Surrounded By A Cloud of Witnesses........ Liberty Grove Baptist Church

This Oct the 8^th 1881:
State of Alabama
Winston County

We the brethren and sisters met in convention Sept 20^th 1881 and agreed to petition the following named minister Charles A. Taylor; Deacons J.R. Whitmire, Calvin Miles, Steaphin McCollum, John W. Curtis and J.N. Curtis met by request of brethren at school house near George Wilsons on Saturday before the second Sabath in Oct 1881 and formed themselves in to a presbah organised by electing Charles A. Taylor Mod., John W. Curtis Clerk, and finding the brethren and sisters sound in the faith constituted them in to a church which was named Liberty Grove.

Liberty Grove Baptist Church, Winston County, Alabama

The words written above were recorded by a group of Christian men and women when they began a church over 130 years ago---Liberty Grove Baptist.  Located near Ashridge, the church still thrives today. 

The first minister was Charles Alexander Taylor, first son of John and Eliza Taylor.  He was 47 years old at the time.  Charles and his wife, Louisa Jane (Curtis), were the parents of eight children: George Washington, Amelia, Thomas P., Martha Jane, John Frank, James Jackson, William Verpo, and Lewis Monroe Taylor.  All but the last son were born when Charles became minister.

Early church rolls show many Taylor family members.  Men listed were James Knox Polk Taylor, William C. Taylor, William C. Taylor, Jr., Alonzo G. Taylor, Francis Marion Taylor, and Carel Taylor,  Women listed were Eliza Taylor, Patience (Taylor) Sutherland, A A Taylor, Georgeann Taylor, Nancy M. Taylor, Francis Taylor, Servaner V Taylor, and Emma Taylor.

There are two photographs in the collection of Newman "Wayne" Taylor that reveal early events in the life of the church family.

Singing class at Liberty Grove Baptist Church, in Winston County, July 1919. Verdie Davis with the song book was the teacher. 2nd row third from right is Lucinda Taylor. She and Verdie married later in life as second spouse for each.

Photo taken about 1921 in Winston County, Alabama. Some of the known individuals are as follows: The Rev. Tom Kelly (hands raised) officiating, Alonzo Grant Taylor in the water with hands folded, Hardin Taylor (a son of Tom Taylor and grandson of Charles Alexander Taylor) with crutches. Right to left standing in the water to be baptized: Iren Roland (next to Alonzo) then Ida Brown, then an unknown girl, then Dovey Taylor (later Dovey married George Pulliam), then an unknown girl, then Dessa Crittenden. Right to left on the bank: crippled man being held by the arm is Johnny Harris (he was a school teacher), holding Johnny is Glenn Cauthen, next person unknown, then Wallace Taylor son of Alonzo, next is Howard Lovett, next is Bob Cauthen, behind Rev. Kelly's hand is Murphy Lovett, behind Hardin Taylors' left shoulder is Fayette Burns, behind Fayette is Newman 0. Taylor(a son of Alonzo), beside Newman to the right is Lucinda Taylor (a daughter of Alonzo), further to right is Thurlo Taylor (youngest son of Alonzo), and then Margaret Stevens Taylor (wife of Alonzo) with her hand on Thurlo's head. These persons were identified to Wayne Taylor by his father Newman and his Aunt Lucinda Taylor in 1978.

Taylors Buried at Liberty Grove Baptist Cemetery

Taylor, Alma F., 18 Feb 1902- 9 Jun 1982

Taylor, Alonzo G., 20 Jun 1869 – 6 Mar 1949 [Husband of 1^st Emma L. Elliott, 2^nd  Margaret Derusha Stevens, daughter of John Benjamin and Lucinda Brown Stevens]

Taylor, Alta I., 15 Nov 1913 – 11 Nov 1995 (single stone Theodore R. Taylor)

Taylor, Amery W., 30 Jun 1907 – 15 Aug 2000 (single stone Mary S. “Tom” Taylor)

Taylor, Antha E., 22 Jan 1898 – 3 Nov 1976

Taylor, Carol F., 26 Apr 1921 – 23 Jul 2001 (single stone Cecil Taylor)

Taylor, Cecil, 4 Aug 1920 – 6 Aug 1978; GM3 US Navy, WWII, (single stone Carol F. Taylor)

Taylor, Charles A., 28 Dec 1882 – 13 Aug 1949

Taylor, Charles T., 19 May 1918 – 19 Dec 1966; Alabama PFC 903 Ord Ham Co, WWII

Taylor, Charley, 1 Dec 1877 – 1 Mar 1937 (single stone Susie Taylor)

Taylor, Emmer L., wife of A. G. Taylor, 20 Jun 1868 – 20 Mar 1898

Taylor, F. M., 1 Jan 1843 – 2 Mar 1919 (next to W C Taylor) Note:  Served as Winston County Probate Judge from 1878-1886. [son of John and Eliza Cagle Taylor]

Taylor, George Washington, 7 Aug 1881 – 5 Jul 1960 (single stone Sally Rebecca Taylor)

Taylor, Infant, daughter of Ophelia and Hollis Taylor, born and died 19 Mar 1932

Taylor, Infant, son of Charlie and Susie Taylor, born and died 1903

Taylor, James K. P., Rev., 12 Jan 1845 – 28 Feb 1933 (single stone Mandy Taylor) [son of John and Eliza Cagle Taylor]

Taylor, James Voit, 3 Mar 1908 – 1 Feb 1944

Taylor, L. Gene, 2 Oct 1939 – 6 Jan 1940

Taylor, Lenward, 23 Jan 1928 – 30 Jun 1950; Alabama F2 US Navy, WWII

Taylor, Louanna, 26 Jul 1890 – 25 Nov 1922

Taylor, Lula, 21 Jul 1909 – 1 Aug 2003

Taylor, Luna, wife of C. A. Taylor, 9 Jul 1884 – 12 Apr 1917

Taylor, Mandy, 4 Dec 1847 – 8 Dec 1933 (single stone Rev. James K. P. Taylor) [Amanda Byrd, wife of Rev. James Knox Polk Taylor, daughter of John and Nancy Sutherland Bird]

Taylor, Margaret D., 25 Nov 1876 – 27 Mar 1956 [Margaret Derusha Stevens, 2^nd Wife of Alonzo Grant Taylor and daughter of John Benjamin and Lucinda Brown Stevens]

Taylor, Mary S. “Tom” 27 Jul 1908- 10 Apr 1976 (single stone Amery W. Taylor)

Taylor, Sally Rebecca, 10 Sep 1886 – 4 Dec 1974 (single stone George Washington Taylor)

Taylor, Sarah S., 9 May 1855 – 19 Dec 1947 [Sarah Sephronia Evans, wife of William Carroll Taylor and daughter of Leverett Hudson and Sarah Brown Evans]

Taylor, Sprot Arnold, 21 Apr 1921 – 3 Sep 1922

Taylor, Susie, 11 Nov 1880 – 25 Feb 1974 (single stone Charley Taylor)

Taylor, Theodore R., 30 May 1913 – 7 Oct 2001 (single stone Alta I. Taylor)

Taylor, W. C., 8 Feb 1847 – 24 Jan 1922 (next to F. M. Taylor) [William Carroll Taylor, youngest son of John and Eliza Cagle Taylor, Husband of Sarah S. Taylor]

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2