First Presbyterian Church Clarkesville GA

Mission Statement

"God calls us to welcome all people and to equip them to become disciples who use their gifts to serve Christ by serving others."

 

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Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)  

https://www.fpccga.org/  

 

 

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The First Presbyterian Church of Clarkesville was organized by the Rev. William Quillian on March 10, 1832, only 14 years after Habersham County was created. There were only seven charter members who were: Thomas W. A. & Martha Sumter, Mary A. Sumter, William & Mary Thompson, Margaret & Cynthia Forbes. Thomas W. A. Sumter was elected and ordained Ruling Elder. At first the church was under the care of Hopewell Presbytery. The church met in the Methodist building, which was offered to all denominations.

On the first Sunday in July 1848, the church was dedicated to the worship of God in a solemn and impressive manner by Dr. Nathan Hoyt, grandfather of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. At the close of the service Alexander and Catherine M. Erwin presented for baptism their infant daughter Julia Wales Erwin, the first child to be baptized in the church who later became the mother of Col. Robert McMillan. Also, the familiar church bell was used for the first time. This bell, which weighs 718 pounds and cost $214.17, was cast in the foundry of Andrew Meverly at West Troy, N.Y. and shipped by boat from New York to Charleston thence to August and Athens. From Atlanta it was hauled by wagon to Clarkesville, the wagoner charging $3.09 for its delivery. The church edifice, a wooden structure, was built by Jarvis Van Buren, a native of New York and a first cousin of President Martin Van Buren, who was engineer of the first locomotive ever successfully operated in the United States. Mr. Van Buren and his wife moved to Clarkesville where he operated the iron works. Mr. Van Buren was a Ruling Elder for more than 35 years and both he and his wife are buried in the old cemetery. The church was erected at a cost of $2,275.00 on a lot of two acres, purchased on equal shares and presented to the church by Robert Campbell, Dr. George D. Phillips and William Smith, the largest contributors to the church. The church building is the oldest within Athens Presbytery and the second oldest church building in Clarkesville, being ante-dated by Grace-Episcopal Church, which was built in 1839.

About the year 1840, eight years before the church was built, a few ladies connected with the church established a Sunday School, the first of its kind in the county of which there is any record. The Sunday School was operated by Mrs. Alexander Erwin, Miss Harriett C. Smith (later Mrs. H. C. Bean), Miss Althea Law and Miss Ophra Longstreet. They taught not only the Bible and catechism but also “Webster’s Blue Black Speller, neatness and good behavior.”

Dr. R. C. Ketchum, while Pastor, was one of the delegates from Habersham County to the state convention of 1861 and signed the ordinance of secession.

Among the many distinguished members of the church during its early history were: Amos T. Ackennan, who was admitted to the bar in Clarkesville and was later made Attorney General under President U. S. Grant: Judge Berrien, who was another Attorney General furnished by the state of Georgia; and Col. George W. McAllister of Savannah who contributed very liberally to the church. In 1851, his wife presented the silver communion service consisting of two plates, pitcher, two goblets and baptismal bowl. In 1956, her children gave the silver individual communion service in memory of Jenny Griggs West. In 1907, the board of trustees, carrying out the expressed wish of the members, sold part of the church lot to Mr. W. R. Asbury, and the church was moved to its present location on the lot and turned around so that it faces Washington Street instead of Jefferson Street as originally built. A porch was added and steps built from the street to the level of the lot. Before the rotation system for church officers was introduced in 1974, dedicated men served almost a lifetime in that capacity. Mr. Robert McMillan became Sunday School Superintendent in 1897 and served in that capacity until his death in 1939. He was also Clerk of the Session. Mr. J. A. Griggs served as Elder and Assistant Superintendent from 1897 until his death in 1931. Mr. Burns Mauldin and his brother, Mr. Lewis Mauldin were elders for 47 and 42 years respectively. Mrs. India Dyer Lumsden became the first woman to hold church office here when she was elected to the diaconate in 1972. In 1976 Mrs. Annette Granger Cook and Mrs. Catherine Ellison Logan were the first women ordained as elders in the Clarkesville Presbyterian Church. Since that time women have continuously served as elders and deacons. In July 1983, the congregation voted to discontinue the office of Deacon and adopt the unified system of government combining the function of that office with the office of Elder in a single board known as the Session.

In 1976 the congregation voted to undertake a complete restoration of the building that included a thorough stabilizing of the basic structure and modernizing the interior while preserving the historic beauty of the building. A rededication service was held on August 21, 1977 to celebrate the completion of the restoration. At this service the old pulpit Bible published in 1822 and used continuously in this church for over one hundred years was retired to its present location in the glass case at the front of the sanctuary. It was replaced with a new Bible donated by Mr. And Mrs. Homer Cook.

The 150th Anniversary of the founding of this church was celebrated by the congregation on October 9 and 10, 1982 with a drama depicting the historical events in the life of the congregation, services of worship and fellowship together. On March 27, 1983 a dedication service and recital celebrated the installation in our sanctuary of the new Greenwood Pipe Organ and chimes, given by the Arrendale Family in memory of Mr. And Mrs. T. A. Arrendale, Sr.

In November 1983 the congregation purchased the Franklin property immediately adjoining the church property to the north. Extensive restoration of the old Franklin house not only preserved a most beautiful piece of Victorian architecture but also provided the congregation with much needed space for the church library, classrooms, meeting areas and a large tract of land for future expansion and parking. In 1987 the church completed the paving of sorely needed off-street parking areas at the rear of the Franklin property and the church property.

On October 19, 1987 the church was chartered under the laws of Georgia as the “First Presbyterian Church, Clarkesville, Georgia, Inc.” as a non-profit corporation. Concurrent with this action, the members of the current Session were designated as Trustees of the corporation.

In 1989 the pipe organ was renovated and enlarged by the Atlanta Pipe Organ Sales and Service Company. It was re-dedicated to the glory of God on December 10, 1989.

In September 1989 a Pre-School for three and four-year-old children was started as a Christian outreach project in the community. Physically located in the Franklin house, the program continued to flourish and included children from two through four years of age and was under the guidance of a full-time director and additional teachers. The Pre-School continued to grow and was relocated in 1992 to a building at Highway 197 North. In 1995 the Pre-School became a community supported program and was incorporated. It changed its name to North Habersham Christian Pre-School at that time.