Listen now to Episode #105 – Texas Baptist Historical Collection
Host: Ron Barnett
Guest: Alan LeFever, Director of the Texas Baptist Historical Collection in Waco, Texas
The Texas Baptist Historical Collection located in Waco, Texas, is featured in Episode #105 of the Lone Star Family Trails podcast. Their goal is “collecting, preserving and communicating the history of Baptists in Texas” (http://www.texasbaptist.org/ministries/texas-baptist-historical-collection).
Alan LeFever, the director of the collection, was interviewed and offered how their collection includes correspondence, minutes and membership lists from Baptist churches throughout Texas starting in some cases just prior to statehood. In many cases his small staff will provide the research for the genealogist, for a small fee.
At the same time the Texas Baptist Historical Collection continues to look for artifacts from Baptist churches throughout the state. There is no requirement for the Baptist Church to “turn-over” their documents to the Collection, so working with genealogists and historians across the state, the Collection continues to grow in terms of their content and scope.
Missionary letters, which were required to be sent annually to the state Baptist office, are often a goldmine of information for families who are ancestors of those that served overseas. Often the letters include information on the service of the missionary, but they also document the needs of the family of the missionary, naming each of the individuals.
Most of the research is done via request by email; appointments to visit the Collection must be done prior to the visit. The Texas Baptist Historical Collection is open Monday – Thursday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Address: 209 N 8th St, Waco, TX 76701
Phone: (254) 754-9446
Email: TBHC@txb.org