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HISTORY OF WALKER'S METHODIST CHURCH
The history of Methodism. in Greene County- dates back to the year ) !.> D r 1798. History was doubtful about some of the earliest dates, but a supposed
list of names of ministers is as nearly correct as can be made. Rev. George
C. Smith, the Historian of Methodism of Georgia and Florida, bas aided me much.
The names of the first ministers sent out to serve in the Region known as Greene
County, and adjacent counties, are as follows I
Name Year's) Served
James Jenkins 1798 Sam Cowles 1799 George Daugherty 1800 Sam Cowles, Dorman and. Thos. Milligan 1801 Sam Cowles and SaJIl ~sley 1803 Sam Cowles and Moses Black 1802 Benjamin Watts and Epps Tucker 1804 M. Boyce and James Boykin Joe Tarpley and Lovick Pierce
1805 1806
Jere Lumsden and Chas. Foster 1807 James Russell 1808
Some of these mLnisters first sent out to Greene and adj acent counties
to preach and carry the Gospel to the people had very crdue houses, - some bad
orush arbors, but the word of God was read and family altars were in the homes.
The early settlers of Walker's Church first bad a small meeting house
near Richland Creek. • very interesting preacher, whose name was Walker, first
helped organize the meetings and asked that the name of "Walker" be given to the
meeting place. From that day Walker's Church bas grown.
A few ;years later, over near the old home of Bishop George Pierce,
'Walker's services were held in a Baptist Church. The old cemetery can still be
seen at the old meeting place. In the year 1826 Walker's Church was officia.l1y" ~ 1:3:V~
established. Two acres of ground were bought. from William Talley. The deed,
dated llay 16, 1826, of record in Deed Book JJ, page 211, office Clerk Greene
a.. ~
m o 0::: « o z « Superior Court, sheM's the grantees in "the deed to be' JOM Walker, .broae ..... (f) Hutcheson, Nathan Winfield, and George W. Foster, "Trustees of the Methodist
Episcopal Church at Walker's ~eting House".
The names of the first Board of Stewards of Walker's Church can not
be supplied, as all old records were not kept,- nor do we have any record of
building. We do know from the old ancestors that the lumber for t he building
was cut from trees that grew on the two acres bought from William Talley.
In 1866 John Walker donated to the Southern Methodist Conference five
acres of lam, to add to the two acres bought from William Talley. John
Walker, stepfather of John Talley; John Robins, and wife E1i2tabeth Talley
Robins; Dr. James Richard R.obins; John and William. Talley, and ma.ny descen
dants lie in this church yard which has made lIethodism rich in Walker's Church
as well as other places in Georgia.
Bishop Asbury and James Q. Andrews came over frOlll South Carolina and
held Camp Meetings at old Liberty Church Ground. People from 100 miles
a.. around attended the meetings, and many of the old members of Walker' 3 Church ~
m were converted at the Camp )(eetings. In later years the Methodist ministers o 0::: discouraged the continuance of the Camp Jleetings, so history tells. « o In the early days the pioneers around Walker's Church were e8..L-nest,z « ..... devoted, salf-sacrificing families. Incidents and places, humor, poverty, (f)
splendor, peace and war, - all were interwoven into unvamished truth and the
heroic service. that has made Methodism rich in the church and communi.ties
surrounding.
From 1866 to 1930 Walker's Church was one of four churches "the
Circuit Rider" served once a month. A parsonage was built in Greensboro fO'
the circuit preacher in 19~- which was later sold. The Greensl:oro charge
r
supplied the minister in the afternoon service once a month. In 1941
Walker's Church arranged for two services a month. We do not have the
names of the circuit rider ministers, (their names are on record at Emory
University) but the following ministers served from 19301
Arthur Maness 1929 - 1930
Roy P. Etheridge 1931 - 1933
Frank E. Jenkins 1934 - 1935
w. H. Gardner 1936 - 1931
D. P. Jolmaton 1938 - 1939
B. F. Mize 1940 - 1942
w. K. Barnett 1943 - 1949
Sewell Dixon June 1949
In 1941 a W. S. C. S. Circle was organized by ldss ierta Winter,
wi th five members. Mrs. Jasper Copelan, President, Mrs. E. H. AakEnr,
Cor. Sec.-Treas. Today we have seventeen members.
Among the noted important people that have visited Walker' B Church
are I Bishop Asbury, James Q. Andrews, Bishop George Pierce, Dr. John Robins, V
Marvin Williams, Mrs. :Mary Harris .Armor, Rev. Nath Thompson and h1.s wife,
Miss Sarah, Miss Berta Winter, and DIB.1lY others.
Trustees of Walker's Church ares J. H. Moon, Sr., Julius Bufford, and
Edwin Walker.
Board of Stewards of v'lalker' s Methodist Episcopal Church are I
Leo Copelan 7rEK•lilA t\('" J. H. Moon, Sr. C. ~ f"'r, "0 l. gET '1' sam Burnette
o. V. Tolbert
J. H. MoOD, Jr.
Julius Bufford
David Bufford
E. H. Askew
llra. DeWitt SlIirley, Secretary-Treasurer.
In 1948 Walker's Church was repaired, painted, and new pews put
in, at a total cost of $2,644.43. Walker's Church has on roll 250 membere,
or which one-half are act!vee
Sunday School, with Comer Tolbert, Superintendent, has 35 members,
and it continues to grow. We do not have a record of tb3 Sunday School
Superintendents during the circuit rider days, but the following served
from 1930 to datel
w. J. Wright, Sr. B. C. Copelan Mt-s. E. H• .Askew A. G. Grimsley Norris Copelan Gene Burford Comer Tolbert
We hope this little hlstory will be of interest to someone, and it
is our hope and prayer that the doors of our beloved church will always be
kept open.
January 18, 1952.
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