Historical Marker
Pilgrim's Rest Primitive Baptist Church
Historical marker location:
Athens, Texas
( intersection of CR 4203 and CR 4204 about 1 mi. west of FM 807 in Baxter, 5 mi. SE of Athens)
Marker installed: 1972
Constituted in Randolph County, Ala., Nov. 23, 1850; opened services here on Baptist Branch, Jan. 1851, during resting of 150 pilgrims in covered wagon caravan led by Samuel Tine Owen, a brother, John Bunyan Owen, and brother-in-law, K. K. Knight. Inspired by beauty of this locality to cancel planned trek to California gold fields, group settled and built a log cabin church here. Thomas Britton was their first pastor.
Congregation disbanded shortly after relocating a mile south in 1892. From Pilgrim's Rest sprang several churches of this area.