Murder Creek Baptist Church was organized in 1818 by Reverends Alexander Travis and David Wood. Later, at an unspecified date, the church was renamed Belleville Baptist Church. Alexander Travis was the father of Alamo hero William B. Travis. Reverend Travis served as pastor of the church from 1820 until his death in 1852, the year that the present church building was erected.

Church minutes from 1851 show that in June of that year plans were made and a committee of six was appointed to oversee the building of a new church to replace the earlier one. By August, a builder, J. R. Hawthorn, was selected and the sum of $1900 was agreed upon as the building cost.

Hawthorn settled in Conecuh County in 1817 and amassed considerable wealth. In 1837 he was the Democratic nominee for Governor against Republican Jephtha V. Perryman. He came within seven votes of victory.

Belleville Baptist Church serves the community today as it has since its organization in 1818. The 1852 structure still houses the congregation. With the exception of the addition of two Sunday School rooms and a fellowship hall to the building's rear, the church remains very near to its original condition.

(The oldest marked grave thought to be in this cemetery dates to 1826.)

Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage

Murder Creek or Belleville Baptist Church

Page 3, Statement of Significance

Form prepared by Margaret J. Gaston

March 1981