Founded in 1833, the Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ is the oldest Baptist church in Texas. Originally organized by Daniel Parker and several elders from his native town of Lamote, Illinois, the first church meeting was held at Parker’s home in Austin’s colony in January 1834 after articles of faith, the constitution, and rules of decorum had been formulated. During the Texas Revolution, the congregation met secretly until 1837, when Parker and elder Garrison Greenwood authorized the establishment of several churches throughout Texas, including in Nacogdoches, Sabine, Liberty, and Shelby counties. Despite its many locations, a main meeting house was constructed in 1857 near Elkhart, Texas. It was later renamed Pilgrim Primitive Baptist Church.
Source:
Hesler, Samuel B.
Composed of record books, an historical sketch, and meeting minutes, the Pilgrim Predestinarain Regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ Records, 1833-1847, 1869-1897, document the history and the activities of the church’s congregation. Record books concern the central tenets and members of the church, while an historical sketch discusses its establishment in Texas. Additionally, meeting minutes relate to the church’s 24th annual meeting.
This collection is open for research use.
Pilgrim Predestinarian Regular Baptist Church of Jesus Christ Records, 1833-1847, 1869-1897, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s