A Brief History
Damascus Baptist Church was organized by Rev. William
“Bill” Brown and was received into the
Tugalo Baptist Association on 15 September, 1849, at Leatherwood Baptist
church. James Brown of Habersham County
is listed as the first Pastor. There
was a charter membership of 27 and meeting was held once a month. James Brown and Enoch Brady were listed as
delegates to the church’s inaugural meeting with the Tugalo Association. In 1867, Damascus Baptist Church was
received into the Liberty Association and has remained so.
The first church building was constructed of logs and
was erected on land donated by James H. Caudell. In 1899, a new church was constructed and stood until 1950 when
it was demolished and the current building was erected and dedicated in 1951. Rev. Holman Kelly, pastor of Damascus at the
time, was scheduled to preach the first sermon
at the new church, but he unexpectedly passed away. Further additions were made to the church in
1968 including the addition of a steeple in 1980.
In 1999, Damascus Baptist Church celebrated its
Sesquicentennial and some of the members researched church records at the
Mercer University Library in Macon Ga.
The church also paid a special tribute to the late Powell G. Caudell,
Sr. for his unfailing service and devotion to his church. Mr. Caudell was a church Deacon for 60
years, a Clerk for the church for 51 years and the pianist/organist for 48
years.
The following data is taken from the Sesquicentennial
booklet distributed during the celebration (please note that records for every
year were not located);
Tugalo Association
Pastor 1849 James Brown, Membership-27 (offering was
$.77 and 1/2 cents)
Pastor 1850 James Brown, Membership- 53
Pastor 1851 James Brown, Membership-66
Pastor 1852 James Brown, Membership-68
Pastor 1854 James Brown, Membership-52
Pastor 1860 James Brown, Membership-130 (128 white
members, 2 black members)
Pastor 1865 James Brown, Membership not stated (no
delegates to annual meeting)
Liberty Association (entered into 1867)
Pastor 1868 James Brown, Clerk James H. Caudell,
Membership-80
Pastor 1875 James Brown, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Memberhship-136
Pastor 1876 James Brown, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-140
Pastor 1877 James Brown, Clerk James Caudell,
Membership-127
Pastor 1882 D. H. Crymes, Clerk James H. Caudell,
Membership-155
Pastor 1883 R. D. Hawkins, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-159
Pastor 1884 R. D. Hawkins, Clerk James H. Caudell,
Membership-160 (Pitner L. Caudell listed as first delegate)
Pastor 1886 L. J. Duncan, Clerk J. F. Caudell,
Membership-162
Pastor 1887 D. H. Crymes, Clerk J. A. Caudell,
Membership-163
Pastor 1888 G. W. Carroll, Clerk J. A. Caudell,
Membership-170
Pastor 1890 E. A. Stone, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-169
Pastor 1892 W. R. Holcomb, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-175
Pastor 1893 W. R. Holcomb, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-174
Pastor 1895 D. H. Crymes, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-167
Pastor 1896 W. R. Holcomb, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-192
Pastor 1897 A. J. Cobb, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-178
Pastor 1898 A. J. Cobb, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership 180
Pastor 1899 A. J. Cobb, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-173 (New church built)
Pastor 1900 A. E. Booth, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-175
Pastor 1901 R. S. Sanders, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-175
Pastor 1902 R. S. Sanders, Clerk J. H. Caudell,
Membership-174
1903-No Report Given
Pastor 1904 S. E. Macomson, Clerk P. L. Caudell,
Membership-106
Pastor 1905 S. E. Macomson, Clerk P. L. Caudell,
Membership-140
Pastor 1906 Joe Whitfield, Clerk P. L. Caudell,
Membership-129
Pastor 1907 S. E. Macomson, Clerk P. L. Caudell,
Membership-130
Pastor 1908 S. E. Macomson, Clerk P. L. Caudell,
Membership-138
Pastor 1909 S. E. Macomson, Clerk P. L. Caudell,
Membership-156
Pastor 1910 Joe Whitfield, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-196
Pastor 1911 W. L. Barrett, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-229
Pastor 1912 S. E. Macomson, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-222
Pastor 1913
Not Stated, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale, Membership-223
Pastor 1914 S. E. Macomson, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership- 223
Pastor 1915 S. E. Macomson, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-224
Pastor 1916 S. E. Macomson, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-221
Pastor 1917 R. D. Hawkins, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-190
Pastor 1918 R. D. Hawkins, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-188
Pastor 1919 M. A. Love, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-202
Pastor 1920 M. A. Love, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership not stated
Pastor 1921 M. A. Love, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale,
Membership-236
Pastor 1922 Not Stated, Clerk W. R. Ragsdale, Membership not stated
Pastor 1923 G. A. Bartlett, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-241
Pastor 1924 J. F. Goode, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-256
Pastor 1925 J. F. Goode, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-328
Pastor 1926 J. F. Goode, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-342
Pastor 1927 J. F. Goode, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-323
Pastor 1928 J. F. Goode, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-347
Pastor 1929 J. F. Goode, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-360
Pastor 1931 S. S. Williams, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-366
Pastor 1932-1935 S. S. Williams, Clerk, P. G. Caudell,
Membership Not Stated
Pastor 1936 S. S. Williams, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-406
Pastor 1937 Paul Sayer, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-418
Pastor 1938 Reid Lunsford, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-418
Pastor 1939 J. O. Fullbright, Clerk P.G. Caudell,
Membership-426
Pastor 1940 J. O. Fullbright, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-425
Pastor 1941 Reid Lunsford, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-449
Pastor 1942 Reid Lunsford, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-443
Pastor 1943 Joe Brown, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-457
Pastor from 1944-1947 Joe Brown, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership Not Stated
Pastor 1948 Holman Kelly, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership-447
Pastor 1949-1951 Holman Kelly, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership Not Stated (Holman Kelly died while pastor in 1951)
Pastor 1952-1953 Joe Brown, Clerk P. G. Caudell,
Membership Not Stated
Subsequent Pastors include Lee Webster, Joe Brown,
James L. Palmer, Warren Wilkinson (interim), Larry J. Wilbanks, Donald Andrews,
Henry Harris, Harold Ledford, English Byrd, Roy Rogers and Gene Todd. P. G. Caudell was succeeded as Clerk by P.
G. Caudell, Jr. The membership in 1998
was 401 members. The church began
meeting all Sundays in the month in 1958.
Liberty Baptist Associational Meetings are held once a
year. Damascus has hosted several Associational Meetings including:
1. October 1-2, 1886, D. H. Crymes, Moderator, Belton, Ga. and
Burges Smith, Clerk, Mt. Airy, Ga.
2. October 4, 5 & 6, 1907, Moderator, Elder
J. A. Crow, Cornelia, Ga. and Clerk, C. W. Grant of Demorest, Ga.
3. October1-3, 1917, Moderator Rev. James A.
Crow and Clerk, W. T. Maxwell.
4. October 3-4, 1930, Introductory Sermon by Rev. B. H. Rich, Ayersville,
Ga. and Missionary Sermon by Rev. A. T. Cline of Toccoa, Ga.
Compiled and Copyrighted 2005 by Jacqueline King