Good Hope | Good Hope School | Good Hope Church |
Good Hope
Cemetery | Good Hope Colored Settlement
In 1855 a group people in the community began
worshiping together in fellowship, in a small building which came to be
known as Good Hope Baptist Church.
The original site of Good Hope Church was located
near what is call the “Short Cut Road” and also known by some community
members as the “.Straight Road” near Hickory MS.
During the time of slavery, at the original site of
Good Hope Church, slaves and slave masters worshipped together in some
fashion.
In 1904 Good Hope Baptist Church moved to its present
location, on Old Fellowship Road in Hickory, MS
After 1904 Blacks and Whites no longer worshiped
together at Good Hope Baptist Church.
The Blacks in the community, now free to assemble,
worship and to hold services, attended Mt. Pleasant Black Baptist Church,
near Puchuta, MS, some twenty miles away. “Two days journey by oxen and
wagon” Broomsy Salter
The journey each week-end to
Puchuta was very
difficult, and soon after 1904 plans to build a church was apparent.
In about, 1908 Good Hope Black Settlement Church held
its first service.
Philmore Johnson and other members of the black
settlement were instrumental in establishing Good Hope Baptist church.
Considering names such as Frank Petre (brother of
Philmore Johnson) Lucius Brown (son of Maggie Brown) Sam Gibson (son of GW
Gibson) and others, found in records (at what was later to become known by
the black community as Old Good Hope) and names found on tombstone in the
slave cemetery at the original church site would indicate a link with the
two Good Hope Churches, the link is not always clear but the connection
seem to be undeniable.
Information received from
Newton County Historical and Genealogical Society, from Good Hope Black
Settlement members, relatives of founders the Salter, the Johnson, the
Dawkins, the Tullos, the Gibson ,and the Browns.
Information colleted from
Ms Alline Willimas, long time secatary and records keeper, Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Williams members, and current Pastor of Old Good Hope Church Rev.
John West.
Good Hope Baptist Black Settlement Church is one of
Newton County’s oldest black churches. The exact date of its beginning is
difficult to determine. The 1904-1908 date of what is known at this
point stems from oral history.
On September 25,2005, Old Good Hope Baptist Church
will be celebrating its one hundred and fifth year.
- Compiled by Joyce Salter Johnson
July 25,2005
