First Baptist Church of Belton

Duane's take

Here's the story as the official marker tells it, and I'm just the one bringin' it down the road to you. The First Baptist Church of Belton goes back to the summer of 1853, when two reverends, Solomon G. O'Bryan and David Fisher, organized the congregation.

Eight charter members. That's it. Eight souls to start something that would outlast all of them by generations.

They met in a small frame building on Pearl Street, on the north side of Nolan Creek, which, if you know Belton, you know that stretch of ground has seen a lot of history flow through it. Early on, visiting preachers came through, including a man named John Clabaugh and a fellow they called Judge R. E.

B. Baylor. Then in 1856, Clabaugh wasn't just passing through anymore.

He was called as permanent pastor, and he held services once a month. Once a month, steady as a heartbeat, until the Civil War started and changed the rhythm of just about everything. During the war, visiting ministers kept the congregation going.

And then in 1864, something happened that deserves a moment of its own. The Reverend W. W.

Harris held a revival at the courthouse, and it resulted in many new members for the church. A revival at a courthouse. There's something very Texas about that.

By January of 1875, the Reverend M. V. Smith began what would become an eighteen-year pastorate in Belton.

Under that long, steady leadership, the congregation, which had been meeting in other churches, built a stone structure on the east side of Main Street, south of where the present church buildings stand today. Stone. Built to last.

And it did last, for a good long while, until 1947, when fire destroyed it. After that loss, construction began on the present structure at 506 North Main. The facilities have been enlarged over the years to keep pace with a growing congregation.

From eight charter members in a small frame building, to a stone church, to fire, to rebuilding, to expansion. That church has contributed to Belton's history, the marker says, through service to its congregation and to the community. Eight people started that.

Eight people, two reverends, and a summer in 1853.

What the marker says

The First Baptist Church of Belton was organized in the summer of 1853 under the leadership of the Rev. Solomon G. O'Bryan and the Rev. David Fisher. There were eight charter members, and the congregation met in a small frame building on Pearl Street on the north side of Nolan Creek. Early visiting preachers included John Clabaugh and Judge R.E. B. Baylor. Clabaugh was called as permanent pastor of the church in 1856 and held services once a month until the beginning of the Civil War. Visiting ministers served the congregation during the war. A revival held in 1864 at the courthouse by the Rev. W.W. Harris resulted in many new members for the church. The Rev. M.V.Smith began an eighteen-year pastorate in Belton in January 1875. The congregation, which had been meeting in other churches, built a stone structure on the east side of Main Street, south of the present church buildings. After the stone church was destroyed by fire in 1947, construction began on the present structure at 506 N. Main. The facilities have been enlarged over the years to serve the growing congregation. With service to its congregation and the community, the church has contributed to Belton's history. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986