Historical Markers Related To Baptists
In Georgia
January 6, 2006
(Supersedes all Previous Editions)
Robert G. Gardner
Senior Researcher in Baptist History
Jack Tarver Library, Mercer University
Macon, GA 31207
gardner_rg@mercer.edu
This document is divided into two major parts:
I. Historical
Markers
II. Index
Apart from personal observation by the
compiler and others, these sources have been consulted:
(1) Georgia
Historical Markers (Helen, GA: Bay Tree Grove, 1973) (hereafter often cited as GHM
[1973], followed by page number[s])
(2) Georgia Historical Markers
erected by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 1976-1998 (Macon: Mercer
University, Jack Tarver Library, Special
Collections, 2000; F287 / G46/2000)
(3) http://www.georgiahistory.com/NewMarkers.html
(4) http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/gahistmarkers/
(5) http://www.hcc-al-ga.org
(6) http://www.visitnortheastgeorgia.com/roadside_historical_markers.htm
Because of their wide availability, the texts for markers included in these sources
are not usually reproduced in this list. Complete texts for all markers are located
at the Georgia Baptist History Depository.
Several abbreviations are used in
this document: BA = Baptist Association; BC = Baptist Church; Co = County;
FBC
= First Baptist Church; GA = marker placed by an agency of the State of Georgia;
GHS = marker placed by the
Georgia Historical Society; PBA = Primitive Baptist
Association; PBC = Primitive Baptist Church; (*) = text not yet seen by editor.
Abbreviated entries show the following information: Name of Marker (Source and date
of Marker): Location of Marker (Explanatory note, if needed) (Location of Marker’s
text).
Because this list is subject to change, the index refers the reader to
county locations, rather than to page numbers, in Part I. When a numeral follows
a county designation in the index, this indicates the number of markers, if more
than one, on which a name appears in that county.
| Columbia County |
| City: Appling Location: Downtown Appling Date: Granite monument dedicated September 4, 1950; monument damaged by an Automobile accident in 1972 and later replaced (Viewpoints: Georgia Baptist History 6 [1978]: 83) Subject: Kiokee Baptist Church, constituted 1772 as the first continuing Baptist church in Georgia Text: Kiokee Baptist Church The oldest Baptist church in Georgia, constituted in the spring of 1772 by Daniel Marshall and served by him as pastor until his death in 1784, was originally located a few yards southwest from this marker as described in courthouse records of Columbia County. Church was removed in 1808 to brick building three miles away which still stands. Present church located in Appling. This marker erected in 1950 by GEORGIA BAPTIST CONVENTION Source: Committee on Baptist History, Georgia Baptist Convention Additional Information: Waldo P. Harris, III, Locations Associated with Daniel Marshall and the Kiokee Church,@ in Waldo P. Harris, III, and James D. Mosteller, Georgia’s First Continuining Baptist Church (Appling, GA: Kiokee Baptist Church, 1997), 268-291, where much of the information on this marker is demonstrated to be false. |
| City: Tubman Road, near Appling Location: Marshall Historical Site Date: Markers dedicated November 12, 1984; dedicatory address by James N. Griffith (text in Viewpoints: Georgia Baptist History 10 [1986]: 9-12) Subject: Marshall Historical Site, Daniel Marshall, Marshall Homesite, Kiokee Baptist Church, Georgia Baptist Association, Abraham Marshall, and Marshall Cemetery Texts: Marshall Historical Site Dedicated November 12, 1984 Developed By History Committee, Georgia Baptist Convention In Cooperation With Kiokee Baptist Church And The Georgia Baptist Association |
| Daniel Marshall Born In Windsor, Conn., 1706. Congregationalist Who Became Separate Baptist During Great Awakening. Ordained, Abbotts Creek, N.C., 1757. Leader In Establishing Baptist Work In Virginia, The Carolinas, And Georgia. Supported Cause Of Religious Liberty; Arrested For Preaching In Georgia. Led In Establishing Georgia's First Continuing Baptist Church On The Little Kiokee In 1772. Only Pastor To Remain In Georgia Throughout The Revolution. Helped To Form Georgia Baptist Association, First In State, Shortly Before His Death, Nov. 2, 1784. Georgia Baptists Are Indebted To Him For Nurturing Many Men Who Contributed To The Movements Early Growth. |
| Marshall Homesite The House Where The Rev. A. Marshall Lived Stood Here. Purchased From His Fathers Estate (County Deed Books Z.P. 449 & C.P. 102). Baptist Historian David Benedict Wrote: Ai Spent Some Time With Him [Abraham Marshall] At His Own Home At Kiokee, In 1810, Where His Venerable Father [Daniel Marshall] Died. Site Is Part Of Original Land Grant To Daniel Marshall (Georgia Plat Book E.P. 269). Remaining Timbers Of House Were Dismantled In 1981 After Documentation. Daniel Marshall Said To His Wife Shortly Before Death: Ago On, My Dear Wife, To Serve The Lord. Hold Out To The End. Eternal Glory Is Before Us |
| Kiokee Baptist Church Morgan Edwards, 1772, Wrote: At Little Kioka Is A Meetinghouse. Erected In 1771 Dan. Marshall These Separate Baptists, Branch Of Big Stevens Creek, S.C., Became A Church, Spring 1772, With Daniel Marshall, Pastor. Their Building, East/Southeast Of This Marker, Was Also First Voting Place For Richmond County, 1777. Second Building Erected 1792 At New Site Called Marshall’s Meetinghouse ; Third, 1808, Stands On Same Site Called As old Kiokee Mile West Of This Marker. Chapel, Built In Appling About 1828 As Arm, Destroyed By Tornado 1875. Fifth Structure Moved To Appling 1907, Used Until 1937, When Sixth Building Was Erected On Present Site. Mother Of Churches. Molder Of Preachers. Pillar Of The Association. Promoter Of Missions. Georgia’s First Continuing Baptist Church. |
| Georgia Baptist Association Organized At Kiokee, October 1784, By Best Evidence. First Churches: Kioee, Fishing Creek, Greenwood, Abilene, Little Brier Creek. Founding Fathers: Daniel Marshall, Abraham Marshall, Sanders Walker, Peter Smith, Silas Mercer, Loveless Savage, William Franklin, Alexander Scott. Known Member Churches, 174, In 28 Ga. And 5 S.C. Counties. Parent Of Associations: Hephzibah, 1794; Sarepta, 1799; Ocmulgee, 1810. Churches Helped Form: 15 Others. Major Influence In Forming Georgia Baptist Convention, Powelton, 1822, And Strongly Supported Formation Of Southern Baptist Convention, Augusta, 1845 Both In Member Churches. Leader In Founding Mercer University. Strong Missionary Influence. Termed A mother, Model, And A cradle Of Georgia Baptist History |
| Abraham Marshall Born In Windsor, Conn., April 23, 1748, The First born Of Daniel And Martha Stearns Marshall. Ordained, Kiokee Baptist Church, 1775, Where He Followed His Father As Pastor, 1784 B 1819. Preached To Thousands On New England Trips, 1786 And 1792. Associated With Constituting Or Reconstituting About 39 Churches, Including First African Baptist Churches, Savannah And Augusta, And First Baptist Church, Augusta. Affectionately Called Athe Friend Of Black People Trustee Of Franklin College (University Of Georgia). Chaired General Committee Of Georgia Baptists, 1803. Moderator, Georgia Baptist Association, 19 Years. Died Aug. 15, 1819. |
| Marshall Cemetery Some Marshall Family Graves May Have Purposely Been Left Unmarked. Abraham Marshall Wrote About His Father, Daniel: No Monumental Pile Or Letter=D Stone His Virtue To Posterity Reveals: His Name And Character Are Better Known By Holy Truth And Ministerial Seals. Abraham=S Son Wrote About His Mother: I=Ll Raise No Stone Her Memory To Retain, Since My Sore Loss Is Her Aeternal Gain Abraham Marshall Is Known To Be Buried Here, Aug. 15, 1819. Circumstantial Evidence Indicates Others: Daniel Marshall, Nov. 2, 1784; Martha Stearns (Mrs. Daniel), 1793; Ann Waller (Mrs. Abraham), Nov. 14, 1815; Two Sons Of Abraham And Ann Marshall, Abraham Waller, Oct. 15, 1800, Age 7 Years, And Jubal Orion, Age 5 Months. General Collins And Mary Ann (Mrs. General) Collins, Blacks, Once Owners Of The Property, Also Buried Here. Number Of Unidentifiable Graves. Sources: Committee On Baptist History, Georgia Baptist Convention; Kiokee Baptist Church; Georgia Baptist Association Additional Information: Viewpoints: Georgia Baptist History 5 (1976): 51-64; 6 (1978): 25-46 |
| City: Near Appling Location: At 1808 Kiokee Baptist Church Building Date: Granite Grave Cover Dedicated 1995 Subject: Jabez Pleiades Marshall Text: Jabez Pleiades Marshall Born In Columbia County, Ga., C.1794, The Son Of Abraham And Ann (Waller) Marshall; Followed His Father As Pastor Of This Church, Which He Served Until His Death. He Was Educated At The University Of Georgia. Notable Positions Include Clerk, Georgia Association, 1821-1831; A Representative From The Association At Organizational Meeting Of The Georgia Baptist Convention, Powelton, 1822 (Elected First Clerk); Pastor Of Sharon (Columbia County) And First Pastor Of Salem (Lincoln County). He Was A "Thoroughgoing Missionary," And His Sermons Were "Clear, Zealous, And Touching." Died March 29, 1832, And Buried Here. Erected By The Historical Commission Georgia Baptist Convention 1995 Source: Committee On Baptist History, Georgia Baptist Convention |
| City: Appling Location: U.S. Highway 221, At Site Of New Kiokee Baptist Church Building Date: Marble Monument Dedicated September 14, 1997 Subject: Religious Liberty In Georgia Text: Religious Liberty In Georgia This Building, Kiokee Church Sixth Meetinghouse, Was Erected In 1937 With The Help Of Many Georgia Baptists As A Monument To Daniel Marshall. Not Later Than 1770 He Was Arrested For Preaching In Colonial Georgia At A Site East Of This Marker. At A Trial In Augusta Before Colonel Edward Barnard And Parson Edward Ellington Of The Church Of England, He Was Ordered To desist From Preaching In The Province His Wife Martha Defended Him with Solemn Denunciation Of The Law, Quoting With Fluency Passage After Passage Of Scripture. Marshall Also Replied: whether It Be Right To Obey God Rather Than Man, Judge Ye. He Continued To Preach. His Arresting Officer Samuel Cartledge Was Converted, Became A Member Of Kiokee Church Which Marshall Began In 1772, Was Also Ordained, And Organized And Pastored Churches In The Area. Colonel Bernard [Sic] Became A Close Friend. Thereafter Religious Persecution Ended In Georgia. The Marshall Historical Site, Where Marshall Live And Died, Is East Of This Site On Tubman Road One Mile Past Old Kiokee Church. Source: Georgia Baptist Historical Commission |
| Columbia County (Ga, 1956): At Courthouse In Appling (Mentions Kiokee Baptist Church) |
| (Georgia Historical Markers [1973], 154; Http://Www.Cviog.Uga.Edu). |
| Damascus Baptist Church (Ga): In Leah Community, One Mile From Ga 104 About Ten Miles North Of Appling (Ghm [1973], 154). |
| First Baptist Church In Georgia (Ga): On Ga 304 At Greenbrier Creek (Kiokee Baptist Church) (Ghm [1973], 154-155). |
| Sharon Baptist Church (Ga): On Ga 150 At Winfield (Ghm [1973], 154). Cook County |
| Reed Bingham State Park Bridge (Ga,
1977): About Eight Miles West Of Adel, At The Bridge (Mentions Jimmy Carter) (Http://Www.Cviog.Uga.Edu). |
| Transcriber’s note: This is a very long document, over 100 pages total covering many counties in Georgia. I have only taken that part pertaining to Columbia County and used it here. Suzanne Forte, Jan 2006 |
Compilation Copyright 1996 - Present by The GAGenWeb Project Team