Crawfordville Baptist (Taliaferro County, Ga.)

Crawfordville Baptist Church has the distinction of being the first Protestant church in the Taliaferro County area. This church was originally called Bethel Baptist, named for the neighboring Bethel Springs. The church organization was established in 1802 by Rev. Jesse Mercer and James Matthews, well before the creation of Taliaferro County in 1825 or Crawfordville in 1826. According to records, there were twenty one original members. The first Bethel church building was first located about two miles south of what is now Crawfordville. After voting, the church decided to move to the newly created Crawfordville in 1828. The land for the new church was given by William Janes, a local planter who was one of the largest land holders in the state. The historical marker points out that the Crawfordville Baptist congregation was known for its liberality, as it allowed other denominations to meet in the church building while being organized. In an interesting closing statement, the marker also alludes to fiery political speeches given in the church. The church's land increased over the years. William Janes donated a few more acres and in 1873 Alexander Stephens, former Vice President of the Confederate States of America, deeded an additional 2.5 acres.