History of the Churches of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association

by William Pankey

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, PITCAIRN, ORGANIZED 1900

The First Baptist church of Pitcairn is the outgrowth of a mission established in 1899 by the Rev. G.G. Gibson of Industry. One year later, July 29, 1900, twelve persons assembled at Reed's Hall, and with the assistance of Rev. W. B. Allen of Turtle Creek, organized themselves into the First Baptist Church of Pitcairn.

The names of those twelve charter members are: Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Freed, Mrs. Ruby Myers, Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Book, Minnie Book, Blanche Book, Bertha Book, Alex Heasley, R. G. Ellyson and Mr. and Mrs. John Gillespie.

In 1901 the church was officially recognized by being voted into the membership of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association. The mortgage on the church edifice was burned in 1912. A beautiful parsonage was erected in 1928, at a cost of $6,700—on which, however, there remains a substantial unpaid balance. The present membership is eighty.

The following ministers have served the church:

Rev. J. M. Hunter (1900-1902), Rev. G. W. Bowing (1902-1907), Rev. S. J. Becker (1907-1909), Rev. J. Dennis (1909-1913), Rev. R. Kite (1913- 1914), Rev. W. Crowley (1914), Rev. J. S. Scott (1914-1915), Rev. E. Rumsey (1915-1918), Rev. E. H. Baker (1918-1922), Rev. Charles Mills (1923-1926), Rev. W. Stalnacker (1926-1927), Rev. George E. Hoey (1928-1932), Rev. H. E. Hatchman (1933-1934), Rev. S. L. Cobb (1936-1937), Rev. George Kbalil (1938 ).

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