FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, 1905  On August 9, 1808, the Salem Baptist church was organized in the home of James Heaton and the following year was admitted to the Miami association. At the first business meeting James DeWise was made deacon and Nathaniel Canfield clerk. For three years services were held in the homes of the several members.
First Baptist Church, 119 S. Main, Dedicated January 21, 1906

In October, 1811, a small one-story frame house was erected on an acre of ground located on the east side of the Franklin pike, and about one mile north of Middletown.  The school house in the Tytus district stands near the spot occupied by this humble house of worship.

This frame house was used for fifteen years or more, when the congregation began to hold services in Middletown, at the homes of Thomas Royal and others and in the little brick school house at the corner of Main and Second streets, where it held its meetings alternately with the Methodists and Presbyterians.

At a regular meeting of the congregation, held August 9, 1828, the name of the society was changed from the Salem Baptist church to the First Baptist church of Middletown, Ohio. In the winter of 1828 it was agreed that a new brick church should be built and the act of incorporation was secured and Jacob Deerdorff, Thomas Royal and David Taylor were chosen as trustees. A lot was secured on the west side of Main street, just north of Second street, in 1829, when a house of worship was begun, but was not finished until 1832. This new structure was forty by eighty feet. The cost was three thousand dollars and the building stood until 1854, when it was taken down and a large two-story brick church erected on the old site, to which was added some additional land adjoining. In 1867 an addition twenty-five by sixty-four feet was added to the east end of the two-story building, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. The society erected a substantial brick house for the pastor on a lot north of the church in 1862, which was recently sold to Dr. Linville.

The church, under the leadership of Pastor Rufus W. Weaver, began to agitate the construction of a new church edifice on a new site near to the commercial and residential center of the city. After much discussion, planning and thinking this was determined upon, and Mr. Andrews, of Dayton, Ohio, was chosen as the architect, and C. H. Barkelew, Frank Jones, J. R. Allen and S. W. Margerum were made a building committee. This movement was given great certainty and enthusiasm by the generous subscription of Hon. Paul J. Sorg, of ten thousand dollars, conditioned that the congregation secure thirty thousand dollars additional. By the persistent effort of Dr. Weaver this was secured and the enterprise was put in active operation. In December, 1903, the whole of lot 62, one hundred by two hundred feet, was secured at a cost of twelve thousand five hundred dollars, and in March of that year the new edifice was begun and is now under roof and ready for the inside work. It is constructed of Bedford (Indiana) stone, laid in irregular ashler masonry. The architecture is of the low old English style. The Sunday school room is built on the "Akron plan" and well adapted for class and assembly work. The cost of the entire structure, furnishings and grounds, will be sixty thousand dollars. Mrs. P. J. Sorg will furnish the glass for the windows of the entire building, and her daughter, Miss Ada, will add three thousand dollars for the new organ, which in place will cost some four thousand dollars. The old church and site will be sold and the proceeds used in the construction of the new edifice.

This church has been active in the work of missions in Amanda, Heno and parts of Middletown. Moved by the energv, tact and liberality of L. D. Doty and John R. Shaffor, substantial brick houses of worship were erected at Amanda and Heno during recent years.

This church has been served in the pastorate by Jacob Mulford, David Bryant, William Boynton, John Finlay, J. A. Bullard, J. G. Brown, Albert Guy, D. S. Watson, F. L. Chapell, J. W. T. Boothe, Thomas Cull, Edward A. Ince, John Blodgett, Harry Crane, Dr. Rufus W. Weaver and the present pastor, E. T. Stevens.

 © 2000 by the Butler County Historical Society