This is one of the best maintained and neatest little country churches I’ve ever seen in Georgia. It was built by Charles Clark as a plantation church to serve the spiritual needs of his large family. He was married twice and had 25 children. The Methodist Episcopal affiliation came in 1878, as the family spread out and left the plantation, but they resumed care for it in the late 1970s, after membership dwindled.
Charles Clark came to Savannah from Westfield, New Jersey in 1802 and married his first wife, Eleanor Carswell, there. As his interests in agriculture grew, they acquired plantation lands in Burke County and resettled here. Upon Eleanor’s death in 1826, Clark married Sarah Murphey. A memorial outside the church reads: In Memory of Charles Clark (Jan. 30, 1782 – Feb. 2, 1852) Who in 1847 built Clark’s Chapel Church upon these rocks. He now lies buried in the family cemetery 1 1/2 miles away.
National Register of Historic Places
Actually, not a grave site, but a memorial. Charles Clark is buried in the family cemetery north of the church on the east side of Springhill Church Road.
Hi Brian, Now that’s a grave site. Boulders add real appeal & accent the permanency of death & yet demonstrate the true force of life!!
Great photos-Great work. Thanks