Corinth Methodist

Talbot County
|
Org 1828
|
Photography by Tony Cantrell

Corinth Methodist was organized in the late 1820s as this part of Georgia was expanding into lands that were previously held by Creek Indians. Being the first Methodist Church in this section of the state, it was established in 1828 when a meeting was called to organize Methodists in this sparsely populated area. The meeting was well-attended by people from far and wide who rode in on ox carts, on horseback, and on foot. During this meeting, Corinth Methodist was established by Reverend James Stockdale, Josiah Mathews, Herod Dupree, and Mr. and Mrs. Pearson.

In order to have a shelter to worship in quickly, the group erected its first building of rough post oak logs, which measured approximately 16 x 20 feet. They met in this building until the Fall of that year when they built their second structure of split pine logs that measured 26 x 32 feet. In 1838, Reverend B.R. Searcy designed their 3rd structure, a frame church that was erected for a cost of $475.  In the years before the Civil War, the congregation included enslaved members. 

Standing today is the 4th church structure that Corinth has called home and the story of how it came to be is an interesting one. After four years as a private in the Confederate Army, Reverend R. J. Corley came to preach here on his circuit. The church building he found was more like a barn at that time and the interior became so cold, that water froze on the pulpit. While the reverend was able to keep himself warm through his fervent sermon, the congregation shivered throughout. As the story goes, the members immediately moved to build a new structure and raised $1,625 to build it, under contractor James Cottingham who took 30 days to erect it. The new church was built in Prattsburg, a few miles away from the original site, and on October 24, 1869, Reverend Corley preached a dedication ceremony here with a roll of 75 members. This 4th structure is the same one that still stands today, more than 150 years later.

According to newspaper announcements, a centennial celebration was held here on August 2, 1928. Leading up to the event, members renovated parts of the church and spent time sprucing up the grounds. The following decades would bring a lot of change to the area and by 1965, a rapid decline in the rural population led to Corinth Methodist Church consolidating with nearby Collinsworth Church.

 

 

 

 

+ Read More