Haynes Creek Primitive
Baptist Church - Established 1826
HAYNES CREEK BULLETIN
November 2015
By Larry Rutledge
A Newsletter from the Haynes Creek Cemetery Committee – Founded 1947
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalms 116:15
I want to thank the Lord for his goodness and leadership daily as we work to help preserve our historical cemetery. He is so good I want to take some space and thank Him, you and our committee for the work he has blessed and made possible. You have been so good to donate to the cemetery fund that has made several improvements come about over the last several years.
- Installation of Stone Columns at the entrance.
- Removal of the old rotten and un-habitable home that was built back over 60 years ago for cemetery/church custodians to live in.
- Paving of parking lot on the north side of church and completing the paving of drive around cemetery.
A. Partnering with the church to purchase insurance for the building and property.
B. Replacing the old rundown pavilion with a nice metal structure.
C. Building a wheelchair accessible entrance to the church building.
- Cleaning out area in front of Section 4.
- Cleaning & removing of trees along and in front of Section 3 and area behind Section 2.
- Cleaning and removing trees in wooded area behind Section 1, where slaves are buried.
- Having cemetery and graves surveyed and numbered with plat.
- Having ground penetrating radar work to determine where people are buried in unmarked graves.
- Having unknown markers installed over unmarked graves except over in family plots which we tried to verbally notify them.
- Putting together a website with pertinent information plus names of people buried, and where, along with grave numbers.
- Having the Cemetery Committee Incorporated.
- Removal of several large rotten or fallen trees at various times.
- Drainage system installed, I believe in the 1980’s.
- Replace bell tower with beautiful granite stone with some historical info inscribed on the face.
- Relocated 2 graves that were in middle of drive between Section 1 and 2, because grave diggers would move tomb marker and drive over them when they needed to get in rear of Section 2.
- Sending out yearly newsletter to better inform you.
- Building a very nice information area so people visiting can easily identify where a loved one is buried.
- Removal of blue rug juniper that was covering several grave sites.
God, you and the committee have truly been a blessing in these accomplishments and I am very thankful. In the days ahead more improvements will be required so we want to thank all of you for your help in the future. May God continue to bless and lead.
GPR WORK
GPR is complete, praise the Lord. From this work we have been able to identify graves that had no markers but now they do, except for the very few identified inside a family plot which is their responsibility.
CEMETERY COMMITTEE
Founded in 1947-All Voluntary
Evelyn Elliott
Nell Foster
Harold Landress, Landscaping Management 770-979-1636
Chris Rutledge- Management of Grave Placement and Sales (when available) 770-861-2528
Jim Martin
Tracy Moon
Susan Pierson
Chloe Rutledge
Stephen Rutledge
Larry Rutledge-Chairman
770-972-2008
Janice Rutledge-Secretary
770-972-2008
Nan Wilson
Tony Wood
Dwight McCart
Jim Coker
Dey Smith
Rickey Brooks-Vice Chairman
770-466-4443
Bobby Basford
Greg Smith-Treasurer
770-633-3366
I am so thankful for our committee. They do good work. It is so good to have such a group that gives of their time to meet and work to preserve this beautiful, historic cemetery.
Since our last newsletter we have had some changes in our committee. Kristy McCullers, our secretary and Tommy Rutledge resigned from the committee. Thank you Kristy for your work as secretary and Tommy for your work on the committee and may God continue to bless you both in the days ahead. Nan Wilson resigned as treasurer and Jim Martin as Vice Chairman. We thank you both for your service to the committee and thankful you are staying on the committee.
Rickey Brooks is now our new Vice Chairman, Greg Smith our treasurer and Janice Rutledge our Secretary. Thanks to all three of you for your willingness to serve in these leadership positions.
We like to share with you something about ourselves so this year we want to feature Dey Smith and Nan Wilson.
Dey Smith was born in Havana Cuba and fled the communist regime with her family in the early 1960’s. She grew up in Atlanta. Dey met and married Greg Smith over 20 years ago. They have 2 children, Gregory “Alex” and Emma Catherine. She holds several degrees in the education field, is fluent in Spanish and English and has been teaching for more than 20 years in public education.
She and her family reside in Walton County. There are at least 3 generations of her Smith family buried at Haynes Creek and she is delighted to be a part of the committee.
Nan Wilson is a single mother with one son and two grandsons. She has a masters’ degree in counseling. She is the one member of the committee that is a Haynes Creek Church member since May of 1992. While living in Phoenix City, Alabama she retired in 2005. After her son took a job in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she sold her home in Alabama and moved to Winder, Georgia.
She is the daughter of Mr. Olin Gresham, who worked on this committee for many years and led in much of the work accomplished. Nan joined the committee and shortly became the treasurer of which we appreciate very much.
WEB SITE
Remember that you can’t get our web site through Google but must use our web address, www.haynescreekcemetery.com.
COPING
Please understand that in many cases because of the limited records available, coping may be the only way we will know a plot belongs to you. So if you haven’t done your plot, please do as soon as possible.
MAILING LIST
We need your help to add more people to our list. We do not share it with anyone and we only use it a few times each year. This is much of the life blood for our cemetery fund.
BEFORE YOU DIG
Before you have a grave dug you must notify Chris Rutledge at 770-861-2528. This helps us better manage the grounds and our records. We have been having a problem with grave diggers dumping extra dirt on the property. Because some will not adhere to No Dumping signs posted and dump anyway, we have imposed a $1000.00 charge per incidence of dumping on church property. So please be sure to advise your funeral home of this because they will be billed for it.
WORK DAYS
Everyone is invited to our two work days we have each year. Their dates are Saturday before Thanksgiving and the 3rd Saturday in April at 9:00 a.m. and we usually are finished by 1 p.m. Come and bring your rake, shovel, etc. and we will have a great time fellowshipping while we work to help preserve our historic cemetery.
I want to personally thank the following for their work at the Spring work day. Chris Rutledge, Rickey Brooks, Bobby Basford, Janice Rutledge, Tommy Rutledge, Greg Smith, Jim Martin, Kristy McCullers, Nan Wilson, and Susan Pierson.
CLEANING TOMBSTONES
We as a committee would like to encourage families, if you would like to, to have your old, stained tombstones cleaned. Different families have done this already and it is amazing how new they look.
There are several companies that do this. There are 2 local companies that have done lots of work in the cemetery that might be able to help you. Keenan Byrd, 678-978-6442, and Jimmy Giles, 770-482-6546. We are not recommending these people but do know they have done work here and are familiar with the cemetery and seem to do good work.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Our last service, April 26, 2015 was very meaningful. It was no doubt the largest attendance yet as the church was full.
The next service is planned for April 24, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. inside the church. It is a great time of remembering those gone on before us and a good time of fellowship and honoring our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please plan to come, bring old pictures and articles of people buried here to display and if possible copies to keep on file.
BURIALS SINCE OUR LAST NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2014
Mildred McCart, Sec. 2-803, Died 12-5-2014.
Holland Hurndon, Sec. 2-810A, Died 11-21-2014.
Horace McCullers, Sec. 4-269, Died 1-9-2015.
Verna Faye Wilson, Sec. 3-788, Died 2-9-2015.
Geraldine Johnson, Sec. 2-859, Died 2-15-2015.
Dwight Hewatt, Sec. 3-880, Died 2-9-2015.
Mary Lou Brooks, Sec. 3-991, Died 2-24-2015.
Melvin Curtis Underwood, Sec. 2-847A, Died 4-1-2015.
Eugenia “Genie” Della Ledford, Sec. 3-853, Died 4-22-2015.
Violet Mary Wells Ewing, Sec. 4-140, Died 4-30-2015.
Oscar Eugene Hilderbrand, Sec. 4-399, Died 5-7-2015.
Andrew Eugene Johnson, Sec. 3-1106, Died 6-11-2015.
Shirley Hurndon Roberts, Sec. 2-188, Died 7-5-2015.
Ava Brook Tuck, Sec. 4-56, Died 9-1-2015.
Tommy Tarzan Massey, Sec. 3-862, Died 10-2-2015.
Virginia Dare Moon Canup, Sec. 3-922, Died 10-1-15.
Please be much in prayer for their loved ones and friends as they adjust to life without them.
PEOPLE OF THE PAST
Nealie Odessa Brooks Garmon 1901-1993
By granddaughter, the late Martha Thomas Allen.
Mrs. Garmon was the 10th child of George & Emma Brooks. Born July 23, 1901. Older siblings recalled that when Mr Brooks went for Dr. A. M. Brooks for her delivery the doctor saying as he passed their home and saw Mrs. Brooks outside at the laundry tub near the well that “ it would not be long” and it wasn’t.
Nealie started school at the age of six in the fall of 1907 at the Midway grammar school on Rosebud Rd., Gwinnett County. She completed the seventh grade.
Her youngest sister, Nell remembers Nealie as a bundle of energy and could always get more accomplished in a shorter period of time than any of her other sisters. Nell also recalls how impatient Nealie would be with her lagging behind when working in the field and various projects around the home.
She always had a natural talent for styling hair and would often practice her skills on her sisters.
At the age of l7 in October, 1918, she married Seaborn Carl Langley, brother to her sister Versia’s husband, Emmett Langley. A year later they had a stillborn son on November 19, 1919. He is buried in the Brooks family plot in the cemetery.
She divorced Seaborn Carl Langley in 1929 and three years later, in 1932, she went to work for the American Hat Co. on Trinity Ave., Atlanta, GA, where she worked until 1937.
On December 24, 1937 she married Oscar Garmon from Hiram, GA. This date was also the third birthday of his young daughter, Dorothy Elizabeth. He also had a ten year old son, William Harold Garmon, born July 16, 1927.
Nealie was baptized into the Edgewood Baptist Church Atlanta, GA in the late forties. She joined the Grayson First Baptist after moving to the Brooks home place in the early fifties.
After marrying Oscar Garmon, she moved into his home at 329 Glendale St., Atlanta, GA. She then assumed the role of loving stepmother to Dorothy and Harold. They lived there until 1951 when they purchased the Brooks home place following Grandma Brooks death.
They sold their Beauty and Barber shop, known as Garmon’s Beauty and Barber Shop on McLendon Ave. in Atlanta, GA. They worked together there, she as beautician and he as barber.
When moving to the Brooks home place on 9 acres in September, 1952, they began immediate restoration and remodeling of the house.
Nealie’s hobbies were all kinds of needlework, gardening (both vegetables and flowers), and quilting.
On March 27, 1979, her husband, Oscar died of cancer and was buried in the Brooks family plot. She and Oscar had 4 grandchildren, Mike, Vickie, Don and Susan. There were 4 great grandchildren at the time of Nealie’s death.
By the mideighties Nealie’s Parkinsons had progressed to a disabling stage necessitating her entering the Janet Hill Apartments, at which time, her home was put up for sale. She remained in the Janet Hill apartment adjoining the nurse care facility until the minimum care she received there did not meet her needs. She was then transferred to the full nurse care situation. Her condition deteriorated to the point of having to enter Humana Hospital, Snellville, GA the first of January, 1993. She died there on January 3, 1993.
She was laid to rest in the Brooks family plot beside her husband, Oscar Garmon.
Nealie is lovingly remembered by her family and friends.
WE ARE GRATEFUL
Thank you for your prayers, work on the cemetery and your financial support and for keeping your family sites neat and clean. Without it very little could be accomplished. To make tax free donations please mail to:
Haynes Creek Cemetery Committee, P. O. Box 1582, Loganville, GA 30052.
PICTURES
Following are a few pictures.
The old caretaker home that had to be removed. In such disrepair that couldn’t live in or repair.
The old outhouse.
Cemetery Committee Meeting 4-27-13. Chloe Rutledge, Susan Pierson, Dey Smith, Nan Wilson, Evelyn Elliott, Kristy McCullers, and Rickey Brooks.
Memorial Service 2008. The Knight Sisters singing, Margie McBryar, Beverly Cooper, Hilda Underwood and Jo Puckett.
Work day 2010. L – R Kristy McCullers, Marvin Nash Worthy, Jeanette Fowler, Nan Wilson, Betty Thomas, Janice Rutledge, Susan Pierson, Stephen Rutledge, Larry Rutledge, Todd Butler, Keith Rutledge, Ronny Rutledge, and Chris Rutledge.