Indian Creek Baptist Church - Henry County, GA

INDIAN CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH - Henry County, GA


Submitted by:
John Sullivan
jac.sullivan@mchsi.com


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Henry County Herald  
By Russ Gillenwater
Staff Writer
                                     

Holliday relatives rest in area cemetery.  Across Georgia historical landmarks 
such as cemeteries are falling victim to rapid development. However, Roy Goble 
wants to bring a historical cemetery outside Locust Grove, containing the remains 
of old west legend Doc Holliday’s relatives, back to public attention.  Goble, who 
was born in Ellijay and has lived in Henry County for 10 years, said his search for 
the Indian Creek Cemetery came out of his study of the old west and the legendary 
figure  John “Doc” Holliday. Famous for his participation in the Gunfight at the 
O.K. Corral. 

Holliday was born in Griffin and later moved to Valdosta during the Civil War 
before moving out west. Holliday’s grandfather, William Land McKey (1800-1856), 
Grandmother, Jane Cloud McKey (1804-1853); aunt, Martha McKey Woodward (1825-1857) 
and her husband Aaron Woodward (1817-1857) were buried in the Indian Creek Cemetery.

The history goes back to the founding of, Indian Creek Baptist Church in 1825. 
The church, which was adjacent to the cemetery, was the Missionary Baptist Church 
in the area until the railroad came.  With it came the development of the town of 
Locust Grove. A new church was formed, the First Baptist Church, in town by members 
of the Indian Creek Church in 1862.  "I have always been a history nut” Goble said.  
“I was doing research on Doc Holliday’s family and found out some of them were buried 
in a cemetery in the Locust Grove area. Actually in some of the research I did, 
it was called the Merritt McKey Cemetery.”  Using information obtained from the library 
and the Henry County Genealogical Society, he found the cemetery four years ago. Located 
about five miles from Locust Grove between Lester Mill Road and Interstate 75, it is 
close to residential homes.  The site itself is located in a wooded area. Goble estimates 
the total area of the cemetery is half an acre or more.  The graves of Holliday’s grandfather, 
grandmother and aunt are under three of the five markers that still survive. The other 
two markers are for Andrew Walker (1835-1881) and his wife Mary Grafton (1840-1880), 
two of the first settlers of Locust Grove. Stones and sunken areas are all that remain 
of those that rest there.  “Those are the only graves with markers, the rest are just 
rock tombstones.” Goble said. “There are over 100 graves all over the hillside of the 
cemetery.”  Unfortunately, the years have taken their toll on the cemetery.  “It is in 
bad shape.” Goble said. “Besides age, vandals and the weather have taken their toll. 
Just a couple of years ago a tornado rolled through here and caused damage.” Trees pulled 
from the ground are a testament to this fact. Worse is the problem of vandalism. The grave 
of Martha McKey Woodward lies open. And according to Roy Swan, president of the genealogical 
society, it could be the work of relic hunters.  “I have seen examples of this at other 
cemeteries.” he said. “It is usually people hunting old relics that do this kind of thing. 
Old relics bring a good price.”  

Today relic hunters are not what worries Goble, but the loss of the site to developers. 
According to Kara Jones, press official for the Office of Secretary of State in Georgia, 
this is not an issue confined to Henry County, but is statewide.  “We have been having 
cemetery hearings across the state.”she said. “However, the state really doesn’t oversee 
what we call abandoned cemeteries. That is handled by the local counties and municipalities.”  
Swann said that the genealogical society is working on finding as many cemeteries as it 
can and making Henry County officials aware of their findings.  “I have been before the 
County Commission to let them know where cemeteries are at,” he said.  "The county 
commission has recognized us as the keeper of records on all cemeteries in the county.”  
Gene Morris, Henry County historian, added that there are efforts being made to let the 
county better preserve these sites.  "Ludy McIntyre, who is with the county road department, 
is trying to put the data on all of the cemeteries found into a database,” he said. 
“If someone comes into develop an area it would show if there is a graveyard site there.” 
Goble hopes efforts will be made to preserve Indian Creek Cemetery.  “With all the 
development and growth in the area I don’t want to see it paved over,” he said. “I just 
want people to know it is here.”