There is some information on Hopeful Baptist Church in the book - A History of Burke County, GA 1777- 1950 by Albert M. Hillhouse. This book is still available. ON page 262-263: "This church grew out of the preaching in Burke County of Rev. Edmund Byne, but was not organized until 1815, one year after his death. "His labors were bestowed chiefly upon Rocky Creek Church, and in preparing the material which afterwards became Hopeful Church " (footnote 92). Minutes of the church date from November 1815. The congregation has always remained small. The membership in 1853 included thirty-seven white communicants and twenty-five slaves. During the Civil War the church was kept active largely through the efforts of Joshua Scott Key, son of Rev. Joshua Key and Mrs. B. B. Miller. The church has had but one site, about eight miles from Hephzibah in the 65th district. Hopeful Branch rises in the vicinity. Two modest structures preceded the present, small, but beautiful edifice erected in 1851 against a background of woodlands. The church cost $5,000. Four tall columns support the front of the church. The granite steps, extending the entire front length of the church, were brought from Stone Mountain by the Georgia Railroad. They were then hauled by teams to Hopeful. The rear steps of the church are made of granite also. On the inside, the doorknobs are made of solid silver and the pews of mahogany. A partition still divides the seats were the slaves sat. The church cemetery extends into a grove behind the church. An older graveyard was probably in use since most of the markers date from the 1850s and later, except Sarah and Mary Tarver, who died in 1839 and 1849 respectively. Here are the graves of Rev. J. H. T. ("Father") Kilpatrick, Rev. Joshua Key, Joshua Scott Key and the Bynes, the Palmers and others. Of special note is the grave of Nancy Palmer Johnson, the mother of Herschel V. Jounson, one of Burke's most distinguished citizens (then the epitaphs of Nancy Johnson is included in the book) Footnote # 92 - Minutes of the Ninety-Seventh Anniversary of the Hephzibah Baptist Association, Oct. 20-22, 1961. Looks like Rocky Creek might be a place to look for his grave - so here is the Rocky Creek info. from the Hillhouse book, page 257 "This Church, located about six miles from Waynesboro on the road to Vidette and Louisville, was originally known as the Lower Rocky Creek Church. It was established in 1789. The charter members are not known. Among its early pastors were Rev. Edmund Byne, William Franklin, Jordan Smith, and Isaac Brinson. Later pastors included Joseph Polhill and William H. Davis. The church's greatest period was from about 1830 to the Civil War. Its total of 276 exceeded that of any other Burke Baptist Church in 1853, although it stood second in size if only white communicants were numbered. An 1875 booklet of its "Articles of Faith, Government and Rules of Order" lists the following officers; Rev. William H. Davis, pastor; Jethro Thomas, Silas Wyatt and Henry White, deacons; B. F. Duke, clerk; and Azekiel Attaway, treasurer and collector. After the establishment of the First Baptist Church in Waynesboro, the membership of the Rocky Creek church declined. Many of the early members of that town church had previously come from Rock Creek, and the population movement away from that rural area continued. By 1893 the membership had dropped to 46 and later no active congregation existed. The church building was later used by a Negro Baptist congregation but from some years afterward it remained abandoned." ----- Original Message ----- From: Edgar Taylor <ertjr@sgi.net> To: <GABURKE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 2:32 PM Subject: Re: Bark Camp Church- another church- Hopeful Baptist Church > Does anyone have historical information for the Hopeful Baptist Church in > Burke Co similiar to what Ms. Dolorus Thompson has kindly posted for the > Bark Camp Church? One of the first preachers, if not THE first, was Rev. > Edmund Byne who brought his large family from King and Queen Co VA after the > Rev War. > > Edmund Byne is my ancestor. He is presumed to be buried in the graveyard of > this church. > > Thanks for your help. Ed T of PGH >