The Church of God by Faith is described as “a Methodist denomination aligned with the Holiness movement”. It was founded by John “Daddy” Bright in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1914, and has over 200 congregations today. Along with the A.M.E., C.M.E., Missionary Baptists, and Church of God in Christ, it’s one of the leading Black denominations in Georgia.
Holt Baptist Church is one of several historic congregations in the Holt community. It was founded by George Washington Freeman (1855-1930) and Susan Amanda House Freeman (1863-1968) in 1916. It’s likely the church building was constructed around this time. The Freemans came to Irwin County from Wilkes County. I believe Mrs. Freeman was a native of Lincoln County.
This photograph dates to 2000. The church, located off Five Bridge Road, was razed by 2007. There is still a cemetery at the site.
Joe Aycock wrote that the cornerstone of this structure, which I didn’t locate when I photographed it, identified the building as Ocilla Chapel, AD 1919. Karen Phillips writes: For most of its history this was known as the Free Will Baptist Church, located on 7th Street between Oak Street and Maple Street. It was probably built in the early 1900s. It was moved to its present location in the mid-2000s and is now occupied by an African-American congregation known as the Church of Deliverance. To me, it’s the most unique church building in Ocilla. I hope it can be preserved in its present appearance.
In his History of Irwin County (Atlanta, Foote & Davies, 1932), J. B. Clements writes: The Methodists must have been in Irwin County as early as the Baptists, if not earlier. He notes that the first known Methodist circuit rider in the area was John W. Yarborough, a young man just from the mountains and his first appointment was the Irwin Mission in Irwin County. This was in 1832. In 1866, another Methodist circuit rider noted he rode seventeen miles through Irwin County without seeing a single dwelling or a living thing save a deer leaping through the woods. Methodists were fairly sparse in Irwin County throughout most of the 19th-century. Unfortunately, Clements does not give any account of the history of the Ocilla Methodist Church in his work, though he does include a photograph of the building. It’s likely that it dates to the first decade of Ocilla’s incorporation, between 1897-1907.
Since the sign was removed, I assumed this church was abandoned, but Jeresa Ellison writes that it was being restored at the time. Her father, Emmanuel Ellison is the pastor.
This enigmatic building, the only remaining symbol of Waterloo’s past, was used as a Masonic lodge and a church, at least through the 1940s. I’ve not been able to determine a date of construction.
Regarding the Masonic lodge, Jerry Camp writes: This building was on property sold by Waterloo Lodge, Number 506 of Free and Accepted Masons, According to deed dated March 7, 1936.
Roy Holsenbeck recalls its time as a school: I attended this school about 1943-1945. It originally sat by highway 32 across street from Looney Layton’s general store. The name I remember best is Mr. Widner, the Principal. He did all corporal punishment and had a paddle with holes drilled in it. (at least I heard) One of the most memorable things I remember was there were no indoor restrooms. The Girls and boys out houses were about 100 yards up the red Georgia Clay hill to the east. The grounds were all clay and rocks. Believe me we had no “school nurse to fix our hurts when we fell out of swings or off slides. I lived with my Grandparents Archie and Maggie Clements who farmed Mr. Layton’s farm just south of Waterloo.
Update: As of early 2019, this structure has been demolished. I photographed some of that process and will eventually share those images here.
Henderson Chapel is one of the oldest congregations in this part of Irwin County.
New Prospect’s congregation dates to 1887. The present church was begun in 1918, with additions in 1934 and 1951 to accommodate a growing membership. The brick was added in 1973.