Churches

Early Talbot Co Churches

When Talbotton was laid out in 1828, lots were reserved for each of the 3 main religious groups. The Methodists and Baptists built on their lots, while the Presbyterians sold their lots to finance their country congregations. Church membership in Talbot Co has always been predominately Baptist and Methodist. The Presbyterians and Episcopalians were of relatively small number.

ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH

Constituted with 13 members January 24, 1829. The members originally met in a small log cabin just west of the pre-sent site. In the summer of 1829, Ichabod & Mary (Rowan) Cox donated LL #q6, LD #24 in the Prattsburg GMD 883 to the church. The building is located on Calhoun Road.
Rev John Ross was elected pastor December 1829, succeeded upon his death in 1837 by Rev James Perryman.
Among the early members, were Ichabod & Mary Cox, their son Lemuel & Caroline Cox.

ONVILLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Probably organized in the 1830’s. Located in the 24th Land District, (Burk’s District) in the 1830 Census. Part of Land Lot #131 was deeded the church trustees April 6, 1842 by Robert Carson.
deed names as trustees: Micajah Blow, Henry H. Mangham, William P. Edwards, Dennis Sheridan, John Solomon, Jesse Williams, John Carson, Thomas Greer, and Howell Short.
Taylor Co was created in 1852, Carsonville was in the 24th Land District of Taylor Co, GMD 743.

ERVILLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Org abt 1830. Located in Centerville.
No list of its organizing members, but in 1836, its members were: John Walker & wife, James Knolls & wife, Z. Steernes & wife and 2 daughters, George P. Holmes & wife, Charles Bell & wife, Louis Patrick & wife, James Stanford & wife, Sister Averett, Lewis Wimberly & wife, William Blanton & wife, Dan P. Swindell and wife, Johnston Walker & Sarah Walker, James Callier & wife, Charles Fisher & wife, Mrs Robert Foster, & Martha Williams.
Early on, there was a Methodist Camp Ground erected in Centreville. When Colonel John Neville Birch died in 1835, one of his estate holdings was ownership of a tent at that Camp Ground.

COLLINGSWORTH CHAPEL-COLLINGSWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Org. 1830 in Ypsilanti, Redbone GMD 876 Originally known as Menefee’s Meeting House,in 1834, the congregation renamed the church for Rev John Collingsworth, for whom Collingsworth Institute was named.
There is no list of the organizing members, but some early members were: George Menefee, Ephraim Mabrey & wife, Sarah Robins, William S. Robins, James Callier and wife, Irbane Leonard, Richard Minifee, Roderick Leonard.

CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH

Constituted 1828. Was located less than ½ mile from Pleasant Hill. Most of the membership withdrew and united with the Anti-Missionaries in 1839. But the church was still existent in the early 1900’s.The building either burned or was torn down years later.
There is an cemetery located near the site

CONQUEST BAPTIST CHURCH

Located about .5 miles south of Valley Grove (or Tax), in Valley GMD 902
The Webster Family Cemetery is now part of the old Conquest Baptist Church Cemetery. Seaborn (1796-1838) & Malinda Webster (she d 1875) & family are buried there.

CORINTH METHODIST CHURCH

Org. 1828 in Prattsburg GMD 883 First members were: Jerimaih Pearson & his wife, Mrs Nancy Pearson, Herod Dupree, Josiah Mathews, his wife & 3 children.
Corinth Methodist Church consolidated with Collingsworth United Methodist Church at Ypsilanti, Red Bone GMD 876 in 1965.

COUNTY LINE BAPTIST CHURCH

Organized 1829, constituted March 22, 1831. Member of the Columbus Baptist Association. Located on 1 ½ acres of LL #65, LD 22, in Rough Edge GMD 904, on the north side of Alabama Road.
There were 12 charter members, and the presbytery was composed of Rev Hiram Powell, Rev J.M. Gray and Rev G. B. Waldrop. Hiram Powell was elected the first pastor.
Earliest records begin 1843. Some members at that time were: Nathan Bussey, Gideon Goodwin, John Neal, J. Adams, Jesse Carter, and J. Hayes.
Revivals were held in 1838, 1840, 1841, & 1842. The Association report of 1843 shows 163 members baptized, & 123 received by letter.
The church was abandoned between 1920-1930.

EPHESUS PRESBTERIAN CHURCH

Org July 18, 1834 Woodland
Early members were: Robert Gamble & his wife, Agnes McCain Gamble, their daughter Mrs Martha Ann Gamble McDowell, James McCrorey & his wife, Jane Crawford McCrorey, their children, Susannah, Margarette, & John McCrorey, Robert Duncan, Mrs Elizabeth Duncan, Dr Robert A. Ware, Neil McDaniel, Miss Sarah McDaniel, James G. Gamble, Robert M. Gamble, John W. Gamble, Adam A. Gamble, Sam D. Gamble, Dr A. L. Acee, Mrs Ascension E. Acee, Archibald Bruce, William Ratchford & Mrs Martha Ratchford, and Mrs Ann Cabeen.
There is a cemetery in the churchyard.

EPHESUS PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Org. 27 June, 1839. Located about one mile north of Pleasant Hill. A new building was erected in Woodland in 1910.
William T. Holmes sold three acres of land to Church deacons, James L. Burks and Wright Sherrard for $15.00, on Sept 18, 1839 The land was part of LL #134, 23rd LD, Pleasant Hill GMD 681. Deed was recorded Oct 18, 1851.
Some early pastors were: Robert Toler, Creed Caldwell, John W. Turner.

EVANS CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Org. 1828. Located in the east corner of Valley Road’s intersection with unpaved Taylor Road in Valley GMD 902; about 5 miles N.N.E. of Woodland on the Clealeybeate Springs road.

Evens Chapel, Sardis, Mathews Chapel, and Woodland United Methodist churches make up the Woodland charge and share a minister.

Evens Chapel has services on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month at 9:30 am. and Sunday School after the service. We have both adult and childrens Sunday School at 9:30 on the other Sundays. On all Sundays we have a potluck breakfast & fellowship at 9 am. Dress is casual and all good people are welcome to share our little church in the dell with us.
L. Bruce Pond pondspond@juno.com
Rt 1 Box 165A, Woodland GA 31836
As was traditional in the Methodist buildings, there were separate doors, one for the men, the other for the women. Long pews were lined up in front of the pulpit, and there was a railing running down the center of the church to separate the men from the women. Spittoons were located on BOTH sides of the church, convenient to all.
There is an adjacent cemetery.

GENEVA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Geneva had no churches before about 1870. Prior to the Geneva Presbyterian Church being erected in 1873, meetings for the different denominations were held in private homes or those interested attended services in other communities.
When the Church was built, it was used by the Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists.

GENEVA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Building was begun in 1875.

GENEVA BAPTIST CHURCH

Their building was completed in 1880.

HOREB PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Organized 1835 with 10 members. June 20, 1838, David and Nancy B. Lockhart deeded 2 ¾ acres in LL # 203, LD #15, in the Baldwinville community, to the church for $1.00.

LIBERTY HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

Constituted Oct 4, 1837. Originally located about 3 miles from Box Springs on the Carl Jones Road. John King gave a little over 3 acres to the south of LL # 98 in LD 17 for the church and the cemetery Sept 21, 1840.
There were 13 charter members by the presbytery of Rev G. B. Waldroup, James Perryman and A. Smith. Rev James Perryman was the first pastor.
In 1900 the building was moved to a lot in Box Springs. The newest site is next to the Box Springs Cemetery, the original burying ground of the church.

MATTHEWS CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Org abt 1832. Located on the Alabama Road in Rough Edge GMD 904.
g the founders were John Bustin, Naomi Bustin, William Boswell, and Mrs Nancy Boswell, the Rev. N. Waller and Mrs Rebecca Bunkley.

McBRYDE’S CHURCH

Near Geneva, now the site of the Methodist Central Camp Ground which was built 1875.

MOUNT CARMEL CHURCH

Located in Lower 17th Land District, Box Springs GMD 688

MOUNT VERNON MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Constituted Oct 30, 1841. Located near Baughville, near the Talbot Co/Harris Co line on land given by the Baldwin family the building was destroyed by a tornado in March 1875 and never rebuilt.

MOUNT ZION CHURCH OF CHRIST PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Constituted Jan 25, 1837 Located at the Baldwinville crossroads on Ga Hwy 208, adjoined by Dan Searcy Road on the north and Ingram Road on the south. Two and ½ acres was deeded by John Adams in LL # 212, LD 16 for the Marion Academy in 1834, in LD 16, LL #212, and adjoining it, in April 1837, Mr Adams deeded 2 ¼ acres for the Primitive Baptist meeting house.
The membership probably met at the Marion Academy until their church building was erected.
Rev James Perryman, Rev J. Ross and Rev Zachariah H. Gordon composed the presbytery, with Rev Zachariah H. Gordon being elected pastor in 1837. Early members: John Adams & wife, Nancy Sims Adams, John Ross, Rev. James Perryman, Mary Mizell, William Mizell & wife, Elizabeth Mizell, Arianna Drummond, Mary Smith, Ann R. Weekly, John H. Harrison, John H. Smith, William Cockeroft, Alexander Corun, Ann Owens, Caroline Harrison, Easter (a woman of color), and William Adams & Susanna (White) Adams, the parents of John Adams.

NEW PROVIDENCE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Orig. ca 1833. Located NW corner of fractional LL #304 in Pleasant Hill area. William Parker gave 4 square acres to the church Nov 4, 1833.

OAK GROVE CHURCH

Near McBryde Family Cemetery

OLD PROVIDENCE METHODIST CHURCH SOUTH

Originated 1836 Located near Pleasant Hill on Ga Hwy 36.
Land donated by George W. Evans and the building was erected by Isaac Cheney. In 1910 the church disbanded and more than 60 members moved their membership to Woodland Methodist Church.
Old cemetery is across the road from the site of the old building.

OLIVE BRANCH METHODIST CHURCH

Org. about 1835. Located in the Olive Branch Community, near Baughville.
The Church building was totally destroyed by a tornado in March 1875 and it was rebuilt on O’Neal Road, about 2 miles south of Olive Branch United Methodist Church, now in the Olve Branch Community. All the early records were destroyed in a 1927 fire.

PLEASANT VALLEY METHODIST CHURCH

Established originally in 1837 in the old community of Bostwick. The membership removed to Junction City in 1916, & built their present building.
Adjoining cemetery.

PROSPECT METHODIST CHURCH

Organized About 1838 Located near the Harris Co line near Baughville
Some early members were the Calvin John Brannon, & his wife, Catherine Croucher Brannon and their children.

SALEM PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Located near Baughville, 8 miles southwest of Talbotton ,it was destroyed by a tornado March 1875 and never rebuilt.

SARDIS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Organized 1828. Located 1.5 mi west of Woodland, 1 mile south of Shiloh, on Sardis Road, in Flint Hill GMD 689.
Named for Sardis Church of which 2 brothers were members in SC. Charter members were John Ellison & wife, Elizabeth D. Patterson Ellison, James Ellison & wife, Jane A. Patterson, (sister to Elisabeth Patterson Ellison) Mrs Cornelius Blackwood & Mrs William Harrell.
In 1830, John & James Ellison built a large hewed log church 24’ x 32’, on a hill west of the present church, just halfway between the residences of the 2 brothers. Dirt floors, split log seats.
In 1834, the present church building was erected, about 1 mile east of the older site. There being no saw mill near-by, they hauled the framing wood & weather boarding in by wagon, probably from the saw mill in Thomaston, Upson Co, about 60 miles away. Each trip taking at least 5 days. Each piece is hand planed and hand matched.
In that year, additional members listed were: John Cook, Walter Pierce, Thomas Bryant, Rev. Leonard Rush Jenkins, and their families, F. M. Trammell and wife.

TALBOTTON BAPTIST CHURCH

Organized Feb 18, 1829 with 11 members. Located on Lots 20 & 21, Square B, on the east side of Jackson Avenue reserved by Talbotton for the Baptist Church. In addition, the Church also bought Lot #24 for $12.00.
Organizing members were: Hugh Freeman, Marthy Mathis, Willis Cox, John Neal, James Wilson, Marthy Chapell, Nancy Mathis, Sarah Aldridge. J. Hambrick was the first pastor in 1829.
Some early members: John & Polly Douglass, Thomas & Levicy Jordan, Caroline Dennis, Levi B. Smith, Miss Ann Stinson, Dr Enos Moyer, Mrs Elizabeth Dyer, Mrs George Stallings, John & Mary Smith, Rebecca Hammock, Charity Blalock, Nancy Childers and Elizabeth Wilcher.

TALBOTTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Organized 1831, and a small frame building was erected on the two lots reserved for the Methodists, mainly financed by Colonel Henry Mims and Rev. Charles Fisher. That building was replaced in 1857, with a brick building. Miranda Fort of Talbotton, was the architect, master brickmason & plasterer, contracted to build the new building, & built with locally hand made bricks.
Located in Talbotton on the two lots of land set aside for the Methodists when Talbotton was incorporated Dec 24, 1827, with an additional gift of land in 1971. It is situated in the now Le Vert Historical District, the Church, Methodist Memorial Park, & the parsonage, are situated in a triangle formed by the intersection of Washington Avenue and College Avenue.
The first trustees named on the deed of land are: Henry Mims, Charles Fisher, Littleton Hooten, Samuel C. Luck and David C. Maund. Miranda Fort was an early member.
Now named Talbotton Methodist Church. Has two Historical markers, one from the Ga Conference Commission on Archives & History in 1978, the other, a United Methodist Historic Site, No 64.

UNION PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Org. 1 April 1831. Located about 5 miles NE of Talbotton. No longer in existence.
Church Minutes 1831-1854. Privately owned in 1970.
Charter members: Hiram Powell, G. B. Waldrop, Levi L. Walker, Elizabeth Walker, Hardy Wheelus & Frances Wheelus, Matthew Clements & Sally N. Clements, Seaborn Webster & his wife, Malinda (Dyer) Webster, Nancy Bush, Thomas Sanders, Martha Sanders, and James G. Walker.
Some early members: Jacob & Nancy Carreker, James & Lucy Barrow, Stephen & Elizabeth Lansford, Benjamin & Rhoda Bivins, William Howell, Amanda Trice, Reuben Maxwell, Jacob Williams, Thomas M. Stinson, Daniel Griffin, Seaborn Thomas, William Fleming, Nancy Thornton, James Powell, Benjamin Maxwell, William Turner, Jacob Turner, Joseph Davis, John Lawson, Mary Phillips, John Ferguson, John C. Boynton, and many more.

UPATOI PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Org. May 25, 1832. It was moved from near Geneva about 1894 and is now located in Olive Branch Community, about 4 miles west of Talbotton.
Charter members: Thomas Guco, William Barnes, John Melsrary, Matthew Melsrary, Ashley Street, May Upchurch, Rebecca Barnes, Saray Melsrary, Nancy Huthran, Rebecca Hammack, Nancy Childers, Charity Blaylock and Martha Durham.
Early members were Moses Boynton & his wife, Tabitha Chapman Boynton, their son Snow M. Boynton & his wife, Leander McCrary.

VALLEY GROVE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH

Org July 30, 1828. Records burned in 1912; moved to Woodland in 1908 and the name was changed to Woodland Baptist Church.
Rev. Andrew Hood was the first pastor, followed by Re. Hiram Powell.
The Valley Grove Baptist Church Cemetery is on the northwest corner of the crossroads of Ga Highway 41, Fryer Road and Tack Road.

ZION EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Organized June 7, 1847 in Talbotton with the assistance of Rev Richard Johnson, from South Carolina.
The land, Lots 30 & 31, Square C, each being about ½ acre, was bought from Dr Elijah Wells Jan 11, 1848, for $100.00.
The present building was built in 1848 with financial assistance from fellow Episcopalians in South Carolina. The building is listed in the "National Register of Historical Places", and a Georgia State Historical Marker was placed there in 1955.
Among the organizers: Joseph Pou, Levi B. Smith, George W. Towns, William Bacon, George W. Jones, Enos C. Moyer, Allen F. Owen, Benjamin F. Reese, Russell E. Harris, Henry Jones. William Smith, and Charles C. H. Matthews.
There is a small cemetery in the rear churchyard.

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