Highlights of the History of the First Baptist Church 1843-1998

It was in October of 1833 that Mr and Mrs Hiram Fiddler came with their family and their possessions and settled on the banks of Bean Creek, two miles north of the present site of Hudson.  They were the first white family to penetrate the wilderness in the locality.  Later that fall they were joined by Charles Ames and wife, Ezra and Henry Ames and Alpheus Pratt.

The country then was an unbroken wilderness to the west and south, with the nearest white man’s abode twelve miles east, and a single cabin on the shore of Devil’s Lake to the south. 

The first settler on the territory where Hudson now stands was Reuben Davis of Herkimer Co. NY.  He arrived there December 20, 1833 and built the first log house in the place on Market Street. 

The men who settled the wilderness were God fearing men and almost coincident with the building of homes was the establishment of churches. 

1843 – On the eighth day of July, Samuel Close, Charles Coats, Ansel Coats, M S Lathrop, Daniel Saulsbury, John C Lewis, Abiathar Powers, Melinda Close, Harriet Lewis and Emily Lathrop met and organized themselves into a church.  Their action was recorded in the following form “We, the undersigned, having letters of dismission and recommendation from sister churches of our faith and order, do hereby resolve to hand in our letters, and unite ourselves together for the purpose of forming a Baptist church of Christ in Hudson, to be known as the Baptist Church of Christ in Hudson, to receive members, either by baptism or by letter, and to do and transact any business, in obedience to the Gospel and according to law, in such case made and provided." 

‘Resolved, That we adopt the declaration of faith and church covenant, recommended by the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, October 6^th, A D 1842’ 

On Wednesday, the 27^th of September a council, composed of delegates from the churches of Wheatland, Pittsford, Dover, Medina and Adrian, convened in the village of Hudson to constitute the new church, for the purpose of ordaining their pastor. 

1846 – On the 7^th day of December the First Baptist Church and Society of Hudson, Lenawee County, Michigan met to organize into a body corporate as the law provided.  Meeting called to order by choosing Robert D Winegar and Samuel E Close to preside at said meeting.  At that meeting six trustees were chosen as follows: Henry Fish, Martin Webb, Wm B Ames, I S Michel, Abiathar Power and Lorin Chapin. 

1847 – On the 19^th day of January the church met “Agreeable to previous appointment and after taking into consideration the erection of a meeting house voted unanimously that we direct the trustees to build a house thirty-two by forty-four feet with steeple of three sections.”

In the summer and early fall, the church succeeded in putting up and covering the frame of a church building, and in the winter of 1947-48 they finished it.  It stood about where George Tripp’s and J Webb’s grocery stood and now the Guss store stands.

1848 – On the 23^rd day of February, the house was dedicated, Elder Tucker, of Adrian, preaching the dedicatory sermon

1849 – The church was now vacant from May or June, 1849 to May 19, 1850 and on the 16^th day of September, 1849 it was voted “to invite the Methodists to preach in the Baptist house until such time as we get a pastor’. Upon this invitation the Methodists occupied the house until they occupied their own house in the spring of 1850. 

1851 – On December 13^th, the church building was consumed by fire, but the people were not easily discouraged, they at once set about re-building.   

1852 – They began the construction of the north and south portion of the present building which was 36’ by 52’.  During construction services were held in the west side school house. 

On the 8^th day of October the new house was dedicated Rev U B Miller preaching the dedicatory sermon. 

1867 – July 11^th at the regular covenant and business meeting, about 80 present, it was voted to add about 25 feet on the south end of the church, to be done off like the present.  July 29^th at a special meeting voted to add but 20 feet to the house. 

November 25^th Committee appointed to get a new stove to replace the small one in the vestibule.  Voted to purchase cane seated armed chairs for the orchestra.

1885 – This spring the ladies put in a baptistery and it was used first in May.  In October the church and contents were insured for $4,000.  January 31^st under direction of Rev Farmer the church Constitution and By-laws were rewritten. This year Lucretia Purchase made a gift of $1,000 to the church.  This gave pastor and people a new inspiration and under the indefatigable energies of our leader the church has been remodeled and beautified, making it one of the largest, most pleasant and best ventilated auditoriums in this section of the state, with a seating capacity of about five or six hundred at a cost of about four thousand dollars’.  

During Rev Farmer’s ministry the church organ was installed.  The east and west wings were added about this time. 

1888 - September a committee of 10 ladies appointed to raise money to put in two furnaces to warm the church. 

1889 – June letter to Association reported the new furnaces paid for (credit given the ladies). 

1905 – Early this year the church was painted new stone steps put in, the sheds repaired and painted.  In September the church was closed for about 10 days for extensive repairs amounting to $1271.67 and including new seats, furnace, electric lights, platform, frescoing, and many small items.

1906 – This year locks were placed on the doors of the church.

1911 – Hard persevering labor provided the women of the church with a dining room and kitchen in the basement.

1912 – The present foundation placed under the church.

1913 – Early this year the Ladies Aid carpeted the church and put a new range in the basement.

In January the church incorporated under the name of The First Baptist Church of Hudson.

1915 – In July the church incorporated under the laws of Michigan.

1917 – In April the constitution and by-laws were revised.  The committee on revision was Rev Waller, Mr Elza Fellabaum, Mr H D Jennings, Mrs C A Lawrence, Mrs J A Meredith and Mrs B J Foster.

1920 – On May 2^nd a motion made that the church buy Mr Arthur Eastman’s property on S Maple Grove Avenue. This was done and the property became and still is the parsonage.

1924 – This summer the interior of the church was painted and a new floor installed.  These improvements cost $935.46 raised by the church. A new furnace also was installed.  The Ladies Aid bought the pulpit furniture. 

1925 – This year the church bought new hymnals.  

1928 – October 5^th - Motion made and seconded that the trustees be authorized to secure the best wood shingles for the roofing of the church and see that the church is roofed. 

1929 – During this year it was necessary to repair the belfry as it was discovered it was not safe to ring the bell.  A new Kalamazoo furnace was installed to heat the prayer meeting room. 

1933 – At annual meeting voted to make our new articles of association and new constitution. This was done and the new by-laws adapted May 31 1934.  These are the by-laws by which the church is governed at the present time. 

1942 – The early part of this year $515.61 was spent on redecoration of the interior of the church.  Services were held in the basement during the work.

Sunday April 12^th Rev Howard Sugden of Gansen Street Baptist Church, Jackson, Michigan gave the dedication sermon.  One of Hudson’s recent largest audiences filled the large auditorium and being too small to accommodate the large congregation; rooms adjoining were opened and accommodated the overflow.  The church auditorium presented and immaculate appearance and justly the dedication service was the reason for the completion of the work.  The sons of Mrs Susan Young presented the congregation with several hundred dollars for use in restoring the church to its former beauty.  Most of the work was volunteered by the members and the former pastor the Rev Thomas Green who supervised the work.

1945 – In September the exterior of the building was repainted.

1946 – The church and parsonage have been repaired and remodeled, new lighting in the church, both upstairs and down, the basement entirely rejuvenate, new front steps (financed by the Harvester’s Class) an oil burning furnace installed and many more items, much of the work in the basement being donated by the men of the church.  Much of the material was also either donated or sold at cost to the church.

1950 - A bus ministry began - the bus route was to cover areas within the city limits. 

1951 – In July the trustees began to formulate major plans for remodeling the auditorium.  The ceiling was to be lowered, the platform and baptistery moved from the east side to the south side of the church.

1952 – In July the pipe organ that has majestically held its place at the front of the auditorium for many years must yield to the planned changes. In December the organ was sold.  It has left a vacancy at the front of the church and in the hearts of those who had pumped or listened to the beautiful music it rendered.

1953 – March the Board voted to purchase two outside doors for the front of the church.  The same year the stained glass windows were restored.

1955 – In January plans were made to change the front of the auditorium to the south end which had been a prayer room separated from the auditorium by beautiful folding doors.  The ceiling was to be lowered and the present Sunday school rooms were included in the plans.  New seats and pulpit furniture were to be purchased.  Rev T R Dolson designed and made part of the new platform furniture. 

1959 – ‘The steeple must come down’ was a sad decision to make.  The timbers that had housed the bell since 1852 could no longer withstand the weight of the big bell.  The bell was sold to a collector in Ohio.

In May a faulty furnace caused extensive smoke damage to the auditorium. 

1961 - Natural gas was brought to Hudson and the company will bring gas line to owner’s property seventy-five feet from the sidewalk but the owner must connect within two years.

1962 – In November the church building was appraised at $32,000 by Decker Insurance Company.

1968 - A new furnace was ordered and floor coverings were selected.

1984 – A sound system was purchased for the church.

1989 – The church was resided.

1990 -  July the restoration of the stained glass windows began.

1995 – In October the front of the auditorium was remodeled.

1996 – New lights were installed in the auditorium.  The church and parsonage roofs were replace due to the hail storm in April.

1997 – Two new furnaces were installed and the sanctuary was air-conditioned.

1998 – The church voted to proceed with a 20 x 40 foot addition to include rest rooms on both floors, new nursery and additional classrooms at an estimated cost of $130,000.

The elevator was installed. A grant was awarded to restore all of the stained glass in the building.

We close by quoting the Rev T R Dolson when he completed the ‘History of the First Baptist Church of Hudson from 1843-1947.’

“This, then is the story of the little white church ‘with a steeple of three sections.’ She has always stood and is still standing for the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Many saints must have spent many hours on their knees before the Almighty God for she has weathered every storm Satan has been able to pit against her and may she continue to tell the good tidings of a Savior for all who will believe on Him until He comes again. Amen."  

Pastors that ministered through the years -

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