Elbert County GaArchives Churches Ruckersville United Methodist Church ************************************************ 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: Transcribed by Chandler Eavenson 4 April 2006 Churches Ruckersville United Methodist Church The following is taken from a church history shown in the Elberton Star newspaper in 1974 and compiled by Mrs. Frank Melton: "The first building of what was known as Ruckersville Methodist Church was originally located in the forks of the road where the George Power sub-station is now located. At a later time it moved nearer the center of Ruckersville about one quarter mile east of the present building into probably a log cabin, which was later torn down, rebuilt and now used s a tenant house. The present location of the Church is on two acres of land given by Peter Alexander. Ruckersville Methodist Church was chartered by an Act of the Georgia legislature and built in the year 1832. "The trustees named were Richard C. Adams, Alfred Hammond, Peter Alexander, John Jones and William Bailey. They, and their successors in office, were empowered to employ a marshal whose authority, within a three mile limit of the church building, was the same as the county high sheriff. This provision has never been repealed. "Peter Alexander, who gave this land, was born June 22, 1783, died May 15, 1856 and buried in this cemetery.He has a family plot enclosed by an iron picket fence (something rarely seen today). His wife, some children and other members of the family are buried there also. He was the grandfather of the late Mrs. Nick Oglesby.. ..In the cemetery are many old graves; the readable ones date back to 1810. Some are vaults and others with big slabs of granite over them. There are some Revolutionary War veterans buried here: Lt. Col. William Alston, died 1810; James Alston, died 1815; William Banks, died 1820, and so on. Thefre are also Confederate soldiers. "The Church is closely interwoven with the history of the families of Alexander, Adams, Bailey, Banks, Burch, Cleveland, Gaines, Hall, Hammond, Jones, McMullan, Shumate, Wansley and others." Submitted by: Chandler Eavenson