Established in 1822

TIME LINE BELOW FOLLOWS EARLY HISTORY

Time Capsule placed in 2002

Early History of
LEVEL CREEK METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
By Mary Whitehead

Level Creek Methodist Church was originally located on the hill about one fourth of a mile on the north side of Level Creek and some fifty yards to the left of the road from Lawrenceville to Strickland’s Ferry, near where Wyatt S. Moore’s house now stands. The church took its name from the creek it stood near-by.

 The graveyard where some of the first settlers are resting is in Moore’s field in full view of the road.

 This church was organized by Rev. W. J. Parks in the latter part of 1822, or first of 1823, in a small log house built for Phillips Lamar to teach school in. The members taken in by letter were Geo. S. Casper (local preacher), wife and two or three children, Joseph R. Thompson and wife, Wiley Brogdon and wife, Joseph R. Douglass, wife and two or three children, Samuel Brown, Sr. and wife, Wilson Strickland and wife, John Martin and wife, and others, perhaps, not left on record.

After the crop was laid by in 1828, notice was given that on a certain day the work of building a church (or rather a meeting house, as it was called in those days) would commence and all were invited to contribute, not in money, which was scarce, nor in script, which was unknown, there being no particular person to head the subscription list except the one that should first appear on the ground, armed with club, axe, broad-axe, cross-cut saw, or froe and maul. By 8 or 9 o’clock it seemed as if everybody was there, saint and sinner, and in a few days, a hewn log wall 30 by 40 feet was up and covered, with floor and doors made, with large wooden hinges, and not a dollar seen nor heard of, except to buy nails. Wilson Strickland, being the owner of a saw mill, received orders to bring in stocks and he soon had the planks sawed out. It was for this and all other churches that Wilson Strickland furnished plank, also to settlers who were unable to buy a floor for their cabins. It is said of him, “He was as clever as he was big.” He weighed 450 lbs.

 This church flourished most wonderfully in those early years, and soon there was a large membership. In the year 1838, it was decided to remove to the place where it now stands; but before leaving this ancient, sacred spot, there are other important items in the history of the first settlers of our county in connection with this community that will do to be put on record. In 1822, in the summer season, Jones Douglass opened the first Sunday school of this county in his own house and among his own children, but invited other children of the neighborhood to attend, which they did, and in a few weeks it became a very popular institution and the first of the kind that had ever been heard of by any in attendance. It increased in interest and magnitude until it became necessary to remove to the school house for the better accommodation of the upper neighborhood, where it still increased more rapidly than before, and in a short time, nearly all the youths within three or four miles were engaged in it, beside a good many grown people who came in as scholars -generally from fifty to seventy-five men engaged in the exercises. Wiley Brogdon, J.R. Thompson and others came in as teachers and managers, but Jones Douglass was looked upon as principal manager. Sunday schools were not run in those days as they are at present. No books were used except spelling books and Testaments - no such a thing known as question book, Sunday school bell or anything of the kind in this country. School would be opened at an early hour, with singing and prayer, then be conducted very much like an everyday school until time for divine services, after which a recess of about one hour was given, during which time the usual refreshments were enjoyed as much as the most splendid basket dinner would be at the present day. The boys in those days were willing to be boys, until they were men. About half an hour in the after­noon exercises were spent in learning the spelling lesson. Then the most interesting part came. A circle of from thirty to forty formed to spell by heart, one good hand to give out and the rest spell. Men, women, boys and girls all engaged and “turning down” was carefully attended to. About 1826, a few copies of the Union Question Book were procured and from then to the present day, for eighty-five years, Level Creek has been noted for its well conducted Sunday school.

Level creek was frequently visited by James Rux (local preacher) and Eli Elkins (exhorter). Joseph R. Thompson and Jones Douglass were first class leaders. This church sent out several prominent members of the Georgia conference at an early day.

The first was Tillman Douglas, son of Jones Douglas, who joined the conference in 1827 and was an efficient minister of the gospel until 1843. He died in Burke County, Ga., May 28, 1863. Reverend Samuel Anthony was licensed to preach at Level creek. “Uncle Anthony,” as he was called, was well known and honored throughout the Georgia conference. He was one time Presiding Elder and was also president of the Orphan’s Home of the South Georgia conference. The next who received license to preach at Level Creek was Isaac Rutherford, a zealous and successful local minister.

In 1838 or about that time, the church was moved one half mile south and a large log house was built on the same side of the road, both being on the land of Thompson Moore In 1854/55, a frame house was built which was at the cross-roads, the one from Lawrenceville to Cumming, the other from Hutchins Ferry to Hog Mountain. Rebecca Douglas, the wife of Jones Douglas, who died in 1863, was the last one that remained a member from the organization to that time. Among the prominent members at the building of this church were the Baxters, Clowers, Brandons, Brogdons, Moores, Armstrongs, Wisdoms, Caspers, Thompsons, Harrises, Kings, Browns, Williamsons, Rutherfords, Reeses, Stricklands, Borns, Verners, Kennedys, Wheelers, Hutchins, Chapmans, Sudderths, Roberts, Hortons, Whites.

 About 1863/64 the church and Sunday school were in the most flourishing condition perhaps of its history. “Grove Meetings” and “Twilight Prayer Meetings” were common in those days. People would go for miles to attend with one aim in view: The working out of their salvation. The woods would ring with “hallelujahs” from the good old men and women and those getting the first glimpse of the beautiful side of life - the turning from darkness to light.

In 1897, the present church was built costing one thousand ($1,000) dollars. At that time, the church building and land were valued at fifteen hundred ($1,500) dollars.

TIME LINE  Rick Beggs

First Meetings – 1822 - The home of Jones Douglas. 1823 – Log school house. Schoolmaster was Phillips Lamar. The Methodist Missionary, Rev William Justice Parks, records the church’s existence for the mother church and is the first “circuit minister.”

1828 – “After the crop was laid, notice was given to gather to build a meeting house. In a few days, a 30x40 foot hewn log structure with roof, floor, and doors mounted on wooden hinges was completed. With the exception of purchased nails, everything was donated, including the plank floor.”

1838 – The church was moved one half mile south and a large log house was built on the same side of the road, both being on the land of Thompson Moore.

1854-55 – A frame meeting house was built near the current site, the crossroads of Level Creek and Suwanee-Dam Roads. The roads were known in 1855 as “Lawrenceville-Cumming and Hutchins Ferry-Hog Mountain Roads.”

1897 – The present sanctuary was built costing $1,000. A 1907 account values the house and land at $1,500. The exterior was clapboard siding, the ceiling was high and arched, and the windows were clear glass and hinged at the top to swing out for summer ventilation.

1947 – The first parsonage was built at the site of the present O’Rouke Family Life Center.

1950’s – The present sanctuary was bricked, the ceiling dropped to accommodate heating and air conditioning ducts, class rooms were installed on both sides of the pulpit and the stained glass memorial windows were installed.

1971 – The fellowship hall (today the offices and choir room) was built at a cost of $10,000. It includes classrooms, a kitchen and two restrooms. Up to this time, Level Creek had used outside privies. At the same time, the parsonage was remodeled.

1985 – The second parsonage was built at the present site.

1994 – The O’Rouke Family Life Center was built at the site of the 1947 parsonage, which was sold and removed from the property.

Moral of the story – We are caretakers of the temporary earthly things. The old buildings deteriorate and fade away. We must be good stewards. There will be more buildings and the church will go forward.

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