Dooly County GaArchives Churches.....First Baptist Church of Vienna ************************************************ 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: E. L. Daves (Leah) uranut@bellsouth.net May 2003 Note: These lists are typed just as they are from the book. To Search, use your Edit/Find function on the Menu toolbar. Excerpted from the first volume of a three volume set: "HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL COLLECTIONS OF DOOLY COUNTY, GA" Volume One, Pages 90-100 c1973 by Watts & Nora Powell, Vienna, GA MOUNT BEZOR PROVIDENCE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF VIENNA GEORGIA The Corner Stone at the First Baptist Church in Vienna tells us that the Church was formally named "Providence." This was not the first name of the building or the congregation to bear the name "The First Baptist Church of Vienna." Providence was first constituted with the name "Mount Bezor." In the early days of Dooly County, Mount Bezor was located on the "Slosh Eye" trail on a rough and rocky hill east of the point where Big and Little Pennehatchee creeks converge. The Slosh Eye Trail is the oldest road in Dooly County; it was first used by the Indians to travel from the Ocmulgee River to the Flint River, then as a stage road from Hartford to County site of Pulaski County to Danville, a trading post on the Flint River. Mount Bezor, one of the earliest Churches to be constituted in Dooly County was an active Church before Oct. 9, 1830, for on that date the Houston Baptist Association was organized at Beulah Church in the lower part of Houston County (site now in Macon County). The Rev. John McKenzie, the pastor of Beulah Church was one of the leaders responsible for the organizing of the new Association and was elected Moderator of the same. In the first letter written by this body to the Ebenezer and the Echeconnee Associations "wishing to introduce a correspondence" it was stated that there were ten charter members of the new association. CHURCH | MESSENGER | MEMBERSHIP Beulah | Thos. Whitsett, John McKenzie | 37 Big Creek | David Wood, J. Fitzgerald | 36 Camp Creek | Thomas Cranberry | 28 Dry Creek | H. Hargrove, F. Barber | 40 Ebenezer | Cion Godwin | 20 Mt. Bezor | Benjamine Culpepper | 25 Mt. Horeb | Sanders Coleson, S. Adkins | 27 Mount Olive | H. Dykes; Nathan Hooker | 12 Shalum | Job, E. W. Smith | 48 Shilo | E. Bryan; James Davis | 20 Mount Bezor was listed regularly on the rolls of the Houston Association until the year 1839. From 1830 until 1839, Mount Bezor was represented at each meeting by Benjamine Culpepper and Charles H. Higdon. In 1840, the name "Mount Bezor" was not on the roll at all but the name "Providence" was there for the first time and was represented by the same two men. Mount Bezor was constituted as a Baptist Church, neither as a Primitive nor a Missionary Baptist Church. In the 1830's, conflicts arose in the Baptist Churches, not only in Georgia but in other states as well, for and against, Missions, Education, Music in Churches, and on many other questions. This was the period when two violent anti-missionary papers, "The Sign of the Times" and "The Primitive Baptist" began circulating in the State and perhaps it was the influence of these papers that led to the bitterness that finally caused many Baptist Churches to separate and disrupt into splinter groups. When the final showdown came, the members of each Church were required to vote on the questions especially the Missionary Anti-missionary one that was the main bone of contention. The method of division was simple, a local church would assemble all its members, the Moderator would state the question as to which side they would adopt, everyone was required to vote. If the majority voted Missionary they would have the privilege of holding the church property and the church name if they so desired; and they would grant letters of dismission to the others who would go out and either organize a church of their own or join another of their choice. This is no doubt what happened to Mount Bezor. Evidently the Missionaries retained the building and the Hardshells held onto the name. The Primitives built a new Church which was located on the Montezuma road near the Camp Ground just in front of the Hardegree place. The Missionary faction renamed their Church "Providence." Proof of this Benjamine Culpepper and Charles Higdon reported to the Houston Association from Mount Bezor in 1829 eighty members, the same two men reported from Providence in 1840 with twelve members. James Stallings Bealle, one of the leaders in the church, as well as in the County, died Nov. 28, 1858. Before his death, he had been working to get Providence moved to Vienna, had a building lot issued: Minutes of the Inferior Court, Min. Book 1847-1863, Page 152.; "It is ordered by the Court that Robert B. Davies clerk of this Court be authorized to execut titles to James S. Bealle and John J. Collier to the lot in Vienna between the Academy lot and Meriwether's for a Baptist Church." *************************************************************************** After the death of Mr. Bealle, James M. Jones, the executor of his estate found in the papers information regarding the Church, this is all listed in the estate settlement under the heading, "Voucher #75." Voucher No. 75 Mr. James S. Bealle, To James S. Bealle, Thomas H. Dawson and Z. T. Timmons acting Building Committee of the Baptist Church in the County of Dooly and the State of Georgia, known as "Providence" which resolved at her conference in the month of August, 1852 to renew said Church at Vienna and appointed us to receive subscriptions to carry out the foresaid object. The amount of the subscriptions collected by __ __ from the following named persons are as follows: J. J. Collier $150.00 P. Bohannon $10.00 Wiley Cobb $5.00 A. Hightower $5.00 A. Pettee $5.00 Z. Fenn $6.00 Dreury Clark $5.00 T. P. Stubbs $5.00 __ Patterson $3.00 James S. Bealle $150.00 N. R. Truluck $5.00 Peter Adams $20.00 Bryan Truluck $3.00 I. M. McLane $4.00 C. H. Everett $15.00 J. W. Cox $5.00 William Graham $5.00 F. Scarborough $5.00 W. DeGraffenreid $5.00 John M. Gillis $2.00 Peter Strozier $2.00 D. S. Harrison $5.00 George W. Fish $5.00 E. R. Brown $5.00 R. G. Ford $5.00 N. R. Reddick $5.00 Samuel D. Kellam $5.00 R. K. Hines $3.00 J. J. Scarborough $5.00 D. K. Kellam $5.00 Loam Brown $10.00 John H. Taylor $5.00 William S. O'Grin $5.00 Rob. B. Davies $5.00 Eanos Young $2.00 John B. Ham $2.00 S. N. Lasseter $5.00 L. J. Cross $2.50 (Jno.) John B. Colding $5.00 G. C. Ford $5.00 (Jno.) John D. Wilkes $3.00 Charles Powell $2.00 William N. Tison $5.00 F. K. Lewis $2.00 Total $526.50 Amount of subscriptions collected by James S. Bealle from page 1. Ichabod Davis $5.00 Abner Burnam $5.00 William Beverly $1.00 Larkin Joiner $1.00 Robert Jackson $1.00 J. Walden $2.00 J. S. Westberry $2.00 D. W. Taylor $5.00 Summer Adams $2.00 J. Q. Royals $2.00 William Roberts $3.00 William Adkins $10.00 William S. Leonard $5.00 H. M. Key $5.00 Total $575.50 The amounts paid to W. I. Brown above and on the rest this account was charged by J. S. Bealle on his account to W. I. Brown the Builder of the Church. The following person paid their subscriptions to Z. T. Timmons which were charged to W. I. Brown the Builder. Timmins & Turner $5.00 Vincent Calhoun $2.50 B. B. Hamilton $5.00 J. J. Cheshire $5.00 Eli Warren $10.00 R. C. Smith $5.00 J. R. Fields $2.00 E. Outlaw $2.50 (Jno.) John Justice $1.00 William E. Purvis $5.00 George M. Duncan $5.00 A. B. Hamilton $20.00 Loam Brown $2.00 F. Flemming $5.00 Total $95.00 The subscriptions on the following names appear to belong to James S. Bealle as he has claimed them therefore must have assumed the payment of them: John C. Monger $10.00 T. H. Dawson $15.00 James Gamble $5.00 A. Meriwether $10.00 R. D. Sinclair $3.00 John V. Brown $5.00 William L. Thompson $2.50 Elijah Calhoun $5.00 Jesse Connell $2.50 Moses West $10.00 Edward Way $5.00 (Jno.) John Russell $1.00 R. H. Clark $5.00 Abner Tison $5.00 A. Y. Peavy $5.00 G. P. Flemming $5.00 P. E. Gilbert $2.00 Total $98.00 Amount brought from page 2 $768.50 This amount paid by Timmons and Dawson $6.66 Total $775.16 *************************************************************************** Georgia Dooly Co. In person came before me Z. T. Timmons and Thomas Dawson and being fuly sworn sayeth the above and foregoing account of seven hundred seventy five dollars and sixteen cents is just and true, sworn to and subscribed to before me this 20th day Jan., 1859. W. Ira Brown N.P. Z. T. Timmons Dooly Co., Ga. *************************************************************************** Received from James M. Jones executor of James S. Bealle the sum of seven hundred five dollars and sixteen cents in full the above and foregoing account, June 20, 1859. Z. T. Timmons T. H. Dawson Serving Building Committee *************************************************************************** Altho the lot was available in 1853 the Church was not finished until 1856 when, it is thought, the first services were held in the new building. Pastors, in order of their service who have served the Church from the day it was dedicated as Providence are: Rev. J. H. Clark 1856-1858 Rev. J. E. Horne 1858-1868 Rev. R. M. Owen 1868-1869 Rev. J. G. Polhill 1869-1872 Rev. J. M. Collins 1872-1872 Rev. W. L. Crawford 1872-1873 Rev. J. L. Godwin 1873-1875 Rev. M. F. Morgan 1875-1877 Rev. R. M. Owen 1877-1878 Rev. R. W. Holt 1878-1881 Rev. R. W. Steely 1881-1883 Rev. M. F. Morgan 1883-1886 Rev. G. T. Stansberry 1886-1888 Rev. J. M. Henderson 1888-1891 Rev. J. D. Norriss 1891-1892 Rev. B. W. Davis 1892-1895 Rev. J. M. Kelly 1896-1898 Rev. H. P. Jackson 1898-1900 Rev. L. A. Cooper 1900-1901 Rev. E. S. Atkinson 1901-1904 Rev. W. L. Cutts 1904-1909 Rev. R. W. Eubanks 1909-1915 Rev. A. N. Morris 1915-1919 Rev. T. W. Tippett 1919-1927 Rev. R. D. Hodges 1927-1928 Rev. J. M. Teresi 1929-1935 Rev. R. L. Harvey 1935-1944 Rev. J. G. Jackson 1944-1949 Rev. L. C. Cutts 1949-1964 Rev. R. L. Maddox 1964- *************************************************************************** The first membership roll that is in the minutes books of the Church is for the year 1892. There are no women on this roll--only men: J. E. Howell M. E. Rushin D. L. Henderson L. H. Taylor J. Q. Shipp L. A. Morgan William H. Calhoun James S. Simms B. B. Chambers B. M. Wood S. B. Stovall W. H. Whipple T. A. Adkins J. L. Peavy A. J. Blounte Samuel Simms W. B. Morgan R. G. Mathews J. F. Waters Thomas Turlington J. D. Cobb Joseph Burnes Furney Lashley John Truluck (died Dec., 1892) A. E. Shappell W. J. Smith Ralph Powell Tilden Adkins Walter Turlington Charles M. Kibbee J. J. Stovall Jr. J. C. Burnett E. W. Hackett (excommunicated) J. M. Spears Rev. M. F. Morgan (died July, 1891) W. C. Willis Homer A. Shipp *************************************************************************** The membership roll was revised in 1897 and this one listed both men and women. MALES John E. Howell B. M. Wood M. E. Rushin Dr. S. B. Stovall D. L. Henderson L. H. Taylor T. A. Adkins J. Q. Shipp J. L. Peavy L. A. Morgan W. B. Morgan G. R. Mathews John F. Waters C. M. Kibbee Joseph Burnes Fernie Lashley R. O. Powell Homer A. Shipp Tilden Adkins B. P. Howell Alex Taylor J. P. Heard Watts Powell Levi Taylor J. J. Lashley Willie Cunningham (ex. Sep. 1899) Carlton Cunningham Robert Whipple Dr. T. F. Bivins J. M. Kelly Clarence Griggs Dr. S. W. Howell Austin Wilson H. B. Thompson T. R. Smith James R. Kelly James Simms S. P. Adams W. H. Calhoun T. T. Martin H. J. Morgan FEMALES Miss Leona Bryant Miss Malissa Bryant Mrs. Catherine Bryant Mrs. Maude Mathews Mrs. Mary R. Hamilton Miss Annie Peavy Miss R. C. Rogers Mrs. N. A. Simms Mrs. S. J. Simms Mrs. Mattie Simms Mrs. S. A. Stovall Mrs. M. P. Summerford Mrs. Elizabeth Whitehead Miss Carrie B. Morgan Mrs. Josephine Adkins Mrs. Georgia Hargrove Miss Lula Morgan Miss Sallie Morgan Miss Jeanne Morgan Mrs. Mollie Penny Mrs. Lizzie Kellam Mrs. Susan Taylor Mrs. Anna M. Harvard Mrs. Nannie Peavy Mrs. Nettie Howell Mrs. Eugenia Stovall Miss Minnie Shipp Mrs. Fannie B. Burns Mrs. Elizabeth Blount Mrs. Josephine Lashley Miss Linda Rushin Miss Fannie Morgan Miss Clara Penny Mrs. B. P. Howell Mrs. T. F. Bivins Mrs. J. M. Gammage Mrs. D. L. Henderson Mrs. Bettie Cunningham Miss Bessie Cunningham Mrs. Eula Adams Miss Maude Busbee (Hobbs) Mrs. J. P. Heard (deceased) Miss Nixie Lashley (Heard) Miss Bessie Collier Miss Mary Irby Mrs. Lou Solomon Miss Cora Powell Miss Maggie Blount Mrs. T. P. Busbee Mrs. T. F. Waters Miss Hattie Shipp Mrs. G. W. Busbee Miss Carrie B. Owen Mrs. Summer Adams Miss Sallie Waters Miss Fannie Lloyd Miss Annie Shepard Mrs. J. M. Kelly Mrs. S. W. Howell Mrs. Mary R. Kelly Mrs. M. E. Rushin Miss Ida Murray Mrs. H. B. Thompson Mrs. T. R. Smith Mrs. W. A. Calhoun Mrs. Buela Lewis Mrs. Mamie Speight Mrs. H. J. Morgan *************************************************************************** NEW MEMBERS 1898 MALES C. E. Kellum E. G. Walton P. M. McDonald J. P. Heard Jr. J. P. Lilly Summer Smith D. G. Lowe J. M. Howard J. M. Whitehead C. F. Foster John Ridenhour George H. Morgan John F. Powell Jim Simms D. A. Taylor Luscius Woodward W. T. Jay William Brown L. R. Hobbs FEMALES Miss Annie Powell Miss Victoria Powell Miss Carrie Woodward Miss Calla Lilly Miss Florrie Morgan Miss Mamie Sheppard Miss Mary Woodward Miss Emmie Woodward Miss Maggie Foster Miss Jewell Powell Miss Nora Powell Miss Bertha Adkins Miss Fannie M. Penny (ex. Jan. 1899) Miss George Eva Penny Mrs. Ella Melton Miss Effie Melton Miss Calude Busbee Mrs. A. L. Calhoun Mrs. J. M. Whitehead Mrs. J. R. Kelly Mrs. C. E. Foster Miss Sallie Griggs Mrs. John F. Powell Miss Irma Swearingen Mrs. D. A. Taylor Mrs. W. T. Jay Miss Ada Powell *************************************************************************** Rev. Raymond Harvey came to the Vienna Baptist Church in March of 1935. His Board of Deacons were: J. N. Hargrove T. H. Davis G. B. Morgan D. A. Taylor J. D. Reynolds J. D. Taylor W. G. Williamson Grady Welch Sr. O. L. Arnold J. R. Causey Sr. E. Hill Watts Powell Those on the inactive list were: Walter F. George Dr. H. A. Mobley T. G. Woodruff R. C. Akin C. A. Wiggins Clyde Morriss D. L. Henderson Sunday, Oct. 30, 1936, in the second year of Rev. Harvey's Pastorate the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Church was celebrated. Many visitors attended including former Pastors, members who had moved to other places and well-wishers from far and wide. Under the supervision of Mrs. P. G. Busbee, president of the W.M.U., the ladies of the Church served dinner for all at the Community House. Hostesses at the Church were: Mrs. Laila Morgan and Mrs. D. A. Taylor. Those at the Community House were: Mrs. w. F. George, Mrs. Grady Williamson, Mrs. T. G. Woodruff, Miss Ada Powell and Miss Eula Joiner; Mr. J. Ray Slade and Luther Gilbert were in charge of the barbecue which was the main course at the dinner. Cakes, pies and all the trimmings were available and if anyone left hungry, it was not the fault of the ladies. **************************************************************** When Rev. Harvey came to the Church in Vienna, he found debts and obligations that had not been met. During the depression years mortgage payments had not been met, sometime even the interest payments were skipped, the loan company was threatening to foreclose on the Church. Refinancing was arranged, the payment lowered, and a program was started to pay the Church out of debt. Rev. Harvey remained with the Church in Vienna until it was clear that the final payment on the debt was soon to be made. In April of 1944, he accepted a call to the First Baptist Church in Fort Valley, Georgia. The August 10th issue of the Vienna News states that the Rev. Richard Howard had accepted a call to the Vienna Church and would begin his duties as such on the fourth day of September. For some reason this did not happen, instead the Church called Rev. J. G. Jackson, Nov. 12, 1944, he came to Vienna and remained until he was replaced by Rev. L. C. Cutts in 1949. Rev. Cutts found the Church in bad need of repairs and he instigated a program that renovated the entire building over a period of years: new roof. heating plant, air conditioning and many other improvements. The George Memorial Chapel built in honor of Senator Walter F. George was the last building that was done while Dr. Cutts was in active charge of the Church. The Book of Remembrance is filled with letters from members of the Senate, the House, the President's Cabinet, and many other friends of the late Senator George. ******************************END*****************************