This handsome church has recently been restored. I hope to learn more about its history.
Tag Archives: Churches of Wilcox County GA
Pharmer Chapel A.M.E. Church, Rochelle
There’s no sign at this church and I can’t determine if it’s active or not. It’s a nice form. Thanks to Alice Knipp Garnto, who had previously photographed it, for the identification.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--, Rochelle GA
Pine City Church, Wilcox County
This congregation was established in 1892 and was known as Pine City Holiness Baptist Church for most of its history. I’m unsure when it was built.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--
Seville Methodist Church, 1891, Seville
This congregation began as Seville Methodist Episcopal (M. E.) Church, South, on 22 July 1891. It followed the general evolution of Methodism to serve later as Seville Methodist and finally Seville United Methodist. The last service was held 22 June 1999. As of July 1999, it was incorporated as Historical M. E. Church, South.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--, Seville GA
Abbeville Methodist Church, 1892
This church originally had a steeple. It’s the oldest church structure in Abbeville, to my knowledge. I recall, quite a few years ago now, when they were re-roofing this church. I was amazed at how anyone could do work on such a steep roof, and I still am.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--, Abbeville GA
New Hope Primitive Baptist Church, Wilcox County
Though this building (located behind a more modern church home) has long been in disuse, it represents an important development in Baptist history. It is not the first New Hope Church building, whose congregation is described in the Georgia historic marker text seen below, but it’s part of the story.
New Hope Primitive Baptist Church was constituted in July 1830. The presbytery officiating were: Wilson Conner, David Wood and Jordan Baker. Minutes of the church for the first 12 years were lost, and there is no record of charter members, but the church roll of March 5, 1842, lists 53, many of them pioneers of this section. It was at New Hope Church that the division in the Primitive Baptist denomination occurred, when some withdrew and formed a Missionary Baptist Church.* The Rev. Richard M. Tucker was the first recorded pastor, in 1842. George R. Reid was clerk in 1842.
I’ve recently learned that this structure is scheduled to be demolished. I am unsure to the date of its construction, but judging the architecture, I’d guess it’s circa 1880-1910. Having photographed it for over five years, I must say that there is no saving it, and there’s no other solution, but I wanted to bring attention to this historic congregation.
*Liberty Baptist Church in Brooks County is among the earliest Missionary churches still in existence, dating to 1841, and though contemporary to the rift outlined here, was part of a larger fringe movement of Mission work and Sunday schools seen as too “newfangled” by most traditional Baptists of the day.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--, Abbeville GA
Liberty Hill United Methodist Church, 1918, Wilcox County
Organized by Mr. & Mrs. A. W. Winslett, Sr., in 1885, Liberty Hill’s first home was a log cabin. A more permanent one-room frame church was built in 1890 and replaced by the present structure in 1918. A tornado did major damage to the church in 1936 but it was restored soon thereafter.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--
Abandoned Schoolhouse, Pitts
Sidney McWhorter writes: My mother, Mardelle Stonecypher McWhorter, used to tell me every time we went by there, that she went to school there when she was a little girl. Wayne Reed adds, via Facebook: My mother used to walk by this school on her way to school in Pitts This was a black school in the 20’s and 30’s. Mother is 98 and has a great memory. According to Shawn Rhodes, it was most recently used as Snow Hill Church (early 1980s – 2003).
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--, Pitts GA
