If you blink, you might drive right past the tiny community of Grosvenor without noticing it. That would truly be a shame. While there’s basically nothing there but the Grosvenor Baptist Church, a few houses and an old building that looks like it might once have been a store, I really like the place. There’s something about the old town site I find charming, and we often drive out that way just to pass by it. Having done so the other day, I thought it was time to dig up what I could on the history of Grosvenor Baptist Church, and see if maybe I could find why this virtually empty spot–surrounded by ranch land and not much else–holds such an attraction for me
Interestingly, the Grosvenor Baptist Church, apparently the one functional community building still standing in ‘town’, was the first Baptist church built in Brown County, and one of the longest running and oldest we have. The building was first located slightly west of the present site, according to the history page found on the church website. “In the 1800’s,’ the page says, “no hardships, obstacles, nor lack of a building in which to meet could deter the heartfelt need for spiritual guidance of this small settlement. Neighbors of all denominations would meet in private homes along the Jim Ned Creek near Blackwell Crossing. Circuit riders would stop by for sermons and a meal. Among them were Rev. Dan Mathews & Rev. J.M. Perry. Mathews and Perry and 19 others met on Oct. 23, 1875 and organized The First Baptist Church in Brown County. They named it The New Hope Baptist Church. Rev. Perry became its first pastor. They began meeting in a building west of the Fairview Cemetery.”
The church building doubled as a schoolhouse, but this structure burned in 1880. Sadly, all church records were destroyed in the fire. Undeterred by what to them was likely a small hardship, the congregation rebuilt just east of Fairview Cemetery and was renamed Fairview Baptist Church. County historian Lorene Bishop recorded a story that took place at this Fairview location in an article first published by the Brownwood Bulletin. It reads, “Arthur Martin and his family attended the Fairview Church and school. They had to walk about a half-mile and climb through a fence to get to the building. When Arthur was about four years old, he got sleepy one Sunday night and decided to find him a vacant bench and sleep through the services. When he woke up, it was pitch dark. The congregation had left, and the lamps were turned out. He started home, got to the fence and could not see how to get through it, so he began to cry. The family had discovered he was missing about halfway home, so the father, J.J. Martin, ran back and found Arthur at the fence. He picked Arthur up, dried his tears, and yelled to the family that he had been found.”
After land was donated by Dr. Bill Lobstein of Brownwood in nearby Grosvenor, which boasted the amenity of its own post office, the church was moved once again. Grosvenor Baptist took on its current name, and the building was finally settled in its present location in March 1923. “This chapel that we worship in today is the original building,” the Grosvenor Baptist history continued. “The annex was named the Kyzar Annex in honor of long-time members Joe & Alma Kyzar. Mrs. Kyzar had been a teacher at Grosvenor School and the church pianist. The Community Club holds their meetings once a month on Tuesday and hosts their social events in the Kyzar Annex. Another building, especially for our youth, was added in 2018.”
The congregation is still active, and draws members from all over the area. There are even some old timers still there, people who once attended the Grosvenor School, located near the same site. “In the words of a former member and missionary Professor Bransford Eubank “Grosvenor can never be what it once was nor the way we may remember the good ‘ole days, but we have a great church in which to worship, a good building in which to fellowship, and plenty of food and lively people. Grosvenor Baptist Church and the Community Club will keep Grosvenor alive,” the history concludes.
I think that is true, the part about the church keeping Grosvenor alive. Maybe it’s the way the building sort of sparkles against the rest of the countryside. It almost looks like a jewel when you turn the bend and unexpectedly come upon it, with its bright white railings and what looks like an original bell. This is a very small town treasure that is easy to miss, but well worth slowing down for a longer look and a chance to absorb some of the Grosvenor story.
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Diane Adams is a local journalist whose columns appear Thursdays on BrownwoodNews.com. Comments regarding her columns can be emailed to [email protected].
