Maggie Harrold (1861 - February 12, 1911)

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Maggie Harrold and her husband built more than a church—they built a foundation of faith that endures today.

Maggie (Cline) Harrold was born in Texas and married Reverend James H. Harrold. The young couple moved to East Austin, where Reverend Harrold began building a congregation that would eventually become Mt. Olive Baptist Church. The church was formally founded on March 3, 1889, during an “old-fashioned camp meeting” held on the hill that is now Huston-Tillotson University. Mt. Olive quickly became a hub for worship, community gatherings, and support, flourishing under Reverend Harrold’s guidance for 46 years.

While her husband led from the pulpit, Maggie balanced her role as a minister’s wife with raising a large family and becoming a community figure in her own right. Understanding that land ownership provided an extended level of agency and control of her neighborhood, Maggie invested in a series of plots of land around Mt. Olive. She and James built their home on East 4th Street on one of the plots and anchored their family in the community they served and supported.

Today, two buildings remain as a testament to Maggie’s legacy. After her passing, her children eventually sold the family property to the Housing Authority of the City of Austin, which had been formed in 1937 to address Austin’s affordable housing crisis. The property became Chalmers Court, which has housed lower-income families for over 80 years. Mt. Olive Baptist Church continues to serve East Austin with the same spirit of faith and community that Maggie helped foster. In Bethany Cemetery, she shares a headstone with one of her sons, James.