St. Paul AME Church Cemetery
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The St Paul AME Church Cemetery is located on Cochran Mill Rd, approximately 0.16 mile north of Wilkerson Mill Rd on the east side of the road. The cemetery extends to the left and right behind the church ruins.
According to locals, this site was inhabited by a White church in its early days, and then later by the St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was vandalized and burned in the 1960s. There are still many residents in Palmetto and Chattahoochee Hills who have ancestors buried in this cemetery and in March 2009, several interested church members met with the Rev. Chester Beavers of Palmetto and the Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society to organize a clean-up day. On April 4, 2009, approximately 15 volunteers participated in the clean-up day. As a result, 162 possible gravesites were identified, including four box tombs, 5-10 tombstones, and fieldstones marking the remainder of the gravesites, making this one of the largest cemeteries in the city of Chattahoochee Hills. There is a lot more work to be done on the cemetery site, which covers an estimated 2/3 of the two-acre parcel, before all of the grave sites can be located. Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society will continue to work with Rev. Beavers and other volunteers, as well as the landowner, who has been extremely supportive, until this cemetery is cleaned up and restored as best as our resources allow. |
History of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church - Est 1889
The following history was found at the Old Campbell County Historical Society, date and author unknown.
Trustees of the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church purchased a half acre in Land Lot 8, District 7, originally Coweta then Campbell County, from Mrs. Nora L. Hopkins on September 16, 1889. This property was located on the Public Road leading from Palmetto to the Chattahoochee River.
These Trustees were: George Weaver, Major Vaughn and Berry Jackson Jr.
In June, 1916, the deed to the church property was used to secure a loan of $300. In this Deed, the description includes “lying in front of the St. Paul School House. . . thence south to white cemetery. . . containing one and one half acres.”
The Trustees listed on the 1916 deed are: Charlie Jackson, Major Vaughn, Mark Sumlin, Mark Sumlin, Lump Cook, Jerry Weaver, Thom. Jackson, Lewis Vaughn, Wm. Sumlin and Thos. Cochran.
Trustees:
George Weaver, son of Abe and Annie Weaver, was born about 1875. He married Thursda (Thersana?) and had at least 3 children: Mary Lee, Edward and Willie D.
Major Vaughn, son of Jack & Sela Vaughn of Coweta County, was born about 1860. His wife’s name is show as Malsie and Jennie on census records. They lived in Rivertown, Campbell County in 1910, but had moved to Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio, by 1930.
Jerry Weaver, son of Abe and Annie Weaver and brother of George, was born about 1865. His wife’s name is show as Timothy on census records and they were living in Goodes District, Campbell County in 1910. In 1920, they are shown in Palmetto, and by 1930, they moved to Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio.
Lumpkin (“Lump”) Cook, son of George and Mariah Cook of Coweta County, was born about 1867. He married Martha Ann Richardson in Campbell County.
Trustees of the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church purchased a half acre in Land Lot 8, District 7, originally Coweta then Campbell County, from Mrs. Nora L. Hopkins on September 16, 1889. This property was located on the Public Road leading from Palmetto to the Chattahoochee River.
These Trustees were: George Weaver, Major Vaughn and Berry Jackson Jr.
In June, 1916, the deed to the church property was used to secure a loan of $300. In this Deed, the description includes “lying in front of the St. Paul School House. . . thence south to white cemetery. . . containing one and one half acres.”
The Trustees listed on the 1916 deed are: Charlie Jackson, Major Vaughn, Mark Sumlin, Mark Sumlin, Lump Cook, Jerry Weaver, Thom. Jackson, Lewis Vaughn, Wm. Sumlin and Thos. Cochran.
Trustees:
George Weaver, son of Abe and Annie Weaver, was born about 1875. He married Thursda (Thersana?) and had at least 3 children: Mary Lee, Edward and Willie D.
Major Vaughn, son of Jack & Sela Vaughn of Coweta County, was born about 1860. His wife’s name is show as Malsie and Jennie on census records. They lived in Rivertown, Campbell County in 1910, but had moved to Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio, by 1930.
Jerry Weaver, son of Abe and Annie Weaver and brother of George, was born about 1865. His wife’s name is show as Timothy on census records and they were living in Goodes District, Campbell County in 1910. In 1920, they are shown in Palmetto, and by 1930, they moved to Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio.
Lumpkin (“Lump”) Cook, son of George and Mariah Cook of Coweta County, was born about 1867. He married Martha Ann Richardson in Campbell County.