"When Lee County was created from original territory in 1826, there came into the local area
hardy souls to establish farms in the wilderness. Sumter county
was created out of Lee County in 1831 with the territory being
sparsely occupied by scattered farms connected only by old Indian
trails and rough wagon roads.
Shortly after the county seat of Americus
was laid out in 1831, a small group of Baptists bound
themselves together in Christian fellowship. The Americus Church,
Sumter County, was constituted in 1831 with presbyters Samson
(sic) English, pastor of the Hepziba Church, Marion County,
and James S. Lunsford, pastor of the Antioch Church, Stewart
County officiating. How many and who these charter members were
is not currently known, nor is the location of their house of
worship, if indeed one did exist. The following year Americus
was officially chartered…"
[story continues…)
For the exact text see pages 41-42 "History
of Sumter County, Georgia" by Jack F. Cox; In Association
With The Sumter Historic Preservation Society, 1983; WH Wolfe
Associates Printer, Roswell, Georgia
