On October 10, 1840, the Baptist Church of Christ at Round Oak was formally organized by several families, including my great great grandparents Silas and Sarah (Long) Thomas. However, the church actually was begun by the Battaile family around 1830 as a multi-racial mission church. This 1987 photo shows the original brick building plus side additions. Built in 1852, it replaced the original wooden structure. “Stonewall” Jackson and his Chaplain Corp attended the church during the Civil War.