Rev. Jacob Fontaine Project · Austin, Texas
Rev. Jacob
Fontaine
Project.
Rev. Jacob Fontaine Quest Tours
Experience Austin history where it happened — heritage tourism, the Gold Dollar Podcast, and educational resources honoring Austin's pioneering pastor, publisher, and civic leader.
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"He founded a church, a newspaper, and a community — all from a single gold dollar."
The Man Behind the Legacy
Born Enslaved.
Died a Pioneer.
Jacob Fontaine was born enslaved in Arkansas in 1808. His most influential enslaver, Rev. Edward Fontaine — a great-grandson of Patrick Henry — brought him to Austin in 1839 as personal secretary to Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar.
After emancipation, Jacob did not simply survive — he built. He founded churches, published newspapers, organized communities, and became one of the most consequential figures in Austin's Reconstruction era.
Est. 1876 · Austin, Texas
The
Gold Dollar. 1876
In 1876, Jacob Fontaine established the THE Gold Dollar — one of the first Black weekly newspapers in the South, and the first newspaper under Black ownership in Austin. It was born from a single gold dollar given to him by his sister Nelly Miller in 1872, when they reunited in Mississippi after a twenty-year separation caused by slavery.
From his two-story home at 24th and Orange Street — now an Austin landmark — Fontaine turned sixty dollars of invested savings into a voice for his community.
A Life of Service
Six Churches.
One Vision.
1867First (Colored) Baptist Church
After emancipation, Jacob founded Austin's First (Colored) Baptist Church — the cornerstone of Black spiritual life in Travis County.
1867–1887Six Congregations Founded
From Mount Zion on Williamson Creek to St. Stephen's at Waters Park, Fontaine planted churches across Central Texas over two decades.
1867St. John Missionary Baptist Association
Fontaine co-founded the St. John Regular Missionary Baptist Association — originally the Travis County Association — and served as its first moderator.
6
Churches Founded
1876
Gold Dollar Established
90
Years of Life & Service
1867
First Baptist Church
The Story Continues
Be Part of
the Story
Jacob Fontaine's legacy is not merely history — it is a living call to faith, courage, and community. Connect with us to learn more, share your story, or carry the work forward.