In July 1824, David Nickens, assisted by the Rev. Nathan Cory and Rev. William White, gathered a group of people in his home to organize a Baptist church, which took the name First Regular African Baptist Church of Christ of Chillicothe. Nickens became Ohio’s first ordained African American minister when he was ordained in October that same year. The church’s by-laws included a strong anti-slavery statement, and Nickens and others continued to speak out against slavery and for the rights of African Americans. Congregation members Richard Chancellor and his two sons, Richard and Robert, were Underground Railroad operators. In the 1830s, the church’s name became the First Anti-slavery Baptist Church of Chillicothe. Between 1858 and 1660, John R. Bowles served as pastor, formed a choral music department known for excellence throughout southern Ohio, and oversaw a school for the education of African American children. In 1869, the congregation purchased a brick structure from the New Jerusalem Society at 65 West Fourth Street between Walnut and Paint, where it remains located. The trustees at that time were Joseph Ogelvie, Joseph Hackley, James Hackley, Stephen Davis, Mark Shavers, Robert Stephens Sr., and James Jones. The baptismal was built in 1894 under the pastorate of the Rev. Henry C. Randolph. Over the years, many pastors and deacons worked to promote Christ and improve society, including the Rev. Melvin Woodward, who served the congregation for more than twenty years. A major renovation and expansion project was completed in October 2002 under the pastorate of the Rev. Jonathan McReynolds, enabling the church to continue its ministry for years to come.