Gwinnett County GaArchives Church Records.....Harmony Grove Methodist Episcopal (South) Copyright Date 1911
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 30, 2004, 7:32 pm

Harmony Grove.

BY J. B. LANKFORD.

	As I have been called on to write a history of Harmony Grove church, of
Gwinnett County, I beg leave to submit the following facts: Said church is
situated on the Norcross and Stone Mountain road and near the Lawrenceville
road, about twelve miles from the county site and one-fourth mile from Caldwell
station on the S. A. [?] Railway. I think it prudent to state where said church
 sprang from. Some of the charter members of said church came from Old Cross
Roads M. E. Church, which was organized about 1836, and was situated on the
Lawrenceville and Decatur road about fourteen miles from the county site and
very near the DeKalb and Gwinnett line. The members of the old church in my
earliest recollection were as follows: John Nash, John Harris, Curtis C.
Lankford, Asa Gober, Wm. Gober, Robert Wood, and their families, and many others
I cannot call to memory. About 1859 said church was destroyed by fire. Then it
was built near the old church. Another church, known as Mount Calvary, was built
in 1860. This was a flourishing church for about twenty years. The church
members of Mount Calvary then built the church known as Harmony Grove. The M. E.
Church, South, still owns the old church grounds with cemetery thereon,
including two acres of land. Harmony Grove church had its origin from those old
churches mentioned above, with some of the charter members of the first named
churches. Harmony Grove M. E. Church, South, was organized in 1882 under the
pastorate of Rev. J. R. Mayson, preacher in charge. The first sermon preached
before the organization of said church was preached by the Rev. W. P. Smith, of
the Decatur circuit, under the shady oaks which stand in front of the church
today. He preached from the text, "If your heart be like my heart, give me your
hand." Since those dates given above there have been some of the greatest
revivals at this church ever witnessed. I think I can safely say there has been
as many as five or six hundred members added to this church, and, I am proud to
say that our Sabbath school has been evergreen since the organization of the
church. I will now endeavor to give names of pastors, and dates of service as
near as possible. As there have been some records misplaced, we cannot give it
as I wish, but will not miss it far:

	J. R. Mayson, 1882; T. J. Christian, 1883; H .M. Newton, 1884-5; W. M. Winn,
1886; Wm. Hargrove, 1887; Geo. Brand, 1888; J. M. Fowler, 1889; T. G. Edwards,
1890-91; T. P. Graham, 1893; P. F. Conally, 1902; S. H. Braswell, 1896-01; F. A.
Ragsdale, 1891-08; J. H. Hall, 1903-04; W. J. Delk, 1906; F. A. Ragsdale, 1907-11.

	The present value of Harmony Grove church is about one thousand dollars
including two acres of land and the cemetery. The present church officials are
as follows: Stewards; J. L. Brand, R. C. Lankford, L. D. Mann, R. G. Caldwell;
Secretary, O. O. Lankford; Trustees, J. B. Lankford, J. L. Brand, Nathan
Russell, C. H. West, W. T. Brooks.

	The church has a membership of one hundred and fifty-five at the present time
and their names are given below:

	J. B. Lankford, J. L. Brand, R. C. Lankford, Nathan Russell, R. J. Caldwell, M.
S. Brand, Buena Russell, C. A. Lankford, R. H. Pounds, Emma Caldwell, W. R.
Liecth, Eliza Black, Mamie Garner, Nora Arrendell, Mary Garner, Adella Leonard,
S. A. Brand, R. C. Arrendell, L. F. Jordan, Mary J. Russell, J. D. Kimbrell, A.
Y. Pounds, B. M. Pounds, T. C. Lankford, M. J. Lankford, Maybell Leverett, Dora
Birdsong, Loula Wilkings, T. W. Brooks, Mrs. T. W. Brooks, Bertha Brooks, Eula
Brooks, Vera Brooks, Carmela Cates, T. W. Knight, Nancy Knight, Lizzie Mann,
Dalia Roberts, Dovia Jordan, Augustus Lunsford, Ida Metcalf, Juett Jones, A. C.
Wells, D. A. Carroll, M. J. Pounds, E. W. Carroll, Sallie Ledbetter, S. A.
Green, Carnelius Starnes, T. W. Adair, W. C. Ross, M. A. Sheffield, Weldon
Russell, J. W. Black, L. D. Mann, W. N. Keheley, Ernie Caldwell, Leila. Tribble,
M. E. Yarbrough, Dock Chesser, H. O. Chesser, H. Pittard, Ann Pittard, Mamie
Brown, G. B. Jordan, N. C. Jordan, Clara Pounds, J. E. Pounds, J. M. Lankford,
Eva Caldwell, Lula Mewborn, F. M. Medley, N. A. Medley, Anna Mann, Murtle
Pittard, Ethel Nelson, John Nelson, Etta Keheley, John Russell, Lois Russell, W.
M. Mann, T. A. Mann, Clifford Yarbrough, Claud Kimbrell, Carrie Kehely, Mamie
Baly, R. S. Tribble, G. W. Timms, Anna Lankford, Eli Fleming, Mary Mann Tate
Ledbetter, Claud Caldwell, Annie Keheley, Ada Wells, Thomas Knight, Jennie
George, W. B. Wells, W. H. Massey, J. M. Waddell, M. L. Ross, John Lanford,
Lellie Lanford, M. P. Sheffields, Albert Mathews, W. T. Pounds, Lula Knight,
Evelne Carroll, Wm. Kimbrell, A. D. Chesser, M. E. Grant, Carrie Waddell, A. L.
Roberts, Maggie Robberts, Annie Roberts, G. L. Birdsong, Luther Williams, Leila
Robberts, Leila Adair, Walter Mann, John Cheese, Lestey T. Adair, Dan Brand,
Evelin Lietch, M. E. Benton, Evie Benton, G. W. Roberts, Richards Pounds, Minnie
Brand, Posie Sheffield, Mary Stanley, Dr. H. P. Dickens, Mrs. H. P. Dickens, W.
A. Wallas, Mary Wallas, Avas Arendell, Ida B. Crowley, M. T. Moss, C. J.
Rutlege, Mrs. C. J. Rutlege, J. A. Criswell, C. Brooks, W. A. Malona, Berry
Presley, P. L. Ross, Cis Malona, O. O. Lankford, Annie Lankford, Alonzo King,
Lenia King, John Keheley, Grover Sheffield, Pauline Russell, James Gaber.


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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