Liberty Hill Primitive Baptist

Lamar County
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Org 1860
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Photography by John Kirkland

The history of Liberty Hill Primitive Baptist is somewhat vague in that it is closely tied to a much earlier church, County Line Primitive Baptist.  We know that County Line Primitive Baptist was located in Pike County until Lamar County was partly formed out of it in 1920.  A History of Pike County tells us the County Line church was organized between 1790 and 1800 by white settlers who moved into this part of Georgia several years prior to the Creek Treaty of Indian Springs in 1821.  Thus the origins of the church, founded during the presidency of George Washington, are the oldest in Pike/Lamar County.

The original church was “first housed in a primitive log meeting house located on the spot where Liberty Primitive Baptist is now located.  A new larger frame building was constructed long before the war”.  The history tells us that Liberty Hill Primitive Baptist was organized in 1865 when a group of members withdrew from their association due to a dispute with the leadership.  The church became known as Liberty Hill Primitive Baptist, succeeding County Line Primitive Baptist but still at the original location.

Early churches were simply Baptist until the late 1830s when there were substantial disagreements regarding basic tenants of the church.   Some were becoming more progressive in that they began to support missions, Sunday School programs, musical instruments in the church etc.  Others felt that the basic mission of the church was that of worship in the original way and all these other programs were distractions from the basic purpose. This schism resulted in the establishment of Primitive Baptists and others such as Missionary Baptists.

In the cemetery are many 18th century graves representing veterans from the Revolutionary War as well as the Civil War.  Though no longer Primitive Baptist, the church and the cemetery are still active and still serving this little rural community, while preserving much of the original architecture and history.  These little wooden 19th century structures are important aspects of early Georgia history and we salute the community for their stewardship.

Be sure to click and scroll the photos below for more Liberty Hill histoy.