DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Way back in the 1870s, the people of this community in what would become Gregg County were gathering in the Lawrenceville School just to hold Christian worship services together. No church building, no deed, no name on a sign — just neighbors and a schoolhouse and a shared faith.
That went on for a good while. Then, in 1883, thirteen local Baptists decided it was time to make it official. They organized their own church, still meeting in that same school building, mind you, but now they needed a name.
And this is where the story gets interesting. A founding member named Georgia Whatley stood up with a suggestion. She'd attended a church back in Lawrenceville, Alabama — a church named in honor of Adoniram Judson, born 1788, died 1850, remembered as America's first foreign missionary.
She wanted that name to carry forward. And so it did: Judson Missionary Baptist Church. The mission spirit wasn't just in the name either.
By 1886, the congregation had begun to support actual mission work. Then in 1891, members started planning for their very own house of worship. Georgia and Hiram Whatley donated a plot of land, and in 1894 that structure was erected.
Now, baptismal services — those were held in the creek east of the church, right after the yearly summer revival had taken place. Picture that: the revival heat still on everyone's hearts, and then down to the creek. Later, baptisms moved to a member's property, and then to nearby Whitehurst Lake.
The Whatleys kept giving. In the late 1890s, H. A.
Whatley gave one acre for a cemetery. The community was putting down roots in every sense of the word. Sunday School started in 1901.
A Ladies' Auxiliary formed in 1902. The Baptist Young People's Union was organized at the Judson Church in 1924. A new church building went up in 1935.
And in 1941, the congregation reached a milestone that many a small church spends decades working toward — they hired their first full-time pastor. Meanwhile, the name Judson had been spreading beyond the church walls. By 1900, Public School District No. 2 in Gregg County was known as Judson.
Then in 1952, a United States Post Office opened in the community and took the name Judson too. By 1998, the membership numbered more than 260 — many of them descendants of the very pioneers who'd first settled this part of Gregg County. From thirteen Baptists in a schoolhouse to a congregation still active in mission work and still serving the community of Judson.
Georgia Whatley suggested a name to honor a missionary. Turns out, it fit.
What the marker says
In the 1870s the people of this community met in the Lawrenceville School for Christian worship services. Thirteen local Baptists organized their own church in 1883, continuing to meet in the school building. Founding member Georgia Whatley suggested the name Judson Missionary Baptist Church for a church she had attended in Lawrenceville, Alabama which was named in honor of Adoniram Judson (1788-1850), America's first foreign missionary. In 1886, the Judson Missionary Baptist Church began to support mission work. Members began to plan for their own house of worship in 1891. Georgia and Hiram Whatley donated a plot of land, and the structure was erected in 1894. Baptismal services were conducted in the creek east of the church after the yearly summer revival had taken place. The baptisms later were held on a member's property and then at nearby Whitehurst Lake. In the late 1890s H. A. Whatley gave one acre for a cemetery. Sunday School began in 1901, a Ladies' Auxiliary was formed in 1902, and the Baptist Young People's Union was organized at the Judson Church in 1924. A new church building was erected in 1935, and the church was able to hire its first full-time pastor in 1941. By 1900 Public School District No. 2, Gregg County, was known as Judson. In 1952, a U. S. Post Office opened in the community, taking the name Judson. The membership, many of them descendants of the pioneers of this part of Gregg County, numbered more than 260 in 1998. The congregation continues to be active in mission work and in service to the community of Judson. (1998)