Chattahoochee County GaArchives Church Records.....Methodist Churches Copyright Date 1933 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 4, 2004, 1:01 am METHODIST CHURCHES Before the erection of a Methodist church at Cusseta, services were held at the camp ground located one mile west of Cusseta. According to statements of oldest inhabitants this camp ground was in use prior to 1851. But the Acts of Churches 1851-52 Sec. XXV reads thus: And be it further enacted, that Edward Covington, William S. Howard, Theophilus Sapp, Daniel McCloud, A. C. Hudson, Benjamin Fussell, William Saunders, and their successors in office, be and they are hereby appointed and declared a body corporate under the name and style of the Trustees of Bald Hill Camp Ground, in the county of Muscogee. Note: Name of this camp ground spelled Bald Hill in other references. Colonel D. H. Burts gave a lot (deed copied in sketch of his life) upon which the Methodist people of Cusseta erected their first church. This building was used until the present church was built in 1897. D. J. Fussell, a son of Benjamin Fussell, was a steward of the church and superintended the erection of the present building and being an excellent carpenter, did much of the actual work during its construction. The first sermon preached in this Methodist church was on Saturday Oct. 8, 1897 by Rev. R. L. Allison, pastor. When the first church was built in 1860 Col. E. G. Raiford, active in the political, civic and religious life of the community, was the lay leader of the church here. His daughter, Mrs. Fanny Turner, recalls the days when he went to all Quarterly Meetings held in the county. She usually accompanied him and held an umbrella to protect them from the summer sun and the wainter rains. As her father wore the high hat fashionable for gentlemen then, she remembers how tiresome it was for a school girl's arm'to keep the umbrella elevated properly. She recalls going to Shiloh at Jamestown which was one of the strong Methodist Churches of the county. In fact, Chattahoochee had both a Methodist and a Baptist Church in every community during its earliest years. Census for 1860 records for this county five Baptist churches; aggregate accommodations 1500; value property $2,200.00; also five Methodist churches, accommodations for 1300; value $2,200.00. The post office of the earliest pastors mentioned was Jamestown; later Cusseta was part of the Lumpkin circuit for a few years. Jas. C. Coleman, who gave impartially to the Methodist and Bapitst, kept a tavern at the "Ten Mile House" which was well known to travellers of that day. Miss Emma Christian says there were so many buildings at this place that it once resembled a small town. There was another M. E. Church in the county until about 1880, at Gobler's Hill where Mr. Ezekiah Miller's family lived and had their membership. The records of this and of the church at Liberty Hill not being preserved, no accurate data are available relating to them. New Bethany, the M. E. Church at Mt. Paran, was once flourishing, with pastors coming from Columbus to serve the people. The Williams family were prominent members and their home was the preacher's home. Mrs. Sallie Williams Berry who joined the M. E. Church at New Bethany says one pastor who came out from Columbus to serve this church was called "Uncle Ware" by all the children. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. D. Williams, never placed their membership elsewhere. On Jan. 24, 1872 Henry King made a deed to the Trustees of the M. E. Church South of the Cusseta Circuit viz: R. C. Patterson, J. M. Lester, E. G. Raiford, Marlin Posey and Thos. W. Christian "in consideration of good will and for the benefit of said church," ten acres land to be known "as the New Bethany Camp Ground"; surrounding timbers to be used for fuel and building purposes; land to revert to King estate after being disused for three years, all persons making improvements thereon having the right to remove same. Rev. Charles Snow preached at New Bethany when serving Cusseta Circuit in 1885. In reports there is a reference to this church as late as 1889, but the majority of the membership having died or moved away, this church was abolished, as was Shiloh at Jamestown. The parsonage at Cusseta was built during the pastorate of Gordon Roberts, who is said to have assisted with its construction. Quarterly Conference, Jan. 30, 1892 instructed P. C. (J. M. Boland) to preach at Shiloh fifth Sunday and Saturday before. Total membership of Cusseta Circuit at this time was 265— compared with 290 previous year (1891). Stewards elected in 1892 were D. J. Fussell, W. L. Hewell, J. S. Dillard, J. M. Renfroe, Thad Williams, J. Z. Deason, W. I. VanHorn and R. W. Christian and W. T. Cooksey were among the official membership whose names were called at first conference in 1892. Rev. Geo. G. N. McDonell became Presding Elder of the Columbus District in 1893. At conferences during 1893 names of Dr. F. M. Gordy, W. F. Foster, H. C. Coleman and T. B. Speight were included in official list and G. M. Osteen as a visitor at Cusseta Conference. Harmony M. E. Church (abolished when included in territory comprising Fort Benning reservation) was built upon land given for church and school purposes by Jas. C. Coleman, Feb. 13, 1856. The deed was made to M. C. Wardlaw, Jas. McBride, Thomas Bush, Thomas W. Christian, Wingfield Livingstone and Hubbard Van Horn, Trustees. There was a Methodist Church, Macedonia, nearer Ochillee, which was first moved into Muscogee County and then removed again to this lot given by J. C. Coleman, afterwards known as Harmony Church becoming a part of the Circuit in Chattahoochee County. Some of the preachers heard at Macedonia were Rev. Turner, father of Dr. O. W. Turner and Mrs. J. M. Renfroe (who is now living) Chas. Hays, Mr. Malsby and W. W. Tidwell. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, GEORGIA By N. K. Rogers Dedicated to KASIHITA CHAPTER U. D. C. and all worthy descendants of the County's first settlers. Copyright 1933 by N. K. ROGERS PRINTED BY COLUMBUS OFFICE SUPPLY CO. COLUMBUS, GA. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/chattahoochee/churches/gbb168methodis.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.7 Kb