Religious Developments (1806 – 1810)

Reverend Charles Odingsell Screven, son of Brigadier General James Screven, established the Sunbury Baptist Church in 1806. It became the second house of worship in Liberty County. He and Reverend Samuel S. Law then commenced a program of organizing other Baptist churches in Liberty County.

The Taylors Creek Methodist Church was established in 1807 by Reverend Angus McDonald, a circuit rider. Its mem­bers erected a church on the banks of Taylors Creek, where worship services were held for 34 years.

The North Newport Baptist Church was established in 1809. It had no church building in the beginning, so its con­gregation worshipped in the Sunbury Baptist Church. Its first pastor was Reverend Samuel S. Lewis.

Frank Robert Goulding, son of Reverend Thomas Gould­ing and his wife, Ann Holbrook, was born in Liberty County in 1810. He became a Presbyterian minister like his father, and another of the famous authors produced by Liberty County.

The Jones Creek Baptist Church was established on April 22, 1810, by Reverend John Goldwire and Reverend Moses Westberry. The latter became first pastor of the church. Its first members were Levi Morgan, James Clark, Reuben Strickland, John Bohannon, Charles Flowers, Abigail Clark, Fanny Lowry, Susannah Strickland, Sally Morgan, Sarah Lowry, Mary Chapman, Lydia Bohannon, Letty Clark, Sarah Thomas, and Hannah Hunt.