An American Family History

The Southampton Baptist Church is the oldest Baptist Church in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Its school was one of the earliest in Bucks County and gave a classical education to young men

From 1691 until 1730, members met for worship in the homes of members until John Morris gave land for the meetinghouse which was built in 1731. The Church was rebuilt in 1882 and enlarged to its present form in 1814.

The Southampton Baptist Church Cemetery, which adjoins the Church, is the resting place of 24 Revolutionary War soldiers, 6 veterans of the French and Indian Wars.

There are three churches in this township, the Southampton Baptist church, the Davisville Baptist church, and the Low Dutch Reformed. The first named stands on the Middle road half a mile below Springville; was founded in 1731, and was the seventh in the province.

It had its origin in the small band of Keithian Friends which commenced their meetings at the house of John Swift forty years before. The first pastor was the Reverend John Potts, since whose time nine others have ministered at its desk.ii Several generations of the inhabitants of the surrounding country lie buried in its grave yard. In the rear of the church is the grave of John Watts, one of the preachers to the Keithian band, on whose tombstone is the following quaint inscription:

"Intered here I be
O that you could now see,
How unto Jesus for to flee
Not in sin still to In'.
Warning in time pray take
And peace by Jesus make
Then at the last when yon awake
Sure on his right hand yon'l partake.''

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