Our History at FBC Ladonia
301 East Main
Ladonia, Texas 75449-1006
903-367-7038
Established circa 1860...
Our History at FBC Ladonia
A 25 year old, Reverend Robert Cook Buckner moved to Texas from Kentucky due to his failing health. It was said that the climate was more favorable in Texas. He was called to First Baptist Church in Paris where he served for 14 years as pastor. One Sunday per month, he would make the trek to Ladonia to preach. This trip is about 30 miles today from the Paris town square to the Ladonia square so you can imagine the arduous once-a-month journey for a man with poor health. However, Buckner was a man on a mission.
Reverend Buckner led the people in getting a church building in 1858-1859. The two-storied building was framed with lumber hauled by ox & horse drawn wagons from Jefferson, Texas (this trip takes several hours today by automobile.)
In January of 1860, the church was finally organized & called Elder A.J. Moffat to pastor. Elijah DuPree was chosen as church secretary. Other charter members were Elijah's wife, Harriet; Melvina Pennington; G.W. Wilkerson; the Cobbs, Mary & Rowland; and of course, the paster, A.J. Moffat. Moffat pastored from February 1860 until June 1860. J.C. Averitt served as pastor from February 1861 until 1864. R.J. Gardner served from December 1864 until 1868. D.B. Morrill served in 1868.
The members attended church services sitting on split logs until October of 1865 when seats built by Hyman Cobb at the price of $1 each for long pews & $0.50 each for short pews. I.C. Jackson hauled the lumber to Ladonia from Jefferson for $0.50 per quarter.
In 1860, the church was admitted into the Sister Grove Association. This was by approval of the church members. In June of 1867, the Baptist Convention of Eastern Texas was held in Ladonia, but attendance was small as there had been a recent outbreak of yellow fever.
William Lovelace Foster became the next pastor & served from September 1868 until his death in August of 1869. He is buried in the Ladonia Presbyterian Cemetary. The early pastors of the 1870's were J. W. Mitchell in 1870 followed by S.J. Anderson. After Reverend Anderson left Ladonia, he served as pastor of First Baptist in Greenville, Texas. When Rev. Anderson left for Greenville, N. Sansing served in 1873. Reverend Johnson served the most of the reminder of the 1870's.
From 1879 until 1893, pastors were John Boyett, J.A. Mansfield, W.J. Owens, Silas Crane, J. Hardwick and H.W. Jones, J. Tol. Miller, C.B. Martin, W.L. Foster (son of William Lovelace Foster who served in 1868-1869), and R.C. Pender. Between 1893 and 1894, S.C. Relyea, T.B. Pitman, B.J. Smith, and William McNutt served as pastors. From 1894-1896, J.A. Moore was pastor. From 1898-1902, J.F. Black was pastor. In 1902, A. Jeff Davis pastored FBC-Ladonia. John T. Gillespie was pastor from 1903-1908. A.J Boyd served the remainder of 1908. W. H. Horton served in 1909 and J.M. Gaygood served in 1910.
The FBC building was finished in 1877 and was later sold and moved to Gober. In 1893, a new building was finished and in 1909, that building burned. In 1910, a new building was contructed by Ben Weldon and Mr. Cherry. Members of the building committee to approve this decision were L.L. Bomar, J.T. Miller, J.J. Pilcher, J.E. Eastman, J.B. Haden, and Lucien Fry. The cornerstone was laid on 6 June 1910. Prior to sealing the cornerstone, church members placed the following objects
inside....
In May of 1910, Mrs. Reed, chairing the windows committee, reported about the purchase of five memorial windows. Mr C.C. Roberts reported on the purchase of the pews as the chairman of the seating committee. In July of 1910, the records showed a payment of $2604.05 from the building fund to Mr. Cherry & Mr. Weldon. The first service in the new brick building was 28 August 1910. The dedication ceremony of the new building took place the following April. The cost of the new building was over $5000. Leading up to the dedication, messages were brought by....
In 1920, Rev. C. W. Shaw was pastor. Messengers to the association were Mrs. Robert Davis, Mrs. Lloyd Taylor, Roy Sheffield, Roy Porter, L.F. Fry, and Mrs. Will Haden. Mrs. Will Haden was the church clerk/secretary. There were 25 members. Reverend Shaw passed away in 1952.
While Mrs. Vada Albright served as clerk, some of the church records were destroyed when her home burned around 1927 or 1928.
Rev. H. T. Connally began his ministry at First Baptist Ladonia in 1943. A baptistry was constructed in 1945 after the church began to do better financially as a result of Rev. Connally implementing a budget & pledge system.
From 1947-1950, the pastor was M. D. Durham. membership was 290. John Raspberry (1951-1953) was pastor in 1952 when a stained-glass window was dedicated in memory of Miss Ruby Keith. M.E. Fitzpatrick was pastor from 1953-1954. G.B. Bailey succeeded Fitzpatrick as pastor.
In 1959, Reverend N.M. (Doc) Vandergriff was called as pastor. He served at FBC Ladonia until 1965. He also served as chairman of Lake Lavon Building Committee. During this time, there were 240 resident members and 55 non-resident. Moss Farmer was the Sunday School superintendent. Joel Roberson served as pastor from November 1965 until Jan of 1968. Joe Smith served as pastor from May of 1968 until May of 1970.
In 1970, Rev. A.L Teaff became pastor at FBC. Membership was 221 resident and 115 non-resident. Reverend Teaff fought unsuccessfully against Ladonia becoming "wet" allowing liquor sales to begin in Ladonia. He was succeeded by Bob Posey who served from March 1972 until July 1974. FBC Ladonia called Eddie Singleton in September of 1974 and he served until May 1977. Sam Bush became the next pastor and served from May 1977 until July 1980. Bill Jennings was next and served as pastor at FBC from December 1980 until May 1984. Bob Waggoner served from Jan 1985 until 1987 and Joel Roberson pastored FBC from 1987 until 1990.
The first addition to the building was completed in 1950 and is currently being used as Sunday School classrooms. The Fellowship Hall was completed in 1976 and is dedicated in memory of Moss Farmer who served FBC for many years and passed away in 1975. Moss' wife passed away in 1996.
In 1990, the pastor was Charles Bryce. Membership was 211.
Dr. Guille Seigler followed Charles Bryce as pastor. On 14 March 1997, at approximately 6 p.m., a electrical fire began in the pastor's study - fire gutted the room - those were some really HOT sermons in that file cabinet & the entire church structure was smoke damaged. In a business meeting on 6 April 1997, a recommendation to award the reconstruction contract to Joel Pease of Paris, Texas was approved by the church. At the conclusion of the business meeting, Pastor Dr. Guille Seigler read a letter of resignation indicating his last sermon with us to be slated for the evening of 20 April 1997. So with the fire and the resignation of our pastor, the Lord began moving us in a new direction, that as the forest, after nature brings the seeming destruction of a forest fire, new life springs forth. We're back in our building again & the Lord made a fine batch of lemonade for us to partake in - the building looks better than pre-fire.
Bob Posey is again, serving as our pastor. The webmaster for this site is NOT a pastor or a counselor. FBC Ladonia's pastor, Bob Posey is a counselor, call him at 903-583-2452 or 903-367-7038 if you are in the Fannin County, Texas region & in need of counseling. The pastor at FBC Ladonia does not, unfortunately, have e-mail access.
Get your own Free HomePageThis page was updated on 12 September 2000. Prior update was 22 February 2000. ©
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