First Baptist Church of Whitesburg began with a four-week revival led by A. S. Petrey and J. B. MeKeehan. The result of the Lord’s work was thirty-six adults professing Christ as their Lord and Savior. Several hundred people gathered on the bank of the North Fork of the Kentucky River near the present Main Street bridge for the first baptismal service on Sunday, March 31, 1909. That evening, First Baptist Church was organized.
The first recorded minutes (written in cursive) reads, “On the 31st day of March, 1909(Wednesday), a company of brothers and sisters in the Lord met at the courthouse in the town of Whitesburg, Kentucky and organized an independent church to be known as First Baptist Church of Whitesburg, Kentucky.” James B. McKeehan was duly elected temporary Moderator and Andrew J. Sturgill was duly elected temporary church clerk. These are the first two elected officers of the church. The final motion before adjournment reads, “the church resolved itself into working order.” Thus, was birthed the First Baptist Church.
On Sunday, April 4, 1909, the church met again. At each meeting recorded for years to come, the moderator began with “devotional activities” before any business was transacted. The Articles of Faith were read and accepted first. Then the church approved their Covenant. Along with the Rules of Order, these three documents appear in front of the first minutes book and is so noted in the minutes. The list of charter members and members later added or removed also appear in the first several pages of the first minutes book.
The first deacons and first trustees were unanimously elected on Sunday, April 4, 1909 with their first meeting at the courthouse. Later the church moved to the upper floor of the former Lewis Wholesale Building. These officers of the church are listed below as thy appear in the minutes:
Deacons: M.D. Lewis, Andrew J. Sturgill, F.G. Fields, Joseph H. Gibson, W.W. Sergent. Trustees: James P. Lewis, P.Y. Pursifull, S.H. Fields, J.P. Adams, and R.B. Bentley.
Andrew Sturgill was made permanent church clerk and James P. Lewis was made church treasurer. The first pastor called to the church was also approved unanimously at this meeting, G.F. Davisson (spelled this way, though also named Davidson), “formerly of Highland Park Baptist Church, Highland Park, Ky.” (Highland Park was a city near Louisville populated at that time by only a few hundred people. It was later razed when the Louisville Airport was built but remains a neighborhood in the city today). The pastor was given a salary of $50.00 per month “with the understanding that the state board pay one half of the amount”. On September 16th, unable to pay their part, the church reduced their part of his salary to $12.50. But times were hard, and the church was unable to pay that. So, on October 20th Rev. Davisson submitted this letter to the church:
To the First Baptist Church, I do hereby accept the proceedings of the last regular business meeting of the church. It is my desire that the church and pastor work together. The fact that our people cannot pay, which is obvious. Therefore, I hope by the acceptance of this order to aid the church in giving to the many other objects which will claim our attention from time to time. I hope we will not be satisfied to stop under $25.00 per month so as to have $12.50 with which to answer all the Macedonian calls. To this end, I cheerfully subscribe for myself and wife $2.00 per month. Yours fraternally, G.F. Davisson.
The church approved the motion. This is one of the many indications of sacrifice made by the many members of the church. Later, the financial situation improved and members donated $307.41 to back pay the pastor. The minutes lists those who gave special gifts to the pastor’s salary. Some were able to give large amounts, but others are listed as giving $1.00 or 50cents. The church janitor was later back paid $3.50 owed but received a monthly pay of only $1.00. This indicated the early struggle of the church, which they overcame.
During the first year the church sent five messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, allotting them each $10.00 for expenses. They also voted before sending them to give them “three cheers”. They also sent three messengers to the first associational meeting in Hyden, Ky. in October. They appointed an organ committee, but in September, after they failed to make a purchase, the committee was “discharged”. On July 7th, the first new member was accepted into the fellowship by relation, Bro. David Holcomb. As documented in the minutes, the first baptisms were approved for J.H. Blair, Mrs. Tressa J. Miller, Sam Lucas, and Add Miller on October 22, 1911.
First Baptist Church has a long history of planting mission churches. The first one mentioned is on April 28, 1912. An evangelist, Rev. W.R. Chick of Knott County, Ky was approved to start a mission at Colly Creek and the church also commissioned to help build him a home there. Support for this endeavor was named ($350-$450.00, plus donations raised). He seemed to have served as an interim pastor and baptized his first, Margaret Stidham, in May 1913. On March 7, 1915, the church authorized the pastor and two men to receive members into the First Baptist Church from a station (mission) in Kona.
Also, in October, the church disciplined their first member for transgressions and gave an extension of one month to “deal with him”. The following month his sin was named, “using profane language” and he was requested to attend the November meeting. But on December 4th, after apparently declining to attend, “fellowship with the member was withdrawn”. Other church discipline was included in the minutes for some years. These included selling or drinking intoxicants, card playing, immoral behavior, and violating the rule of church government. Fortunately, at least one of these was recorded to have “asked to be received back into the church” and was “duly restored back to full membership and was given the hand of church fellowship”.
On May 8th, 1909, the church passed a motion to start looking for a church building site. On September 8th, they instructed the trustees to find a place to hold services until they built a church. Thus, began a long process of seeking a church site and building the church. Several options were considered, including an old Presbyterian church building, which was later dismissed. Two members offered lots downtown Whitesburg and offered to discount their prices by making a donation.
One of those men, James W. Frazier, on July 6, 1910, offered the church some lots for $700.00, but donated $200.00 of it himself. This offer was accepted by the church and a building committee was appointed. This was the site of the original church building, which served the community until June 30, 1964. Later it housed other businesses including Hoover’s Home Furnishings, Bella’s Furniture, and Mountain Comprehensive Health Care. On February 17th, 1912, the church voted to start work on this new building. A motion was given to put a temporary building (24X52) on the lot and a committee was formed in February 1911. However, eight months later, apparently having no success, the committee was discharged, and the motion rescinded.
Pastor Davisson (Davidson) resigned on October 21st, 1911.He was followed by A.S. Petrey one month later. In November 1913, A.S. Petrey resigned and was followed by A.G. Hutson. During the building years, the minutes record that the church continued to give to ministries such as 15% to state missions, 15% to District Missions, 15% to the poor, 10% to Home Missions, 10% to foreign missions, and 2- and one-half percent each to Orphans Home and Ministerial Aid.
The church followed the progress of the building, as recorded in the minutes. Giving the leadership authority to borrow whatever money they needed to build and equip the new building, the church borrowed money on several occasions. They also raised money by a systematic giving to the building fund, including donations and 30% of receipts. The minutes listed the names of members and amounts given, as well as what part of the building supplies they purchased (i.e. lumber, door, flue, saw bill). The church specified by motion that the building exterior must be stone, brick, or concrete. The ladies proposed hanging curtains in the Sunday school rooms. They insured the church for $5000.00. As a result of much hard work and the Lord’s blessing, the first building was dedicated on April 25, 1915. It was located on East Main street and contained the first indoor baptistery in the area.
A.G. Hutson served the church until the end of 1917. He left citing some health problems in his family. His pastorate was one of the most successful. He baptized many and oversaw the mission at Kona. Under him the church completed the new church building. Prior to the completion of the building, he led the church to incorporate on February 21st, 1914. They approved the articles of incorporation the next month. They also ordered their first Communion set in May. Hutson was one of the many great pastors this church has called to serve through the century and more of service. A.S. Petrey returned as pastor and then interim speakers supplied until the church called Andy M. Tate on February 26, 1922.
Due to growth over the following decades plans were made to find a new site and build a larger church building. The final service at the original church was May 31st, 1964. The church members walked from the old building to the new one on Madison Avenue. On June 7, 1964, our present building was dedicated.
Over the years in effort to spread the Gospel, First Baptist Church has started numerous new churches throughout the county, as wells as sending out ministers and missionaries to those church plants, to churches in other states, and to other countries.
It is evident this Church has been on mission for God for over 100 years, and has blessed with a rich heritage of Bible study, worship, and evangelism that began with that first revival in 1909. We would love for you to come experience what God has in store now and for the next 100 years!
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