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Ladonia's Baptists trace their history to 1859, when the Rev. Robert Cooke Buckner began traveling from Paris, Texas to Ladonia to preach monthly services. On January 8, 1860 the congregation formally organized as the First Baptist Church. The Rev. A. J. Moffat became the first pastor. Before the congregation built its first church building in 1877, services were held in a combination church/schoolhouse, where worshipers used split logs for seats for several years. The congregation became actively involved in both Baptist affairs and missionary endeavors early in its development. In 1867, Ladonia was the site of the Baptist convention of eastern Texas, though attendance was somewhat low due to a yellow fever outbreak. However, the next year Ladonia continued hosting other Baptist events and participating in local, county, and regional association meetings. As early as 1869, women's groups were active in local missionary programs, and at the turn of the century the congregation as a whole began to support a nearby orphanage as well as foreign missions. Throughout its history, the First Baptist Church of Ladonia has played an important role in the religious life of this community. |
