FRANKLIN COUNTY, GA - CHURCHES  Carroll's Methodist

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 Carroll's Methodist Church- Established 1797

The church was named for the William CARROLL Family who were early
settlers in Franklin County. It was instituted in 1797, here
Bishop ASBURY preached on November 21, 1799. From Bishop Asbury's
diary it reads as follows:

Here on Friday November 21, 1799, we drove 16 miles to Carroll's
Meeting House, a new log cabin in the woods. Some of the
congregation are from the East and West parts of Maryland. I felt
the Lord was with them. We have the kitchen house and chamber all
in one and no closet but the woods.

Some say there was a church at Carroll's before the deed was
granted, (1830). It was once on the Carnesville Charge also on the
Canon and Lavonia Charges. For many years it was the only church
for this section of the county. Many were converted and taken into
the church at Carroll's.

Fairview Methodist was organized later (1895) and some moved their
membership there. Gaines Chapel was organized in 1906 and others
moved membership there.

The early minutes are unavailable but in 1884 the Quarterly
Conference gives the roll of the official members as follows: A.J.
STONE, J.M. BAGWELL, J.B.D MCWHORTER, J.R.P. SEWELL, J.M. JACKSON,
Rev. H.P. OSBORN, J.D. PHILLIPS, N.E. MCWHORTER, Lewis STARR, and
J.S. STARR. The assessment for the year was $100.00. Rev. W.T.
NORMAN was the pastor at this time. 

In 1885, Rev. A.D. ECHOLS was pastor. The stewards were S.J. STONE
and Sam SWILLING. Parker SEWELL was Sunday School Superintendant
and J.W. AYERS Secretary.

At the close of the Conference year the pastor submitted the
following report on the spiritual state of the church. He stated
he had received into the church during the quarter by profession
of faith, William King BAGWELL, Margaret BREWER, W.M. PATRICK,
Bunyan PHILLIPS, Alice NORRIS, Amanda HENDRICKS, Oliver BUSBY,
Caleb T. CRAWFORD, Willie HOLLAND, W.M. GALLOWAY, Julia CORNOG,
Jas R.P. MOSS, Mattie Louise MOSS, Lucy Emaline MOSS, (By
Baptism), Emma Lessie BURTON, Jefferson DEAN, Henry BEDENBAUGH,
John Parks STARR, Lettie Rose PHILLIPS, Renda RIDGEWAY, Thomas
Jefferson STARR, Lula EATON, Amanda C. PHILLIPS, Martha Louise
BUSBY, C.C. CARSON, (By Certificate) W.G. LESTER, S.E. LESTER,
Sarah CRAWFORD, J.B. JORDAN, Sarah JORDAN, Jas B. WINTER, M.A.
WINTER, Frances J. WINTER, C.C. WINTER, M.M. WINTER, J.C. NEECE.

Among the first members and families identified with the church
were: OSBORNES, MCWHORTERS, STARRS, STONES, BROWNS, BURTONS,
SEWELLS, JACKSONS, HEMPHILLS, DEANS, BUFFINGTONS, CHEEKS, MABREYS,
TURMANS, STRICKLANDS, CARSONS, HAYES, GREENES, MILLERS, and many
others.

The present building was erected in 1833 and was restored in 1951-
1952 under the leadership of Rev. John H. BAKER and by the good
people of this community and others who assisted generously. This
restoration was done in Memory of Rev. Nelson OSBORN (1797-1873)
who served here many years. He preached 470 funerals and married
540 couples. Mr. C.A. BRYANT and Mr. Paul BRYANT-Grandsons of Rev.
Nelson OSBORN were on the finance committee in the restoration. 

This old church has paved the way to spread the Gospel over our
beloved County and State. Let us ever keep alive the memory of
those Pioneers who settled here and left such a wonderful heritage
to us. 

( Most of this was written by Mrs. Edna MANLEY PHILLIPS, County
Historian, with information obtained from Carnegie Library,
Atlanta, GA a number of years ago).