich. She names T. N. Mainer, a Baptist, and Mrs. Belle Barbee, a Methodist, as its leaders. The Baptists then joined the Knights and Ladies of Honor in building a two-story hall on the present site, lodge above and church below. Pastors who lived in Crockett split their time between the two towns.

What the plaque says

First Baptist Church of Lovelady The earliest recorded Baptist activity in Lovelady was a union Sunday school that was organized by 1876. Although an exact date for the formation of a Baptist congregation has not been established, the minutes of the 1879 meeting of the Neches River Baptist Association mention the Rev. J.L. McKee as a representative from the Lovelady Baptist Church. In 1881, the trustees of the Houston & Great Northern Railroad donated land at this site to the Baptist Church and the Knights of Honor. A two-story frame building soon was constructed. The lodge occupied the top floor, and the Baptist Church held services on the first story. A second church building was erected in 1909 during the pastorate of The Rev. T.N. Mainer, who had been ordained from this church four years earlier. Some of the early pastors of the First Baptist Church of Lovelady, including J.F. James, J.B. Armstrong, and W.M. Gaddy, also held services in surrounding towns such as Pennington and Crockett. Throughout its history, the church has provided significant service and leadership to the community. Descendants of some of the pioneer members continue to worship here. (1985)

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Town of Lovelady — steps away
• Houston-Leon County Coal Company — 3.1 mi
• Antioch Cemetery — 4.1 mi
• Rockland Cemetery, Church and School — 5.3 mi