Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
First Hillsborough Baptist Church
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
Organized around 1822
History
Among the early settlers of Hillsborough, New Brunswick, was Heinrich Stief who arrived in the 1780s. His son, Henry (d. 1826) anglicized the name to Steeves and began preaching as a Baptist around 1795.
Joseph Crandall, a great preacher and evangelist of the time, visited Hillsborough in 1822 and began baptizing. By Christmas, there were 77 members of the Baptist church. Joseph Crandall and Steeves both preached in the Church, though Steeves was probably the pastor. In 1834, William Sears became the regular pastor of the church and in 1844 was succeeded by James Wallace.
Between1848 and 1860, three more churches were created from First Hillsboro Baptist Church. Second Hillsboro was organized at Dawson Settlement in 1852, Third Hillsboro at Demoiselle Creek in 1855, and Fourth Hillsborough at Baltimore in 1857.
In 1852, John Hughes became pastor until 1861. He was followed by Levi Marshall in 1862, then James Austen Smith in 1863. In 1867, Rev. W.T. Carey took over the church. Rev. J.C. Blakney came in 1883, and he was followed by Rev. W. Camp in 1886. He stayed with the church until at least 1895.
Miss DeWolfe, a missionary in India, organized a Women's Baptist Missionary Aid Society in 1875. The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavour was started in 1891 to promote an earnest Christian life among its members.
On 13 June 1910, fire consumed the church and the parsonage which were rebuilt over the next two years.
Sources:
Camp, Rev. W., An Historical Sketch Of The First Hillsboro Baptist Church