Churches of Holt County


Baptist Church
Lewis Township

The First Church built in Holt County was erected in 1843 by the Hard Shell Baptists. It was a rude frame structure, and stood on section 36, where the west line of the southeast quarter crosses Mill Creek, in township 60, range 38, about two and a half miles southeast of the town of Oregon, and within the present limits of Lewis Township. The building has long since disappeared.

The members of the congregation at the organization of this church were Judge James Kimsey and wife, Judge James Adkins and wife, Rev. Dr. G. B. Thorp, John Thorp, Abraham Brown, and Ethelbert Brown. The wives of the above were also among the original members, as was also Mrs. Margaret Stephenson. John and Daniel Baldwin were also enrolled with the original organizers of the church.

The Rev. Dr. G. B. Thorp, the pastor of this church, was the first local preacher ever established in Holt County. He began his labors in 1841, and continued a period of thirty years, up to the time of his death,, which occurred in 1871. He was also a practitioner of medicine. The first physician to locate in the township was Dr. Norman, also the first in the county. In 1858 the organization moved to the town of Oregon, where they erected for a place of worship a brick building, to which reference may be found under the head of "Oregon."

Source: "History of Holt and Atchison County, 1882"
Transcribed by Karyn Techau, 2016