ONE OF THE OLDEST (IF NOT THE OLDEST)
BAPTIST CHURCHES ORGANIZED
IN THE COUNTY

I find that the Concord Baptist Church was organized in June, 1844. The land was donated for the church by Richard F. Giddens, who was born in North Carolina in 1798. He came to Red River County in 1833 and was one of the members that constituted that body. He died in 1871. N. B. Hutchison was another early member, but I do not know whether he was a deacon or not.

About 1911, Richard Giddens, a grandson of Richard F. Giddens, donated more land to the old church. It was torn down and a new one built.

One of the early pastors was Thomas W. Anderson, the father of Sam Anderson, who was a noted Baptist minister and died several years ago. He was also the father of Jason Anderson, a well-known citizen of Clarksville.

A Sunday school was organized in 1853, but this is all I find. Early members of this church appear as follows: George Giddens, Samuel Anderson, Joseph English, Thomas Owens, William Brint, Joseph Terry, Joseph Stiles, N. B. Hutchison, William Butler, James Mowery, Marvin Hooser, John Barnett, John McPen, John English, L. R. Stiles, Lewis Bryant, Richard Owen, Eliza English, Solomon Stiles, and Mary Barnett.

Here at old Concord was built the first gristmill for this portion of Texas, people coming here