First Baptist Church of Smithfield Collection

Collection — legal box: PC 141-160

Identifier: PC00144

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The First Baptist Church of Smithfield Collection contains booklets, pamphlets, tracts, contracts, agreements, membership rolls, financial and insurance records, newsletters, and photographs.

Dates

Record Keeping: 1992 March 21
1952-1968, 1970-1973, 1977-1984, 1993-1994

Creator

First Baptist Church of Smithfield (1832) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Please send requests to heritagecenter@johnstonnc.com or through the ArchivesSpace request form.

Conditions Governing Use

The nature of the Johnston County Heritage Center’s various collections means that copyright and other information about restrictions on the use of materials may be difficult or even impossible to determine. The Heritage Center claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U. S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility in the use of materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal state, county or municipal right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual’s private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which Johnston County and the Johnston County Heritage Center assumes no responsibility. Researchers are advised that the Heritage Center maintains physical stewardship of these collections under varying terms and agreements. Collections that are given to the Heritage Center are done so under a Deed of Gift agreement in which the donor transfers physical ownership rights as well as, “all right and title to…items without limiting conditions to the Heritage Center.” To more fully understand rights restrictions for particular collections please consult with the Archivist or Director.

Biographical / Historical

First Baptist Church of Smithfield, NC, is located at the corner of Fourth and Johnston Streets and has a long, rich history.

The church was first organized on July 14, 1832, and for the first three years, services were held in the Smithfield Academy building, which stood on First Street beside the present site of the Primitive Baptist Church. Rev. James Dennis was the first minister, and he remained with the church for 17 years. The first church building was erected around 1835 by the Baptists of Smithfield on the present-day site of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In 1899, however, the congregation purchased a new site at the corner of Fourth and Johnston Streets. Construction of a new church began in April, 1902, and services began in the new building in 1903. Unfortunately, on December 22, 1942, a fire burned the structure to the ground, and for more than seven years, the congregation worshipped in temporary quarters.

In March, 1949, the church constructed a new building, which is the one they now occupy, and the first service was held there on Easter Sunday, 1950.

Extent

.5 Linear Feet (Box containing 15 legal file folders, two spiral bound booklets, one small bound paperback book, one small bound hardback book, photographs, cassette tape )