The Coffey Baptist Church was organized on January 19, 1888. Elder U.H. Harper was elected moderator and Bro. Geo. L. Netherton was elected clerk. Fort-two presented church letters from other churches and became members. The church was known as the New Salem Baptist Church until the railroad was built in 1897, when the name of the church was changed to Coffey Baptist Church.
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In 1916, feeling the need of a better and more modern building, the Ladies Aid Society started a building fund and by the spring of 1917 had accumulated $1,000. With many donations, the present building was erected and dedicated April 15, 1917. Dedication services were conducted by S.M. Brown, editor of the church paper, “The Word and Way,” and the Rev. W.A. Hyde was paster of the church at that time.
The church has a present membership of over 200, with full time preaching, weekly prayer meeting, Sunday School, and other church organizations. The present pastor is the Rev. Teddy Aschan. Present church officers are Ethel Stewart, clerk; Nova Holcomb, treasurer; Ruby Carter, WMU president; Wayne Howard, Leland Stewart and Nova Holcomb, trustees; Don A. Prindle, pianist; Leta Glaze, chorister; and S.P. Stewart, Nova Holcomb, Henry Carter, Leonard Smith, and W. Guy Welden, deacons. Sunday School officers are Elanson Holcomb, superintendent; S.P. Stewart, secretary; and Nova Holcomb, treasurer.
The building has a full basement with Sunday School rooms. The kitchen has an electric pump with sinks and running water, the auditorium is well-furnished, and the church is free from debt.
Source: Coffey Centennial 1856-1956, pages 14-15; Walsworth Publishing Company
This building housed Coffey Baptist Church when the community celebrated its Centennial in 1956.
This was the first building used by the Baptist congregation, known as New Salem Baptist Church, before the railroad came to Coffey in 1897.
