Genealogy – the DLG B

In collaboration with Island Ford Baptist Church, the DLG is excited to announce the digitization of the Island Ford Baptist Church Historic Documents, Buford, Georgia Collection.

The Island Ford Baptist Church Historic Documents offer invaluable insights into the history and culture of Buford, Gwinnett County, Georgia, during pivotal times in United States history. This significant project has preserved and made accessible historical records spanning from the 19th to early 20th centuries, expanding research opportunities for African American genealogists researching enslaved persons who were laid to rest at Island Ford, and anyone seeking vital records prior to 1919, when the state of Georgia began collecting such data.

The collection includes original handwritten documents, transcriptions, historical writings, and newsletters, providing a comprehensive view of life in Gwinnett County from the early 1800s to the early 1900s, with documentation of names listed, cross-referenced with census records and enslaved persons schedules from 1820-1860.

Previously, access to these materials was limited to personal visits or requests to the Georgia Archives. With digital facsimiles now available through the Digital Library of Georgia (DLG), individuals worldwide can explore the rich history of Island Ford Baptist Church and its surrounding community.

The digitized collection is available at https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/ifbc_ifbc-nsdar.

About the Island Ford Baptist Church (Buford, Ga.)

Island Ford Baptist Church is located in Buford, Georgia. The City of Sugar Hill, Georgia also includes it as one of the primary historical churches in the early settlement of its community. Founded in 1832, Island Ford Baptist Church is believed to be one of the oldest in Gwinnett County. Its first building, made of pine logs, was constructed in 1833. The Island Ford Baptist Church family partnered with the Suwanee Creek Chapter, NSDAR to organize and transcribe the content of this collection. The project was supported by members of the Island Ford Baptist Church family, members of the Suwanee Creek Chapter, NSDAR, the Sugar Hill Historic Preservation Society, and the Black Women’s Association of Sugar Hill. These efforts were recognized by the Gwinnett Historical Society where the original documents will be kept in archival storage.

Selected images from the collection:

Title: Bound book of historic documents

URL: https://dlg.usg.edu/record/ifbc_ifbc-nsdar_if05

Description:

A book bound with original documents written between 1833 and 1917 and later microfilmed at the Georgia Archives on September 29, 1976. At that time, the Georgia Archives laminated each page and bound the documents into a book.

The document includes church conference minutes that mention church members by name, church membership lists separated into groups of male and female members, lists of deaths, several iterations of the Constitution of the Island Ford Baptist Church, land information about Gwinnett County, and notes on interactions with other Baptist churches in the area. In most cases, the documents were written by the church clerk.

Note: Page 203 (page 209 of the PDF file) records the day (13 Nov 1835) that an African American woman identified as “Sister Abby, Property of E Bagby,” joined the church.

Collection: The Island Ford Baptist Church Historic Documents, Buford, Georgia Collection

Courtesy of the Island Ford Baptist Church (Buford, Ga.) and the Gwinnett Historical Society

Title: Document C

URL: https://dlg.usg.edu/record/ifbc_ifbc-nsdar_if03

Collection: The Island Ford Baptist Church Historic Documents, Buford, Georgia Collection

Description: The document describes the Island Ford Baptist Church proceedings from January to June 1837. It chronicles meetings over several months, detailing matters such as the selection of a preacher, the reception of new members, and issues of fellowship and reconciliation within the congregation. Committees were appointed to address disputes and allegations during a period of growth and community engagement, reflecting the church’s commitment to maintaining harmony amongst its members.

Courtesy of the Island Ford Baptist Church (Buford, Ga.) and the Gwinnett Historical Society

ATHENS, Ga.–May 30, 2024
Funded by the Digital Library of Georgia’s competitive digitization subgrant program, a compelling collection of records representing the history of this Methodist church community and its role in shaping the city of Suwanee from the 1880s through the 1950s.

These records include vital statistics (marriages, infant baptisms, and dates of death) before the state of Georgia began retaining such information in 1919.

You can view the collection here: https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/sfumc_sfumc-hd

As early as 1873, regular church services were held in a schoolhouse. The church was formally established in 1876 and organized by 34 charter members. Early church records include local names recognized on Suwanee’s streets and parks such as Brogdon and Pierce.

Members represented in church records such as Harris, Baxter, Rhodes, and Born were integral community members who devoted themselves to service. They built their homes and raised their families in close proximity to the church, and celebrated important life events amongst fellow church members, such as baptisms, marriages, and deaths.

“I grew up and now live close to the church, becoming a member in 1977, along with my wife and two sons,” said James M. Burnette, Jr., mayor of Suwanee. “The church has a rich history in the community, and its historic records document marriages, baptisms, deaths, conference records, Sunday school records, United Methodist Women’s meetings, and other pertinent church events and data.”

The availability of these records in the DLG is important to those researching United Methodist Church history, the history of Suwanee and its early settlers, or are seeking vital documents prior to 1919, when Georgia started recording them, or other aspects of Suwanee local history.

About the Suwanee First United Methodist Church (Suwanee, Ga.)

As Suwanee, Georgia’s first church, Suwanee United Methodist Church’s goal has been to glorify God and serve His people since 1873. The current church sanctuary has welcomed the community for prayer and worship since 1910. With different pastors, new programs, and the same message of grace and hope, Suwanee is a church that has stood for many years and is excited about making a difference for years to come.

The Suwanee First United Methodist‘s United Women of Faith worked with the Suwanee Creek Chapter, NSDAR to organize and preserve the contents of this collection. The original documents will be kept in archival storage at the Gwinnett Historical Society.

About the Digital Library of Georgia

The Digital Library of Georgia (DLG) is Georgia’s statewide cultural heritage digitization initiative. It is a joint project between the University of Georgia Libraries and GALILEO. The DLG collaborates with Georgia’s cultural heritage and educational institutions to provide free online access to historic resources in Georgia. The DLG develops, maintains, and preserves digital collections and online resources and partners to build digitization capacity and technical infrastructure. It acts as Georgia’s service hub for the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and facilitates cooperative digitization initiatives. The DLG serves as the home of the Georgia Newspaper Project, Georgia’s print journalism preservation project.

Selected images from the collection:

Title: “1955 church newsletter,” 1955

URL: https://dlg.usg.edu/record/sfumc_sfumc-hd_cn1955

Collection: Suwanee First Methodist Church Historic Documents

Courtesy of the Suwanee First United Methodist Church (Suwanee, Ga.) and the Gwinnett Historical Society