LaGrange Free Will Baptist Church

LaGrange Freewill Baptist Church History

LaGrange Freewill Baptist Church was started in the early 1920's. The first pastor, and organizer, was Rev. Thomas J. Kelley. The first church was located in the LaGrange school house.
In 1930, a new church building was started in the community close to the LaGrange cemetery. Charles Lane donated the property, but more was purchased later. The ground was cleared, excavated, and the church was built by the Brothers and Sisters of the church, along with the help of their families.
The church was dedicated in 1940. Among the first charter members were:

Thomas Abrams
Mary Abrams
Adeline Burns
George W. Burns
George Davidson


Former Pastors of the church are:

Thomas J. Kelley
John Kemper
Jacob Fox
Peter Barnhart
Alfred Artis
Bill Pinkerman
William Weisenburger
Jesse Sizemore
Walter Abrams
Ray Kelley
Mance Ball
Jack Baldwin
Bobby Chaffin
Danny Kline
Jarvis Wilds



The church is located on Porter Gap Road, Ironton. The little white frame church is no more. It has a new brick covering, basement, Sunday School rooms, and rest rooms. But it still holds memories of the past for many, and we hope, are not lost with the generation of new members.

Used by permission from the Lawrence County Genealogical Society's "1990 History of Lawrence County"
www.lawrencecountyohio.com