George Washington Baines

George Washington Baines (December 29, 1809 – December 28, 1882) was an American religious leader, politician, educator, journalist, and slaveowner. He served as the third president of Baylor University, then located in Independence, Texas, during the American Civil War, and was a co-founder and professor of natural science at the institution. Baines was also known for his role as a Baptist preacher and his association with prominent figures such as Sam Houston and Lyndon B. Johnson, being Johnson’s maternal great-grandfather.

Born near the Atlantic Ocean, Baines' place of birth is recorded as either Chowan County or Perquimans County, North Carolina. His parents were Thomas Baines, a Baptist minister, and Mary McCoy Baines. He was the eldest of ten children. In 1817, his family relocated to Georgia, and in 1818, they moved to a farm near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where Baines spent much of his childhood. He attended the University of Alabama but left in 1836 due to health issues, supporting himself through timber work.

In 1832, Baines experienced a religious conversion during a revival conducted by Baptist preacher Thomas Jefferson Fisher and was baptized at Salem Baptist Church at age 25. He was licensed to preach in 1834 by the Philadelphia Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa County and was ordained on August 7, 1836, by Grant's Creek Baptist Church. His father was among the signers of his license and ordination certificate.

In 1837, Baines moved to Carroll County, Arkansas, seeking health relief. There, he helped establish three Baptist churches and served as a missionary for the Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. He was elected as a Democrat to the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing Carroll County from November 1842 to February 1843. His political career was short-lived, as his church expelled him due to doctrinal differences regarding predestination.

In July 1844, Baines relocated to Mount Lebanon, Louisiana, where he became pastor at Rehoboth Baptist Church and was also the first pastor of Minden Baptist Church. He pastored multiple churches concurrently and served as superintendent of schools in Bienville Parish. During this period, he organized the Louisiana Baptist Convention in 1848.

In 1850, Baines moved to Huntsville, Texas, with his family. There, he served as a pastor and personal minister to Sam Houston. Between 1851 and 1859, he was a member of Baylor University's Board of Trustees. Baines established and edited the Texas Baptist newspaper, the first Baptist publication in Texas, beginning in 1855, with assistance from R. A. Van Horn and J. B. Stiteler. His editorial writings defended slavery and expressed pro-slavery sentiments, asserting the institution's biblical justification.

Baines was appointed president of Baylor University after Rufus Burleson’s departure, serving during the Civil War. He was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree from Baylor in 1861. His presidency began in 1861; however, he served only briefly, as health issues prompted him to step down in 1863. Despite resigning, some sources incorrectly state he was president until 1864.

After leaving Baylor, Baines moved to Fairfield, Texas, where he experienced personal tragedy with the deaths of his wife Melissa Ann and youngest son Johnny Paxton during the Civil War. He later remarried Cynthia W. Williams in 1865. His later years saw him living in Salado, Texas, where he continued his ministry and educational involvement, including roles at Baylor Female College in Belton and as the principal of the Davilla Institute. He died of malaria on December 28, 1882, at age 72, while serving as pastor in Salado.

Baines' political and social views included Democratic Party affiliation, and he advocated for policies such as land redistribution by Congress and the adoption of the paper ballot. His legacy includes familial ties to Lyndon B. Johnson, as he was Johnson’s maternal great-grandfather.