JONES COUNTY  GA   ROUND OAK METHODIST CHURCH (Sunshine) - Round Oak, GA

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The following information is in the "History of Jones Co, GA" book by Mrs Caroline White Williams. Used with permission

Location: Sunshine is on the left side of Hwy 10 in the town of Round Oak.


Round Oak Methodist Church was organized in 1875 and is 9 miles north of Gray 
in the little village of Round Oak.  After the organization of the church, 
land was given by Robert J. Smith upon which was erected a neat substantial 
house of worship. The building was paid for by local subscription.

The chairman of the building committee was Robert J. Smith.  The first 
trustees of Curch property wre:  Robt. J. Smith., J.P. Hunt, F.M. Hunt, H.J. 
Marshall, A.A. Barfield, Samuel Gordon, G.B.J. White and W.F. White.  The 
building was ready for occupancy by the fall of 1878; the house was 
consecrated by Rev. Sam P. Jones, a noted Georgia evangelist.

The name of the church was changed to Sunshine II for Old Sunshine a mile 
south was burned by Sherman's forces Nov 1864.  There is no record of what 
denomination the first Sunshine church was. The reason Round Oak's Methodist 
church was named Sunshine is because the people who belonged to the old 
church are on the register at Round Oak and also many are buried in the 
cemetery nearby.


Additional info from Millie Stewart, a descendant of Dr. Stewart.

Sunshine Church is Baptist, and was used during the Civil War for a Union
Army Hospital, during the battle of Sunshine Church.  Dr. Stewart ministered
to the wounded even though were not confederate troops.  She also furnished
food. When trouble began about her being a "turncoat", she replied that when
she took the Hippocratic oath, that it did not distinguish between the two
armies. Later, a monument was erected to her on the courthouse square in
Clinton.

See also the Sunshine Round Oak Cemetery.

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