Tag Archives: Butts County

Fairfield AME Church-Jackson, Georgia

Butts County

Founded in 1868, the Fairfield AME Church sits on the outskirts of Jackson, Georgia in Butts County.

Willie Compton, 1896-1971-This is one of the newer vernacular markers I’ve photographed.
Lue Berry, 1861-1915

Bold Springs CME Church and School-Jackson, Georgia

Butts County

As of August 2022, the school has been dismantled.

Bold Springs CME Church was founded on February 20, 1874, when the trustees of the church, Willie Moreland, Clark Bell, and Sam Stillwell, purchased the land from Charles Sims, a local farmer.

Initially, the church served as both a school and a place of worship. The congregation is uncertain of when the two-room school was built. They messaged my page on Facebook asking for help. They were initially going to tear it down, but they now would like to try to save it. They need help since they are a small, aging congregation.

Based on newspaper articles, I know the church was built before 1930 and used until 1958 when school consolidation happened. Based on similar buildings I’ve seen around the state, I am dating it in the late 1910s. For any architectural experts who can determine more with the photos below, please let me know.

According to the trustee I met, the original white clapboard church is under the church. This structure was built around 1902 after a fire burned down the church.

Clayton Smith (1897-1897)-Jackson, Georgia

Butts County

Clayton Smith only lived a mere five months. His marker can be found in the Jackson City Cemetery.

Many children did not live past the first few years due to illnesses like diphtheria. The cherub is almost exclusively seen as markers for young children and represent innocence. The dropped cloth can represent the earthly ties that someone leaves behind as they descend to heaven.