Fayette County, Alabama
 
~ Hopewell Baptist Church and Cemetery ~



When Hopewell Cemetery and Missionary Baptist Church was established, it fell in Marion County.  In 1867, the county line was changed and the church and cemetery then fell in Fayette County.  It is two miles east of today’s Glen Allen and is located on land Uriah Taylor entered in 1836 [see map].  He was a son-in-law of Rev. War Soldier, George TUCKER Sr.  The earliest known burial in Hopewell was George TUCKER Jr., who died December 15, 1840.

On June 9, 1885, Oliver and Sarah MATTHEWS deeded three acres of land to Hopewell Church.  The deed was attested to by J.E. MILLS and Thomas Franklin TUCKER.  J.P. WHITEHEAD, an acting Justice of the Peace, certified the MATTHEWS’ signatures.  It is assumed that this land was for additional space for the cemetery.


~ Hopewell Baptist Church ~

Hopewell was first represented at the North River Baptist Association meeting in 1855.  Delegates from Hopewell were Thomas HARPER and G. BERRY.  In 1856, the delegates were again Thomas HARPER, G. BERRY and William BEASLEY.  They reported 23 members.  Growth of the church was sporadic at best.  In 1868, delegate A.M. KING reported 63 members.

In 1871, the New River Baptist Association was formed.  Hopewell was a charter member.  Delegates William BROWN, J.J. HOGAN and minister B.V. SHIRLEY reported 60 members.

By 1880, the church membership was reported at 35 members.  The report was given by delegates James E. MILLS, G.S. TUCKER, G.R. TUCKER and minister A.M. KING.  The Church continued their membership in the New River Association until 1893 when they joined the Harmony Grove Association.  Delegates to the 1894 meeting were: James E. MILLS, W.F. TUCKER, D. TUCKER, William H. MILLS and Minister Q.D. HANEY.  They reported 35 members.  

In the 1900 meeting, Hopewell was represented by delegates James. J. WHITMAN, G.D. LETSON and Minister R. COLBURN.  46 members were reported.  The 1912 minutes of the association record the Hopewell delegates as John S. WHITEHEAD, D.S. TUCKER and Minister O.L. CORBETT.  Membership was reported as 23.  The last year for any reports from Hopewell was 1913.  The building fell into disrepair and was last used for a funeral in 1936 according to some reports.  The building burned sometime in the 1940’s.

Many of the names mentioned above are familiar to us.  James J. WHITMAN, for instance, married Mary Alice WHITEHEAD, granddaughter of Archibald and Nancey.  John S. WHITEHEAD was my grandfather and a grandson of Archibald and Nancey.  James E. MILLS was their son-in-law.  William H. MILLS was also their grandson.  Thomas Franklin TUCKER had three daughters that married three sons of Drew WHITEHEAD.  Thomas HARPER was the father of Jess HARPER.  Jess married Sallie WHITEHEAD, another granddaughter of Archibald and Nancey.  The WHITEHEAD family was truly represented in the membership at Hopewell.


~ Hopewell Cemetery ~

Hopewell Cemetery history begins with the people who settled around it.  Hopewell must have then been located on a well-traveled main road.  The road going east from Hopewell, forks.  The forks were early wagon roads that lead to nearby Sipsey River fords.  A few of the nearby settlers who entered land from the U.S. Government were: Wm. A. BEASLEY, Win. M. BEASLEY, John A. BEASLEY, Wm. R. McDONALD, George BROWN, John H. BROWN, James P. BROWN, Joshua W. ROBERTS, Peyton BURNETT, David THORNTON, James B. BEAUCHAMP, Samuel K. BEAUCHAMP, Sherrod NORTHAM, George TUCKER Sr., Isaac TUCKER, Allen TUCKER, George HUMPHRIES, Thaddeus WALKER, Elijah J. JOHNSON, John MORRIS, James A. DAVIS, James E. MILLS and Charles J. WESLEY.

Hopewell was obviously used as the major burying ground for the white residents, and some blacks, of that area.  There are many unidentified graves in the old part marked only with field stones, stacked stones, and large slabs of stone erected in the “A” frame shape.  In the 1920’s and later, Hopewell became neglected.

The George TUCKER Sr. Association and others have [restored] this old cemetery.  The annual TUCKER reunion is held there each year.  We thank them for preserving this important part of the history of the Glen Allen area.

Sources for this article are William S. TUCKER in “Heritage of Fayette County” and my own research.


This article originally appeared in The Whitehead Quarterly, 2:4 (1 May 2003), p. 7.
Used here by permission of the author & editor, Larry E. Whitehead.
Mr. Whitehead produces both The Whitehead Quarterly and The Hollingsworth-McCaleb Quarterly.
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1 Jan 2004  |  2 Feb 2007