Located
on
Duluth Highway at corner of
Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road. In
spite of the heavy traffic on Duluth Highway
and Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, this lovely
church on the hill remains a landmark in this
area. I wish the sun had not ducked
behind the clouds, because the day I took
these photographs was a perfect sunny, cool
day (especially for August!). I
don't think you could get closer to Heaven
than in this cemetery. It is just beautiful,
and maintained better than most. As far
as I know, no transcriptions of this cemetery
are available for free access online. If
you have any actual transcriptions of your
family members' tombstones, please consider
sharing them here.
Early History
of Fairview
Presbyterian Church
Used with permission of Fairview Presybyterian Church
(Anthony Grimsley), August 22, 2005. See
LINK below to the official web
site of Fairview Presbyterian Church.
Fairview
Presbyterian
Church of Gwinnett County, Georgia was organized on
the 9th day of August in the year 1823. It was
organized by the Reverend Remembrance Chamberlain.
Thomas Beattie, Samuel Reid, and William Montgomery
were set apart to the exercise of their office on the 28th of
September,1823,
agreeable to our book of discipline. Thomas Beattie having been a ruling
elder in the congregation of Goodhope, South Carolina.
How the name "Fairview"
came to be
Fairview Down one of Ireland's
greenest of green lanes, bordered on either side
with neatly clipped hedges of hawthorne,
white with blossom, carpeted with velvet sward,
studded with ox-eyed daisies; overhead floated soft,
fleecy clouds in a sea of blue ether; no sound save
the droning of bees among the flowers; the cawing of
a colony of rooks in the castle woods; distant
lowing of cattle. A study fair
of white, blue, gray, and green. A calm Sabbath in May, in the year
1750. The sound of voices, and lo, a long
procession of men, women, and little children,
following like sheep an old, old man whose long
silvery locks fell in rippling curls on the stooping
shoulders. He walked very slowly, aided by a shepard's
crook.
The lane ended at the foot of a
knoll on whose summit stood and perhaps still
stands, a gray stone church overgrown with ivy,
which grows more luxuriantly in Ireland than
elsewhere, because tradition as well as history
tells us that Ireland was once one vast scape of hill and dale; a
wide stretch of country, grim, old castles in ruins,
farm houses nestling in the midst of smiling farms,
with here and there a native hovel to mar the beauty
of the scene. In the distance flashed the silver
waters of the Lough in
their basin of emerald and gray stone. The exiled
Scots loved this fair spot where they had found a
brief refuge from persecution and had named their
church Fairview.
The Pedens of America, The Flitting, page 17,
1961,Hiott Press, Greenville, S.C.
The Original Pioneers
Thos. Beattie, Sam'l Reid, W.J.Russell, James C. Reed,
M.Montgomery, James M.
Gresham, Geo. M.Gresham,
Phillip Isley, Cath. Montgomery, Isabel
Jackson, Mary Reid, Margaret Beattie, Mary A.Isley. These people took a
covenant together to start this church.
The History of the Churches
1823-1911
The history naturally falls into
two periods-before and after the war. Before the war
the church enjoyed her greatest prosperity, having
on her rolls over 250 names, and being the leading
church for miles around. She enjoyed the ministerial
services of Rev.John S.Wilson and Rev.James C. Patterson, men
of the highest ability, for a period of thirty one
years. These men, while preaching at Fairview,
also taught in the Lawrenceville
Academy.
Something of the ability of these two faithful
preachers may be seen from the fact that when they
were called away from Fairview the Rev. Mr. Wilson
went to the pastorate of the Presbyterian church in
Decatur, and the Rev. Mr. Patterson to the
presidency of the Synodical
Female College at Griffin, Ga.
Dr. Wilson was a strong advocate of temperance, and
made temperance speeches in this part of the state.
He was a leading minister in the Presbyterian church, and was a member of
eleven general assemblies. Besides being pastor of
the Decatur
church he was principal of the Hannah Moore
Institute at that place. He moved from Decatur
to Atlanta,
and was pastor of the First Presbyterian church
until the day of his death. He was regarded as one
of the strongest preachers in Georgia.
He preached long sermons, but was listened to with
attention. On July 12, 1831, near the close
of his faithful ministry, twenty members were
dismissed to in forming the new church
of Goshen,
now the Norcross Presbyterian Church.
Dr. Patterson was also proprietor
of the Laboring School Farm, located between Fairview
and the public road which passed the residence of
Mr. Sam. Craig. This school had quite a reputation
among Presbyterians all over the state. Dr.
Patterson had the reputation of a man who controls
bad boys, and was able to accomplish a great work in
his school. His work in Griffin
was of the highest order. He did not live long after
moving there.
Just prior to the war the church
grew weaker, owing to the removal of many members to
other parts, and to the general unsettled condition.
Services were maintained without a break up to and
through the year '61, though in '62 there seems to
have been no regular pastor. All during the rest of
the war services were maintained. At its close
things were so demoralized that there are no records
at all for the larger part of 1865 and 1866.
The first record thereafter reads
thus:
"The war having thrown everything into a state of
derangement, no regular record was made of the
meetings of the session from April 1865, till June
1866, at which time the session engaged the
ministerial services of Rev. J.Wilson
as stated supply till January, 1867."
This entry is made by the Rev. J.Wilson.
Mr. Wm. H.Mayne was
clerk of session during the war, and there is an
unfinished entry made by him in the book, dated
April, 1865. From this time he disappears entirely
from the records.
The history of the church
immediately after the war is largely the history of
the reconstruction period. Beginning with the first
pastorate of the beloved Rev.J.L.King
in 1869 things began to brighten a bit and during
his eleven years of devoted and faithful service in
one of the most trying periods of our Southland's
history, marked gains were made and much good
accomplished.
During the next pastorate, 1881-1885, that of the Rev.J.F.McClelland, some of
the seed sown in the previous pastorate ripened and
was gathered. Following are some of the names added
to the roll at this time: Geo. W.F.Craig,
Jno.E. Craig,Jr.,
Nancy J. Craig, Mrs.R.A.L.
Williams, Misses Kate and Lizzie
Williams, T.R. Powell by letter, Donald Williams,
Mrs. L.A. Woodward, Mrs. Sally Williams, Thomas S.
Byrd, Wm. T. Craig, and John W.N. Williams, names
familiar to us all.
Bro.McClelland served
the church well and faithfully for nearly five
years, winning his way into the hearts of all, and
then "fell asleep in Jesus." Beautiful resolutions
were prepared by C.H. Brand, J.W. Wilson, and T.R.
Powell, and were adopted by the church and spread on
page of session book.
The Rev. Mr. McClelland was
followed by the Rev. Sam Scott, who seems to have
served the church acceptably for something over a
year. Among the names added to the roll at this time
are; Messers, Sam,
Craig, J.C. Williams, I.A. Corbin, Robt.T.Craig, R.Roland Williams, and
Misses Annie Winn and Mary Hutchins.
From 1886 the church was served
by three ministers till 1891, when the Rev. J.L.King returned and served
again for ten years, his two pastorates, totaling 21
years, the longest in the history of the church.
Bro. King's second pastorate was not nearly so
successful at his first, owing largely to the fact
that a goodly portion of the strength of Fairview,
consisting of 26 members, was by act of session,
April 12, 1891, dismissed to form the Lawrenceville
Presbytery church. Four elders and three deacons
were among the 26 members dismissed, leaving the old
church with but two elders and one deacon, viz: Elder James R. Noel,
now residing in Texas,
W.D.Byrd, residing in Atlanta,
and Deacon J.B. Davis.
On May 9, 1891, the congregation
elected Mr.J.B.Davis
and Mr. Corbin elders, and Mr.Wm.Craig,
a deacon. On May 10, 1891, Bro. King
ordained and installed Mr.Davis
as an elder and Mr.Craig
as a deacon. On July 12, 1891, Elder Noel was
dismissed to join some church in Texas,
and at a congregational meeting, Mr.Donald Williams was
elected an elder. The following trustees were also
elected: Messers, John
Williams, Donald Williams, and Wm.Craig.
On May 8, 1892, Mr. A.T. Roberts
was elected and he and Mr. Donald Williams were
ordained and installed as elders of Fairview
church. This made the official force of the church
to consist of Elders W.D.Byrd,
J.B.Davis, Donald S.
Williams, and A.T. Roberts, and Deacon Wm.Craig. Practically all
the members who withdrew to form the church in
Lawrenceville were residents of the town, and it was
the most sane and logical thing to do, weakening as
it was to the old church. Time has shown the wisdom
of the step, and in the present activity and
prosperous condition of both churches can be read
the fact that the wisdom of the all-wise Father has
been leading in and through all.
During all the last years of Bro.
King's ministry his parishioners at Fairview
clung to him with a love and devotion only equalled by the tenderness
of his heart in return for them. He literally wore
out at Fairview
and died in harness. He often expressed the wish to
be buried at Fairview,
where he has a little son sleeping now, whose grave
is carefully tended by our members. He still lives
in the hearts of many at Fairview.
The church was vacant after Bro. King left in 1901,
until about August, 1902, when the Rev.W.Lee Harrell became the
pastor. Bro. Harrell's pastorate covered the annual
meetings in August 1902-1903. Rev.W.P.
Hemphill, evangelist, was present during the August
meeting of 1902. Among those who joined at this time
was our present treasurer, Mr.Frank
Y.Williams. From this
time for several years the church was without a
pastor. In 1905 the Rev. W.P. Hemphill returned and
conducted the August meeting. This was a very
successful meeting and did much to revive the
members and hold them together. Among those joining
at this time were G.P.Craig,
Precious Craig, John Baucham,
W.D.Huston, Henry Craig,
Evelin Childers, and
Lizzie Huston.
In 1906 the Rev.J.H.Dixon
served as pastor, and at the August meeting the
following were enrolled as members: Ruth Williams,
Susie Williams, Nellie Williams, and Minnie Craig.
In August, 1907,Evangelist Frank D.Hunt, of the Atlanta
presbytery, came to Fairview
and succeeded in arousing a good deal of enthusiasm,
firing the members with faith in God and in
themselves and with zeal for the work. The following
were received into the church at this time: Robert M.Kemp and his wife,
Margaret S.Kemp, Mrs.
Sam Craig, Mrs. Lola F. Brownlee, Hattie E.
Thompson, and Susie Quinn.
The following new officers were elected, ordained,
and installed: Elders- Samuel Craig, Claud G.Craig,
J.C.Williams.
Deacons- Frank Y. Williams, W.D.Huston, and R.M.Kemp. At this
time a building committee was appointed to have
charge of repairs on the church, consisting of
Samuel Craig, J.C.Williams,
and Claude G.Craig.
Rev.Fritz
Rauschenberg began serving the church as pastor in
October, 1907, preaching for the church once a
month, coming from the
Seminary in Columbia,
S.C., until
May, 1908, when he was installed as pastor by a
commission from Atlanta
presbytery. He found the congregation ripe for a
forward movement, thanks to the efforts of Bro.Hunt, the sturdy
strength of character of the leading elements in the
church, and withal the presence and blessing of the
Holy Spirit of God, who has led us to this good
moment, and made all these blessings possible.
Mr. Rauschenberg resigned in the
spring of 1911, and moved to College
Park in June, where he is
pastor of the church.
Rev.J.M.Harris,
of North Carolina,
was next called to the pastorate of this church and
entered upon his work in July, 1911.
Officers 1823 - 1911
The following table gives a list
of the ministers, elders, clerks of session, and
deacons who have served the church. The list is as
complete and accurate as possible from the data at
hand:
Ministers-
Rev.Remembrance
Chamberlain, 1823 to 1824;
John Simpson Wilson, 1825 to 1838;
James C.Patterson, 1838
to 1855;
Thos.B.Noel, 1855 to
1856;
W.C.Smith, 1857 to 1861;
J.G.Downing, 1863 to
1865;
James Wilson, 1867;
Mr. Wood, 1868;
J.L.King, 1869 to 1880;
J.F.McClelland, 1881 to
1885;
Sam Scott, 1886 to 1887;
W.H.A.Johnson, 1888 to
1889;
John E.Dubose, 1889 to
1890;
R.N.Abraham, 1891;
J.L.King, 1891 to 1901;
W.Lee Harrell, 1902 to
1903;
J.H.Dixon, 1905 to 1906;
Fritz Rauschenberg, 1907 to June 1911.
Elders-
Thomas Beattie, 1823-1826;
Samuel Reid, 1823 to 1850,
William Montgomery, 1823 to 1850;
Thos.W.Alexander, 1825
to 1827;
Geo. M.Gresham, 1825 to
1836;
Richard Saye, 1826;
Moses Liddell,1826 to 1857;
John Mills, 1830 to 1872;
John Conine, 1832 to
1844;
Miza Strickland, 1835 to
1882;
David L. Wardlaw, 1839
to 1850;
Ahel R.Smith, 1839 to 1852;
Azariah Noel, 1847 to
1877;
Hamilton Garmany, 1849
to 1853;
David L.Wardlaw, 1855
to 1867;
O.P. Strickland, 1855 to 1860;
Wm.H.Mayne, 1855 to
1865;
D.M. Byrd, 1869 to 1880;
Wm.Kemp, 1869;
W.D.Byrd, 1874 to 1906;
J.D.Hood, 1874 to 1891;
G.B.Atkinson, 1874 to
1875;
James W.Wilson, 1880 to
1891;
James R.Noel, 1880 to
1891;
T.R.Powell, 1882 to
1891;
A.M.Winn, 1885 to 1891;
J.B.Davis, 1891 to 1902;
Donald Williams, 1891 to 1907;
A.T.Roberts, 1892 to
1907;
Samuel Craig, 1907;
Claude G.Craig, 1907;
J.C.Williams, 1907.
Clerks
of Session-
(1) Geo. Gresham;
(2) Thomas W.Alexander;
(3) John Mills;
(4) Thomas W.Alexander;
(5) Abel R.Smith;
(6)Wm. H.Mayne;
(7) John Mills;
(8) D.M.Byrd;
(9) W.D.Byrd;
(10) T.R.Powell;
(11) W.D.Byrd;
(12) A.T.Roberts
(13) Claude G.Craig.
Deacons-
John N.Alexander,
1811;
James H.Alexander,
1811;
Geo. Anderson, 1811;
Samuel F.Alexander,
1811;
James R.Noel, 1875 to
1880;
J.B.Davis, 1875;
Geo.W.F.Craig, 1882 to
1885;
John W.N.Williams,
1882;
W.H.Harvey, 1890 to
1891;
Wm.Craig, 1891;
Levi C.Brand, 1895;
W.D.Huston, 1907;
Frank Y.Williams, 1907;
R.M.Kemp, 1907.
Membership, August, 1911:
J.P.Byrd,
D.H.Byrd, Miss Cora
Byrd, M.D.Baugheum,
John Baugheum, Mrs.
Lola F.Brownlee, Miss
Mary Byrd, Byrd Brownlee, John E.Craig,
W.T. Craig, Miss Anna Craig, Miss Clara Craig, Miss
Elton Craig, Samuel Craig, Mrs. Samuel Craig, R.T.
Craig, Mrs. R.T.Craig,
Miss Minnie Craig, Claude G.Craig,
G.P.Craig, Miss Maude
Craig, Miss Precious Craig, Henry Craig, Miss Mary
Craig, I.A.Corbin, Mrs.Evelin Gowers, Mrs.M.A.Dobbins, Mrs. Alice
Dodds, Miss Bobbie Dodds, Noel Dodds, M.W.Dodds,
W.D.Huston, Miss Lizzie
Huston Huff, Mrs.Mary
Huston, Mrs. Margaret Huston, Mrs. W.D.Huston, Mrs. Robert
Kemp, R.M.Kemp, Geo. W.Long, Sam P.Quinn, Mrs. Sam P. Quinn,
Mrs. Mary E.Roberts,
Mrs. Margaret Roberts, Mrs. Lee Thompson, Miss
Hattie Thompson; Miss Thompson, Mrs. D.S.Williams, Miss Mattie
Williams, Miss Mamie
Williams, Miss Ruth Williams, Miss Susie Williams,
Miss Nellie Williams, Miss Lena Williams, Mrs. R.A.Williams, Miss Kate
Williams, Miss Lizzie Williams, F.Y.Williams, R.R.Williams, R.A.Williams, J.C.Williams, W.H.Wilson, Emmett Johnson,
Claude Parks, Henry Mitchell, Grady Davis, Miss
Ethel Jones, Mrs. Quillion
Bradford, Miss Zadie
Jones, Miss Mary Kemp, Miss Annie Kemp, Miss Cammie Dillard, Mrs. W.H.Britt.
More History
In 1823, James Wardlaw, first clerk of the
Inferior Court of Gwinnett County, sold and deeded
two acres of land to the officials of Fairview
Presbyterian Church.
The church was
organized August
9, 1823, by Rev. Remembrance
Chamberlain. Thomas Beattie, Samuel Reid, and
William Montgomery were set apart as elders on September 23, 1823,
agreeable to the book of discipline.
The covenant of the
church was signed by these charter members: Mary A.Isley, Margaret Beattie,
Mary Reid,Isabel
Jackson, Catherine Montgomery, Phillip Isley, George M.Gresham, James M.Gresham, William
Montgomery, James C.Reid,
W.J.Russell, Samuel
Reid, and Thomas Beattie.
On August 6, 1825,
the Presbytery of Hopewell convened in this church.
This was the first Presbytery meeting west of the Ocmulgee
River.
Dr. John S.Wilson followed the Rev.Mr.Chamberlain as pastor
from 1825 to 1838. He also taught at the Lawrenceville
Academy.
In 1834 twenty
members were dismissed to assist in forming a new
church at Goshen,
now the Norcross Presbyterian Church.
Dr.Wilson
was succeeded by Rev. James C.Patterson.
He was also proprietor of the Laboring School Farm
between Fairview
and the Sam Craig place.
Before the War between the states the church
had 250 members and was the leading church for miles
around. Services have been held regularly except
from April, 1865 to June, 1866.
On April 12, 1891,
twenty-six members were dismissed to form the
Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church.
In 1907, the Rev.Fritz Rauschenberg came
to the church as pastor. He inspired the people to
remodel the church building. He worked as hard as
anyone in doing the actual work. The basic structure
was not changed. A new roof was put on in 1949. Then
in 1950 the Rev.James
McNair came to be our new pastor. During the first
years of his pastorate (about 1952-1953) the annex
was built on the back, giving us three class rooms,
rest rooms, and a kitchen.
For many years the
church only had services once a month, then it
increased to two services a month. In 1954, we began
having services each Sunday, the Pastor preaching at
Fairview
at 10a.m.,
then going to Lawrenceville at 11
Fairview
is the oldest Presbyterian church
in the area now comprising the Presbytery of Greater
Atlanta.
The architect and
builder of the church was James S.Russell, one of its first
members. Remodeled in later years, the original
timbers of the basic structures are still intact.
History of Fairview
Church
by Rev.Fritz
Rauschenberg
Ninety years after General James
Oglethorpe's Colony of one hundred and twenty
settled Savannah,
Fairview Presbyterian Church was founded and
eighty-five years this side of the founding of the
church we are here present. Fifteen years after the
founding of Fairview, the last of the Indians were
removed from the state to Indian Territory and
sixteen after her organization, the first settlement
was made on the present site of Atlanta; eight years
later the name "Atlanta" was given to the place.
Long before Atlanta saw the light of day, when the
Indians were still a menace and when farming was
crude and laborious, the old hills of Gwinnett and
adjoining counties resounded with the hum and bustle
of sturdy and industrious men, bent on securing for
themselves and their children those inalienable
rights of civil and religious liberty, so gloriously
contended for in the late War of the Revolution.
In the year 1823, a company of
these men gathered together for the purpose of
organizing a church. Perhaps I can best introduce
them and their noble purposes to you by
incorporating herein from the original session book,
the record of organization and covenant assumed.
"The Presbyterian
Church of Fairview, Gwinnett
County, Georgia,
was organized on the 9th of August, 1823 by
the Rev.Remembrance
Chamberlain. Thomas Beattie, Samuel Reid, and
William Montgomery were set apart to the exercise of
their office on the 28th of September, 1823,
agreeable to our book of discipline. Thomas Beattie having been a Ruling
Elder in the congregation of Goodhope, South Carolina."
Covenant
We, the subscribers, having been
regularly admitted into the communion of the
Presbyterian Church and being at the time free from
its censures, and desiring to enjoy the privileges
and discipline of a church as soon as possible, do
hereby cheerfully and solemnly pledge ourselves to
each other and to the great Head of the Church, to
endeavor henceforth to walk in all the commandments
of the Lord blameless and to obey such Elders in the
Lord as may be duly appointed over us, and to place
ourselves under the Hopewell Presbytery and to take
all regular steps to be supplied with the regular
ministrations of the Gospel of Christ.
Thomas Beattie
M.Montgomery
Isabel Jackson
Samuel Reid
James M.Gresham
Mary Reid
W.J.Russell
George M.Gresham
Margaret Beattie
James C.Reed
Catherine Montgomery
Mary A.Isley
Phillip Isley
Thus did these sturdy pioneers originate a movement
which, under God and his blessing, has continued
down to the present time and still lives teeming
with opportunity and possibility. The history
naturally falls into two periods -before and after
the Civil War. Before the war, the church enjoyed
her greatest prosperity; in her palmist days, having
on her rolls over 250 names and being the leading
church for miles around. She enjoyed the ministerial
services of Rev.John S.Wilson, and Rev.James C.Patterson, men of the
highest ability, for a period of thirty-one years.
These men, while preaching at Fairview,
taught in the Lawrenceville
Academy.
Something of the ability of these two faithful
preachers was seen from the fact that when they were
called away from Fairview
Church,
Rev.Mr.Wilson was called
to the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church in Decatur
and Rev.Mr.Patterson to
the Presidency of the Synodical
Female College
at Griffin, Georgia.
Dr.Wilson was a strong
advocate of temperance and made temperance speeches
in this part of the State. He was a leading minister
in the Presbyterian Church and was a member of 11
General Assemblies. Besides being Pastor of the Decatur
Church,
he was Principal (Rector) of the Hannah Moore
Institute of that place. He moved from Decatur
to Atlanta
and was Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
until the day of his death. He was regarded as one
of the strongest preachers in Georgia.
He preached long sermons but was listened to with
attention. On July 12, 1834, near the close
of his faithful ministry, 20 members were dismissed
to assist in forming the new Church
of Goshen,
now the Norcross Presbyterian Church.
Dr.Patterson was also
proprietor of the Laboring School Farm, located
between Fairview
and the public road which passes the residence of
Mr. Sam Craig. This school had a reputation among
the Presbyterians all over the state. Dr.Patterson had the
reputation of a man who controls bad boys and was
able to accomplish a great work in his school. His
work in Griffin
was of the highest order. He did not live long after
he moved here.
Just prior to the War the church grew weaker, owing
to the removal of many members and to the generally
unsettled condition. Services were maintained
without a break up to and through the year 1861; in
the year 1862 there seems to have been no regular
pastor; all during the rest of the War services were
maintained. At the close of the War things were so
utterly demoralized that there were no records at
all for the larger part of 1865; the first record
thereafter reads thus:
"The War having thrown every thing into such a
state of derangement, no regular record was made of
the meetings of the session from April, 1865 until
June, 1866, at which time the session engaged the
services of Rev.J.Wilson,
as Stated Supply, until Jan., 1867."
This entry is made by the Rev.J.Wilson.
Mr. William M.Mayne was
the Clerk of the Session during the War and there is
an unfinished entry made by him in the book dated
April, 1865. From this time he disappears entirely
from the records.
The history of the church immediately after the War
is largely the history of the Reconstruction Period.
Beginning with the pastorate of the beloved Rev.J.L.King in 1869 things
began to brighten up a bit and during his eleven
years of devoted and faithful service in one of the
most trying periods of our Southland's History,
marked gains were made and much good accomplished.
During the next pastorate, 1881-1885, that of Rev.J.F.McClelland, some of
the seed sown in the previous pastorate ripened and
was gathered. Following are some of the names added
to the roll at this time:
George W.F.Craig
T.R.Powell by letter
John E.Craig, Jr.
Donald S.Williams
Nancy J.Craig
Mrs. L.A.Woodward
Mrs. R.A.L.Williams
Mrs. Sally Williams
Miss Kate Williams
Miss Lizzie Williams
Mrs.L.A.Woodward
William T.Craig
Mrs.Sallie Williams
John W.N.Williams
Thomas S.Byrd
These names are all familiar to the church.
Brother McClelland served the church well and
faithfully for nearly five years, winning his way
into the hearts of all and then "fell asleep in
Jesus." Beautiful resolutions were prepared by C.H.Brand, J.W.Wilson, and T.R.Powell; these were
adopted by the church and spread on the minutes. The
Rev.Mr.McClelland was
followed by Rev.Samuel
Scott, who seems to have served the church
acceptably for something over a year. Among the
names added to the roll at this time are:
Mr.Sam Craig
J.C.Williams
L.A.Corbin
Robert T.Craig
R.R.Williams
Miss Annie Winn
Miss Mary Hutchins
From 1886, the church was served by three ministers
until 1889, when the Rev.J.L.King
returned again and served for ten years, his two
pastorates totaling 21 years,the longest in the
History of the church. Bro.King's
second pastorate was not nearly so successful as his
first, owing largely to the fact that a goodly
portion of the strength of Fairview, consisting of
26 members were by an act of the Session on April
12, 1891, dismissed to form the Lawrenceville
Presbyterian Church. Four Elders and three Deacons
were among the 26 who were dismissed leaving only
two Elders; James R.Noel
now in Texas
and W.D.Byrd of Atlanta
and Deacon J.B.Davis in
the old church. On May 9,1891
the congregation elected an Elder . The following
Trustees were also elected: Messers,
John Williams, Donald Williams, and William Craig.
On May 8,1892, Mr. A.T.Roberts was elected and
he and Mr. Donald Williams were ordained and
installed as Elders in Fairview
Church.
This made the official force of the church to
consist of Elders: W.D.Byrd,
J.B.Davis, Donald S.Williams, and A.T.Roberts and Deacon
William Craig. Practically all the members who
withdrew to form the church at Lawrenceville were
residents of the town and it was the most sane and
logical thing to do, weakening as it was to the old
church. Time has shown the wisdom of this step and
in the present activity and prosperity of both
churches can be read the fact that the wisdom of the
all-wise Father has been leading in and through all.
During the last years of Brother King's ministry,
his parishoners at Fairview
clung to him with a love and devotion only equaled
by the tenderness of his heart for them. He
literally wore out at Fairview
and died in harness. He often expressed the wish to
be buried at Fairview
where he had a little son buried; his grave is
tenderly cared for by our members and he still lives
in the hearts of many at Fairview.
The church was left vacant after Brother King
departed until August, 1902 when Rev.W.Lee Harrell became
Pastor; his pastorate covered the annual meetings in
August 1902-1903. Rev.W.P.Hemphill,
evangelist, was present during the August meeting
1902; among those who joined at this time was our
present Treasurer, Mr.Frank
Y.Williams. From this
time for several years the church was without a
pastor. In 1905, the Rev.W.P.Hemphill
returned and conducted the August meeting. This was
a very successful meeting and did much to revive the
members and hold them together. Among those joining
at this time were G.P.Craig,
Precious Craig, John Beaucham,
W.D.Huston, Henry Craig,
Evelyn Childers, and Lizzie Huston.
In 1906, the Rev.J.H.Dixon
served as Pastor; at the August meeting the
following were enrolled as members: Ruth Williams,
Susie Williams, Nellie Williams, and Minnie Craig.
In August 1907, Evangelist, Frank D.Hunt of Atlanta Presbytery
came to Fairview and succeeded in arousing a good
deal of enthusiasm; firing the members with faith in
God and in themselves and with zeal for the work.
The Following were received into the church at this
time: Robert M.Kemp,
his wife Margaret S.Kemp,
Mrs. Sam Craig, Mrs. Lola F.Brownlee,
Hattie F.Thompson, and
Susie Quinn.
The following officers were elected, ordained, and
installed:
Elders
Samuel Craig
Claude G.Craig
J.C.Williams
Deacons
Frank Y.Williams
W.D.Huston
R.M.Kemp
At this time a building committee was appointed to
have charge of the repairs of the church, consisting
of Samuel Craig, J.C.Williams,
and Claude G.Craig.
The present Pastor of the church (Rev.Fritz Rauschenberg)
began serving in October, 1907; preaching for the
church once a month, coming from the Seminary in Columbia,
S.C. until May,
1908, when he was installed as Pastor by a
commission from the Atlanta Presbytery. He found the
congregation ready for a foward
movement; thanks to the efforts of Rev.Frank D.Hunt, the sturdy strength
of character of the leading element of the church
and withal the presence and blessing of Holy Spirit
of God who has lead us to this good moment and made
all these blessings possible. The periods of
depression in the History of the Church are not as
discouraging as might appear, for the Church has
kept pace with the State; prospering when she
prospered and suffering when she suffered. For
example, Georgia
ranked 13th among the States of the Union
in 1790; 12th in 1800; 10th in 1810; and in 1820.
Fairview organized in 1823; Fairview growing fast
was 10th in 1830; 9th in 1840 and 1850 her palmiest days; 11th in 1860,
going down;12th in 1870, just holding her own; 13th
in 1880, at a standstill; 12th in 1890; 11th in
1900, again prosperous. In 1908
the State, prospering as never before. May
we not hope that all the prosperity of the beloved
Church to-day is but the forerunner of a lasting era
of power and usefulness.
I desire to give here a list of those who have
contributed of their means to this work and will
state that many of them place it on this basis: To
erect a suitable building to the memory of those
gone before, many of whom sleep hard by in our city
of the dead; to have a decent and comfortable to be
for present use; and to build for our children, even
as we have inherited from the past and to glorify
God in it all. With such worthy motives is it any
wonder that God has so blessed this effort?
Yea, he will bless us yet more.
