Biographical Sketches 

Chapter IX

The best evidence available indicates the organizer and first pastor of our church was George Washington Bains, the great grandfather of Lyndon Baines Johnson, past president of the United States. This is based in part on the memory of two sources, Bessie Murrell Gray and W. E. Paxton. Mrs. Gray stated several times her family's belief and tradition that the church first met in the home of her great grandfather, John Murrell, Sr. and that the first pastor of our church was G. W. Bains. That the church was indeed organized in John Murrell's home is not in question, for many sources agree on this point. It can also be argued Mrs. Gray was correct in her belief G. W. Bains was the first pastor since her mother, Eliza Bridgeman Murrell, verified this information to Ola Allen.1 Further evidence of early Murrell family involvement in the church can be found in the obituary of Mrs. John Murrell, Sr. which states she remained a member of the Baptist church started in her home until her death in 1869.2

Another source of interest is the statement by W. E. Paxton that our church was organized by his uncle, George W. Bains, or by his father, James E. Paxton or by John Q. Burnett. John Q. Burnett may indeed have been the organizer of Ebenezer church, but this is not likely since he was not ordained until 1846.3 Since James E. Paxton was ordained to preach in 1845 and moved to Louisiana some time after his ordination, it seems clear G. W. Bains was probably the organizer of our church due to the fact Ebenezer had already joined the local association by that date. In all likelihood, James Paxton, following the lead of his mentor and soon to be brother-in-law, came to the church shortly thereafter.4

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Biography Footnotes