Signs of the Times – Missionaries (1800-1849)

More than 50 foreign and home missionaries were pro­duced by Liberty County during the period 1800-1840. Samuel Spry Law and his son, Josiah Spry Law, were among the home missionaries.

Samuel Spry Law (1775-1837) was born in Sunbury, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Spry Law. He was educated at Sun­bury Academy, became a planter, married Rebecca Hughes, was elected captain of the Liberty Independent Troop, was later an officer in its parent organization, and became a mem­ber of Midway Church as a youth.

When the Sunbury Congregational Church was established, Samuel Spry Law attended its worship services, and was its clerk for a short time. He joined the Sunbury Baptist Church in 1815 when he was 40 years of age. He was ordained a Baptist minister by the Sunbury Baptist Church in December 1827. He devoted the last ten years of his life to missionary work among the black persons of Liberty County. He was buried in Sunbury Cemetery.

Josiah Spry Law (1808-1853), son of Reverend Samuel Spry Law, was born at Sunbury, and received his education at Sunbury Academy. He became a member of the Sunbury Baptist Church, which ordained him a Baptist minister in 1830. He was pastor of the Sunbury Baptist Church, and Baptist churches at North and South Newport. He devoted the last 20 years of his life to missionary work among the black persons of Liberty County. He established a “station” for black persons in the Crossroads community near Rice­boro in 1849. After the Civil War it became the First African Baptist Church, mother church of all black Baptist churches in Liberty County. Josiah Spry Law was buried in the Sun­bury Cemetery. A monument to his memory was erected at his grave by the North Newport Baptist Church.