USA > Georgia > Greene County > History of Greene County, Georgia, 1786-1886 > Part 10
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Scull Shoals was also the site of the "Early Manor." The father of Governor Peter Early built a magnificent home on the east side of the Oconee, and it is said to have been the finest home north of Savannah. On the west side of the river, and just a few feet from the highway, stood the home of Governor Peter Early, and no more loyal, or wiser governor ever served the State. His remains were buried just a few feet from where the new bridge across the Oconee will be built. The remains of Governor Early were removed a few years ago and reinterred in the Greensboro cemetery. Scull Shoals played an important part in the development of Greene County for manv years. The first public Cotton Ginnery was built at or near Scull Shoals in 1807 by Thomas Ligon the great-grandfather of the President of the Georgia Senate, the Hon. Hamilton McWhort- er. The first Paper factory ever chartered by the Georgia Legis- lature was located on the Oconee River near Scull Shoals. The Scull Shoals Manufacturing Company built one of the earliest Cotton Factories in Georgia. About two miles from Scull
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Shoals, Isaac Stocks built the first Fort that was built in the county. It was in this Fort that his son Thomas was born on Feb. 1, 1786. The Highway from Scull Shoals to Greensboro passes through what was once the "Garden Spot" of Georgia. It edges two of the four "College Surveys" located in Greene County. The two that were located near Scull Shoals were knows as the Falling Creek, and Fishing Creek surveys of 5000 acres each. And the Highway splits the Richland Survey right through the middle. The Richland Survey was laid out for the State University in 1786; and the town of Greensboro was designated as the site for the University. (See Watkins' Digest of the Laws of Georgia, p. 322-323).
In 1802, Greene County surrendered the territory from Watkinsville to near Scull Shoals to help create Clarke coun- ty; and in 1875, Clarke gave most of the land she had received from Greene to help form Oconee Co.
Greensboro was burned by the Indians in 1787, and many of her citizens were murdered by the Indians but she arose from the ashes and built houses and character. She has furnished two United States Senators and many other prominent men and women who have graced both the State and the Nation. The old Greensboro cemetery would furnish material for many interesting books; and travelers passing through over Route No. 15 will find much to interest them,
Traveling east from Greensboro the soil suddenly changes from red to gray, and the traveler will be delighted with the pleasing landscape and nice comfortable homes, and as clever people as ever lived upon the face of the earth. Siloam is the first village that greets the eye, and it is a thriving commu- nity. Next comes White Plains, which is among the oldest com- munities in the county. One of the Forts built for the protection of the people against the Indians was located about a mile from the present village. About two miles beyond White Plains you will cross the present Greene-Hancock County line. Greene surrendered much of her original territory in 1793 to help form Hancock County; and we think it best to let Hancock tell her own story. However, it will not be amiss to mention the fact that, one of the four College Surveys mentioned as having been
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located in the original Greene County was known as the Should- erbone Survey. This is located about two miles from the high- way and to the right of the road about six miles beyond White Plains. This is where the Shoulderbone Treaty was signed by the Creek Indians in 1799. There is also a group of Indian mounds in that same community. There are also four groups of Indian mounds along the Oconee River in the present Greene County that have never been molested, and doubtless contain much information concerning the Indians who dwelt here prior to the Creeks and Cherokees who were not mound builders.
Travelers are invited to stop over at Greensboro and en- joy our hospitality and historic places.
T. B. Rice, Greene County Historian.
HIGHWAYS OF A HUNDRED YEARS AGO By T. B. Rice
In a book entitled "Mitchell's United States" published in 1835, and loaned the writer by Mrs. Mary James, Greensboro, Ga. Route No. 4; Georgia's principal Stage Routes are listed and bore numbers from 1 to 11 as follows: No. 1 was from Augusta to Fort Mitchell, 224 miles; No. 2 was from Augusta to Covington, 127 miles; No. 3 was from Augusta to Carnes- ville, 120 miles; No. 4 from Augusta to Monroe, 119 miles ; No. 5 from Milledgeville to Athens, 76 miles; No. 6 from Milledgeville to Tallahassee, F. T. (Florida Territory), 256 miles; No. 7 from Savannah to Augusta, 119 miles; No. 8 from Petersburg to Milledgeville, 86 miles; No. 9 from Savan- nah to Macon, 173 miles; No. 10 from Savannah to Darien, 63 miles; No. 11 from Augusta to Monticello, 117 miles.
Augusta and Savannah were in their glory: Milledgeville was the social and political center, Clinton was a center of cul- ture, Macon had barely shed her swaddling clothes, Columbus and Rome were not worth mentioning, and Atlanta hadnot been born. Athens was in bad repute from having "swiped" the univer-
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sity from Greensboro, and Monticello had given vent to her spleen by changing the name of the county from Randolph to Jasper. Covington-Oxford had followed the lead of Penfield, and established a religious school for boys, Clinton, was being sapped to death by Macon, and Daniel Pratt got in a huff and went to Alabama and built a town of his own. Petersburg gave up the ghost when steamboats supplanted pole-boats from Sa- vannah to Augusta, and she could no longer compete with that growing city.
Mark A. Cooper was pulling mighty hard for a railroad from Augusta to Eatonton, but he could not overcome that direct line from Augusta via Greensboro, Madison and Coving- ton to Marthasville; so he sought solace on the banks of the Etawah, near Cartersville where his home-made cannon and Joe Brown Pikes gave offense to General Sherman who destroy- ed his dream of fortune. Jacksonboro, Wrightsboro, Riceboro- and Salubrity were still on the map; and old Dr. Beeman was thrashing and teaching those boys at Mount Zion, who were too bad to be sent to any other school. It was a long jump from Savannah to Dublin, 58 miles, with nothing between, and the Irish there must have celebrated when they saw the State Coach coming. Neither Eatonton, Madison, Monticello, Lexington, Carnesville, Bowersville, Greensboro, Sparta, Lincolnton, Washington, Darien, Knoxville nor Warrenton have suffered greatly from "growing pains", yet there would have been no Atlanta without them. The blood-stream of all these places have flowed outward and mainly, in the direction of Atlanta : but her heart has grown so large, and her pants so full, that her stride reaches from New Gibralter, Stone Mountain, on the East, to the Chattahoochee on the West; and from Roswell on the North, to Jonesboro on the South, and she is still begging for more. And, like Los Angeles, she would like to stretch her legs wide enough to make Savannah her Port. She will spon- sor any paved highway that leads to Atlanta.
CHAPTER V
THE CHURCHES OF GREENE COUNTY
Few if any of us realize what the churches, past and pres- ent, mean and have meant to Greene County, and the rest of our state and nation. Among the first things the early settlers did, was to organize some sort of place of worship; and as the population increased, duly organized churches were established. In the early days when churches were few and far between, Bap- tists, Methodists, and Presbyterians worshipped together, and meeting days meant much to them. When the members of their respective faiths grew in number and financial ability, each established their own churches, called their own pastors, and practiced the tenets peculiar to their respective denomination.
Foot-washing Baptists, shouting Methodists, what-is-to-be- will-be Presbyterians, and Episcopalians, did not always agree, and don't yet, but they all worshipped God according to their way of thinking. All, or nearly all were loyal to their church, and were powers for good in their respective communities. Educa- tion, reading their Bibles, intermarriage with other denomina- tions, and other influences, had much to do with narrowing the chasm that separated them, and now, in 1941, they all work to- gether harmoniously.
There have always been scoffers, non-Christian, non-church members, and Godless men and women, who reaped the benefits of living in a Christian community without contributing to these hepeCts. In other words, they "reap what others have sown" and few, if any of them would live in any community that did not have a church. The rise and fall of the churches in Greene County, and the reasons for same, is an interesting study. There- fore, for the benefit of those who care, I have prepared the following, however, in the absence of minute books and church records, I will have to omit some that should be included.
Bethany's Presbyterian Church
This story of old Bethany church was read at the Centen- nial of this church in 1886 by W. E. Reynolds.
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Bethesda Baptist (Whatley's Mill) church. Left center-Bethany Presby- terian. Right center-Liberty Methodist. Bottom-Shiloh Baptist.
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As early as 1784 emigrants from N. C., began to settle in the Bethany neighborhood in the forks of the Ogeechee River. Greene was a frontier county and the people were exposed to frequent attacks by the Indians, whose hunting and fishing grounds lay up and down the stream. From one to six miles northeast of Bethany church may be seen mounds of rocks and implements left by the Indians.
Rev. Moses Waddell, a young man was teaching near Bethany and had his school broken up by a band of Creek Indians who crossed the Oconee and burned Greensboro. The early settlers were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Rev. Jones Ed- monds from Charleston was the first Presbyterian ininister here. There was no building and meetings were held at the home of Thomas Baldwin, one mile east of the present church.
Rev. Daniel Thatcher from N. C. a member of the Presby- tery of Orange came to Ga. as a missionary in 1785 and settled at Bethany. In 1786 he organized the church and preached for two years, twice a month. Henry, James and William Stewart from N. C. were among the first settlers. There were about fifty members of the church when it was first organized. The elders were : Andrew Reid, Wm. Greer, John Cain, Wm. Smith, Geo. Campbell, and John Waddel. In 1792 Rev. Robert M. Cunningham from York Co. Penn., settled near Mt. Zion in Hancock Co. and organized Ebenezer church then moved to Bethany and preached at both these churches until 1808. There were 180 members, people had then moved in from Maryland, N. C. and Pennsylvania.
After worshipping in homes in winter and under the trees in summer, the people were proud of their log church. Mrs. Jane Greer Corry was baptized as an infant under the large oak near the present church. She married Wm. Corry and was the mother of Mrs. H. M. Holden, Mrs. W. R. Jennings and Mrs. W. H. M. Weaver. A larger church was built and stood until 1873, when the present church was erected.
The second camp meeting in Ga. was held at Bethany near a spring under the trees and the people slept in their wagons at night. Other ministers here were: Dr. Cummings, a Rev. Sol.,
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Henry Reid, from S. C., B. Gildersleeve, Carlisle Beeman, D.D. from 1831-34, Francis H. Goulding, Richard Hooker, Jno. Cas- sels, Francis Bowman, Jno. W. Reid, F. T. Simpson, Dr. C. P. Beman, 1870, Henry Newton in 1874.
Here the celebrated Woodrow trial had its beginning. The charges against Dr. Woodrow was heresy, teaching evolution to the students of the Theological Seminary. He did not deny teaching evolution from his standpoint, but did deny the heresy charge. Dr. Woodrow defended himself in a masterly manner and was acquitted. The prosecution was led by Dr. Wm. Adams and Dr. Jno. L. Cirerdesa.
The trial took two days. The church and the grounds were crowded with people. After Dr. Woodrow was acquitted here the Synod and the court of General Assembly took up the case. This was the most notable church trial of that time.
Liberty Chapel (Methodist)
About 1786, John Bush built a brush arbor as a community center for camp meetings at what was then called "Cracker's Neck." From this grew Liberty Chapel, "Cradle of Methodism" for this section. In 1797 Rev. James Jenkins, leader in the early days of Methodism and, at that time, on the Washington Cir- cuit including Greene, Taliaferro, Wilkes, Lincoln, Elbert, Hart, Franklin, Madison, and Oglethorpe Counties, preached here and reported in his "Journal" that, after a "fiery exhortation", a man in uniform came down the aisle and fell at his feet, crying for pardon. Others followed and, according to Rev. Jenkins, then, at Liberty Chapel, began the Methodist custom of "going to the altar". The meeting began so noisy, he continued, that it was a wonder the horses did not take fright.
Most of the great men of early Methodism were identi- fied with this church. Bishop Francis Asbury preached here several times and, in 1808 when the South Carolina Conference met here, he and Bishop William McKendree attended. At Liberty Chapel. Rev. Lovick Pierce was ordained an elder and Bishop William Capers was admitted as a preacher on trial.
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Shiloh Baptist
Organized in 1795, one mile from Penfield and was called Town's Creek Church. Thomas Stocks told of how he, as a boy, used to accompany his mother as she rode on horseback as she went to "meeting" at old Shiloh. He said, "I walked by the side of the horse with my gun on my shoulder, and kept my eyes open for lurking Indians; and the law required every man and boy, who attended church, to carry his gun, and during church services, four to six armed men stood guard around the church."
A more substantial building was erected in 1807, but was destroyed by a cyclone in the 1850's. An effort was made to get the Shiloh members to unite with Penfield and build a new church there, however, the offer was rejected and Shiloh was moved to where it now stands. It, too, has functioned continu- ously and has had many noted pastors and members.
New Hope Baptist
Organized in 1800, and was originally located some four miles from its present location-Greshamville. Its members lived in "The Fork"-Meaning that part of Greene county that lies between the Appalachee and Oconee rivers; but the Fitzpatricks and others, lived in what is known as the Oakland neighborhood. Alabama's great statesman, Benjamin Fitzpatrick was at one time, a member of this church; his brother Rene, was Church clerk for many years. The Fosters were members of this church. A member of this family, Rev. Nathaniel Greene Foster, was not only a noted Baptist preacher, but was a circuit judge, and Congressman. Many noted preachers, including Rev. Adiel Sher- wood, have served this church, and many others have "kept the home fires burning' throughout the years.
Bairds Church ( Baptist)
Organized by Rev. Jesse Mercer and others, on June 24, 1802. Bairds is located at Bairdstown, and very near the line between Greene and Oglethorpe counties. Bairds Church was the hub of "Mell's Kingdom", and Rev. Patrick H. Mell and his
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son, Rev. John Mell, served this church for many years. Many other noted preachers have served this church. Its members have been among the best citizens of Greene and Oglethorpe counties.
Scull Shoals Baptist
Now extinct; was organized in 1789, dissolved in 1854. Very little is known of this church except that, it was organized by the early settlers. Scull Shoals citizens suffered from Indian raids from the time it was first settled, by whites, in 1784, and many of its citizens were murdered and scalped by the Indians. Scull Shoals had a population of some 600 people before the War Between the States, therefore, it is somewhat surprising that the church dissolved while that many people were living there.
Falling Creek Baptist
This church was in Greene county, when organized in 1787, but fell in Oglethorpe when that county was organized in 1793. Falling Creek empties into the Oconee River and forms the boundary between Greene and Oglethorpe counties. No men- tion is made of this church after 1802. (Extinct)
Richland Creek Baptist (Now extinct)
Established in 1793; located on Sand Creek, near where it empties into Richland, and some three miles from Liberty Meth- odist Church. It withdrew from the Georgia Association and united with the Washington Association in 1832. It was dis- solved after the War Between the States. Mr. Sam P. Turner, and other citizens recall attending services at old Richland Bap- tist Church. Bishop Warren Candler's mother was a member of this church.
White Plains Baptist
Established in 1806; but it is doubtful if there was a vil-
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lage by that name when the church was organized. The follow- ing is quoted from the Hancock Advertiser, Mt. Zion, Ga., Monday, Dec. 25, 1828 : "The name of the postoffice already established at Wall's Old Fort was changed to White Plains."
This seems to indicate that the town took its name from the Baptist Church that had been established there many years before. Sherwood's Gazetteer, 1827 edition does not list White Plains, but does list Wall's Fort as a postoffice. This, together with the announcement in the Mt. Zion paper of Dec. 25, 1828, seems to prove that White Plains took the place of Wall's Fort. The White Plains Baptist Church has a wonderful record for good; and no village church, in Georgia, ever had better preach- ers, or a finer class of people to preach to.
Fort Creek Baptist (Now extinct )
Established in 1790, and was located on Fort Creek, near its mouth. The site is now in Hancock; but was in Greene up to 1793.
Shoulderbone Baptist (Extinct since 1807)
Established in 1791; exact location unknown to the writer. It was somewhere along Shoulderbone Creek, and that creek, from source to mouth was, originally, in Greene county.
Powellton Baptist
Organized in 1786; at that time, it was in Greene county, but fell in Hancock when that county was formed out of parts of Greene and Washington counties in 1793. The Georgia Bap- tist Convention was organized in the Powellton Baptist Church in 1822, and, like Kiokee, is one of the most historic churches in Georgia.
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Greensboro Baptist
Organized June 9, 1821, by Rev. Jesse Mercer, Rev. Adiel Sherwood and seven or eight members with church letters from Shiloh, White Plains, and other Baptist Churches. Adiel Sher- wood was the first pastor and served until 1833. The church was organized in the old Siloam Meeting House, on cemetery hill, in the town of Greensboro. This Meeting House had long been used by the Presbyterians, and was an "arm" of Bethany. Dr. Francis Cummins was the resident pastor and teacher in the Union Academy, that stood near by. The Baptist and Presby- terians divided the time equally, in the use of the Meeting House, up to 1830. In that year, Dr. Cummins and Rev. Adiel Sherwood, together with their members, secured a charter from the Georgia Legislature, to organize a church to be known as "The Union Meeting House". Under a joint agreement each denomination was to have full possession of the building for certain days, and named the day and hour. Repairs, upkeep, janitor's service, and all incidental expenses were equally divided between the two congregations, many of the original bills are still in existence.
This joint-ownership continued up to 1850, in that year, the Baptists bought the Presbyterian's interest; but the Presby- terians continued to use the buildings up to 1852, while their new church and Female College were being built.
Dr. Cummins preached his farewell sermon in the old Union Meeting House on Sunday before Feb. 22, 1852, and died three days later, of influenza.
The Baptists continued to use the old church until 1902, in which year, they sold the building and grounds to Guy W. Hall, and began building their new church where it now stands. The lot was a gift from Mrs. William Reid Jackson. While the new church was being built, the Presbyterians tendered the use of their church, for two Sundays in each month.
The Greensboro church has had many able pastors, a long list of loyal members, and has ever been loyal to the Missionary cause.
Rev. Charles H. Kopp was the pastor in 1941.
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Siloam Baptist, Union Point
CHURCHES Methodist, New Siloam Methodist, Siloam Presbyterian.
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Smyrna (Siloam ) Baptist
Organized in 1828, and has been one of Greene county's outstanding churches throughout the years. For many years, Smyrna and Greensboro formed a field, the pastor residing at Greensboro, and both churches had preaching two Sundays in each month. Later, that church formed a field with White Plains, and Rev. Ellis A. Cottrell is, and has been its pastor for many years. Smyrna has always had a fine membership.
Friendship Baptist (Now extinct)
Organized in 1831, located in the Southern part of Greene county, near Fuller's Bridge, on Richland Creek, about one- fourth of a mile to the left of the Greensboro-Eatonton road. It was dissolved in the 1880's.
Penfield Baptist
Organized in 1839, soon after the destruction of the orig- inal Shiloh Church. Originally, it was a wooden building and stood to the right of the present church. It was formed with a few members from Shiloh and the teachers and students of Mercer Institute, later, Mercer University. The present church, originally built as a Chapel for Mercer University, was given to the Penfield Baptists when Mercer University was moved to Macon, Ga. It, too, has had many outstanding pastors. Rev. R. W. Haynie was the pastor in 1941.
Macedonia Baptist
Organized in 1854, located in the northwestern part of Greene county and, at one time, had a large and wealthy mem- bership. Originally, it was in the Apalachee Association, but joined the Georgia Association in 1872.
Union Point Baptist
Organized in 1872; has the largest membership of any Bap- tist Church in the Georgia Association, and is a flourishing church, has had many able pastors.
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Top-Macedonia Baptist. Left center-Woodville Baptist. Right center- West End Baptist, Greensboro. Bottom-First Baptist, Greensboro.
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Veazy Baptist
Organized in 1873, located some five miles southeast of Greensboro, in the community known as Veazy, Ga. The records of this church, prior to 1905, have been lost. Dr. J. H. Kilpat- rick preached the dedication sermon, and is said to have given the name Enon. This church has meant much to the community and has had many able pastors. Rev. Ellis A. Cottrell has been its pastor since 1919.
Woodville Baptist
Organized in 1886; the elders who constituted the church were: P. H. Mell, J. F. Edens, J. S. Callaway, J. R. Young, A. A. Fluker, J. F. Cheney, and W. A. Montgomery. Hon. W. P. McWhorter is said to have donated the present, handsome church building. This has long been a prominent church in the Georgia Association, and is a part of "Mell's Kingdom". Pen- field was the hub around which, Mell's Kingdom revolved, and Patrick H. Mell's influence lasted long years after his death.
Greensboro Second Baptist
Organized about 1908. Located in the section known as, Greensboro's West End, and is the youngest church in the Geor- gia Association. The deacons of the Greensboro Baptist Church, at the request of those who proposed to organize the church, with T. B. Rice, acting-moderator, constituted the church, after which, deacons were elected and installed, and articles of faith and by-laws were adopted. This church has around one hundred members and is doing a good work.
Rev. R. W. Haynie is the pastor, and resides in Penfield.
Goshen Church
This church is named on a very old map of Greene County and is extinct. The owners of the land were named, and many churchs, villages and court grounds, all now gone. I have not been able to find any records of this old church. (Built in 1790.)
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Top-Walker's Methodist and Presbyterian Church at Greensboro. Center- Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Greensboro. Bottom-Old Union Church used by the Baptist and Presbyterians before and after 1800.
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Phillips Mill, Baptist
This old church was served by Silas Mercer for eleven years and followed by his son Jesse Mercer for 37 years.
Greensboro Presbyterian Church
After selling their interest in the Union Church to the Bap- tists, the Presbyterians acquired a beautiful lot at the corner of Main and South Streets and built a church of their own, com- pleting it in 1860. On June 13, 1860 this church was dedicated by Dr. Joseph Wilson of Augusta and Dr. Nathan Hoyt of Athens. The brick for this church were made near the site and Mr. Tunison was the contractor. While Federal troops occupied Greensboro this church burned in 1869. The bell in this church came from the Female College established by the Presbyterians and after the fire, the bell was given to the colored Presbyterians and is still in use.
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