A History of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Botsford, Sumter County, GA

A History of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Botsford, Sumter County, GA

The First Families Project Sumter County, Georgia http://www.researchonline.net/first/ga/sumter/index.htm

Botsford is a no longer in existence. It was a village 5 miles west of Plains.

Its successor is St. Andrew's in Plains. Botsford was a half mile from the Sumter/Webster County line. Terrell County was nearby. Charter members were from all three counties. Over 90% of charter members were from the Dutchforks area of South Carolina (Newberry and Lexington Counties).

Excerpt from the publication, "REMEMBERENCES of St. Mark Lutheran Church."

St Mark Lutheran Church, Saluda County, SC 1827-2002 History of St. Mark Lutheran Church In Its Early Days "There are three churches which have been built up by members of this church and have been given the name of St. Mark. The first was in Georgia, near or at what is now called Plains, Georgia. The most of the members that organized this church were children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of John Wise and all were members of St. Mark Church. All of this was arranged around their camp fires, that is, the building of the church, and the name it should have, while they were trailing on in their covered wagons to their new home in Georgia. The Rev. Margart, their first pastor, in writing about the first years of this church, which he did very often to the Lutheran paper, always referred to it as 'the little church around the corner of Georgia'."

Compiled by Rubye E. Riser from the memory and actual experience of her father, J. Elbert Riser.

The members of St. Mark's in SC transferred their letters of membership to the new church in Georgia, when it was built in 1870. The following members were listed as being members of the SC church before 1870 but have transferred written next to their names. Many of these people are buried in the St. Mark Cemetery, located 4 miles south of Plains, Sumter County, GA on Hwy 45.

There are two other related church histories which are related. Macon County: St. John's is the oldest, next is Mt. Zion. Their successor is Mt. Zion - St. Luke's in the town of Oglethorpe.

Information is taken from a 1933 talk by Mrs. Mary Bell Elmore Powers. She was the daughter of Pastor Elmore who was an early Pastor for the two Lutheran churches in Sumter and Macon counties. She writes about Pastor Jacob Kleckley, the first pastor. A third document includes notes from the research of Pastor

Lloyd Seiler who was Pastor of these churches for about 20 years in the first half of the 20th century. Pastor Seiler was attempting to establish that 1838 was the date the Lutheran Church was established in this area. In his research are notes from the Lutheran synod of Georgia. You will note there are other early Lutheran churches in Georgia. I suspect, but have never know, that some of the other early Lutheran Churches are immigrants from the Dutchforks.

For Macon County Mrs. Powers gave a list of immigrant families. For Sumter there is a 1870 document signed by 80 members age 6 to 68. Let me explain the 1870 document. It was likely typed from three original sources. One, a portion of February 1870 document found in Pastor Margot's diary. Second is a June 26, 1870 charter signed by 39 women and 41 men. Third is a list of church pastors in the 1930s. Thus I surmise this is a history typed from original documents, now lost. Last is my list identifying St Mark's charter members grouped into families.

I used personal knowledge, cemetery tombstones, and family genealogies from the web to identify over 70 of the signers. The Sumter census was lost. That census asks for the state of birth. Many people say South Carolina.

Pastor John Margot was the first pastor for St. Marks. He moved to Eufaula Alabama during the war where his wife had inherited a farm. He took the train, riding free as was the custom of the time. There were other preaching points and societies in these counties. Pastor Margot kept a diary all his life from his youth. It is now in the Lutheran archives in Columbia at LTSS Seminary library, 4201 N Main St. Columbia.

The following transcription of the names was submitted by Belva Gurr, gr'gr'granddaughter of Lott & Mary Matthews Dozier Jennings

Members who transferred their membership to St. Mark Lutheran In Georgia John McNeiry Joel Wise David Wise Lott Jennings Samuel B. Holly D.P. Holly Pertiller Dozier, step-son to Lott Jennings George H. Wise

Anderson Derrick G.C. Wise Joseph P. Wise Samuel P. Wise Philip Jennings J.B. Fellers L.C. McNeiry George W. Jennings William Jennings George W. McNeiry George Addy Levi Addy J.C. Kinard William Kinard A.M. Wise M.P. Black W.M. Wise Bud C. Etheredge Lourah J. Wise Mary B.U. Wise Martha A. Wise Mary P. Wise Mary M. Jennings, w/o Lott Jennings, m/o P. Dozier Rosa Wise Francis S. M. Wise Caroline D. Holly Christina L. Wise Nancy McNeiry Martha M. Wise Jincy Wise Mary Jane Bedenbaugh Elizabeth McNeiry Mary Jennings M. Elizabeth Wise Fannie Addy sis/o Lott Jennings Elizabeth Addy A**lla Etheredge Sources:

Documents and history provided by Roy Wise <roytwise@comcast.net> http://www.sumtercountyhistory.com/church/StMarksLutheran.htm

1870 Charter of St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Botsford Name on Charter M19-Geo Addy * First wife: Second wife: F21-Frances Addy *

Name and age George Addy (56) Jemima Wise Frances Jennings Addy (36)

Children by George and Jemima Addy: M21-Levi W Addy Levi Wilson Addy (33) F23-Elizabeth Addy Julie Elizabeth Wise Addy (28)

Children by George and Frances Addy: F22-Mary R Addy Mary Rosannah Addy (11) M22-Wm Phillip Addy * William Phillip Addy (8) F20-LCC Addy * F24-Laura Rachel Addy

Ellen Catherine Camilla Addy (13) Laura Rachel Addy (6)

M38-J G Chapman

John George Chapman (39)

Wife: F35-Frances Chapman Children:

Elizabeth Frances Summers Chapman (39)

Notes Sister to David and Joel Wise: buried in SC. Sister to Phillip, William, and Lott Jennings

Husband of Elizabeth Addy F23 Daughter of David and Rosa Wise, Levi and Elizabeth were first cousins. Later they joined her brother Jeremiah Pickens Wise (M18) in Haleyville, Ala Married Josie L Wells Married a) Josie Stephens b) Rosa Lulu In 1877 married Sam Wise M3 In 1881 married Burr T Wise M20 On web says he was charter member of Bronwood Lutheran Church, Migrated to Georgia on 11.25.1866. His mother was Mary Margaret Addy. Related to both Derricks and Wises.

F38-G E Chapman F37-G F Chapman M26-W W Chapman M39-A P Chapman M40-J W Chapman

M8-David S. Derrick * Wife: F11- P. M. Derrick * M32-John L. Derrick F32-Mary E Derrick Hiller M7-Geo E. Hiller * F9-Hattie A Hiller * F34-Sallie R Hiller M34-Sam'l J Hiller M9-J I Hiller F12-C S Hiller M17-W W Hi1ler F27-Anna Hiller

F12-C S Hiller W6-Phillip Jennings * Wife: F8-M M Jennings

Ellen Chapman (19) Georgia A Chapman (17) William Carlos Chapman (14) Adam P Chapman (10) James Walter Chapman (9) Charles P Chapman (13) David Samuel Derrick (29) Martha Pauline Wise Derrick (24) John Thomas Derrick (43)

Not on list Brother to John Derrick M32 Daughter of Joel Wise and Melissa Schumpert Brother to David Derrick M8 Likely wife of John L Derrick M32

George E. Hiller (31) Harriett (Hattie) Wise Hiller (24)

Son-in-law of Jensie Wise F10 First wife of George Hiller M7 Daughter of Jensie Wise F10 Sarah Rebecca Hiller (21) Wife of Samuel Hiller M34?

Samuel J Hiller (28) Husband of Sarah Rebecca Hiller F34?

Moved to Alabama Joseph S. Hiller (27) Husband of Cattie Hiller F12 Brother of George Hiller M7 Catherine (Cattie or Katie) Hiller (20) Wife of Joe Hiller M9 William Wallace Hiller (20) Brother of George Hiller M7 Anna Georona (Angerona) Parker Hiller (23) Wife of WW Hiller M17 Daughter of WJ Parker M41 Child buried at Botsford unknown Phillip Jennings (30) Mary Melissa Wise Jennings (27)

Brother of Billy & Lott Jennings Daughter of Joel Wise M3 and Melissa Schumpert

M5-Wm. Jennings* F7-Mary E Jennings *

M15-Lott Jennings *

William (Billy) BC Jennings (33) Mary E Wise Jennings (28)

Lott Jennings (42)

Brother of Phillip and Lott Jennings (W6) Wife of Billy Jennings M5 and daughter of Jency Wise F10 Brother of Billy (M27) and Phillip (M6) Jennings Her first husband was a Dozier.

Wife: F15-Mary Jennings * Mary Mathews Jennings Child of Mary Jennings and her first husband, Dozier: M16-Pentiller Dozier Pertilla Dozier (18) F28-Tempy E Dozier Temperance Dozier (19) Wife of Pertilla Dozier M16 Children of Lott and Mary Jennings: F18-Carrie Jennings Martha Matilda Caroline (Carrie) Jennings (11) Married JJ Kennedy M28 M27-WBC Jennings William Buchanan Jennings (14) M23-John T. Jennings John Tillman Jennings (11) F17-E L Jennings Ellen Frances (Dumpling) Jennings (10) Both Lott and Billy had a daughter Ellen F33-Ellen Has Jennings Ellen Hasseltine "Hassie" Jennings (8) Married Marcellus Parker, son of WJ and Alethea Parker M41 F39 M29-Owen Kennedy F26-Rhoda Kennedy M26-J J Kennedy M25-H C Kennedy

Owen Kennedy (58) Rhoda Wall Kennedy (54) Jesse Joseph Kennedy (20) Henry Clay Kennedy (26)

Husband of Rhoda F26 Wife of Owen M29 Married Carrie Jennings F18 HC married L Kennedy

F29-Carrie E. Margart

Caroline Margart

Pastor Margart's daughter

M41-Wm. J. Parker Wife: F39-Allethna Parker

William John Parker (58)

M1-John McNeary

John McNeary (66)

Alethea Lawhon Parker (56)

Parents of Aleathea Parker Murray (Grandma Murray) Brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;in-law of David M2 and Joel Wise

M4-L C McNeary M14-Geo. W McNeary

Levi C McNeary (43) George W McNeary (15)

F6-Elizabeth McNeary

Elizabeth McNeary

Individuals M30-Joseph Ranal M24-J T Ravin M31-Edwin Culpepper unknown M33-Geo. Dickenee F25-Ella G Harges F30-Frances Minick F31-Annabel Adams M35-Sam'l E Market

M3-Joel Wise * Wife:

Joseph Rauch unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown unknown Samuel E. Market (21)

Joel Wise (age 50) Melissa Schumpert Mary Jane Moore Wise (41)

Children of Joel and Mary Jane Moore Wise: M12-Sam'l P Wise * Samuel Pickens Wise (19) F36-Fannie Wise Frances L Wise (15) F5-Lula J Wise Louise (Louisa) J Wise (14) F3 Mary E Wise Emma Wise (17) F4-Laura J Wise Laura J Wise (14)

M3. Assume wife is buried in SC. Son of John McNeary M1 Son of Levi McNeary M4 Grandson of John McNeary M1 Wife of Levi McNeary M4

There is an infant Millie Culpepper (1892) in cemetery

In 1875 married Louise Wise F5. I think he was born in Georgia. Not sure his connection to others in the church

Joelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first wife is buried in SC Second Wife of Joel Wise I think she died in 1870 and is not buried at Bottsford because church was built in 1872.

In 1877 married ECC Addy F20 Died young (not on 1860 census) In 1875 married Sam Market M35 Married J F Stapleton.

Married Wesley McGill

M20-Bunn W Wise F10-Jency Wise * Children: M10-Samuel N Rauch F13-M M Rauch (F3-Mary E Jennings (F9-Hattie A Hiller

M2-David Wise Wife: F1-Rosa Wise Children: M11-G C Wise * F16-Rhodella Wise *

Burr Thomas Wise (12) Jane (Jency) Etheridege Wise (49)

Samuel N Rauch (31) Martha Matilda Wise Rauch (30) Mary E Wise Jennings (28) Harriett (Hattie) Wise Hiller (24)

In 1881 married Laura Addy F24 Parents of the three Wise doctors Widow of Joel and Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother Jesse Wise who died in 1868 in SC Son-in-law of Jency Wise F10 Wife of Samuel Rauch M10 Married Billy Jennings M27) First wife of George Hiller)

David Wise (61) Rosannah Elizabeth Etheridge Wise (49) George Calhoun Wise (26) Rosa Della Etheridge (17)

(Not on charter list)

Frances (Fannie) Coogle *

M13-J P Wise F14-A J Wise

Joseph Patrick Wise (23) Anna Josephine Derrick Wise (18)

M18-J P Wise

Jeremiah Pickens Wise (20)

F2 Fannie G Wise

Francis Susanna Wise (17)

F19-C C Wise M28-P J Wise M37-David Luther Wise

Clara Camilla Wise (12) Phillip Johnson Wise (9) David Luther Wise (7)

G C went back to Edgefield, SC in 1870 to marry her, his first wife.

G C met Fannie, second wife, at a Lutheran Synod held in Oglethorpe, Ga. Her family moved from the Dutchforks in the 1830's Husband of Anna Josephine Derrick F14 Wife of Joseph Patrick Wise m 13 Sister of Dave Derrick M8 Married Annie Whitehead and moved to Halleyville, Alabama Second wife of George Hiller M7 Hattie & Fannie were first cousins Married a Mr. Christie Louise (Etta) Chappell Married a) Lilla Dean b) Addie Lunsford

* Buried at Botsford Cemetery Lott, musician, Reg 14, SC Phillip, musician, 7 Infantry Reg, SC