Rev. and Christina McCoy with six of their eight children, Johnston Lykins, a teacher, a
hired Indian, and a quantity of livestock, arrived at Fort Wayne on May 15, 1820 from Fort
Benjamin Harrison via the Wabash Canal.
Rev. and Christina McCoy with six of their eight children, Johnston Lykins, a teacher, a
hired Indian, and a quantity of livestock, arrived at Fort Wayne on May 15, 1820 from Fort
Benjamin Harrison via the Wabash Canal.
The first church of any faith or creed in Fort Wayne was the Baptist Church organized August 3, 1822 by the Rev. Isaac McCoy, missionary to the Indians. They were given quarters in the evacuated fort on May 29, 1820. The McCoys established the first school of any nature in Fort Wayne.
Rev. McCoy performed the first Protestant baptism in Fort Wayne and all the surrounding Middle West; Pe-me-zah-quah on June 18, 1820 and her sister Ah-pez-zah-quah on July 8, 1821. These sisters, grand-daughters of Chief Little Turtle, were members of the church organized August 3, 1822 and chartered under the "Articles of Faith".
A frame church building was erected in 1841 on a lot donated by the Hon. Samuel Hanna.
Situated across the street from the Clay Hill School, the building housed the church until
1847 when it was moved to the southeast corner of Berry and Clinton Streets.
Our second church building was a brick Gothic style structure erected at 228
West Jefferson. Called "The Tabernacle of the People", it was dedicated on
August 16, 1868.
This building underwent a number of remodeling projects, the most ambitious of which was under the leadership of Rev. Stephen A. Northrop in 1889.
An extension was added on the south, and in the process the building lost its
Gothic birthright as a Romanesque facade was placed on a Gothic body. The two styles were
a bit confusing.
However, its acoustic qualities were second to none in the city. Its elevated rostrum with its easy access to rear rooms, its greatly inclined floor, and its seating capacity all contributed to an ideal for all services. Dr. L.E. Olsen conducted the last service there on the last Sunday of 1947.
The Purdue University Building on the corner of Jefferson and Barr Streets
became our temporary church home while our present building was being built. All Sunday
School teachers, choir members, and workers transported materials and props to and from
their homes each week. On January 8, 1950 our present Colonial style church building was
dedicated. Six hundred people witnessed a burning of the church mortgage ceremony on
November 24, 1963.
In 1955 we purchased the Cutshall home adjacent to our church. We utilized this building
for the pastor's study, classrooms, and receptions until the sanctuary was enlarged in
1967. The Cutshall home was razed in 1980.
On July 15, 1965 the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of our current educational unit and enlarged sanctuary took place. On Sunday, January 22, 1967, Fort Wayne's oldest church dedicated the new educational wing and enlarged sanctuary, with the beautiful chancel window over our baptistry being dedicated on April 20, 1969.
Charles N. Walker, Markers Chairman of the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society on October 29, 1967 dedicated the historical marker placed in front of the church commemorating the organization of the church on August 3, 1822.
Just as time marches on, so does the First Baptist Church march on. Onward with a group of dedicated and enthusiastic members who adhere to "The Articles of Faith" as strongly today as did those who signed it in 1822... "And being united together upon the foregoing plan, redeem it our duty to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord BLAMELESS, which that God may enable us to do, let every member at all times fervently pray." Thus, this church through the years, united together and with fervent prayer has continued to carry out the Lord's commandments.
On May 15, 1820 Isaac McCoy, his wife Christina, six children, and six Indian foster children arrived in the frontier town of Fort Wayne of the Indiana Territory. Quarters were arranged in the decommissioned fort (1). Its walls provided an immediate stockade in which to keep the fifteen head of cattle and forty-three swine they had brought with them.
He preached his first sermon on Sunday May 18. He later recalled: "I preached to them in my own house on every Sabbath". At the encouragement of the Indian agent, William Turner and principal Miami Chief Richardville, he opened his school on May 29. It enrolled ten English, six French, eight Indians, and one Negro child for a total of twenty-five. Over the next two years it grew to about fifty students and a parade of five teachers.
On June 18, just over a month after his arrival, McCoy performed his first baptism(2). Pe-Me-Sah-Quah, granddaughter of Chief Little Turtle was the candidate. On July 23 McCoy baptized a white man and on July 8, 1821 Ah-Pez-zah-quah was baptized. All were charter members when the church charter was signed on August 3, 1822.