Houston County deeds show the transfer of property for the purpose of building Methodist churches as early as 1823 and 1825.
In 1827, the first Methodist church was built in Perry on the site of the cemetery today, the burying ground having begun around the church. The first pastor was James HOWARD from Macon, followed by James DUNWOODY of Houston County, and then Samuel ANTHONY followed. At one time Samuel was appointed to Houston and Dooly counties, and received into membership in one year 1500 people.
The Baptists also worshipped in this church, until the Baptist Church was built.
1881 Trustees: C. C. DUNCAN, W. L. GRICE, A. S. GILES, John H. HOUSER, T. J. CATER, Fred M. HOUSER. Stewards: T. J. CATER, C. C. DUNCAN, J. A. HAFER, D. G. JONES, F. M. HOUSER, F. S. CATER, A. J. GILES, and John H. HOUSER.
1901 Trustees: C. C. DUNCAN, L. S. TOUNSELY, John H. HOUSER, Fred M. HOUSER, C. P. MARSHALL, W. M. GORDON, John H. HODGES. Stewards: C. C. DUNCAN, Fred M. HOUSER, L. S. TOUNSLEY, A. C. RILEY, W. B. SIMS, L. F. CATER, Mc. M. RAINEY, J. H. HOUSER.
1921 Trustees: W. B. SIMS, L. F. CATER, Fred M. HOUSER, John H. HODGES, B. P. STARBUCK. Stewards: Fred M. HOUSER, L. F. CATER, W. B. SIMS, L. M. PAUL, and George C. NUNN.
1932 Trustees: W. B. SIMS, L. F. CATER, S. A. NUNN, T. C. ROGERS, J. C. MATHEWS. Stewards: George C. NUNN, L. F. CATER, L. M. PAUL, H. P. HOUSER, C. P. GRAY, H. T. DEAN, A. P. WHIPPLE, C. E. ANDREW, M. G. EDWARDS, Vernon TUGGLE, T. C. ROGERS, G. W. HICKS, F. M. CULLER, and J. O. COLEMAN
A few members of the Presbyterian belief in Houston County convened in the Methodist Church in Perry on 25 April 1847 for the purpose of constituting themselves into a Presbyterian Church. Rev. R. HOOKER of Macon preached a sermon after which Rev. MONTGOMERY of Talbotton was elected to preside over the meeting which was opened with prayer. The following persons presented themselves with their church letters and were received as members: Dr. Charles WEST, Mrs. Sarah E. WEST, Miss Sarah WEST, Miss Clifford WEST, Dr. William S. TOWNSHEND, Mrs. Martha TOWNSHEND, Major A. W. STEPHENS, Mrs. Clemenia STEPHENS, Colonel J. D. HAVIS, Mrs. Sophia HAVIS, and Mr. A. A. WILKIN. The following men were elected as Elders: Dr. Charles WEST, Colonel J. D. HAVIS, and Dr. William S. TOWNSHEND.
On the following day, 26 April 1847, the church was constituted in a formal manner, the elders elected were ordained, and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered by the Rev. Richard HOOKER. Mr. Joel JENNINGS applied for membership on this day and was received.
Since the Presbyterians didn't have a house of worship, early meetings of the congregation were held in the Baptist Church in Perry. There was a gradual growth of the church, though the membership never was large.
It is stated in the 22 September 1849 record, a House of Worship had just been completed. It was located in the lot bounded by Commerce Street, Church Street, Carroll Street, and Macon Street. The building was a one-room simple white church with a bell tower.
In April 1921, the Women's Auxillary was adopted as the plan for the woman's work of the church and an active organization was begun under the leadership of Mrs. J. C. WARD, President; Mrs. A. B. ROMAGE, Vice-President; and Miss Katharine HOLTZCLAW, Secretary and Treasurer.
This church was for many years supplied by ministers who lived elsewhere. In May 1932, Rev. Everett P. MOYE, a recent graduate of the Louisville, KY Presbyterian Theological Seminary, came to Perry to labor with the people for the advancement of the Kingdom. He is the first Presbyterian minister to have ever made his home in the town of Perry.
The following are a list of the ministers who have served the Perry Presbyterian Church:
BAKER, Daniel
BEALL, W.
BRADSHAW
BRECK
CHANDLER, George T.
CURRIE, C. B.
CURTIS, L. W.
DODD, Charles
ELDRIDGE, E. D.
GILBERT, Joseph
GOOD, J. W.
GOULDING, F. R.
GREADY, William P.
GRIMSHAW, E. C.
GRISWOLD, H. G.
GUILLANCE, S. S.
HYDE, C. W.
IRONS, A. G.
KING
KING, L.
KIRKLAND, A.
MACK, J. B.
MATTHEWS, William
MAXSON, G. W.
MCCARTER
MCGIRT, J. L.
MCKAY, William Jr.
MONTGOMERY, T. F.
MOYE, E. P.
NALL, Robert
OWINGS, W. R.
PHILLIPS, C.
SMITH, J. W.
STEPHENS, W. O.
STOKES, J. W.
TALMAGE
TUCKER, W. Stephens
WINN, Sumner
The following have been officers in the church:
ALDEN, Augustus (1863)
BOUGHTON, L. E. (1911)
BOYNTON, George W. (1894)
CALHOUN, J. B. (1932)
CHANDLER, F. C. (1928, 1932)
DOOLITTLE, William (1866)
FUDGE, J. R. (1902, 1911)
GAMBLE, Robert (1901)
GILBERT, H. T. (1898, 1902)
GILBERT, Louis H. (1932)
HAVIS, J. D. (1847)
HAVIS, M. W. (1873, 1881)
HILL, Green (1854)
JONES, John (1850)
MCARTHUR (1854)
MILLER, Robert (1854)
NELSON, J. M. (1894)
PAUL, George (1881)
PENICK, Spencer R. (1854)
RAMAGE, A. B. (1928)
ROBERTS, E. G. (1925)
SAUNDERS (1866)
TOWNSHEND, William (1847)
WARD, J. C. (1921)
WEST, Charles (1847)
In the fall of 1926, Rev. J. W. SMITH of Fort Valley secured permission to begin religious work at Clinchfield, Georgia. A cottage was given by the Clinchfield Cement Company, a Sunday School was organized, and a revival service was conducted by the Rev. J. W. SMITH.
In March 1931 a church was built. On 10 May 1931, the Clinchfield Presbyterian Church was dedicated. The ministers present were as follows: Rev. C. F. ALLEN of Macon, Rev. W. R. MACKEY of Macon, Rev. GRIMSHAW of Fort Valley, Rev. J. W. SMITH of Fort Valley, and Rev. Ralph GILLAM of Atlanta.
Ministers who have supplied the church: J. W. SMITH of Fort Valley, J. B. FICKLIN of Decatur, James MCGIRT of Fort Valley, GRIMSHAW of Fort Valley, and E. P. MOYE of Perry.
The Hayneville Baptist Church is one of the oldest Baptist churches in Houston County, and perhaps the entire state of Georgia.
The church was established not later than 1819, and the deeds show both the Baptist and the Methodist Church lots were formerly the property of the prominent COALSON Family.
Mr. Joseph TOOKE, conceded to be the wealthiest man in Houston County at that time, donated the building materials for both churches.
Upon the site of the Hayneville Baptist Church, pioneer settlers built a log structure in which to worship, and as they became progressive planters they replaced the little church with a building of colonial architecture.
The pulpit was originally situated at the front of the edifice between the two entrances into the church and, as one entered, he faced the congregation. A balcony at the rear provided benches for the slaves.
Among the early pastors were Benjamin F. THARPE, CHEAVES, COATES, MCKENZIE, NORTON, and others.
The Hayneville Baptist Church contributed largely toward the erection of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta.
The above information was provided by Mrs. E. H. WIMBERLY from information furnished by Mrs. Lou DANIEL, daughter of Joseph TOOKE to the Central Georgia Genealogical Society. Records of the church were destroyed when the home of D. H. DANIEL was consumed by fire years ago.
Grovania Methodist Church owes its foundation, both religious and material, to the Hayneville Methodist Church which was established long before the 1860's.
The original Methodist church building was situated facing the Dixie Highway in the village of Hayneville. The lot was deeded to the trustees of the church by the COALSON family and, as in the case of the Hayneville Baptist Church, Mr. Joseph TOOKE furnished the building materials.
Early pastors of Hayneville Methodist Church were the following: John M. MARSHALL, W. W. STEWART, Edward H. MCGEHEE, John W. DOMINGOES, C. W. SNOW, and J. T. AINSWORTH.
Construction of the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad caused an influx of people west of Hayneville, in the vicinity of Grovania. The trustees of the Hayneville Methodist Church, some of whom lived in Grovania, realized the growing need of a church in that village. Consequently, in 1893, they decided to tear down the hayneville Methodist Church building and with the materials, erect a church at Grovania. The trustees of the church, S. F. BIVINS, W. H. HARRISON, and O. E. HOUSER, sold the church lot in Hayneville to E. H. WIMBERLY, Jr.
The first pastor of Grovania Methodist Church was M. B. FERREL, and the first conference was held 29 October 1893, with W. S. RILEY as secretary.
Other prominent pastors of Grovania Methodist Church were the following: T. I. NEESE, R. A. EDMONDSON, A. B. WALL, M. B. BEALLS, and H. B. HOBBS.
Hickory Grove church was built in 1872. The deeds were made for the lot on 1 March 1872. The charter members were James DUNWOODY, M. H. MEANS, William MEANS, Daniel BUFF, Samuel DUNWOODY, Nathan H. GILBERT, Joseph DUNWOODY, and James PARROT.
The foregoing was furnished by Mrs. Will RILEY, granddaughter of Rev. DUNWOODY to the Central Georgia Genealogical Society.
The Baptist Church of Christ was constituted in the year 1821 at Mr. PENNUEL's Schoolhouse at Henderson.
The charter members were as follows: Willie CURRY, Esther CURRY, Henry TILL, Elizabeth TILL, Martha Ann HORNE, two slaves (Rose and Tenah) of S. FELDER, and another slave (Chloe) of D. BOWEN. A number of pioneers of this neighborhood were also pioneers of this church: Durham BOWEN, James FITZGERALD, William KILLEN, W. H. BROWN, Rev. James CLARK, Mrs. CLARK, the KENDRICK family, and many others. Mr. Soloman David HENDERSON, for whom this place was named, wasn't a pioneer member of the church, but later became one.
In 1860, Rev. HORNE was pastor. He served the church until 1863.
Rev. RICE was called in 1863 and served a year. Rev. BAILEY served 1864 - 1867. William H. BROWN was Church Clerk from 1860 - 1866.
On 27 July 1868, the colored members were granted letters of dismissal for the purpose of constituting a church.
Rev. W. COLLINS served from 1867 - 1872. B. C. KENDRICKS served as Church Clerk from 1865 - 1871. W. L. ALEXANDER was ordained by this church 22 January 1870. He was a prominent educator and taught a large school at Henderson for several years.
Rev. COLLINS served from 1867 - 1872 when he resigned to move to Texas. Rev. W. C. WILKES of Spalding served the church from 1872 - 1873. Rev. WILKES was one of the founders of the college at Spalding and later Brenau College in Gainesville. Rev. W. C. WILKES preached his farewell sermon to the Baptist of Christ at Henderson 26 October 1873. Rev. B. F. THARPE began his pastorate of the church in November 1873, and preached 27 successive years.
Other pastors:
ANAMS, J. C.
ANSLEY, J. A.
BRANCH, Joe
BRIDGES, Claude
CALLAWAY, Royal
COURSON, E. L.
HELMS, J. L.
HOLTZCLAW, W. J.
HYMAN, J. J.
The names of some of the pioneer members of this church were the following: The WIMBERLEYs, BROWNs, MCGEHEEs, COLEMANs, JOHNSONs, TAYLORs, CLARKs, and SHORTs.
Old Asbury Chapel, one of the earliest of the Methodist meeting houses in Houston, used to set on top of the high ground about a hundred yards to the south of the public road as it led from Perry to Marshallville, just as it turns to go across Savage Creek. It was about equally distant from the villages that became Marshallville, Fort Valley, and Perry. Once a month there would be gathered the following families: HASLAM, MURPH, PLANT, RUMPH, DAY, FREDERICK, SPERRY, BELVIN, MCGEHEE, GAMAGE, ROUNTREE, ALLEN, COBB, HOUSER, RILEY, GILBERT, SISTRUNK, RICE, MATHEWS, and SLAPPEY.
Most of those who composed the Asbury Chapel Flock, who owned the surrounding lands, and particularly the elements who lived across Savage Creek, had emigrated to the county in the 1830's from the Orangeburg District of South Carolina. They bought lands in the western part of Houston County.
