9 thoughts on “First Elizabeth Baptist Church, Grooverville”
deancalbreath
I’m currently researching Nicholas Said, who taught at the Grooverville school for freedmen in 1869. Was this school attached to First Elizabeth? If so, have you run across his name in your research? (One of his duties as a schoolteacher was to teach at the “Sabbath school,” which I assume was taught at the church.)
Also, I’m curious about William McGraff (which also appears as McGriff and McGraw on old records), who seems to be one of the richest freedmen in the area, with 35 acres of land in 1870 and as much as 164 acres in 1890. He was a major funder of the school for freedmen, and I assume he was also active in the church. Have you run across his name? Do you know how he built his wealth? He is listed as being both a farmer and a carpenter, so I assume that carpentry is how he made most of his money, since farming didn’t pay too well except for the wealthy plantation owners.
I haven’t been able to locate any history of the church, other than what people have shared, but I hope someone knows more. It’s such important and overlooked history.
Ms. Horton,
Yes, I am the youngest son of Raymond and Viola King. I left home at 17 to join the Marine Corps and never returned to live there. I remember the Horton family I believe.
Also, unfortunately, I don’t have the time to research every single place I photograph. I do all this alone and am most grateful for the shared findings of others. It has proven a wonderful way to learn obscure Georgia history.
My comment was certainly not intended to reflect adversely on you. I too h5ave heard the info that Library had a hand in the founding of First Elizabeth. Your pi8cs are great! Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Mr. King. I didn’t mean to project that, either! I’m grateful for the correction.
Edwin King
I was born in Grooverville and have done considerable research on the Baptist churches there, Liberty and First Elizabeth. The records of Liberty, almost totally complete are available to the public at the Thomasville Genealogical and Historical Society building, contain nothing indicating that the founding members of First Elivabeth ha6d ever been members of Liberty, A list of Liberty members is among the available records.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 
I’m currently researching Nicholas Said, who taught at the Grooverville school for freedmen in 1869. Was this school attached to First Elizabeth? If so, have you run across his name in your research? (One of his duties as a schoolteacher was to teach at the “Sabbath school,” which I assume was taught at the church.)
Also, I’m curious about William McGraff (which also appears as McGriff and McGraw on old records), who seems to be one of the richest freedmen in the area, with 35 acres of land in 1870 and as much as 164 acres in 1890. He was a major funder of the school for freedmen, and I assume he was also active in the church. Have you run across his name? Do you know how he built his wealth? He is listed as being both a farmer and a carpenter, so I assume that carpentry is how he made most of his money, since farming didn’t pay too well except for the wealthy plantation owners.
I haven’t been able to locate any history of the church, other than what people have shared, but I hope someone knows more. It’s such important and overlooked history.
Mr. King, are you related to the late Mr Raymond King of Grooverville? My mother has memories of him & his wife.
Ms. Horton,
Yes, I am the youngest son of Raymond and Viola King. I left home at 17 to join the Marine Corps and never returned to live there. I remember the Horton family I believe.
Also, unfortunately, I don’t have the time to research every single place I photograph. I do all this alone and am most grateful for the shared findings of others. It has proven a wonderful way to learn obscure Georgia history.
My comment was certainly not intended to reflect adversely on you. I too h5ave heard the info that Library had a hand in the founding of First Elizabeth. Your pi8cs are great! Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Mr. King. I didn’t mean to project that, either! I’m grateful for the correction.
I was born in Grooverville and have done considerable research on the Baptist churches there, Liberty and First Elizabeth. The records of Liberty, almost totally complete are available to the public at the Thomasville Genealogical and Historical Society building, contain nothing indicating that the founding members of First Elivabeth ha6d ever been members of Liberty, A list of Liberty members is among the available records.
Thanks. This was just word of mouth, and when that’s all I have, I sometimes use it. Best case scenario is that someone corrects it, as here.