First Baptist Church of Yoakum

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Baptist Church of Yoakum, out in Lavaca County. Now settle in, because this one starts with a railroad and ends with something that's lasted a whole lot longer than any iron rail ever did. Yoakum itself was founded in 1887, when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad built a line through that stretch of Texas.

Towns had a way of sprouting up fast wherever the railroad planted itself, and Yoakum was no exception. It grew rapidly, and before the ink was even dry on the town's incorporation papers, something else was already taking root. On April 7, 1889, one full month before Yoakum was officially incorporated, the First Baptist Church was organized.

Think about that. The church didn't wait for the town to get its paperwork together. The Rev.

H. M. Rowland came down from nearby Flatonia to lead the effort, and he gathered together seven charter members to make it official.

Seven people. J. H. and N.

M. Clare. Edgar and Lydia Barnes.

Thomas Johnson. Lou Thomas. And B.

F. Griffin, who took on the role of first church clerk. Seven names, and a congregation.

Rowland continued to serve that new congregation for a year, getting things on their feet. Their first place of worship was a one-room frame building, sitting right at the corner of West Hochheim and Lott streets. Nothing grand about it, but it was theirs.

By 1893, they'd outgrown it, and a larger frame structure went up at East Gonzales and Dunn streets. That served them for a while, but congregations have a habit of growing, and by 1912, that building too was feeling a little snug. So they built something to remember.

A new three-story brick sanctuary, featuring six large stained glass windows, rose up on that same site. Three stories of brick, six windows of colored light, right there in Yoakum. They added facilities for Sunday School and other needs along the way, and that sanctuary carried the congregation all the way to 1974, when a new structure was erected.

Throughout all of it, through every building and every decade, this congregation kept its hand in local and foreign missionary work. And according to the marker, it continues to be a vital part of the community. Seven charter members, one room, and a railroad town that hadn't even incorporated yet.

Not a bad place to start.

What the marker says

Yoakum was founded in 1887 when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad built a line through this area. The town grew rapidly and on April 7, 1889, one month before the town was incorporated, the First Baptist Church was organized. Led by the Rev. H. M. Rowland from nearby Flatonia, the congregation began with seven charter members: J. H. and N. M. Clare; Edgar and Lydia Barnes; Thomas Johnson; Lou Thomas; and B. F. Griffin, who served as first church clerk. Rowland continued to serve the new congregation for a year. The church's first place of worship was a one-room frame building at the corner of West Hochheim and Lott streets. It was replaced in 1893 by a larger frame structure at East Gonzales and Dunn streets. By 1912 it was too small for the growing congregation, and a new three-story brick sanctuary featuring six large stained glass windows was built on the same site. With the addition of facilities to serve Sunday School and other needs, it served the congregation until a new structure was erected in 1974. Throughout its history this congregation has been involved in local and foreign missionary activities. It continues to be a vital part of the community. 1989