Olde Greenfield Church and Historic Cemetery
In Memory of Rev. T.C. Gregory
This site, along with 19,600 acres, was purchased through a state land lottery, September, 1843-44, by Rev. Eli Graves, formerly of Vermont. In March, 1848, all was sold to his brother, Presbyterian pastor, Rev. Joel S. Graves. In 1850, using handmade bricks from a nearby clay pit, Rev. Graves built the area’s first brick structure, a church with annex for the area’s first “common" school.” The first teacher was Ruth Graves and in February, 1861, Roxanna Graves became the second. The Post Office was at Greenfield June 26, 1856-1883. Rev. Graves brought industry to the thriving community by building a three-story building on Sloan Creek with a grist mill, general store, steam-powered wool carding factory and “bucket shop.” During the War Between the States, Rev. Graves´ bucket and barrel factory supplied a Confederate contract. The church served as a recruiting center and field hospital from 1863 to war’s end under the care of Methodist minister and former Kentucky legislator, Rev./Dr. Baker E. Watkins and his assistant, Dr. Samuel Hart of Americus, GA. Rev./Dr. Watkins and Rev. Flournoy Clark represented Colquitt County at the Constitutional Convention in November of 1865. Rev./Dr. Watkins was elected first County School Commissioner in 1872 and served in this capacity until his death in 1876.
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In Memory of Rev. T.C. Gregory
b. 10-17-1912 d. 6-15-1993
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Rev. Gregory grew up in the Greenfield community and served as pastor for the church from 1951 to 1990. We credit him with preserving the history and historic church site. His extensive research and publication enables this history to live on for future generations to appreciate. His love and devotion to this site made him synonymous with Greenfield Church.
Related Sites
Factory and General Store -- a three-story frame building on the west side of Sloan Creek, .9 of a mile from the church on the J. D. Herndon Road. This building housed the "bucket shop,” Post Office, store, and steam-powered grist mill and wool carding factory operated from the reservoir created by the dam constructed by pioneer settler Jacob Rosencrantz from Switzerland.
Brick Clay Pit -- Bricks for the church/school were made there, located on the west side of Highway 33 one mile northwest of the church.
Historic Cemetery -- reported to have been much larger than it is at present. This is the final resting place of pioneer settlers and county forefathers, developer and entrepreneur, Rev. Joel S. Graves d. 1887; his wife (formerly of New York), Eunice Whedon d. 1878; Rev./Dr. Watkins and wife; many others with stories of their own; victims of time; epidemics and many unknown soldiers of the War Between the States.
Marker is at the intersection of Greenfield Church Road and Kilgore Road, on the left when traveling east on Greenfield Church Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
