| Marker Text |
Chartered in 1855 with eleven members, this congregation was organized at the home of Dr. J. M. Higgins. The first pastor was the Rev. J.M. Perry (1817-1905), a native of Alabama. A chapel on College Street, built in 1856, served the fellowship until 1871, when the church was moved to this site. The property was deeded to the First Baptist and Cumberland Presbyterian congregations, who financed the construction of a sanctuary here. Separate Baptist church structures were built here in 1890 and 1917. Former pastors include prominent state and national Baptist leaders. |
