History of the Churches of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association

by William Pankey

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, CRAFTON, ORGANIZED 1901

The First Baptist church of Crafton was organized with thirty-eight members, November 5, 1901. The records show that the charter members came by letter from widely scattered churches. The list includes the Fourth Avenue Church, Pittsburgh; the Shady Avenue Church, Pittsburgh; the Beth Eden Church, Pittsburgh; the First Baptist of Claysville, Pennsylvania; the First Baptist church of Indianapolis, Indiana; and the First Baptist Church of Carthage, Illinois. The only surviving charter member is Mrs. Catherine Taylor.

The congregation met in a frame chapel in Ingram until 1909, at which time the present church edifice was erected. In 1924 the congregation built a parsonage. In 1936 a new electric organ was purchased. The Sheridan Baptist church merged with the Crafton church in 1930. The church carries a mortgage of 14000 on its parsonage. The present membership is 162.

The following ministers have served the church:

Rev. Henry A. Buell (1901-1904), Rev. A. B. Bowser (1904-1915), Rev. Roy H. Barrett (1915-1918), Rev. Paul E. Smith (1919-1920), Rev. Joseph Yule (1920-1927), Rev. Roland O. Hudson (1927-1931), Rev. John E. Fosnight (1932-1935), Rev. George C. Horter (1935-1937), Rev. Arthur F. Purkiss (1937-1939), and Rev. Richard P. Brown since 1939.

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