Turner County, Georgia Genealogy and History - Presented by Genealogy Trails History Group

SOME OLD TIME CHURCH HISTORY.

The first church in this section was organized about 1830 or 1835, just across the line over in Crisp County. Rev. William Pate was the first pastor.

The charter members were, Elijah Pate and James Pate, deacons; Reese Musslewhite, clerk; other members were John Fulghum, Bob Joiner, Rev. Pate's daughters, Mesdames Polly Holt, Betsey Story, Nancy Blanchard, Sarah Johnston and the pastor's wife, Tempy Pate.

The name was Rock Hill Baptist Church.

After Rev. Pate's death in 1841, Rev. Warren Dykes of Worth County was pastor till its dissolution in 1855.

Between 1838 and 1845, there was a division in the ranks of the Baptists on account of the great missionary movement, which culminated in a complete division when the Southern Baptist Convention was organized at Augusta, Ga., in 1845.

Rock Hill Church was no exception to the rule as nearly every Baptist Church was divided; which ever side was in the majority always held the building.

In Rock Hill the Primitive side prevailed, and the following members withdrew: James Pate, Nancy Blanchard, Polly Holt, Sarah Johnson and probably Betsey Story.

Some of those who withdrew, joined a Baptist Church above Cordele, named Bethel.

The last conference held by Rock Hill Church, was in the home of Deacon Elijah B. Pate, Dakota, Ga., in 1855, and withdrew fellowship from him because he had joined the Masonic order. They never met in conference again.

Another church was organized a few years later, probably as early as 1835, by the name of Emmeas, at the present site of the Davisville public school in this county. The pastor who organized the church was probably Rev. William Pate, and the charter members were as follows:

Micajah Owens, Joshua Owens, Mrs. Mima Nipper and her two daughters, Betsey and Jane.

The organization moved to near where Hatley is now located, and afterwards to the Rock House, a freak of nature near Cordele, and afterwards to its present location on the Deep Creek road, and today is one of the most thriving Primitive Baptist churches of South Georgia.

Another very old church of the Primitive Baptist persuasion is Pleasant Hill Church near Sycamore. It was organized about 1850 or 1855, two or three miles west of Ashburn, with the following members: LottWhiddon, George Young, Martha Hobby and Richard Tucker. Rev. Warren Dykes who had been pastor of the other churches already named in this article, was the first pastor of this church. Rev. Ezekiel Williams, father of Rev. John J. Williams of Ashburn, Ga., succeeded Rev. Dykes and was followed in this pastorate by Rev. Hansel Parrish, who like-wise was followed by Rev. Zarah Paulk, a man of a commanding personality. Stern in the Calvanistic doctrines of his denomination, yet he was held in the loving esteem by the members of every order and creed, as a man of God. Rev. Paulk died about 1890, having been pastor of this church forty-six years.

About 1850 or 1855, there was a Methodist Church about two miles south of Live Oak Methodist Church. Some of the members were: Aaron Chandler, Virgil Chandler, Francis Chandler, a class leader of the church, Mary Ann Bailey and Aunt Jane Gorday. Live Oak Church itself is doubtless a reorganization of this old church.

In 1855, a church by the name of Bethel Baptist Church, was organized about one-half mile south of Amboy, with the following members: James Pate, Benjamine Rainey, Joseph Rainey and Elizabeth, his wife, Elkanah Harralson and Christian, his wife and their daughter, Kate. E. D. Hunter and Edward Bullington, were the organizing presbytery. Rev. E. D. Hunter was the first pastor. A short time afterwards a Methodist Church was organized in the same building and the circuit rider who preached there was a Rev. Lanier. The only member I know of was my grandmother, Mrs. Jane Rainey.

In 1866, Rev. James Fields, who was a missionary of the Houston Association, organized another church where the Davisville school is located by the name of Emmeas. The members were: Benjamin Rainey, Mrs. Catherine Chandler, nee Rainey, Mrs. Jincy Pate, Lydia Rainey, Christian Harralson and Kate Harralson. The pastors were James Fields, E. D. Hunter and G. W. Williams. Rev. Fields had what was called an "arm** extended and about 1879 and 1880, and organized Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, near Rebecca, which became a very strong church numerically and also Deep Creek Missionary Baptist Church with the following members: Mrs. Catherine Pate, Airs. Jane Wheeler, Mrs. Betsey Roberts and D. W. Watson. Deep Creek Church was disorganized in 1905 to organize Am boy and Oak Hill churches.

It is probable that Pleasant Hill Primitive Baptist Church near Sycamore was the only organization that survived the rigors of the Civil War.

About 1882 to about 1884, Rev. E. M. Booth, a circuit rider of the Methodist Church, did a lot of preaching and organized some churches in this section but most of them were temporary organizations.

In 1882, Rev. T. R. Bullington was ordained a Missionary Baptist preacher at Pleasant Hill Church, near Rebecca, Ga. With scarcely any financial aid he did a marvelous work, both as pastor and evangelist. He was pastor at Pleasant Hill Church, and Rev. Lawson Smith was ordained and was a strong local pillar in the Baptist cause.

He was pastor at Deep Creek for several times, and Rev. B. F. Rainey was converted and baptized by Brother Bullington. Brother Rainey today is a prominent Baptist preacher and for years was moderator of the Turner Baptist Association.

Brother Bullington had an arm extended from Deep Creek and organized Oak Grove Baptist Church. While pastor here. Rev. J. J. Davis was converted and was baptized by Brother Bullington.

Rev. J. J. Davis has done a wonderful work in building and organizing churches, and has stood as a bulwark against all forms of sin and unrighteousness.

Rev. T. R. Bullington has labored earnestly and at great sacrifice.

Early Preachers.

Rev. Wilson Conner was a native of South Carolina and a contemporary of Rev. Jesse Mercer and at one period of his life, at least, was as loyal to the organized work of the Georgia Baptist Convention, and was as great and energetic in the sphere in which he lived and moved, as was Mercer in his work among those in more elevated paths of life.

In 1824, the Georgia Baptist Convention employed D. C. Mallorey, Jonathan Davis and Wilson Conner as missionaries. Davis and Mallorey were each to receive a salary of one thousand dollars per year, while Conner was to receive only four hundred dollars per year for his work. It seems that Conner's position with the Georgia Baptist Convention lasted from 1824 to 1839, or for a period of fifteen years.

Brother Conner, a resident of Effingham County, and a member of the Sunbury Association, to be near his work, moved to Dooly County. Before moving here his daughter Lucy married a Mr. Joseph Ryals of Montgomery County. They were the parents of Rev. J. G. Ryals, D. D., of Carters ville, Georgia, who was born in Montgomery County in 1824, the same year that his grandfather. Rev. Wilson Conner, was employed by the Georgia Baptist Convention.

Under the employment of the Georgia Baptist Convention, Rev. Conner's territory was South Georgia, west of the Ocmulgee River. This was a new field of labor, as the Indians only a few years before had ceded their lands to the pale faced settlers. The exact dates were 1818 and 1821.

The territory included what is now the following associations: The Houston, Little River, Pulaski, Turner, Ben Hill, Irwin and Mallory and at that time was considered as belonging to the Ebenezer Association.

Brother Conner lived to be a very old man and it is said, died in the pulpit after having preached a great sermon from the text, "Verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live."

His membership at one time was held by Ozias (now Beth-lehem) Church in Ben Hill County. Rev. Wilson Conner and Rev. John Martin organized this church in 1832, as the minutes of that church show, being well preserved. When the Georgia Baptist Convention met at Foisyth in 1835, Rev. Wilson Conner preached in the Presbyterian Church on Sunday, which shows the old wiregrass pioneer preacher was a man of no mean ability.

Rev. Wilson Conner organized the Hawkins ville Baptist Church at old Hartford just across the Ocmulgee in 1830. He also organized New Hope, two miles south of Abbeville, Georgia, January 25, 1830, and was assisted by Rev. David Wood and Rev. Jordan Baker and in 1839 the Houston Association met with New Hope and the missionary sermon was preached by Rev.

Jesse Mercer and while here he was doubtless the guest of Rev. Wilson Conner. At this session New Hope withdrew from the Houston Association and joined an anti-missionary association known as the Pulaski. The church still exists and is a member of the Pulaski Primitive Association; Ozias (now Bethlehem) Church, near Bowen's Mill in Ben Hill County; Dorminy's Mill in Ben HHI County; Rock HUI near Arabi, became a primitive Baptist Church and was disorganized in 1855; Mt. Ariel, Camp Creek, Ebenezer, Mt. Bezer of Dooly County; Pindertown of now Worth County, long since discontinued; Hepzibah, near Byrom ville; Bethel above Cordele, dissolved about thirty-five years ago. Antioch and Big Creek of Pulaski County; Mount Oliver, Dry Creek and Beulah in Houston County.

Whether or not Rev. Conner organized all of these churches cannot be determined. He probably did not but undoubtedly he assisted the local preachers and encouraged and advised them in all of this great work.

About 1830, Rev. William Pate and Rev. Warren Dykes, two very prominent Baptist preachers moved into this territory and with burning zeal labored for the salvation of souls. Many young ministers of that day were ordained, among them being Sylvester Walden, Thomas Aldridge, Wiley Willis, Sam Stone and Dan Reeves.

These young preachers labored long and grew old, and long since have passed away and another generation of preachers has come and gone, and still another has grown old, and another generation of preachers is now rising up to carry on the work of redemption.

Some of the early churches became Primitive in faith and fought the State Convention, whose missionary zeal brought them into existence, while the majority of the churches have remained true to the organized work.

Rev. Wilson Connor's old Bible dictionary and a few more old books were destroyed two or three years ago when the home of his grandson, Lewis Connor, was burned.

Faithful to the last and expecting a brighter day, old Brother Connor passed away and lies resting from his long life of service.

Old Time Baptist Preachers.

Rev. Thomas Aldridge, whose residence was on lot of land number twenty-three in first land district of old Irwin County, was ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry by Ozias, now Bethlehem, Church in old Irwin County, near Bowen's Mill in 1848. And in that year, his name appears in the minutes of Houston Missionary Baptist Association as a pastor of churches. He was pastor of old Friendship Church from 1850 until 1863. It was a long and fruitful pastorate of thirteen years.

In 1850, his name appears on the minutes of Cedar Creek Church near the Ocmulgee River, as the moderator when the church in conference elected their delegate to the association.

In 1863 and 1864, he and Rev. W. J. Collins were missionaries from the Houston Association to the Confederate Soldiers.

The association, at the time spent five hundred dollars in sending the Christian Index to the soldiers of the Southern Confederacy.

Rev. Mr. Aldridge's missionary labors were confined to General Colquitt's Brigade at Washington, North Carolina, and at a late period with the same brigade in South Carolina.

Rev. W. J. Collins' missionary labors seems to have been confined to work among the sick and wounded of General Longstreet's corp.

In 1874, Rev. Berry Hobbs and Rev. Thomas Aldridge, two life-long friends and co-laborers in the Master's Kingdom, in the pioneer section of South Georgia fell asleep in Jesus.

Rev. Sylvester Walding, was in the early days, another tireless worker in the Master's kingdom. In 1853 he was ordained by Union Springs Church in Dooly County at the request of old Cedar Creek Church.

His name appears in the minutes of the Houston Association in 1857, as a busy pastor. In 1860 and 1861 he and Rev. J. G. Taylor were missionaries of the association, and it was during this period that Union Church, north of Seville and Abbeville Church were organized as a result of their labors.

The records of old Mount Zion Church, eight or ten miles south of Abbeville, show that Brother Walding was one of her beloved and successful pastors. Rev. T. J. Bullington, who for half a century, worked in this territory so successfully both as pastor and evangelist that his name is almost a household word in every family, said that Sylvester Walding (who was an old preacher when Bullington was but a youth) would cross swollen streams, often getting drenched in icy waters and stopping at pioneer homes to dry his clothes and braving flooded streams and blizzards, generally reaching his appointment in time for services.

All honor to these brave old pioneer preachers, who could plow as well as preach; who could split rails as well as pray for and with the sinners; who could face the "perils of the wilderness" as well as the perils of sin; whose voice that so often made sinners weep, quake and tremble, could be heard echoing over hill and vale while rounding up cattle or sheep. Forget not those old heroes, for their names are written on high. From among the stalwart sons of toil, God, who doeth all things well, called into his service two faithful ministers, Ed Bullington, tall, blackeyed and eloquent, and Ed Hunter, short and heavy set, and with a zeal for souls seldom found among preachers of our day and time, for he baptized more than one thousand persons among the sparsely settled communities of wiregrass Georgia.

In 1855, Rev. Ed Bullington and Rev. D. E. Hunter, organized a church near Amboy, and for years one or the other would pastor this church and years later the older people would talk of those old days when Hunter and Bullington were their pastors, and well were they counted worthy of double honor.

Rev. J. R. Fields and Rev. T. J. Adams, were missionaries of the Houston association in 1867 and 1871 and Rev. Mr. Fields continued his missionary labors till the 80's. In 1857 Mr. Fields gathered the fragments of old Bethel Church together and organized old Emmeus, near the old Jincy Pate farm and from this church, what was then called "arm," was extended to several places and the following churches were organized.

Pleasant Hill, near Rebecca in 1876; Big Creek, near Irwinville in 1877; Salem Church, near Rochelle in 1878; Deep Creek, near Amboy in 1879-80. Also New River and Zion Hope Churches, in Tift County.

Rev. Mr. Fields was a tall austere man, with stooping shoulders, and resembling very much the picture of Abraham Lincoln.

Time would fail to mention them all, but the names of Elias Turner, G. W. Murray, O. D. Mulkey, George Williamson, Larkin Joiner, R. Bullington, R. Reynolds, Redding Pope, O. V. Fuller, C. W. Ashley, Wiley F. Willis, Isaac Hobby, J. M Champion and many others who are worthy to be known as heroes of faith for the sacrifice they made. They lived and preached in crude log houses, far from the congested centers of population.

Source: History of Turner County. Atlanta, Ga.: Pate, John Ben.. Stein Print. Co., 1933.