First Baptist Church of Hillsboro

Baptist ministry in this area can be traced to the Rev. J. M. Samford, who arrived in the vicinity in the 1840s. Hill County was formed in 1853, and Hillsborough (later Hillsboro) was chosen as county seat. The earliest recorded Baptist minister in Hillsboro was the Rev. J. M. Perry, who is said to have formed a congregation in 1855. It is unknown whether members of this congregation were participants in the formation of the congregation first known as "The Baptist Church of Hillsboro." The Baptist Church of Hillsboro, later the First Baptist Church of Hillsboro, was organized in 1874 and fully established in 1875. Charter members were A. M. Isaacs, Nancy and Henry Procise, Fannie and the Rev. P. G. Booth, Julia Johnson, Alabama Ponder and Julia Reavis. The congregation's establishment was aided by Baptist churches in Peoria, Towash and Union (later Hubbard). The minutes of the 1879 meeting of the Towash Baptist Association reflect that the Baptist Church of Hillsboro reported 18 members that year. The Hillsboro congregation's first facility, a frame structure erected for $1,400, was razed in 1905 and part of the materials were used in the construction of a new brick edifice nearby. The church grew steadily in the 20th century. In 1950 an educational building was constructed at a cost of $135,000. A new sanctuary was erected in 1963. Many legendary Texas Baptist preachers have graced the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Hillsboro, including the Rev. George Baines, Dr. George W. Truett and Dr. J. M. Dawson. The congregation continues to uphold the traditions of its founders with many programs of worship and community service. (2000)

First Baptist Church of Hillsboro is a historical marker in Hillsboro, Hill County, dedicated in 1999. It is one of 104 historical markers documented in Hill County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 199 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.0111, -97.1262 near Hillsboro. The nearest cataloged historic site is Tarlton, G. D., House (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Central Christian Church, James L. Harris, and Tarlton Building.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5217012074. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.