Marshallville, Georgia.
Many of the Moncriefs of Georgia
have long been associated with the Baptist
Church. One of the most famous of these is Adiel Lumpkin Moncrief (1831 – 1924). Raised between Greensboro
and Penfield in Greene County, Georgia,
Rev. Moncrief grew up in the presence of the founders of Mercer
University. His ministry began at Hebron
Baptist Church
in Gwinnett County
in 1854 and carried him across central Georgia
for the next three decades. In 1882 he
settled in the farming town of Marshallville,
where he remained until his death 42 years later. More information on the life of Adiel Lumpkin Moncrief can be found on pages 205 to 217
of the on-line book, “Baptist
Biography”.
Located about 110 miles south of Atlanta,
this area remains some of Georgia’s
most productive farmland. During Rev. Moncrief’s residence Marshallville was prospering largely
due to the commercial peach industry.
Marshallville resident Samuel Rumph had
developed the Elberta Peach in 1870 and by 1875 the
means for the refrigerated shipping of peaches along the eastern coast of the
United States. While the thriving economic times of
Marshallville ended decades ago, the downtown area is currently undergoing
revitalization and well worth a visit by Moncrief descendants.
This trip is easily made as a day trip from Atlanta
or a diversion off the Interstate while on a trip to Florida
or South Georgia.
From Atlanta, we took
Interstate 75 south to Exit 127, then headed West on Ga. Hwy. 26 for about 13
miles towards Montezuma. This isn’t
the most direct route to Marshallville, but takes you to Yoder’s
Deitsch Haus. Mennonites have been farming in this part
of Georgia
since the 1950’s and this Mennonite restaurant has developed a special style
of Southern cooking that you’ll truly love.
Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, bring about $10
per person –
they only take cash. Be sure to try one their desserts, and bring some home
from the on-site bakery.
After lunch we continued west on Ga.
Hwy. 26 to Montezuma, then north on Ga.
Hwy. 49 to Marshallville. The highway
is lined with crape myrtles that would certainly justify repeating this trip
in summer. The points of interest in
Marshallville (as well as the rest of Macon
County) can be found by following
the Historic Driving
Tour. The folks in the Welcome
Center at the old railroad depot
are also very helpful, so be sure to stop by for a warm greeting. The final resting place for Adiel Lumpkin Moncrief is on the west side of the city
cemetery located behind the Marshallville
United Methodist
Church on West
Main Street (also Ga. Hwy. 49).
After touring Marshallville, we continued north on Ga.
Hwy. 49 to Massee
Lane Gardens,
the home of the American
Camellia Society. For a $5
admission price, you’ll be able to see an amazing collection of fine
porcelains and nine acres of the most beautiful camellias you’ll ever
behold. February and March are the
peak times for camellia blooms, but the garden has something to offer
year-round. Plants are available for
sale from their nursery, so come prepared to bring home a living memento.
Another site that could easily be included in this trip is
the Andersonville
National Historic Site, a Civil War prison camp located 10 miles south of
Montezuma.
Archives
The following past articles are available to active
members of Clan Moncreiffe. Please submit your request to Mark
Smith at GaMoncreiffe@numail.org.
Saint Marks
& Hogansville, Georgia
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Map of the
Marshallville area
Yoder’s Deitsch Haus
Yoder’s Restaurant and Bakery
Entrance to
the Marshallville Cemetery
Adiel Lumpkin
Moncrief Headstone
Entrance to Massee Lane Gardens
“Kumugai”
Camellia japonica
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