Ramah Primitive Baptist Church, Wilkinson County, GA

Ramah Primitive Baptist Church
Wilkinson County, Ga.
Hwy. 57, south of Gordon, Organized 1809

Constituted June 10, 1809 by ____ Castleberry, Cornelius Batchelor, Thomas McGinty, ____McGinty, John Proctor, Adam Jones, Ella Jones, Fanny Proctor, Allen Gay and Abigail Gay.
First a member of the Ocmulgee Association, it became a member in 1814 of the new Ebenezer Association which was formed at Old Cool Spring Church in Allentown.

Early Members: 1809: Ezekial Bragg, Sarah Bragg, Benjamin Cooper, Nancy Cooper
1811: Henry Castleberry, Millie Castleberry, John Roach, Elizabeth Aycock, Benjamin Aycock, Fannie Johnson, Elizha Darden, Fannie Darden
1812: Delilah Jones, Penn Gay, Lillie Gay, Hesikah Darden, Jacob Shores, Polly Shores, Isaac Jones, Sarah Stevens, Reiny Castleberry
1813: Henry Eady, Solomon Savage, Frederick Herndon, Martha Matthews, Mathew Bragg, Bether Williams, Br. Long, Mellie Jones, Sister Priscilla
1814: Stephen Proctor and wife Susan, John McKenzie, Nellie McKenzie, Mourning Cox, Annie Proctor, John C____, Elisha Calloway, Bro. Conner
1815: Elisabeth Harricur, Celia Cadwell, Ephriam and Rachel Ellis, Ephriam Eady, John Proctor, William and Mary Proctor; 1816: Elizabeth Williams, Bro. Boggs, George Dykes, Hilda Dykes, Joseph Stephens, Rachel Stephens, Levy Matthews, Israel Caldes
1817: Washington McGinty, James Lambert and Esther Lambert, Charles Young, Martha Young, Simon Johnson, Carlton Greer and Elizabeth Greer, Mary Mott, Allen Hill, Hartwell Moore, William Stanford, Priscilla Collins, Celia Bohannon, Samuel Wells, Bernice Proctor, Millie Moore, Annie Lyles, Cely Stevens, Robert Williams, William Proctor, Dorcas Castleberry, Theodoshia Shirien, Mary Willis, Annie Lindsey, Charlotte King
1818: John Brock, Sarah Underwood, Tabitha McGinty, Allen Dykes, Tempey Broach, Elizabeth Palmer, Candance Norman, Tom Sanders, Polly Dykes
1819: Cely Baker, John Wood, Susannah Wood, Nancy Brock, Harold Moore and wife, Morah Passmore, Bether Millican, John Franc__.

Some members after 1819 from Historical Collections of Wilkinson County by Joe Maddox lists:
Borden Aycock, Ellender Aycock, Lydia Barber, John Batchelor, Nancy Batchelor, Brother Boggs, James Branan, Sarah Branan, Nathan Bush, Ann Cannon, Nathaniel Cobb, Warren Dykes, Ellender Fountain, Jackson Fountain, Lewis Fountain, Polly Gore, Allen Hardie, Membrane Heath, Nancy Heath, Allen Jones, Jane Jones, Priscilla Jones, Esther Lamber, George J. Leslie, Silas Leslie, James R. Lewis, Rebecca Munch, Polly Odum, Elizabeth Patterson, Nancy Pearson, William Ryle, Aaron Sanders, Malachi Sanders, Polly Shores, Archibald B. Smith, William Spivey, Abraham Stevens, Jacob Stevens, Benjamin Underwood, Rachael Witt, Elinder Young, Mariah Young, Mary Young

Ramah Church became a member of the Ebernezer Primitive Baptist Association in 1836. Some clerks of the church were Joel Rivers 1834-1842, James R. Lewis, 1842 - 1862, Thomas R. Whitaker, 1862. Columbus Hogan 1862 & 1862. John McArthur 1863-1890 and 1897 to 1905. J. J. McArthur 1904 - 1929.
Some Pastors: John Ross, Adams Jones, David Smith, A. Stephens, Adam Jones, Lampkin Vandiver, John Evers, A. Black, David Bassit, Lynch B. Porter, William Porter, L. B. Porter, James Granade, William M. Cooper, W.F. Rogers, J. I. Keel, W. B. Carr, John Gresham, T. G. Wright
The present church was built in 1861. Building committe members were John McArthur, Thomas R. Whitaker, William Ryle, members of the church and W. M. Whitehurst and J. W. Branan. When Sherman's army came through in 1864 a portion of his troops encamped at Ramah. The locks of the church were broken and it was used as the officer's headquarters. In additon, a part of the church equipment was taken away.

Source: Victor Davidson's History of Wilkinson County.

Church history is available at Jack Tarver Library at Mercer University.

Cemetery