Grayson's name originally was Trip, Georgia.  In 1881 J. P. McConnell was appointed postmaster of Trip.  John E. Jacobs also served as postmaster and later as mayor.  Trip was the center of a thriving farming community.

        Among the prominent families who first settled Trip were:  McConnell, Jacobs, Ford, Cooper, Williams, Tribble, Brownlee, Cates, Kennerly, Petty, Hawthorne, Rawlins, Roberts, Yancey, Langley and others.

        When the railroad was extended to Loganville, the town's name was changed first to Berkely, which turned out to be already taken by another Georgia town, and then to Grayson.

        Chestnut Grove Church was organized in 1850 with the following founding members:   John Carroll, J.G.H. Herring, Nathan Fowler, James Johnson, James Young, J. North, Seaman Moore, Isaac Petty and George Petty.  Two years later two acres of land were purchased from John Davis for five dollars, and a log building was erected which was used also as a school house until 1873.  At that time a frame building was erected.   Link to Chestnut Grove history page.  See 2005 photographs of Chestnut Grove.

        The Grayson Methodist Church, originally called Asbury Methodist Church, was organized in 1884.  The charter members were:  Mr. and Mrs. James Conner, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Frisby, Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Browning, Miss Mary Langley,  Mrs. Carrie Johnson, Mrs. Jane Head, Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Cates, and Mr. and Mrs. G.M. Brand.  The building was constucted in 1885.

        Grayson Baptist Church was organized April 4, 1913, with Rev. Chancey Foote, Rev. J. J. Stephenson and Rev. C. P. Ewing acting as a presbytery.  The charter members were O. A. Jacobs, J. A. Jacobs, H. A. Nix, Eula Pate, Zelma Jacobs, Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Nix, Marinda Nix, W. E. Roberts, Mrs. Addie Roberts, A. S. Briscoe, Mrs. Della Jacobs, Mrs. Snowy Jacobs, Rev. E. L. Langley.
 

This history is a work in progress.  I will be adding more information and photographs, so be sure to check back frequently and reload or refresh!
 

Sources:
History of Gwinnett County, 1818-1960, Volume II, by James C. Flanigan, copyright 1959

Dynamic Gwinnett,  text by Bill Kirby, copyright 1993, published by Longstreet Press, Inc.

Related Links:
Grayson Gazette - Online News
Chestnut Grove Baptist Church History

---

     TOP OF PAGE