Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

James Edward Paxton

James Paxton was born in Woodford county, Kentucky on October 5, 1820 and moved with his family to Arkansas in 1824 to the settlement of Washington in Hempstead county. He was educated in a Presbyterian school but became a Baptist in 1844 and was ordained to preach in 1845. Paxton then moved to Mt. Lebanon, Louisiana to study theology under the direction of George Washington Bains. He served as financial agent of Mt. Lebanon University, helped organize the Red River Association and was one of the earliest members of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. In 1848, he moved to Anderson, Texas then relocated to Washington (state capital at that time).

He and Bains spent the years after the Civil War working with black churches who did not have pastors, feeling a special calling to help them in this difficult time. He spoke out about the deplorable social conditions many blacks suffered and made a report on "The Religious Condition of the Colored Population" at the State Baptist Convention of Texas in 1865. He volunteered his time to serve as a missionary in Texas during the time of reconstruction and served as a member of the executive board of the Mission association of the Statet Convention. During his service, missionary activity in Texas doubled.

Though partially paralyzed by his stroke, he continued to preach until his death in 1876. He was the father of W. E. Paxton, well known author of the History of Louisiana Baptists. 6

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish | AHGP

Source: Author's Notice: I hereby give permission for the free dissemination of any and all material included within the book and permit any non profit use of that material. Should any agency wish to use the material in a profit context, permission must be secured from the church body of First Baptist Church, Homer, LA 71040.  By Barbara Smith, Homer, Louisiana.