Brown Chapel AME was established by freedmen on 18 February 1875. I’m unsure as to the early history, but a G. Brown was listed among the trustees when the cornerstone was placed for this structure in 1927. There are just a few Browns in the cemetery, but there are also many unmarked graves. The oldest identifiable Brown was Roann Brown (1862-1916). I don’t know if they have a connection to the name or not.

The church is one of my favorites and definitely one of the most architecturally notable in Hancock County. I call this steeple style a “wedding cake” for lack of a better term. Black Rock AME in Wilkes County is another “wedding cake” church, but its “layers” are narrower and taller. The front porch of Brown Chapel was added in 1971, but otherwise the church is largely original.