Rock Bluff Baptist Church
Rock Bluff Baptist Church in 1965
The Rock Bluff Baptist Church was organized in the community on Saturday, December 6, 1879. Elders J.M. Strickland and H.F. Reynolds met with the following area residents: Jason Clark, N.W Broughton, Ed T. Broughton, J.W. Broughton and Flora Broughton, M.C. and Lucinda Reese, W.J. Skaggs, W.P. Smith, Lewis and Mary Howard, Melinda Lewis, Mrs. F.J. Skaggs, and Mrs. M. J. Smith who became the organizing members. Reynolds was chosen moderator and N.W. Broughton, clerk pro-tem.
The first known pastor was Rev. R.S. Underwood. The first church clerk was J.W. Broughton. H. Frank Skaggs who was born in Johnson County but moved to the Rock Bluff area when he was only three weeks old, served as the pastor of the church for over 40 years. He was first called as pastor of the church on July 15, 1915. Other early pastors include Charles Killough who served two months and C.Q. Herndon who served 16 months.
For the first eight to ten years the church held services in the old log school house. Then in 1887, B.F. Clark gave the land where the present church is located. Additional land was given by Higginbothams Co. in 1911 that completed the present church site. The present church was constructed in 1927. After Rev. Frank Skaggs preached a sermon that indicated there would be three world wars, he was removed from what is now the Southern Baptist Convention. The church supported him and was thereafter not affiliated with any convention.
In the early 1900s, the church started holding an all-day singing on the first Sunday in May. The event continued for years and was declared a special Sesquicentenial event during the Texas Sesquicentenial Celebration in 1986.
A number of small area churches evolved out of the Rock Bluff membership. They including Liberty, Harmony, Turkey Creek, Bethel and Antioch. Liberty was the last remaining active church.
In 1960 the pastor was Rev. Kenneth Lowry. By 1965 H. Frank Skaggs was serving as pastor with W.C. Browning, S.K. White and Pete Joiner serving as Deacons. Frank Skaggs also served as pastor of Oliver Springs, Beattie, Ellison Springs, Leon and Cheaney as services were held at the various locations on a rotating basis. Frank suffered a stroke in January 1966 and died November 17, 1968.