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Video: Kelsey Seeds to Texas Roots Film Trailer

Established as an official gathering place for Latter-day saints in the Southern United States, the rural town of Kelsey, in Upshur County Texas served as a refuge from religious persecution during the early 20th century. Saints banded together to form a strong community in Kelsey which helped church growth throughout Northeast Texas.

A screening of the new film, “Kelsey Seeds to Texas Roots:  Latter-day Saints in Northeast Texas,” will be presented at the Gilmer Civic Center on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m.  The event, hosted by the Kelsey-Enoch Pioneer Heritage Foundation, is free and open to the public.

The film, part of a Brigham Young University “saints by state” project, is a 30-minute television documentary developed by BYU professor and historian, Dr. Fred E. Woods, that highlights the growth and development of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in northeast Texas and prominently features Upshur County’s Kelsey community.

At the event, Dr. Woods along with film director, Brady Dunn, will introduce the project and show the film.  That evening historical photographs and memorabilia of the Kelsey and Enoch communities will be on display, courtesy of the Kelsey-Enoch Pioneer Heritage Foundation. 

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the LDS Church in Kelsey, the oldest continuously existing Latter-day Saint settlement in the southern U.S. 

Many current Upshur County residents can trace their ancestry back to early settlers in this community.

All are invited to attend.

2 Comments

  1. Janis Shafer on April 20, 2026 at 6:59 pm

    My mother, Nancy Martha Aaron, was born and raised in the faithful community of Texas in 1912. How can I secure a copy of the film to share with my children and grandchildren? THANK YOU!

  2. Phil Cope on April 25, 2026 at 5:00 pm

    My grandparents Robert and Dolly Jo Simmons lived just down the hill from the Kelsey LDS Chapel. My paternal grandparents Thomas and Eliza Jane Cope lived in Enoch.

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