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MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH CEMETERY

Location: 101 May Street, St. George, SC.

This Cemetery is called Memorial Baptist Church Cemetery but it evidently was George Cemetery or Murray Cemetery, as it pre-dates the founding of the Church. James George (1789-1867) was stated to have been the first settler of George's Turnout, then George's Station, later Saint George. He was the son of Dennis George, a Frenchman who fought in the Revolutionary War. In 1810 James George opened the first store in a log cabin almost opposite the present railway station (from THE TOWN OF FRIENDLY PEOPLE, p.1, by Jean Behling.) This same James George died May 10, 1867 and was interred in this cemetery, his monument is the oldest remaining; therefore, we assume the cemetery was in 1867 or before. The other tombstones bear dates prior to the establishing of the church. Misses Maud and Sallie Kenyon solicited all Baptists in the town and the first Baptist Sunday School was organized October 9, 1881, meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Kenyon.

After meeting in Col. T. E. Raysor's school building, the Town Hall, Miss Harriet Tucker's one room cottage, and back to the Town Hall, they had raised "the magnificent sum of $75" and purchased a lot from Mr. P. L. Felder. They hoped for assistance from the State Mission Board in building a church, but Dr. Griffith slowly shook his head and said, "My sisters, the State Mission Board will never help you locate a Baptist church next to Guinea." They purchased a lot from Mr. Emory Murray for the price of $300 which was exorbitant at that time. (From HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE, SC, 1941 by Emily Howell Klauber).

Also, Church constituted Sept. 6, 1891; dedicated Dec. 20, 1891. Emory Murray and Louisa Murray conveyed to S. W. Ackerman, M. W. Kenyon, D. L. McAlhany, and P. M. Murray, Trustees of the Baptist Church of St. Georges . . . lot of land lying . . .in . . . Town of St. Georges in the county of Colleton, aforesaid State (SC), measuring and containing Three forth of an acre. Bounded North by Gavin Street, East by Murray Street, South by lot of Mrs. Louisa Murray and West by lot of Mrs. John L. Gavin. Signed 6th day of January 1889, Wit: P.M. Judy, Geo. M. Rumph, N.P. Recorded 29 April 1890, Deed Book 9, p. 375, Colleton County - Colleton Transcripts, Bk. 4, p. 511. Mrs. Louisa Murray conveyed to Trustees ST. GEORGES BAPTIST CHURCH same lot, same amount, same boundaries "Provided nevertheless and the validity of the conveyence is made conditional upon the observance of this provision that neither the said Trustees nor their successors in office nor their assigns shall ever use or allow to be used the said lot or any portion thereof for purposes of interment." Signed __ day Dec. 1889. Recorded Jany 26, 1889 in Bk. 7, p. 455, Colleton County - Colleton Transcripts, Bk. 6, p. 200. We believe Mrs. Louisa Murray was one of the dedicated women who worked and prayed so long for a church building that she made the second deed with the provision, as she already had children buried in the adjoining lot.
Frances T. Patrick Some information: Mrs. Mary D. Murray, Sec.

Copyists: Edith W. Axson

Date: May 1979

James George
Dec. 22, 1789
May 10, 1867
This stone is erected over
The remains of
A man honest, open hearted
and sincere,
Manly, generous & humane.
He lived in the practice
And died in the spirit
of Charity.

Son of Emory and Louisa
Murray
July 16, 1869
Nov. 9, 1878

Mary  -  Dau of
Emory & Louisa Murray
Jan7 29th, 1867
August 31, 1869

Joseph Marion Przyborowski
Died March 21, 1877
Aged 68 years
He was a member of
The Baptist Church
And an honest man.
Link to Photograph

Mary Przyborowski  -  Wife of
J. M. Przyborowski
Nov. 12, 1813
March 28, 1877

Otto P.  -  Son of
L. E. & C. R. Parler
Died June 7, 1878
Aged 4 yrs 4 mos. 27 days.

S. Lola  -  Dau of
L. E. & C. R. Parler
Who died Oct. 29, 1870
Aged 2 yrs 11 mos. 7 days.

Little Mollie  -  Dau of
W. S. & M. E. Utsey
Died Oct. 8, 1870
Aged 4 yrs 8 mos. 15 days.
(Link to Photograph)