NEW HOPE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HISTORY - Madison County, GA ***************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb/ Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 6 Apr 2002 ***************************************************************** Contributed by Glenda Walker - Stkv4c@aol.com HIST0RY Now Hope Presbyterian Church was constitutod in the year of our Lord 1788 by the Reverand John Newton with William Hodge and David Adams elders. In 1789 William Luckie wae receivod as an elder from Long- ­Cane Church, Abbeville, South Carolina. ln 1790 Robert Cowden and David Ewing were ordained as elders by the Reverend John Newton. In the same year (1790) William Appleby and James Leaper were received as elders from Big-Spring Church, Cumberland Co., Pa. At this time the church consisted of about sixty (60) members in full communion. Reverend John Newton died in 1796 and the church was left without a pastor for the next two years; but was occasionally supplied by Reverend Francis Cummins, D.D. and Reverend John Springer. In 1799 the church obtained one half of the Labors of Reverend William Montgomery who continued to minister to the church until the close of the year 1810, during which time William Fergus and Samuel Woods were ordained elders. About the year 1803 during the ministry of Rev. William Montgomery the church consisted of at least one hundred and eighty (180) communicants but was soon afterwards greatly reduced by emigration to Jackson Co. of this state and to the Duck-River purchase in Tennessee. After the removal of Mr. Montgomery in 1810 the church was left almost wholly destitute of preaching until 1823 when she secured one fourth of the labors of Reverend John S. Wilson who supplied the church two years. During his ministry tho church which had been previously reduced to eleven members, was enlarged by the addition of more than thirty new communicants. January 31, 1824 Reverend John S. Wilson ordained Alexander Human and Samuel Woods, Jun., Elders. In 1825 David Hamlet (?) supplied the church, and in 1826 Reverend ? Gamble. Next Reverend Joseph Y. Alexander preached to the church. From the beginning of 1827 to the close of 1830 during which time Col. Samuel Groves and David Evans Esqr. were ordained elders. During 1833 and 1834 the church enjoyed the ministrations of Reverend Henry Safford. From that time until January, 1836 the church was destitute, when Reverend H. C. Carter began to preach to her and continued during that year. Sometime in this year (1836) Benjamin W. Woods was ordained an elder by Reverend H. D. Carter, stated supply. In 1837 and 1838 Reverend James F. W. Freeman preached one fourth of his time. The records of the Session of this church up to the year 1838, if any were kept, have been errecoverably lost.