Gwinnett County GaArchives Church Records.....McKendree Methodist Episcopal (South) Copyright Date 1911
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McKendree.

	In the year 1883, several persons living in the community in which McKendree
church now stands, resolved to hold a religious meeting in that neighborhood. So
a bush arbor was built and the Rev. Kosciusco Reid, the Methodist pastor in
Lawrenceville, and the Rev. W. M. Winn, also a Methodist, were invited to hold a
meeting and did so. The result of that meeting was the organization of a
Methodist church.

	At the suggestion of Rev. Winn it was named McKendree after the lamented Bishop
McKendree. It is situated about three and a half miles west of Lawrenceville, on
the public road leading to Suwanee, also near the Lawrenceville branch R. R. One
acre of land was given by Mrs. Martha Wellmaker and an adjoining acre by M. B.
Montgomery for church purposes, and was deeded to the following trustees to be
used by the members of the M. E .Church, South, for religious purposes: T. O. R.
Lanier, G. W. Maffett, H. L. Peeples, W. M. Kemp, and John Taylor. It was
attached to Lawrenceville charge, Gainesville district, North Georgia
conference. The first regular preacher was the Rev. J. R. King in 1884. The
first house was built on the land given by M. B. Montgomery, and was used both
as a church and a school house from 1884 until 1896, when the new church was
built. The names of the members in 1884 were as follows: T. O. R. Lanier, W. H.
Kemp, T. N. Smith, G. W. Maffett, H. L. Peeples, C. P. Jackson, John Taylor, G.
R. C. Lanier, J. H. Collins, J. W. Winn, G. W. Scott, W. J. Maxey, W. F. Maxey,
J. T. Ilaynie, Fluker Smith, Barkus Smith, Jack Davis, J. N. Lanier, J. W.
Roberts, C. A. Cook, E. B. Johnson, W. H. Hall, C. C. Young, M. B. Birdsong, G.
T. Durham, Thos. Hodgins, C, T. Kemp, C. W. J. Mitchell, A. L. Tillerson, Willie
Roberts, G. A. Huff, James Johnson, Andrew Johnson, C. H. Willis, Henry Johnson,
W. W. Knight, J. L. Askew, Preston Young, Isam Gossett and E. H. Haynie, male
members; and the following female members: M. C. Lanier, M. A. Patrick, S. E.
Lanier, L. B. Lanier, M. A. Kemp, A. C. Maffett, S. A. Smith, Ella Taylor, Nancy
Green, Emily Green, Lucretia Winn, Mary Payne, Martha Wellmaker, M. A. Peeples,
Lydia Wells, Anzo Green, E. C. Davis, J. A. Durham, F. O. Lanier, M. C.
Birdsong, Susan Flinn, L. A. Collins, Martha Frasien, M. L. Askew, S, C. Durham,
E. V. Durham, O. E. Durham, L. E. Collins, M. E. Young, E. A. Collins, Alta
Sparks, Lula Young, C. M. Haynie, S. C. Sparks, S. L. Roberts, I. E. Huff, L. D.
Birdsong, M. E. Johnson, M. H. Crow, Alice Johnson, Eunice Johnson, Eliza
Mitchell, Mary Johnson, Pernina Crow, Alma Crow, M. C. Jackson, S. A. Sparks,
Elizabeth Gossett, Eliza Roberts, Emma Roberts, N. E. Maxey, E. L. Haynie and
Jane Johnson.

	The church as constituted above was in good spiritual condition for several
years, and it was no trouble to have a good meeting whether a preacher was
present or not, A Sunday school was started even before the organization of the
church, and has always been kept up summer and winter, ranging in numbers from
60 to 125. The church was served in 1885 .by M. D. Turner, and after his suicide
by W. F. Lewis. In 1886 by E. K. Atkin. In 1887 and 1888 by B. E. L. Timmons. In
1889 by Geo. K. Quillian. In 1890 by M. H. Edwards. In 1891 by Harwell and
Davis. In 1892 by W. A. Farris. In 1893 by J. E. Rowe. In 1894 by W. A. Parks.
In 1895 by James Taylor. Iii 1896 by H. D. Pace. In 1897 by J. W. Austin. In
1898 by Rev. Morril. In 1899 and 1900 by E. C. Marks. In 1901, 1902 and 1903 by
S. H. Braswell. In 1904 by H. W. Morris. In 1905 by Wallace Rodgers. In 1906 by
Dr. Mixon. In 1907 and 1908 by O. L. Kelly. In 1909 by C. H. Branch. In 1910 by
Rev. Bessent and F. A. Ragsdale. In 1911 by F. A. Ragsdale. The church now
belongs to the Norcross circuit. At various times efforts were, made to build a
new church, but the efforts always failed. In 1895, while James Taylor was
preacher, lumber was sawed and hauled on the ground but the church was not
built. It was not until 1906, under the pastorate of Dr. Mixon, that the new
church house was finally built. It is a much larger and letter house than the
old one and cost about $1,200. It was built upon the acre of land given by Mrs.
Martha Wellmaker. The church has always been noted for its good singing. Several
good singers have belonged to it at different times. Among others that I recall
were T. N. Smith, Zeke Haynie, George Sparks and T. A. Paden. George Sparks
could not be beat as a leader on the old time songs. He called the new books
"Narrow Gauge" and did not like to sing in them much. In the old sacred harp he
knew every song and its number and did not have to look in the book to tell the
number and lead in the song. He could sing all day without tiring. It is related
of him that he helped manage an election in Lawrenceville just after the war, in
which they voted on the adoption of the State Constitution. It took all night to
count the vote and Sparks did the calling. He got it in a regular song, For the
Constitution-Against the Constitution, and after calling all night he was
perfectly fresh next morning.

	The following is a list of the members at the present time: A. J Davis, G. W.
Maffett, H. L. Peeples, C. P. Jackson, J. W. Winn, W. F. Maxey, Isam Gossett,
Willie Roberts, Charley Maxey, C. Y. Bradford, Odey Boberts, H. H. Bracewell, C.
O. Peeples, John Moon, H. H. Maffett, T. A. Paden, John Paden, Henry Paden, J.
F. Crow, E. L. Crow, P. D. Green, Luther Bradford, Frank Green, Quillian
Bradford, Arthur Peeples, T. C. Teague, B. M. Davis, J. W. Davis, Carey Davis,
Oslin Bradford, T. G. Roberts, W. L. Craft, Colon Huff, Thomas Bradford, R. J.
Ethridge, L. A. Meadows, E. L. T. -Day, H. A. Taylor, J. C. Roper, Styles Huff,
C. P. Boggs, G. L. Sells, R. B. Sells, W. H. Stevens, W. H. Davis, W. T.
Bracewell, H. J. Taylor, Amos A. Teague, Marshal Teague, Walter Teague, W. T.
Boggs, S. W. Huff, S. G. Wiley, John Dunahoo, Joel P. Davis, G. B. Bennett, J.
H. Peeples and Floyd Davis.

	Female members are as follows: M. A. Kemp, A. C. Maffett, Ella Huff, Lucretia
Winn, Mary A. Peeples, Anzo Wylie, M. H. Crow, Mattie Crow, Cora Sparks, May
Williams, Hattie Roberts, Katie Verner, Julia A. Bradford, P. R. Bradford, G. H.
Crow, Emily Green, Mary Green, M. C. Maxey, E. G. Bracewell, Hattie Roberts,
Henrietta Bracewell, Ida Kemp, M. S. Williams, Delphia Jackson, Ganthe Roberts,
S. C. Brooks, Lillie M. Bracewell, Ruth Brogdon, Clara B. Peeples, Nonie
Harrison, Genie Brooks, Clara Roberts, Mary E. Paden, Etta E. Hagood, Mary
Taylor, Lizzie Hart, Ithmar Reeves, H. F. Crow, G. J. Teague, Hattie Roberts,
Mary Crow, Zillia Bradford, May Martin, Grace Maughon,
Pauline Maffett, Nina Huff, Etta Green, Ella M. Crow, C. A. Webb, Bertha
Peeples, Beulah Kemp, Edna King, Fannie Johnson, Sallie Kemp, Zilphia Teague,
Mary A. Teague, Martha Johnson, Sallie Jones, Maud Davis, Mary I. Stevens, Emma
Peeples, W. L. Craft, Carrie Gresons, Evie Huff, Henrietta Gossett, Bessie
Bradford, Alta Bradford, Lemma Bradford, Viola Jones, Clyde Teague, L. A.
Meadows, Lizzie Taylor, M. J. Boggs, Minnie Boggs, Lena Teague, Mary F. Huff,
Joel T. Davis, Green B. Bennett, Minnie Bennett and Essie Davis.


Additional Comments:
From:

GWINNETT CHURCHES
A COMPLETE HISTORY OF EVERY CHURCH
IN GWINNETT COUNTY, GEORGIA,
WITH SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF ITS
MINISTERS
BY
J. C. FLANIGAN
1911


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