The First Baptist Church of Philadelphia began on December 11, 1698 in a small abandoned building in Philadelphia known as the Barbadoes Storehouse. The congregation obtained a new meeting place at Anthony Morris' Brewhouse at the corner of Water and Dock Streets. In 1707, the congregation took over the Keithian Quaker Meeting House at Second and Market Streets. In 1731 the meeting house was replaced by a brick building called LaGrange Place. In 1808, LaGrange Place was replaced by a larger structure. In 1761, Morgan Edwards emigrated from England to become pastor at the First Baptist Church. He went on to become largely responsible for the establishment of Rhode Island College which became Brown University. Samuel Miles, a military officer in the American Revolutionary War and mayor of Philadelphia was a deacon in the church. In 1806, William Staughton became pastor at the church. Staughton went on to become the president of Columbian College in 1823. William Bucknell, the wealthy businessman and benefactor to Bucknell University, was a trustee to the church. Robert Lowry, professor of literature, Baptist minister and composer of gospel hymns, was baptized at First Baptist Church and taught in one of the church's missions Sunday Schools. In 1864, George Dana Boardman became pastor and led the congregation for 30 years. Boardman was known as an abolitionist and a strong supporter of the Union. Boardman lectured at the University of Pennsylvania where he also served as University Chaplain and on the Board of Trustees. Boardman served four terms as President of the American Baptist Missionary Union. He published over 150 books, monographs, lectures and other papers. Dr. William Williams Keen, known as "the father of American surgery", was a deacon of First Baptist Church throughout his life. The current church at 17th and Sansom was built in 1900 and is a blend of Byzantine and Romanesque styles. In 2014, the First Baptist Church was sold due to dwindling financial resources and a challenging building maintenance schedule. The church was sold to the Liberti Church, a member congregation in the Reformed Church in America. The First Baptist Church congregation still worships in the church under a lease agreement with the Liberti Church.
