The History of Butts County 1825 – 1976 tells us that Sandy Creek Baptist was organized in October of 1824 under an oak tree at the home of Elijah McMichael, two miles north of the present church, which was then in Monroe County. Brother William Lacy was the first pastor. Elijah McMichael was elected as the first Deacon of the church. Brother McMichael had offered the land for the church to be built and according to the deed from 1826, sold the property to the trustees of the Baptist Church for $10.
The first meeting house was completed in 1825 and the church paid Elijah McMichael six dollars for building the pulpit. 22 members were added to the church that year, including three African American members. The minutes of the church record receiving black members from 1826 through 1857. During the Civil War, services were stopped but resumed in January of 1866.
The second pastor was a Revolutionary War veteran who had moved from Jasper County to the new county of Butts. The longest tenure of any pastor was Jason Greer, who lived in Putnam County. He served for sixteen years even though it required a horseback ride of 35 miles each way. By 1831, the congregation had outgrown the original church. A building committee was appointed and a site selected near the home of Robert Bickerstaff, where the church stands today.
The church was originally a Baptist church but there was a schism in the Baptist denomination in the 1830s regarding church doctrine. Primitive Baptist churches were very conservative and did not subscribe to newfangled institutions such as missions, Sunday Schools and other progressive movements in the church. Sandy Creek became a Primitive Baptist church during this period, and some members left the church to form a new one.
We are indebted to the many congregants of Sandy Creek for their loving stewardship of the church. They treasure their history, and it shows. The Sandy Creek cemetery has over 900 interments and is the largest rural cemetery in the county. Some of the earliest pioneers of Butts County are buried here along with numerous veterans of all of our nation’s wars.
Be sure to click and scroll the gallery photos below for more information about Sandy Creek.
There have been some improvements over the years, but the old footprint of the church is still intact from long ago.
The pulpit for the original church cost six dollars, according to the history. This one is more current and more expensive.
The old Primitive Baptist sanctuaries had one thing in common…………..simplicity. No frills or distractions from the task at hand. Sandy Creek is a good example of that.
A little air conditioning and a little space heater. This replaces open windows and wood stoves of the past.
If you look closely, you can see the original siding used on the wall and ceiling. Access to the attic is pretty basic. Like we said……simplicity.
There are over 900 interments in the Sandy Creek Cemetery. The oldest is that of Abraham Waldrep who died in 1826.
From Findagrave.,….Behind these walls lie the remains of Robert Humber. Robert was the son of John Humber III and Elizabeth Christian. He served in the 3rd Cavalry of Virginia during the War of 1812, commanded by Capt. John W. Compton. After the war he settled in Monticello, Ga., and married Elizabeth Flewellyn 4 May 1793, and who died shortly after. Later, Robert married Mary Ellice Waller Davis on 12 Feb 1823.Robert and Mary are buried in an above ground grave that has walls that are 4-5 feet high and are made of flat stones and field stones. Buried with him are his wife, Mary, Clement Moore, and his wife, Elizabeth.
Riley Buck Plymale was born July 24, 1856 and died April 22, 1894. He married Prudence “Prudie” Vickers (1858-1906) on February 20, 1881. Their only child who lived to adulthood was Riley B. Plymale (1890-1968). This son was a longtime professor of mathematics at Mercer University.
Arthur Lawson was born March 5, 1782 and died March 28, 1856. The 1850 Butts County census shows Arthur Lawson, age 68, farmer, born in Virginia; Nancy Lawson, age 62. He left a will in Butts County where he left all of his estate to his wife, Nancy, and his son, Robert. His estate consisted of 201 ½ acres of land, stock, carriage, wagon, farming tools, slaves, etc.
Clement Moore was born in Maryland in 1765 and died January 13, 1846. He served in the Revolutionary War, Georgia Troops. His grave was marked by the DAR. He was married to Elizabeth Morris (1774-1837).
Daniel S. Goin was born March 5, 1820 in Fairfield County, South Carolina and died August 31, 1897. His wife was Nancy M. Goin (1835-1924). He served in Company E, 25th Battalion, Georgia Siege Artillary, CSA.
Rosannah/Rosana Smith Torbet Greer was born May 24, 1822 and died January 24, 1906. She married William Henry Greer (1824-1865) on May 29, 1845. His marker reads W. H. Grier, C S A. William Henry Greer’s father, Rev. Jason Greer served as minister at Sandy Creek PBC for 16 consecutive years until 1844. He lived in Putnam County and rode the 35 miles to and from church on horseback. This information comes from the book History of Butts County, Georgia 1825-1976.
Ezekiel Park Newton, Sr. was born February 26, 1811 in Monroe County and died April 21, 1879. He married Nancy Webb July 11, 1844. The 1870 Butts County census shows Ezekiel, age 59, farmer; Nancy, age 48; and 8 children in the household ages 4 to 21 years. His parents were James Mitchell Newton born in Virginia in 1766 and Margaret Park Newton.
Robert Wilson Smith was born in Fairfield County, South Carolina on March 10, 1794 and died August 18, 1870. He married Jane Rowe (1790-1875) on January 14, 1819. He came to Butts County in the fall of 1828 and bought land that had one log cabin on it. Three of their children are also buried at Sandy Creek Cemetery. His father served in the Revolutionary War, South Carolina troops.
Pvt. Robert Christian Humber was born June 6, 1783 in Goochland County, Virginia and died in 1842. His marker reads Compton’s Co 3 Cav War of 1812. He married first Elizabeth Flewellyn of Putnam County, Georgia on May 4, 1815. He married 2nd Mary Elizabeth Waller Davis on February 12, 1823.
ORGANIZED
1824
LOCATED IN
Butts
DENOMINATION
Primitive Baptist
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