Quitman County GaArchives Church Records.....Enon Baptist Church
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Donna Eldridge DonnaEldrid@aol.com and Jacquelyn Shepard  June 24, 2004, 10:23 pm

"The Quitman Echo - Quitman County, Georgia - by Jacquelyn Shepard, page 29


                                 ENON BAPTIST CHURCH

     Enon, one of the oldest churches in the Bethel Association, was first 
organized about one hundred yards from the east bank of Pataula Creek, eight 
miles from Hatcher Station.  As best as can be determined, it was organized in 
about 1842.

     Mr. J. H. Hatcher, doubtlessly, was the first church clerk, although the 
records do not say this.  It was organized with a membership of about thirty, 
some of the first members were Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Hatcher,  and Mrs. Jim 
Methvin, and a Mr. and Mrs. Neel.

     For some reason, possibly on account of water from Pataula Creek covering 
the churchyard, the church was moved to the opposite side of the creek, about 
four hundred yards from the first location.  Just what year cannot be 
determined.

     The dead were not buried at Enon, except in two cases, it is believed.  A 
Mr. Lanier died while visiting in the community and was buried at the second 
site.  Also a Miss Neel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Neel, charter members, was 
buried there.  An iron picket fence was placed around her grave.  A Southern 
Pine once stood at the head of her grave.  This tree has grown so in size that 
it is now almost as large as the fence.  The grave of Mr. Lanier was never 
marked.

     Just before the Civil War, apparently during the year of 1857, the church 
was moved to the site located near the Cuthbert Highway and the old church was 
turned over to the Negroes.  They have used the cemetery as their burial ground 
and there are many graves there now.  They renamed the church, calling it Mt. 
Zion.  It must have been about this time that Midway Church was formed as an 
arm of Enon, some of the members not wanting to come to the new site.

     The last Enon Church was about a mile from Pataula Creek and about ten 
miles from the first site.  The old members loved the creek and always built 
near its banks.

     The records do not show the name of the first pastor, but according to 
legend, Reverend J. O. Cumbie was the first to preach at Enon.  It is believed 
that he was the organizing pastor and he served the church as pastor until 1856.

     The church only sent out one preacher, R. E. Balkcom, who was licensed to 
preach in 1865.  While a student preparatory for the work for which he had been 
called, he died and was buried at what is now known as the old Pittman 
Cemetery, about one mile west of the last Enon Church site.

     The minutes of the Bethel Association do not state when the church 
connected with the Association.  It first appeared in the minutes in 1844, J. 
H. Hatcher and William Ross were the delegates that year to the Association.

     In 1845 the minutes of the Bethel Association show that R. Thornton and T. 
Pierce were the delegates and that the church baptized one, received five by 
letter and had a total membership of fifty, with contributions of $16.50.

     The Bethel Association met with Enon Church in 1877.  The delegates were 
W. B. McLendon, J. E. Smith, and J. H. Callaway.  In that year the new church 
was staked off.  The committee members were:  W. B. McLendon, W. J. C. Harrell, 
and J. L. Roberts.





Additional Comments:
Transcribed and submitted by Donna Eldridge with permission from Jacquelyn 
Shepard

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