Chester County Baptist Churches
There are quite a few Baptist Churches in Chester County. Quite a few of them have a very long history. The map below shows the locations of some of these Baptist churches within the county.
Baptist Church of West Chester
Formed in 1835 as the First Baptist Church, the church members met in other facilities until the church lot was purchased in 1854. Prior to 1866, the church maintained a burial ground nearby, but those graves were moved to Oaklands Cemtery when the Borough no longer allowed burials within the Borough limits. In 1897, a number of members split away to form Olivet Baptist, occasionally meeting together over the years. In 1929, the two factions rejoined, adopting the name Baptist Church of West Chester.
221 S. High St., West Chester, PA 19380
610-696-7466
secretary@bcwc.org
The Baptist Church in the Great Valley
Formed in 1711 by Welsh Baptists, the Baptist Chirch in the Great Valley is the oldest Baptist church in Chester County. When first established, the church met in the house of Richard Miles, in Radnor, until 1722 when they built a log house in Tredyffrin to house the young flock. In 1805, construction started on the current church building, with further renovations in 1871. A large cemetery surrounds the church.
945 N. Valley Forge Rd., Devon, PA 19333
610-688-445
Church Website
Bethel Baptist – Phoenixville
412 Fairview St., Phoenixville, PA 19460
610-933-0560
Church Website
Bethesda Baptist
The church on Harmonyville Road is the successor to Lloyds’ Church, which became the property of the Federal Government when the National Park Service purchased it from the Brooke family in 1938. The current church was built in 1985.
2140 Harmonyville Rd., Pottstown, PA 19465
610-469-0613
Church Website
Bethesda Baptist – Lloyd’s
Organized in 1827, the Bethesda Church was the primary church used by those who worked at Hopewell Village. It was first known as “Lloyd Meeting House”, and was accepted in the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1828 with its new name of Bethesda Baptist Church. It lies within the boundaries of the historic park in the northwest corner of Warwick township. The graveyard surrounding the church is enclosed by a sturdy stone wall.
Bethesda Road, Hopewell Village
Beulah Baptist
In 1823, a number of Hephzibah Baptist members sought a=to establish a new church closer to where they lived in southern Chester County. The new church was recognized on June 3, 1823 and the congregation started building their church soon after.
3815 Newark Rd., Oxford, PA
610-932-9595
Church Website
East Brandywine Baptist
The East Brandywine Baptist church was established in 1843 by former members of the Windsor Church. The church was a member of the American Baptist Convention until 1985, when it left that association to become an Independent Baptist Church.
999 Horseshoe Pike, Downingtown, PA 19335
610-269-8651
Church Website
East Nantmeal Christian Fellowship
Founded in 1841, the original church was built on land donated by Jesse Evans and the Wynn family. In 2004, the church changed its name from East Nantmeal Baptist to East Nantmeal Christian Fellowship.
900 Nantmeal Road, Elverson, PA 19520
610-286-2800
Church Website
Exton Community Baptist
Established in 1965
114 E. Swedesford Road Exton, PA 19341
610-363-7814
Church Website
First Baptist – Kennett Square
First Baptist was established in 1883, with the first church being located at Cypress and Union streets in Kennett Square. In 1926, the parish outgrew that structure and a new church was built at the current location at State and Garfield.
415 W. State St., Kennett Square, PA 19348
610-444-5320
Church Website
First Baptist Church of Malvern
A Baptist church was established in the Malvern area around 1833, beginning as Willistown Baptist Church. The current church was dedicated in 1875. This church is now known as First Baptist Church of Malvern.
146 Channing Ave., Malvern, PA 19355
610-644-3904
Church Website
First Baptist Church of St. Peter’s
2860 St. Peter’s Rd., Pottstown, PA 19465
Goshen Baptist
The Goshen Baptist church was set up in 1827 by members of the Brandywine Baptist Church in Chadds Ford. The church was first located at the intersection of West Chester Pike and East Strasburg road, but the need for more space encouraged the church to relocate to their current location in 1970
1451 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA 19382
610-696-3188
Church Website
Hephzibah Baptist
Hephzibah Baptist Church is among the earliest Baptist churches in Chester County. The church first met about 1720 in Newlin township, several miles from their current location. That first location was on the land of John Bentley, whose son Jeffrey gave land to the church for its building.The first church has been gone for many years, but the graveyard used by those early Baptists still exists. By 1792, the church had outgrown its meetinghouse and a new meetinghouse was planned in what was then called McWiliamstown. In 1810, the church decided on a new name, Hephzibah, and became independent from its mother church.
2237 Strasburg Road, Coatesville, PA 19320
610-388-0330
Church Website
London Tract Baptist (Historic)
The London Tract meetinghouse has a long history, 1J. S. Futhey and G. Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. Heritage Books, 1995, p. 462. shown below:
The history of the London Tract Church is involved in that of the Welsh Tract until 1780, and we therefore give the history of the latter up to 1770. In the spring of the year 1701 several Welsh Baptists in the counties of Carmarthen and Pembroke decided to remove to America, and as one of them was a minister, it was concluded to form themselves at once into a church. Their names were Rev. Thomas Griffiths, Griffith Nicholas, Evan Edmunds, John Edwards, Elisha Thomas, Enoch Morgan, Richard Davis, James Davis, Elizabeth Griffiths, Lucy Edmunds, Mary Jones, Mary Thomas, Elizabeth Griffiths, Jennet Davis, Margaret Mathias, Judith Morris. These sixteen, which may be styled a church emigrant, met at Milford Haven in June, 1701, and embarked in the ship “James and Mary,” and on the 8th of September landed at Philadelphia. They settled at first about Pennypack, and remained a year and a half, during which time 21 persons joined them. Finding it inconvenient to remain there, they purchased land in New Castle County, and gave it the name of Welsh Tract, to which they removed in the spring of 1703 and built a meeting-house.
They were the first to receive the “Century Confession,” to which 122 of them subscribed in the year 1716. Their records were kept exact, but written in Welsh, until the year 1732. At what time a branch was established in London Britain is unknown to us, but it was as early as 1729. Thomas Morris, of that township, in his will dated Nov. 26, 1731, gives to Owen Thomas and Richard Whitting “£2 for the use of the meeting-house that is in Indian town in London Britain.” Another branch of the church was in Kent County, thirty-two miles distant. In 1770 there were about 100 families belonging to the church and branches, of whom the following individuals had been baptized and received into communion:
Isaiah Lewis and David Evans, deacons; Thomas James, Esq., Thomas McKim, Esq., John Evans, Esq., William Buckingham, William Buckingham, Jr., John Buckingham, John Bowen, Thomas Davis, John Davis, Thomas Jones, Joseph Gardner, Abel Davis, Daniel Davis, William Eynon, Joseph Price, Lewis German, Benjamin Jones, Daniel Griffiths, David Hughs, Hugh Glasford, Isaac Hughs, Jacob John, James Jones, William James, Jacob Lemmon, Richard Lemmon, John Townsend, James Williams, Edward Miles, John Morgan, John McCormick, Enoch Morgan, James Mundle, Alexander McKim, Thomas Robinson, Morris Thomas, Nicholas Paine, Jane Buckingham, Jane Bowen, Anne Bush, Hannah Bonham, Sarah Braken, Ruth Cloud, Hannah Connoly, Mary Cann, Mary Clark, Mary Rogers, Margaret Morphy, Esther Rees, Hannah Davis, Rachel Davis, Elenor Davis, Esther Davis, Mary Price, Hannah Eynon, Jane Evans, Mary Evans, Rachel Faris, Mary Evans, Rachel Griffiths, Mary Griffiths, Abigail Giles, Elizabeth Prichard, Margaret Williams, Hannah Duglas, Gwen Hughs, Phebe Hughs, Hannah Hughs, Elizabeth John, Tamar James, Susannah Jones, Hannah Jones, Joanna Jones, Jonnet Jones, Mary Jury, Choice (Joyee?) Townsend, Sarah Whitten, Catharine Watson, Susannah Watson, Mary Watson, Jane Williams, Deborah Whitten, Sarah Jones, Elizabeth Lemmon, Mary Lewis, Sarah Miles, Sarah Miles, Jr., Mary Morgan, Hannah McCormick, Margaret Morgan, Margaret Mundle, Rachel Morrison, Elizabeth Morgan, Agnes McKim, Sarah Oborn, Catharine Rees, Mary Roberts, Elizabeth Robison, Mary Rhodewell, Janc Rowland, Mary Thomas, Mary Thomas, Jr., Hannah Thomas, Elizabeth Singleton, Rev. Robert Lemmon.
The first minister was Rev. Thomas Griffiths, born in 1645, in Llanfernach parish, and county of Pembroke, who accompanied the first congregation to this country. He died and was buried at Pennypack, July 25, 1725. His colleague and successor was Elisha Thomas, born 1674, in Carmarthenshire, who arrived with the others in 1701. He died Nov. 7, 1730, and was buried at Wesh Tract, where a tombstone was erected to his memory. He left two daughters, Rachel and Sarah, the first of whom married a Jones, and secondly Rev. David Davis. A daughter by her first husband married Johns Evans, Esq., of London Britain, and had children,— John, Rees, Mary, and Oswell.
The third minister was Enoch Morgan, also one of the original congregation, born 1676, at Alltgoch, in the parish of Llanwenog, in Cardiganshire. He died March 25, 1740, and was buried at Welsh Tract. His colleague and successor was Rev. Owen Thomas, born 1691, at Gwrgodllys, in the parish of Cilmanllwyd, and county of Pembroke, who arrived in America in 1707. He continued in care of the church till May 27, 1748, when he removed to Vincent township, and there died in 1760. His children were Elizabeth, Morris, Rachel, Mary, David, Sarah, and Owen. He left behind him the following remarkable note:
“I have been called upon three times to anoint the sick with oil for recovery. The effect was surprising in every case, but in none more so then in that of our brother, Rynallt Howell. He was so sore with the bruises of the wagon when he was anointed that he could not bear to be turned in bed otherwise than with the sheet. The next day he was so well that he went to meeting.”
The next minister, David Davis, was born in 1708, in the parish of Whitchurch, and county of Pembroke, and arrived in this country in 1710 and died Aug. 19, 1769. By his wife Rachel, daughter of Rev. Elisha Thomas, he had children,— Rees, Jonathan, John, Susanna, Mary, and Margaret, who, except John and Margaret, in 1770 were married into the families of Miles, Bonham, Bentley, and Parr. John supplied the church for a time after his father’s death, but in 1770 was about to remove to Boston.
Cotemporary with Rev. David Davis was the Rev. Griffith Jones, born Oct. 8, 1695, at Alltsawr, in the parish of Llanon, in Carmarthenshire, who came to America in 1749 and settled at Duck Creek. He died Dec. 4, 1754, and was buried at Pencader.
A warrant was granted Oct. 15, 1701, to William Davies, David Evans, and company for 30,000 acres of land. This was probably what was known as the Welsh Tract, in New Castle County. The London Tract Church was so called from being within the purchase of the London Company, in Chester County.
It was not until Nov. 21, 1780, that this was constituted an independent congregation, when the following appear to have been dismissed from the Welsh Tract:William Buckingham, John Evans, John McCormick, Jane Buckingham, Ruth Cloud, Ann Baldwin, Mary Evans, Phebe Hughes, Hannah McCormick, Sarah Whitting, Rachel Morrison, Rachel Morgan, Gweny Dunsmore, Deborah Whitting, Elizabeth Robeson, Sarah Bracken, Jane Evans, Sarah Scott.
The land upon which the church stands belonged to the Evans family, who were among the most prominent members. The record-book for 1780 to 1830 was destroyed by a domestic in the family of John W. Tawresey, who used it to kindle the fire as occasion required. For this reason little can be given of the history of the church during this period.
Thomas Fleeson appears to have been appointed pastor Nov. 22, 1780. In 1808, Jethro Johnson was pastor, and by agreement with the other churches preached two Sabbaths here, one at Brandywine, and one at Hephzibah in each month. Thomas Barton, who died March 23, 1870, was pastor for fifty years. Rev. George W. Staton became pastor March, 1873, and was succeeded by Joseph L. Staton, November, 1880, who officiates at present.
At some former period a neat stone building was erected with the entrance facing the south. In 1863 the house was remodeled, and the entrance placed at the east end. In 1879 the graveyard was enlarged by purchase of land from Lewis Passmore.
The oldest stone records the death of John Boulton, who died May 19, 1729, aged fifty-one years, but it is lying flat, and probably not upon the grave. Other dates are as follows:
John Devonald, d Mar. 8, 1735–6, aged 52; John Evans, Jr., d. Apr. 14, 1738, aged 38: Lydia Evans, d. Aug. 6, 1745, aged 18; Mary, wife of Evan Rice, and dau. of John Evans, Jr., d. Jan. 20, 1752, and their dau. Mary was buried with her mother, aged 18 days; Evan Evans, born 1732, d. Oct. 22, 1794; his dau. Elizabeth, b. April 18, 1774, d. Apr. 5, 1794; John Williams, d. Oct. 16, 1746, aged 58.
Parker Ford Baptist
Established in 1858.
92 Baptist Church Rd., Parker Ford, PA 19475
610-495-7176
Church Website
Parkesburg Baptist
The Parkesburg church began as a mission of the Glen Run Baptist Church of Atglen in 1846. In 1886, the church gained its independence from Glen Run, purchasing the Parkesburg Chapel from Glen Run. The present church was built in 1914.
103 West St., Parkesburg, PA 19365
610-857-9135
Church Website
Pawlings Independent Baptist
Established in 1892
400 Pawlings Road, Phoenixville, PA
610-933-6517
Church Website
Phoenixville Baptist (Historic)
The Phoenixville Baptist Church was organized on May 28, 1830 with eight members. Its first church was erected in 1833 and was replaced in 1853 by a newer church, still standing today. Today the church building is the home of Grace Crossing Community church.
248 Church St., Phoenixville, PA 19460
Pughtown Baptist
The Pughtown church was organized on January 19, 1856. The church property now bears the name Branch Life Church.
780 Pughtown Road, Pughtown, PA 19475
610-469-6720
Church Website
St. Paul’s Baptist
St. Paul’s began as the Baptist Colored Mission in West Chester, led by Rev. H. B. Price, and eventually became St. Paul’s Baptist Church of West Chester. The first meeting of the church was held at 307 East Market St on January 29, 1887. In 1986, the church moved to the North Hills section of West Chester, and finally to its current location on Hagerty Blvd in 2000.
1 Hagerty Blvd., West Chester, PA 19382
610-692-2446
Church Website
Vincent Baptist
The Vincent church was first organized in 1737 as a branch of the Great Valley church, obtaining independence from the mother church in 1771, The church building is now the home of The Church of the Healing Shepherd.
2109 Art School Rd., Chester Springs, PA 19425
Windsor Baptist
Windsor Baptist was established in 1833 by members from the Vincent Baptist church. There is a large cemetery next to the church.
213 Little Conestoga Rd., Eagle, PA
610-458-5477
Church Website
Sources & Notes
- 1J. S. Futhey and G. Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. Heritage Books, 1995, p. 462.