Historical MarkerJacob Fontaine
Austin · Travis County · Dedicated 1986 · THC Atlas #5507015048
The roadside stories worth pulling over for.
Marker Inscription
(c. 1808 - 1898) Jacob Fontaine was born in Arkansas and came to Austin about 1850 as a slave of Episcopal minister Edward Fontaine. In 1864 Jacob began preaching separate service for fellow slaves attending the First Baptist Church, then founded the First Baptist Church, Colored. About 1867, Jacob also established five other churches in this area and a county association of black Baptists. He was politically active, published the "Gold Dollar," an early black newspaper, and urged black voters to support Austin's bid for the University of Texas in 1881. He is buried here in an unmarked grave. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
About this site
Jacob Fontaine is a historical marker in Austin, Travis County, dedicated in 1986. It is one of 320 historical markers documented in Travis County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 591 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 30.2764, -97.7285 near Austin. The nearest cataloged historic site is George Washington Glasscock (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Oakwood Cemetery, Gen. George W. Terrell, and Major William Martin "Buck" Walton.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015048. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
