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ANCLOTE BAPTIST CHURCH

I would like to thank Patricia "Curley" Bronson, for her contribution to the Pasco County Website for the information on the early Baptist Churches. This is another piece of genealogy that should benefit other researchers and Patricia's generosity is accepted and very much appreciated.

The Anclote Baptist Church was established 1876 at the present day site of the West Elfers Cemetery. It was first organized Church for the Elfers, Anclote area and most of the settlers who lived in the area attended the church. From statistical tables from the Florida Baptist Historical Society in Graceville, Florida, and Stetson University we can begin to try to put together in the history of the Anclote Baptist Church. Hopefully in the years to come, we can add more documentation to give us a clearer picture.

1878

Hernando County - Delegates: W. A. Cobb
Total Membership: 16 - Contribution: .50 - Remarks: Petitionary

1879

1880

1881

1882

1883

1885

1885

Pastor J. T. Pittman - Delegates: B. Bailey and J. O. Brown
Baptized: 4 - Received: 5 - Expelled: 2 - Dismissed : 14
Total Membership: 24 - Contributions: $1.00 - Cash sent to Association: $5.15
Cash received by State Board during the year: $3.00

Note: In "Florida Cracker Days" by Pauline Stevenson Ash: "in 1886, Baptist Church Building was burned and services were held in the schoolbuilding on Bert Baillie's place, now known as Spring Hill Estates, until a new churchbuilding could be completed."

She also writes in her book "First Methodist Church, in 1885, John Pinderbought 5 acres from the Lake Villa Company and donated the acreage fora Methodist Church site."

It would seem most likely that the Anclote Baptist Church building burned in 1885. The Methodist, who had been attending the Anclote Baptist Church for the past 9 years, probably felt this was a good time to establish their own denomination which would account for the 14 members dismissed in 1885 and the establishment of the Methodist Church.

There is also a notation on the 1885 statistical table for "Cash sent to Association." J. M. Hayman, on Bailey's proper collected at Association Wednesday night in the amount of $10.37.

1886

1887

1888

1889

1890

Note: August 25, 1890 - William J. Baille and Sarah A. Baillie sell property to: B.B. Baillie and John M. Baillie, Trustees of the Anclote Missionary Baptist Church - for the sum of one dollar.

The deed is recorded April 20th, 1892. This property would be located off S. R. 54 Approsimately where the entrance of the Tanglewood Terrace subdivision is presently located.

1891

1892

Note: From the "History of the First Baptist Church of Tarpon Springs:" "On September 26, 1892, a little band of Baptist Believers in Christ, met for worship in a small school house in Anclote, Florida. Bro. A. L. Randall conducted the preaching service and Bro. T. M. McGill, acting as moderator called the body to order, stating the purpose of the meeting was to form a new and independent church, where upon three brothers and five sisters presented letters for that Purpose. Thus, the West Anclote Baptist Church came into existence.

After prayer, Mrs., Sarah Thompson presented herself for Baptism. The charter members were Brothers E. A. Hill, W. A. Cobb, A. Z. Dekleand Sisters Eunicie A. Hill, Mary T. Hill, T. Gause, Lettie Dekleand Sarah A. Meyer. On September 16, 1894, the West Anclote Church was dissolved and reorganized as the Baptist Church of Tarpon Springs."

Note: The school is again mentioned as a meeting place. There was a Bailey School oput near Bailey's Bluff area. It is noted in the 12/03/1888 School Board Minutes - "Cistern for Bailie School, on Bailie's Bluff side of county, built at Elfers. A well was not possible at that time." Another document dated September 5, 1887, notes Bailey School No. 25 - Trustees: B. H. Gaines, B. B. Bailey, S. Baker, Post Office Anclote.

Note: I believe the people of Anclote formed the West Anclote Baptist Church because of travel. If the Anclote Baptist Church services were now being held somewhere in Elfers, these folks would have had to travel further than they did before. Two years after they established the West Anclote Baptist Church, the Church was reorganized in Tarpon Springs, Which was a new community growing in population.

1893

1894

1895

Pasco County - Clerk and P.O.: B. B. Bailey, Tarpon Springs
Total Membership 19.

1897

1898

1899
Death: 1 - Males: 12 - Females:12
Value Membership house: $200.00
Note B. B. Bailey died in 1899.

Hillsborough County - Organized: 1876

Membership last year: 27 - Current Membership: 22.

This Anclote Church on the 1900 statistical table would be located just north of the Pasco County line on the south side of the Anclote River in present day Pinellas County. Pinellas County was formed 1912 from Hillsborough County.

The statistical tables I (Patricia) received stop at 1900, so exactly when the Anclote Baptist Church ceased to exist is unclear.

The First Baptist Church of Elfers was established in the early 1900"s and the West Side Baptist Church located on Trouble Creek Road, was established much later.

The true picture one gets is that the Anclote Baptist Church served as a place to worship God for all the people in this area. As the population grew other Churches branched out with their own denominations and organized Churches closer to their own homes.

Many of the orginal settler of the area and their families are interred at the West Elfer's Cemetery

The Anderson family who came to the area in the late 1860's.