DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker says about the Union Missionary Baptist Church in Marion County, and friend, this is a story that goes back further than most Texans realize. In 1842 — before Texas was even ten years into its republic — a man named Captain William Perry conveyed property to local slaves for the purpose of establishing a place of worship. The road led toward Marshall Crossing Cypress Bayou, and right along that road is where this story takes root.
The church that rose from that conveyance was nondenominational, open to all people, and in 1847 a sanctuary was built here that stands among the earliest black churches in all of Texas. Let that settle in for a moment. All of Texas.
Then the Civil War ended, and what followed was not peace — not here. The church became home, reportedly, to Loyal League activity, Radical Republican organizing, and Freedmen's Bureau work. Federal troops occupied Jefferson during the reconstruction period.
And in that climate of sustained violence, numerous buildings were burned. The church itself was burned. Church members were killed — the marker names Albert Browning among them.
History has a way of demanding you say names out loud, so say his: Albert Browning. Reverend Duncan had formally established the congregation in 1868, and what had been built up was torn down in fire and blood. But here's what didn't stop: the people.
In 1883, a man named L. S. Schluter helped rebuild the church, conveying property to three trustees — Jordan Tice, Henry Bayley, and Don Word.
Reverend J. H. Patterson led a rededication ceremony, and they set a cornerstone for the new building.
That building — frame construction, square bell tower, horizontal siding, window crowns, exposed rafter ends, and behind the sanctuary a sunken brick baptismal that was later filled in — that building became something lasting. N. Beckham served as pastor for twenty years.
By 1917, the congregation had a membership of one hundred and eighty souls, paid their pastor two hundred dollars a year, and according to that same account, maintained a splendid Sunday school, a Star Light Band, and a W. H. M.
Society. Then the years did what years do, and the building fell into disrepair, until it was scheduled for demolition. In 2003, a diverse group of interested parties stepped in and began restoration efforts.
They looked at what Captain Perry conveyed in 1842, what Albert Browning died for, what Reverend Duncan organized, what the flames couldn't finish — and they decided it was worth saving. The marker calls it a beloved symbol of African-American identity and of the community. Out here on a Texas road, that's not just history.
That's a reckoning.
What the marker says
This site is one of the area's oldest associated with African-American heritage. In 1842, Captain William Perry conveyed property to local slaves to establish a place of worship along the road to Marshall Crossing Cypress Bayou. The nondenominational church was open to all people. A sanctuary built here in 1847 also represents one of the earliest black churches in Texas. Following the Civil War, the church was reportedly home to Loyal League, Radical Republican and Freedmen's Bureau activity. Reverend Duncan helped formally establish the congregation in 1868. During this reconstruction period, federal troops occupied Jefferson. Numerous buildings were burned, including the church, and during a time of sustained violence, church members including Albert Browning were killed. L. S. Schluter helped rebuild the church in 1883, conveying property to trustees Jordan Tice, Henry Bayley and Don Word. Reverend J. H. Patterson led a rededication ceremony with a cornerstone for the new church building. The main sanctuary is of frame construction, with a square bell tower and entry, horizontal siding, window crowns and exposed rafter ends. A sunken brick baptismal (later filled in) was built behind the sanctuary. N. Beckham served as pastor for 20 years. According to a 1917 account, the church had a membership of 180, paid its pastor $200 per year, and had a "splendid Sunday school, Star Light Band and W. H. M. Society." Over the years, the building fell into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition before a diverse group of interested parties began restoration efforts in 2003. Today, the site remains a beloved symbol of African-American identity and of the community. RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK - 2011