Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
State of Georgia, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted
by the authority of the same, That Joshua Sutton, Frederick Cannup,
Jesse Green, Willoby Barton, and Stephen Caudell, and their
successors in office, be, and they are hereby declared to be a body
corporate, under the name and style of the Trustees of the
Baptist Church, at Providence, in
Habersham county.......
See full Legislative Act establishing Providence
On September 14, 1825, a group of people met with
representatives from Bethlehem Baptist Church for the purpose of
organizing a new church. There were three ordained ministers
present, the Reverends Peter Keykindole, Robert McMinn and Humphrey
Posey. The church was constituted and named Providence.
The Articles of Faith were drawn up and the following agreement was
made, "We the members thus constituted,
agreeing to the above Articles of Faith, do each for him and herself
voluntarily give ourselves up to one another in the fear of the Lord
and do hereby promise by His assistance to watch over one another
and endeavor to do everything in our power to promote each other's
happiness and welfare in testimony whereof we have caused our names
to be set to this instrument, date above written."
The original members as listed on the minutes were:
1. Stewart P. Megee
2. John Patterson
3. Lewis Free
4. William Haynes
5. James Crow
6. William Baton
7. Henry Haynes
8. Frederick Canup
9. Joseph Patterson
10. Abner Stark
11. Jonathan Haynes
12. Jepe Hendrick
13. William Crow
14. Jonathan Johnston
15. Cheriah Free
16. Barbary Haynes
17. Margaret Crow
18. Lary Baton
19. Phebe Haynes
20. Mary Canup
21. Alsey Stark
22. Cynthia Haynes
23. Susannah Haynes
24. Arryna Haynes
25. Katherine Free
PASTORS
The first pastor was Robert McMinn. Other preachers were:
| 1829 | Henry Haynes |
| 1827 | Frederick Canup |
| 1833 | James West |
| 1839 | James Jarrard |
| 1848 | Elijah Sutton |
| 1855 | T. A. Bell |
| 1856 | J. C. Harris |
| 1858 | Stephen Field |
| 1866 | Elijah Sutton and John C. Harris |
| 1868 | Elijah Sutton and John C. Harris |
| 1869 | Elijah Sutton, John C. Harris and James H. Field |
| 1870 | James H. Field |
| 1873 | J. C. Harris |
| 1875 | L. L. Free |
| 1876 | L. L. Free & J. C. Harris, Joint Supply |
In 1834 the church voted to give $1.50 for Associational Minutes. Almost every year from 1825 to 1878 there is mention of delegates to the Associational Meeting called the "Union Meeting" in the early minutes.
On September 11, 1837, the church in conference
passed this resolution: "Resolved that difference of opinion
concerning the Benevolent Institute of the day ought not to destroy
our fellowship one for the other as Christians, and that every
individual ought to be left to the free exercise of his own
judgment. No power on earth having just right to compel any to
contribute or withhold contrary to their own free will."
Personal subscriptions to the pastor in 1859 were: Thomas A. Bell,
$5.00; Rev. Elijah Sutton, $2.50; Rev. S. C. Harris, $1.00; Bill
Hill, $1.00; David Hill. $1.50; and Lewis S. Free, $1.00.
In 1868, a committee was appointed to arrange rules for a Sabbath
School. They were: J. R. Williams, J. N. Smith, W. L. Hill, E. H.
Sutton, I. N. Hill, H. P. Brookshire and H. H. Harris.
In 1871, a Sunday School was organized with sixty-two members. The
following officers were elected: W. C. Daniel, Sunday School
Superintendent; E. W. Sutton, Secretary; A. Judson Hill, Treasurer;
E. Henry Sutton, Librarian.
In September of 1877 a revival service was held. Eighteen people
joined by experience. One of those was Virginia Daniel.
A list of the members in 1860 numbered 161.
Contributed by Kim Gordon
This page was last updated on -04/03/2025