Bradford's First Baptist Church

photo credit: Bradford Landmark Society

See the Church in 1948
See the Church in 2008
See this Location in 2008

Present Baptist Church Held First Service on June 1, 1941
The Bradford Era: 1941

The handsome First Baptist Church that now stands at 71 Congress St. had its inception in the wilderness now known as Bradford more than 100 years ago.
On Dec. 14, 1834, a group of people met in the home of George Baker and organized a Baptist Church, the first church in the area. For many years the services were held in the homes of the members and friends scattered from state line to what is now Bradford and south to Degolia.
Abiah Knapp became the first pastor. In 1836 the church was recognized as a regular Baptist Church by the Cattaraugus Baptist Association of New York State.
Next to fill the pastorate was Nelson E. Chapin and the congregation held its services in the home of Colonel Little. In 1852 the church was organized under the laws of Pennsylvania. With the discovery of oil here in the early seventies, the congregation increased in great numbers.
In 1870, the Rev. J. T. Knapp was installed as pastor and services were being held in a theater. On March 1, 1880, a building committee started plans rolling for a sitable church and teh following year the edifice was erected at Congrees and E. Corydon Sts. On Jan. 16, 1881, the first service was held in the new church.
In August, 1890, the Rev. William T. Hanna became pastor, serving in that capacity for 17 years. With the coming of the Rev. Hugh Ross MacMillan to the pastorate in 1928, the membershhip began making plans and raising funds for the present edifice at 71 Congress St. After 11 years constructive service, the Rev. Mr. MacMillan died suddenly on Feb. 15, 1940.
On March 1, the Rev. Havard Griffith of harrisburg, Pa., came to the pulpit of the church as an interim pastor but with teh discovery of his great talet for fund raising, he was invited to become regular pastor.
A building committee, under the charmanship of teh late Paul P. Lyon, began to function and gound for the new church was broken Sept. 22, 1940 and the cornerstone was laid Nov. 3, 1940. On June 1, 1941 the first service was held in the new church and in just one year after vacating the old building the new church was dedicated Oct. 5-12, 1941.
By Feb. 22, 1948, the cost of the new church, $142,817.31, had been met and a mortgage urning ceremony and services of thanksgiving were held to celebrate the occasion.
The present pastor, the Rev. Berthold Jackstilt, came here Dec. 1, 1945.

First Baptist Church: 71 Congress Street
The Bradford Era
March 1, 1975

Organized in 1834, the First Baptist Church has recognized their duties to mnster to civic needs within Bradford. As part of this resposibility, the congregation began a program for special children, called Community Outreach, in 1964.
In the same year, the church began administering the Fairview Nursing Home, which has become the Hannum Memorial Rest Home.
The present House of Worship was dedicated in October of 1941, and on April 6, 1947, the church began broadcasting it's Morning Worship Service on WESB, one day after the station went on the air. Coninuing to the present, WESB now carries part of their service each Sunday evening, at 8:30. The Rev. C. L. Sprague, who has been pastor since 1962, leads his congregation at the 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Worship Services, with Church School at 9:45 a.m.
The First Baptist Church marking 157th Anniversary in Bradford
Bradford Era: Roger Newton
October 5, 1991

The First Baptist Church of Bradford will be celebrating not one but two birthdays this weekend: the 50th anniversary of its present building and 157th year of the church as a worshiping congregation.
The weekend cleebration wil begin witha "birthday dinner" at 6 p.m. today in the fellowhip hall of the church. Desplays of memorabilia and other artifacts will be set up and those people attending wil receive a copy of a brief history of the congregation.
On Snday, the Rev. Leon Canfield, present pastor, will preside at the 11 o'clock morning worship service. The special speaker will be Dr. Richard Rusbuldt of Valley Forge, executive minister of Pennsylvania and Deleware.
Following the Sunday service a birthday cake will be served in the fellowship hall.
The entire church membership has been involved for the past year in developing this commemoration. Some of the activities leading up to this service have been teh publication of a history of the church, planting of a dogwood tree, holding an Easter part, and having a box social.
The present church, located at 71 Congress Street, was dedicated Oct. 6, 1941, but its beginnings as a congregation dates back to Dec. 14, 1834, when the first organizational meeting was held in the home of Brother Baker.
The first meetings were apparently held monthly, in the homes of members, stretching from what is now Degolia to the New York State line in what was then a sparsely populated wilderness of trees.
The first converts to the faith made by the little church were baptized on April 19, 1835, and on Nov. 7 a covenant meeting was held at brother Sutton's and the Reb. Abiah Knapp was asked to be pastor for a year.
In order to receive recongnition and fellowhip in the Baptist denomination, the congregation in June 1836 sent delegates to Franklinvilee, N.Y., to apply to the Cattaraugus (NY) Association.
For a brief period, from March 4, 1848, to Feb. 22, 1851, the church was disbanded, but on the latter date the congregation voted to rescind the motion to disband.
Several men besides Knapp served briefly as pastor from the church's inception until 1872: T. Hendryx, Jonas Glazier, J.P. Eavens, Nelson E. Chapin, and H.E. Prosser.
The church was officially organized under Pennsylvania State laws in Spetember 1852, according to "the History of McKean County."
Records show that in June of 1872, 10 persons agreed to associate as a Baptist Church. Application was soon made as a sister church to the Cattaraugus Association.
In December of 1877, after the City of Bradford had begun to grow with the oil boom, William H. Davis and a few Baptists he knew got permission to use the United Bretheren Church for meetings.
A large number of people from teh growing area atended the first meeting. It was announced that the First Baptist Church existed with some 40 members. Others from teh audience who wished could join at a lter covenant meeting.
In 1878, a reorganization was effected and until about 1882 the congregation met in the Opera House.
A building committee was appointed March 1, 1880. The lot for the building, located at the corner of Congress and Corydon streets (present site of a service station), was donated by Capt. Joseph T. Jones.
On Dec. 24, 1880, the church was incorporated as the First Baptist Church of Bradford. On Jan. 16, 1881, the new building was open for worship and on Jan. 18 formal dedication services were held.
In order to make closer ties with sister churches in Pennsylvania, the church voted on December 1881, to withdraw from teh Cattaraugus Association and in June 1882 joined the Oil Creek Baptist Association.
During the tenure of Rev. J.P. Thomas, 1884-1890, membership grew from 137 to 200, and a pipe organ was installed for $1,500. The debt of the church was reduced to $3,869.
The Rev. Fred McArthur's term as pastor, 1914 to 1922, saw the expansion of Daily Vacation Bible School. A tent was rented and benches seating several hundred were built from lumber loaned by a trustee.
Young men trained in the work came from Bucknell University and later from Clolgate Divinity School. Volunteer teachers came from different denominations and the summer of 1921 saw 500 children registered and 92 helpers.
The church has had several people who left to go into full-time Christian work over the years. At a reception in 1921, it was mentioned that nine missionaries had been sent to foreign fields and nine ministers into Christian service.
It became apparent during the pastorate of Rev. Hugh Ross MacMillan, from June 1928 to February 1940, that a new larger building was needed. the pastor and membership began raising funds and laying plans but MacMillan died unespectedly in February.
The Rev. Havard Griffith was named interim pastor, a man who had experience in fund raising. The financial structure was built up, bids were sought, plans drawn up and ground was broken at the new site at 71 Congress Street on Sept. 22, 1940. The first service was held there June 1, 1941
The building committee, whose chairman was Paul P. Lyons, consisited of Pastor Griffith; Arthur B. Cody, Harry Green, George A Schubert; deacons Ralph C. Rhodes, Walter D. Hervey, William H. Nelson; and trustees William F. Noxen, Ella Wommer adn Caroline Jack.
When the mortgage burning ceremony was held Jan. 22, 1948, Rev. Berthoid Jacksteit, pastor, and congregation paid tribute to rev. Hugh MacMillan, who first had teh idea for a new church and gave his life to the cause.
Over the years First Baptist Church grew from a handful of hardy worshipers in a sparsely settled area to an influential instituition in the Bradford Community with some 325 members.
Church has grown in past 50 years
The Bradford Era
October 5, 1991

The congregation of the First Baptist Church have made many advancements since the first service in the new bilding was held June 1, 1941.
Radio ministry was begun in April 1947 over the new station, WESB. On Cot. 30, 1949, the Paul L. Lyon Memorial Chimes was dedicated.
The trustees acquired the Dr. Grace White property located between the church and parsonage in August 1948. During the pastoate of Rev. WIlliam R. Bowman in october 1961, the buildings on the property were razed to make a church parking lot.
Because of the long distances traveled for fellowhip with sister churches, in 1957 the church left the Oild Creek Association and joined the Alleghany River Association.
The Rev. Cyrus L. Sprague became pastor in December 1962, and during his tenure the congegation received the Faiview Rest Home on Minard Run Road as a gift from Dr. O.S. Hannum, to promote services to teh aged and indigent people. On Dec. 16, 1964, the relationship between the church and Hannum memorial Rest Home Inc. was formalized when the directors met at the church to elect corporate officers.
The facility was a forerunner of the Bradford Ecumenical Home on St. Francis Drive which was dedicated in September 1989.
In 1964 an outreach Program was begun, providing after-school activities for needy children. Later it grew and became an interdenominational project with other churches, called Wednesday Fellowship.
In January 1923 the women of the church held their first banquet as the Women's Union of the Baptist Church. In 1951, the women's groups of the church united with the women of the American Baptist Convention to become The Women's Mission Society under the National Council of American Baptist Women.
In 1973 the church was involved with other churches of the city in Key 73, "To Reach People - Our Faith at Wor and to make Our Faith Real to Others."
Rev. Leon Canfield came to lead the church in 1986. Wednesday evening prayer meetings have become a time of Bible study. There has ben growth in the children and youth departments, the public address system has been upgraded and a new chime system was installed in the tower.

The Current Baptist Church 2008


Photo Credit: Diana Phalon

The Former Baptist Church Location 2008


Source: Diana Phalon
Go to San-Born Perris Map of Congress Street