County Line Baptist Church - Bell County, TX
N 30° 54.214 W 097° 16.760
14R E 664442 N 3420183
The County Line Baptist Church is near the Bell-Milam County Line at 11503 County Line Rd, a little over five miles southwest of Rogers in rural Bell County.
Waymark Code: WM1859Q
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 06/02/2023
Views: 0
A 2008 Texas Historical Marker provides some history:
In 1856, the Rev. Jesse G. Thomas and others organized this church. Initially named Eanon (Enon) Baptist Church, it was originally located near the line separating Bell and Milam Counties (2 mi. SE). The church grew out of the meetings which area Baptists held in the home of John and Amanda (Childers) Craddock. Although the Civil War led to the decline of the church, residents reorganized in 1868. Members moved the original church building to the Mud Springs (now Joe Lee) community near the end of the 1800s. The building was later replaced after being destroyed by a storm. Today, more than 150 years after its founding, County Line Baptist Church continues to serve as a spiritual leader in southeast Bell County.
A March 4, 2009 article in the Temple Daily Telegram -- a copy is in the gallery -- covered the approval of the aforementioned Texas Historical Marker and its dedication, and it expands a bit. The name, "Eanon", is a Greek word meaning "spring" or "near water", which fits in nicely with the church's original location at the Craddock place near the Little River. It notes that John Robert Craddock was a survivor of the Battle of San Jacinto -- he's buried nearby, with his own Texas Historical Marker -- and that his wife, Amanda, was the daughter of Goldsby Childers, a veteran of the War of 1812 who saw action at Tippecanoe and maybe even the Thames. When Childers settled in Texas, he ultimately played a role in establishing Bell and Milam Counties. Both Mr. and Mrs. Craddock remained active in the church after it reorganized and renamed in 1868.
Coming back to the present day, the article mentions that the current sanctuary is more than twenty years old, which would make it more than thirty-four years old in 2023. The congregation had thirty-five members back in 2009, and appears to be small today, and they have a Facebook page that sees occasional use.