Early County GaArchives Church Records.....Colomokee Baptist Church
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Donna Eldridge DonnaEldrid@aol.com June 25, 2004, 1:03 pm

                  1889    COLOMOKEE BAPTIST CHURCH     1932

     Colomokee Baptist Church was constituted April 6th, 1889 by Rev. Thomas 
Muse, W. H. Howell, J. H. Corley and J. G. Corley as the Presbytery.

     The following is a list of the Charter members:  N. J. McArthur and wife, 
Thomas Mills, H. J. Hays and wife, W. D. Stamper and wife, J. L. Pettigrew and 
wife, Rev. E. S. Cheshire and wife, J. T. Pettigrew and wife, Dennis Beckham 
and wife, Miss Nora Collins, Miss Lula Cheshire, Mrs. E. S. Collins, Miss 
Alphia Cheshire, G. W. Cherry and wife, G. W. Holmes and wife, J. W. Warren, 
Arnole Tyson.

     Rev. J. G. Corley was the first pastor and W. D. Stamper, Clerk.

     The church joined the Association at its session held at Salem Baptist 
Church, Calhoun County, Georgia on October 29, 1889, the fifty seventh annual 
session.  The messengers that year were H. J. Hayes, and G. W. Holmes.  The 
church reported one received for baptism and nine by letter with a total 
membership of 37.  The preaching service was held on the 1st. Sunday in each 
month.

     H. J. Hayes, a deacon from Bethel Church, Early County, was made an active 
deacon and J. T. Pettigrew was chosen for ordination to the deaconship.  The 
church was organized in a school house known as Lodge in the wilderness.  The 
first church building was located on the Fort Gaines and Dasmascus road about a 
mile from its present site.  Two years later the house was moved to its present 
location.

     Brother Joab Tyson was received from Friendship Church as an active 
Deacon.  Brother J. M. Balkcom from Enon was made an active deacon, and also 
Brother R. S. Roberts from the same church.  W. H. Tripps and C. M. Poindexter 
came to us as deacons from Friendship Church.

     The church ordained the following deacons, J. O. Balkcom, F. B. Melton, L. 
L. Roberts, E. E. Tedder and A. D. Jones.  These are now the acting deacons, 
except L. L. Roberts, deceased.

     W. D. Stamper, the first clerk served less than a year.  Then T. F. 
Cordray served the church as Clerk for five years.  W. E. Hayes was then 
elected Clerk and after a year was succeeded by C. M. Kenny, who served three 
years.  Byron R. Collins was elected Clerk but resigned in less than a year to 
go to Mercer University. J. C. Balkcom was then elected and is still serving 
the church the dual capacity of deacon and clerk.  Col. A. L. Miller who has 
served as Moderator of Bethel Association for twenty years joined our church in 
July 1892 and was baptized by Rev. J. G. Corley.

     Colomokee Church entertained the Association in 1893 and again twelve 
years later in 1905.  Rev. J. G. Corley served the church as pastor practically 
forty years.  The exceptions are two years for Rev. J. S. Knowles in 1901 and 
1902.  Rev. L. L. Lyon in 1909 until his death in June of that year when Rev. 
W. D. Hammack preached as supply pastor until the close of that year.  Finally 
Brother Corley resigned and retired from regular ministerial work in 1927, when 
Brother R. D. Dodd was elected.  He served until January 1929 to accept a full 
time call to Havana, Florida.  Brother J. W. Farmer served as pastor one year.  
In the fall of 1929, Bro. Wm. T. Bodenhammer was called and he is still serving 
as pastor.

     In 1905 Brother J. Carl Devane was aided by the church to enter school in 
Blakely to prepare for ministerial work.  Later he graduated from Mercer 
University and served Cedartown Baptist Church in this state.  Then he was 
called to First Baptist Church Alexander, La., where he is still pastor.  
Brother Devane is the only preacher sent out by Colomokee Church, but we are 
very proud of him and his success.

     Women's work in our church began in 1905 when they organized the Ladies 
Aid Society.  This society was a charitable organization doing local work 
generally, but under the leadership of Bro. W. D. Hammack while he was pastor, 
the Ladies Aid society was transformed into the W.M.U., which is still active 
in missionary work.

     The First B.Y.P.U. was organized by Brother R. D. Dodd while he was 
pastor.  Later it was reorganized and has grown in membership and influence 
until now it is a strong force in the church life of our community.  

     This church is situated seven miles North of Blakely in Early County and 
near State Highway No. I and serves a large community.  It has as large frame 
building and an ample lot and is on a hill from which a spring comes and 
supplies the water for a baptismal pool.

(pages 173-175)


"History of Bethel Association - Including Centennial Meeting"
Centennial meeting held with Baptist church at
Edison, Georgia, October 25, 26, 27, 1932
A. L. Miller, Edison, Ga., Moderator.
W. H. Joyner, Coleman, Ga., Clerk

Compiled and Edited by
Alexander Lee Miller
Moderator of Association
1909 -- 1934







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