Near Bedford in Bedford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Morgan Baptist Church
Morgans Baptist Church, earlier known as Goose Creek Church, was organized in 1771 and is the oldest-existing Baptist church in Bedford County. The congregation, consisting of black and white members until the 1860s, met along Goose Creek and in several other locations before moving here in 1882. James and Elizabeth Burroughs, on whose Franklin County plantation Booker T. Washington was born into slavery in 1856, were members of this church who departed in 1841 when the congregation split over the issue of supporting missionaries. The present sanctuary opened in 1925. At the northwest corner of the cemetery is a 19th-century sign rock directing travelers to Greer's Ford and Hales Ford.
Erected 2021 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number KM-9.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Colonial Era • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1771.
Location. 37° 11.386′ N, 79° 35.427′ W. Marker is near
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Style Block/Horse Block (within shouting distance of this marker); Quaker Baptist Church (approx. 4.8 miles away); Bedford County / Franklin County (approx. 5 miles away); Smith Mountain Lake: Franklin County (approx. 5.4 miles away); The Moody Meeting House (approx. 6½ miles away); Smith Mountain Lake (approx.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 29, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
