Midway Congregational Society, Liberty County, Georgia
Location: Midway, Liberty County, Georgia
Surnames/tags: Baker Southern Colonies Revolutionary War
- To view Profiles on WikiTree: Category:Midway Congregational Church, Midway, Georgia
The goal of this project is to identify and categorize the distinct group of Members and their children/descendants of the Midway Congregational Church & Society in Midway, Georgia. In 1752, approximately 71 families from Dorchester, South Carolina sought and received royal land grants in the District of Midway and began moving to St. John Parish bringing with them about 1500 enslaved Africans Americans, who labored to build rice and other plantations. [1]
The sticker for Midway Church and Society Member Profiles:
| Profile Sticker Code | Produces |
|---|---|
| {{Religion |image=Midway_Congregational_Society_Liberty_County_Georgia-1.jpg |text=was a member of the Midway Congregational Church & Society, Midway, GA}} |  ... was a member of the Midway Congregational Church & Society, Midway, GA |
| If Before July 4th, 1776: {{US Southern Colonist Sticker|Georgia}} |  ... ... ... was a Georgia colonist. |
| If buried in the Church Cemetery: {{Global Cemeteries|place=[[Space:Midway Cemetery, Midway, Georgia|Midway Cemetery]]}} |  ... ... ... is buried in Midway Cemetery. |
Contents |
History
On August 28, 1754, a group of Congregationalists who had migrated from the Northeast to South Carolina, and then to the Midway District of Georgia, established the Midway Society and Church in a log meetinghouse. Congregationalism was a form of Protestantism in which each church is administered autonomously by its members. Despite the Congregationalist nature of the Church, it had strong ties to Presbyterianism. All of its ministers were Presbyterian, and its offshoot churches later became Presbyterian churches. [2][3]
In colonial and antebellum times, white members and their African American slaves attended services together at Midway Church. The Church has a ‘slave gallery,’ and services for the enslaved people were also held in a building on the Church grounds.
From its founding until the first Baptist church was established in 1806, the Midway Church was the only church in the area, and thus was not only a place of worship, but a meeting place for all the people of the county, both black and white.
With the approaching Civil War, many white members of the Midway Church congregation started attending three Churches that were affiliated with Midway Church: Walthourville Presbyterian Church, Dorchester Presbyterian Church, and Flemington Presbyterian Church. The last Midway Church service was held in 1867 when their pastor left to attend to another church and congregation. It was then leased out to newly freed African Americans and became the Midway Presbyterian Church. The original white congregation moved to other churches.
Midway Church continues today as a museum, rental hall and event space . [4] Midway Congregational Church - 8815 E Oglethorpe Hwy, Midway, Georgia 31320 USA
Timeline
- 1754: Midway Church and Society Established
- 1756: First Permanent Meeting House Built
- 1757: First Service Led by Re. John Osgood
- 1792: Present Church, New England Style Built
- 1849: Church Building was Reoriented
- 1867: Last Service was Held
- 1868: Midway Church was leased to newly freed African Americans and became Midway Presbyterian Church
- 1892: Last Church Service was Held for Midway Presbyterian Church
- 1950: Church Building was Moved 40' due to Highway Widening Project
Sources
- ↑ Wikipedia: Midway Historic District (Midway, Georgia)
- ↑ Midway Congregational Church & Society Museum
- ↑ Midway Congregational History
- ↑ Historical Rural Churches: Midway Congregational
See Also:
- Find A Grave: Midway Cemetery
- WikiTree Cemetery Project: Category:Midway Cemetery, Midway, Georgia
- WikiTree, Province of Georgia: Space:US_Southern_Colonies_Province_of_Georgia_Team
- GA GenWeb: Liberty County, Georgia Project
- Liberty County Historical Society: Liberty County Family Profiles
- Stacy, James, 1830-1912. History And Published Records of the Midway Congregational Church, Liberty County, Georgia. Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Co, Publishers, 1979. ISBN 0871522985
Acknowledgments
- This page is part of a research project by Karen for early pioneers in the Colony of Georgia.
- Login to edit this profile and add images.
- Private Messages: Send a private message to the Profile Manager. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
- Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)