George Washington Baines

===Baylor University===
Baines moved to [[Huntsville, Texas]], with his family in 1850. In Huntsville, he was the pastor for [[Sam Houston]].<ref name=LBJPresidentialLibrary>{{cite web|url= https://www.lbjlibrary.org/life-and-legacy/the-man-himself/lbj-and-religion|title=LBJ and Religion|publisher=[[Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum]]|accessdate=January 20, 2024}}</ref> He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Baylor University from 1851 until 1859.<ref name=BU/> Baines, working almost singlehandedly, established the ''[[Texas Baptist (1855–1861)|Texas Baptist]]'' in 1855 in [[Anderson, Texas]].  He arranged the printing of the paper with R. A. Van Horn, publisher of Anderson's ''Central Texian''. A former Baylor University professor, J. B. Stiteler, joined Baines as assistant editor.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stone Jr.|first=William J.|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/texas-baptist-1855-61|title=Texas Baptist [1855–61]|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|work=The [[Handbook of Texas]] Online|accessdate=January 20, 2024}}</ref> Baines became the first editor of the first Baptist newspaper in Texas, the ''Texas Baptist'', while a member of the Board of Baylor. After [[Rufus Columbus Burleson]] departed the presidency of Baylor University for [[Waco University]], Baines was appointed president by the Board, until they could find a suitable replacement for Burleson and before the start of the [[American Civil War]].<ref name=BU/> On July 27, 1861, Baines was awarded with an honorary Master of Arts degree by Baylor University.<ref name=TSHA/> After his first year as president, the trustees found it difficult to find anyone to lead the financially-plagued university, and asked Baines to continue as president.<ref name=BU>{{Cite web|title=George Washington Baines, Baylor President, 1861-1863|url=https://about.web.baylor.edu/person/george-washington-baines|website=Baylor University|access-date=May 20, 2020}}</ref> Health issues forced him to resign from the position in 1863. Shortly after leaving Baylor he moved to [[Fairfield, Texas]], where his wife and youngest son died.<ref name=TSHA/>