Founding Site of First Baptist Church of Goliad
N 28° 39.976 W 097° 23.641
14R E 656933 N 3172067
A Texas Historical Marker tells the story of the giant Live Oak tree next to the marker and how a local church was formed in 1849 under this tree. The First Baptist Church of Goliad is still an active church in the Goliad, TX community.
Waymark Code: WMZGVB
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 11/10/2018
Views: 8
The First Baptist Church of Goliad in Goliad, TX began in May of 1849 when 12 Baptists gathered under a large Live Oak tree to organize the first Baptist church in the area. Rev. John Freeman Hilyer was not only the pastor of the First Baptist Church, he was in the region to teach women attending the Hillyer Female College where women learned "Greek and Latin, piano, drawing, painting, needlework, and other "branches of Female Education usually taught in this Country in the English Language." Besides teaching at his Baptist college and preaching at the Baptist church, Rev. Hillyer was also teaching at the Aranama College for men which was in Goliad. This was Rev. Hillyer's work from 1848, when he was hired to teach until 1861 when the Civil War began.
More about Rev. John F Hillyer:
Aranama College - (
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Hillyer Female College - (
visit link)
In the present day, the First Baptist Church of Goliad is located about 1.3 miles north from the location of this historical marker. The FBC sanctuary is at the street address of 332 E. Ward Street. This is at the NW corner of the intersection of East Ward Street with US 183.
This link below is the About Us link from the FBC website. It continues the history of this church from its earliest history on the Texas historical marker near the City Hall and Fire Station to how the church has grown and moved (through time and place) into its present location.
Current church history: (
visit link)
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