Blooming Grove Methodist (Polk County, Ga.)

Blooming Grove Methodist is located in a very rural setting in West Georgia between Tallapoosa and Cedartown. A local history reports that it was organized in 1856 in a log building that also served as a school house. J. W. Trawick was the first pastor. The history from the North Georgia Methodist archives also indicates, "At one time there were twenty or more springs of different minerals here, and is said to be the assembly grounds of the Cherokee Indians back in the days before the Trail of Tears. Just across the mountains from Blooming Grove is Tallapoosa, Georgia, where Captain Tumlin organized a Company of Georgia Mountain Volunteers in which Sargent Duncan H. Tally the grandfather of Oscar B. Tally, who is recording these remembrances and hold Grandfather's discharge papers on their return from this treck westward of the Indians from this section. We have here also one of the old cemeteries of the County. In which our negro slaves were also buried." The history also includes a long list of some of the settlers of this section as well as a listing of the early pastors and ends with "Thus Blooming Grove continues to work for social and civic righteousness having graced the homes of the leaders of the present and past, to go forth and bless the world around us, while our farmers and merchants provide our food across the channels of service. like the great Master, who came not to be ministered unto, but to minister."