In 1888, a small group of religious people
built a wooden structure on the property of Tom Mannings.
This site was located across the road from the old Hines
place. This building was given the name Pleasant Grove Baptist
Church with Rev. Sam Drew serving as first pastor.
There were no deacons, therefore, deacons
from neighboring churches served until the first ordination.
The first deacons were: Green Luppard, Preacher Harper,
Green Gresham, Charlie Harper, Amos Carmichael, Warren Dean,
Amos Harper, and John Moore.
In 1888, Rev. T.M. Allen, acting as moderator,
ordained the first deacons. They were George Head, Sr.,
E.D. Beavers, Joe Hines, Keller Lemons, Joe Brewster, Henry
Head, and Sam Dallas.
In 1893, the church was relocated to Charlie
Manning's property (about three quarters of a mile from
our current location). It remained there only a short while
before it was moved again, first to Sleepy Hollow (where
the cemetery is located) and finally to Billy Kemp's place.
However, in 1889 the Trustee Board met and drew up plans
for purchasing one acre of land for $25 to erect a permanent
church site.
The first church building was erected in 1901.
Under the leadership of Pastor Drew, the membership grew
until there was a need for larger facilities. Thus, the
first building, located on this very same spot became a
school. When Pastor Drew moved to Oklahoma, his brother,
Rev. Will Drew became the second pastor.
Under Pastor Will Drew's administration, the
larger building was constructed on the site next door to
our present edifice, directly beyond the old oak tree (the
stump still remains in the ground).
The turn of the century was not the best times
for Pleasant Grove as she entered into some of her darkest
hours in history. In 1903, Pastor Drew resigned and then
a terrible windstorm wrecked the building. It stood in this
condition for two years, not because the people had lost
faith, but because times were hard, work was slow, and wages
were very low.
God in HIS own time and way sent a man with
a family from the Big Bethel Church on Powder Springs Road
- the late Rev. Green Moss. He and Deacon Henry Head, carpenters
by trade, were emplyed to rebuild the church. In the latter
part of 1903, under the third pastor, Rev. Green Luppard,
the Trustees purchased enough lumber to finish the new building.
The building, with periodic repairs, served until this edifice
was ready for occupancy.
From 1903 through 1916, Pleasant Grove had
five pastors. The Rev. John Wyatt served until 1907. Under
his administration, the church joined the Kennesaw Baptist
Association in 1905. The Rev. E.L. Allen served until 1911.
In 1908, he sent the first delegate, Deacon Henry Head to
represent Pleasant Grove in the Association at Cave Springs,
GA. Pastor Joe Jennings served from 1912 - 1914. Pastor
John J. Freeman served the remainder of 1914 and 1915. Pastor
Owens Tyers served the remainder of 1915 and 1916.
In February of 1916, the late Rev. A.V. Williamson
was called to fill the pulpit. He was a very young man full
of ideas, alert, straightforward, and above all a praying
man. When he became Pastor, the church was dilapidated.
He immediately initiated the needed repairs. In the early,
lean years, the church building was enlarged, a choir stand
was added and membership increased to more than 400.
In 1946, Pleasant Grove became the first church
in Marietta to own and operate a church bus. Under Pastor
Williamson, Pleasant Grove had the honor of being first
to present many reforms which were patterns for other local
congregations. After 42 years of dynamic Christian leadership,
Pastor Williamson was called home to his reward on May 27,
1958.
