Special recognition was given to our World War I veterans. 2017 marked the 100th year of America’s participation and sacrifice in The Great War which began on April 6, 1917, and ended on November 11, 2018. Honor was also given to our other veterans by a reading of names beginning with the American Revolutionary War vets and ending with the Gulf War on Terrorism vets.
The service also included a remembrance of those people who passed away in the past twelve months and are buried in the cemetery. The Lenora Quartet also participated with the singing of hymns. Participating committee members were Chloe Rutledge, Rickey Brooks, Jim Coker and Larry Rutledge. The Georgia State Defense Force concluded the service by honoring our veterans with a United States flag folding ceremony and with the playing of Taps.
The Haynes Creek Primitive Baptist Church is located at 2944 Rosebud Rd., Loganville, Ga. 30052. The church was founded in 1826 with 10 members. It was first named Haynes Creek Church but was later named Haynes Creek Primitive Baptist Church in 1832 after a split regarding the wanting or not wanting to support foreign mission work. The first church building was made of logs. The first member was Peacy Jainks and the second was Polly Rutledge. The land for the church was donated by Mr. Aus-tin Webb who lived across the road from the church. Mr. Webb was an American Revolutionary War veteran and is buried in the cemetery in an unmarked grave.
The present church building was built in 1894 at a cost of $975.89. There were 184 people from the church and community who donated $.25 to $28.35 and Mr. Egbert M. Brand making the largest donation of $500.00. Mr. Brand was the founder of The Brand Banking Company in Lawrenceville. The Brand family has the tallest tomb marker in the cemetery. The 1905 church records show 72 members. It has 4 members now.
The Haynes Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery Committee was formed in 1947 and currently, it has 13 members. All members of the committee are volunteers and its job is to honor the Lord by managing, maintaining and preserving the cemetery. The committee is a nonprofit organization and is funded solely by donations. Mr. Larry Rut-ledge currently serves as chairman of the committee and he has served as chairman for the past 19 years. Mrs. Nell Foster was the longest serving committee member. She served on the committee since its inception in 1947. She was very devoted to the church and cemetery work even though she a member of another local church. “Mrs. Nell” was known and loved by everyone in our area. Mrs. Foster passed away on October 21, 2016, at the age of 110 years.
There are approximately 1600 graves marked with names and over 1700 graves with rocks and stones but no names. Currently, there are 104 names of people buried in unmarked graves. Recently, over 150 graves with no marker were identified as a result of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) work on the entire cemetery. Most of these graves are in the wooded area immediately behind the church and are possibly burials of Indians and slaves. Tomb-stone crosses engraved with “UN-KNOWN” are now erected on these graves.
We welcome you to visit our website at www.haynescreekcemetery.com.
