The Daily Times, Gainesville, Ga., May 30, 1976 Hall County History by Sybil McRay Homecoming and Heritage Day will be observed at the Antioch United Methodist Church in the Sardis community Sunday. The Rev. Fred Whitley, minister of the church, has announced that the Rev. George O. King, a descendant of Robert King founder of the King's Chapel which is now Antioch Church, will preach the 11 a.m. sermon. The Rev. King will also preside at the unveiling of a monument to Robert King and wife after the dinner hour at 2 p.m. Robert King Jr., the eldest son of Robert King Sr., and his wife Frances Tilly both buried in the Antioch Methodist Cemetery. Robert King Jr., migrated to Northeast Georgia from South Carolina hunting free land. There was no free land left, however, since land lotteries and land grants had exhausted all such land. The couple together with their family, belongings, wagon and all they owned had arrived in what is now Hall County, Georgia, and needed a place to settle. With no land available in the settled community, they set up a homestead in the fork of the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers. This area at the time was the Cherokee Nation and no white family was in the immediate vicinity. Nevertheless, Robert King built a log house and there raised a family of eight children. After a treaty with the Cherokees made by the government, which began the movement of the Indians to western territory, the land where the Kings lived was opened for settlement for homesteaders. The King family was already settled and there was a home, barns, cleared fields, and even a "Chapel" or "Meeting House." This log building, which was used as a place for worship, was erected on King'' property, built by King who became the minister of his own church, and was called King's Chapel, or King's Meeting House. Services were held at King's Chapel until after the War of 1812. When the territory was opened to new settlers this house of worship was the only such building in the area. However, as it was located in the fork of the rivers and there being no bridges at the time, the Chapel was not as accessible as it should have been. A Camp Meeting Ground was secured so that services could be held each summer. People came and camped together for some ten days of two weeks each summer after the corps were "laid by." It was decided that there was need of a better location for the church and King's Chapel was relocated near the Camp Ground and was named for Antioch for the Camp Ground. Robert King continued as minister for the congregation until his death in 1837. He is said to have been the first person buried in the Antioch Cemetery. The King family was of English descent. Robert King Sr. was born in England. He was married to a Miss Smith and the couple had seven children born to them. Robert Sr., was buried in Pennington, S. C., which is now Anderson, S. C. The children of Robert King Sr. were: 1. Robert King, Jr. who married Frances Tilly, March 25th, 1802, and moved to Hall County. 2. William King who married Jerusha Harris. 3. Jack King married Henrietta Brown. 4. Betsy King married a Mr. Harris. 5. Sallie King married a Mr. Dennis Stell. 6. Rebecca King married Stephen Tilly. 7. Catherine King married Hope Watts. Children of Robert King, Jr. and Frances Tilly King were: (1) Nancy King, born March 23, 1803. She married John Chambers in Hall County, December 13, 1828. They were parents of four children. (2) Mary King, born November 3, 1804, was married to a Mr. Bishop. They were parents of five children. (3) Rebecca King, born November 21, 1806. She married Ephraim M. Johnson. Seven children were born to the couple. (4) Jane King, born July 23, 1808. She was married to a Mr. Brice. (5) James R. King, born November 27, 1811. He was married to Cintha Conley in Hall County on March 1, 1832. The couple had four children. (6) Lucinda King, born April 13, 1814. She was married to Obed Smith and four children were born of this union. (7) Robert A King., born July 15, 1817. He was married to a Miss Mary E Gober and had four children. (8) Ebenezer Pettigrew King, born July 25, 1819. He married a sister of Obed Smith and five children were born to the couple. By his second wife he had seven children. Ebenezer P. King died at Jasper, Ga. And was buried in the cemetery across the road from the Methodist Church. He was local Methodist Preacher and a machinist by trade. "The King family was noted for its fondness for music…They were famous for good voices and would meet socially among their friends and sing the songs of Watts and Wesley to their hearts content. Especially at camp meetings and revivals their voices were heard in hymns of praise… The present descendants of the family retain many characteristics of their rugged ancestors. They are scattered through South Carolina; Georgia and the Gulf States…"