History of the Judson Baptist Association
There were nine churches in what is now Henry County when the Judson Baptist Association was formed; however, the Association then covered Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Henry, Houston, and a portion of Pike County. (Houston County was not in existence at that time.)
The nine churches then existing in what is now Henry County were: Abbeville, Adoniram, Concord, Fellowship, Judson, Oakey Grove, Sardis, Tolbert, and Pleasant Grove. Statistically they were as follows:
| CHURCH | PASTOR | CLERK | MEMBERSHIP |
| Abbeville | W. B. Lacey | M. B. Green | 48 |
| Adoniram | W. B. Lacey | C. W. Holmes | 120 |
| Concord | B. Hollis | J. Kirkland | 23 |
| Fellowship | D. Cumbie | J. G. Wiggins | 68 |
| Judson | Edwin Cody | E. H. Thomas | 166 |
| Oakey Grove | A. L. Martin | N. Whiddon | 75 |
| Sardis | Edwin Cody | E. Mayo | 49 |
| Tolbert | A. L. Martin | J. J. Satcher | 75 |
| Pleasant Grove | W. H. Ward | 16 |
Elder J. B. Taylor was moderator of the Judson Baptist Association and continued to hold this position until 1857. He was followed by Elder Edwin Cody. Cody’s name does not appear again after 1861. He either sickened and died or lost his life in the war between the states.
The first printed records (minutes) of the Association was in 1857. The only editor in the county was William A. Clark and his paper the Abbeville Advertiser, which had under the masthead, “$2.00 a year in advance”.
In 1860 the Association met with Judson church on October 6th, 7th,8th, and 9th. It was during this Associational Meeting that Shorterville church was received into the Association in good standing with full fellowship. It was in 1868 that Bethlehem church was admitted into the Association. Later this church became the Headland Baptist church. The Association convened with Beulah church, which is now in Houston County. A church was organized three miles East of Headland, and on the insistence of Brother Emory Farmer, the church was named Bethlehem. The Post Office was then Mill Grove, later named Headland. The church which is now Headland First, was called the Headland Baptist Church in 1889. The walnut Grove Church was admitted to the Association in 1868. It was not far from the present site of Columbia. No other mention is made of this church, except the Association met there in 1873. It dropped out of sight. Rock Hill church was dropped from the Association for non-attendance.
The History of Judson Baptist Association contains too much information to print here, However, should you desire to continue from the 1800’s until present day, you may request a little book written by Mr. Larry Smith entitled History of Judson Missionary Baptist Association. Request this book from the Association office.