Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery

I've assembled a photo album of the second location of the Hardeman (also spelled Hardman) Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.  The Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church was founded in November of 1825 and was originally on land owned by Naman Hardman west of the intersection of Clairmont and North Decatur Roads.  The original gravesite is reported to still exist, but I have not visited it yet.

In 1905 the church moved to Glenwood Avenue east of Candler Road, just west of Columbia Drive.  The cemetery and church grounds are well kept, and indications are that the church still meets.  The dates on the markers indicate that the cemetery, though small, has been in continous use.

Click here to see the photos.

Comments

[Tony Sills]

Larry, to follow up on your Hardeman article and photos. I am a descendant of Elijah Webb that gave the land in 1873. I did want to add and correct some information. The first Church of Hardeman was constituted Nov. 19, 1825. The spelling was Hardman after the Joicy Hardman family. The land was Creek Indian land and purchased in the 1821 land lottery. Hardman Church was made of logs and had wood shutters for windows and a dirt floor. The deed was given for grounds for a new Church and Cemetery on April 25, 1873 by Elder Elijah Webb. The Church was completed in 1878 on Glenwood Road. There have been two more Churches built on this land, in 1904 and the present Church built in 1953. The Church does meet regularly. I have pictures of the Church prior to 1953.

[Meredith Trawick]

Larry or Tony Sills -

Is there a grave survey of the Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery? I am looking for the grave of my ggggg-grandfather, John Johnson, Jr., who died 25 Oct 1850 in DeKalb Co., GA. and supposedly was buried in this cemetery.

[Tony Sills]

Hi Meredith, I'm sure that Franklin Garrett did a Cemetery record of the old Hardman Cemetery on Clairmont Rd. at the Emory Univ. Apts.However, I can't seem to find it now. To get to the cemetery Follow the road until it dead ends at a strand of trees, near the railroad. The grave markers are mostly unreadable or broken. I did research on a John Johnson Jr. and found one born 12 Oct. 1783, died on date you specified. Spouse Mourning Brittain. There were no burial place. There are many Johnson's in that range at Lithonia City Cemetery and Redan Town Cemetery. The current Hardeman Church Cemetery in Decatur wasn't built until 1878.

[Tony Sills]

Hi Meredith,

I found some of info on the Old Hardman Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.
In the minutes of 11-19-1825 that your GGGGG-grandfather John Johnson was enrolled as a charter member of the church. Also members were Jacob Williams, William Towers, Nancy Lunsford, Lucretia Parker, Thursday Williams, Joicy Hardman, Sarah Towers and Mary Williams. More info can be found at the Dekalb Historical Society. I hope this helps. I'm planning on visiting the Old Hardman Cemetery.
Tony

[Tony Sills]

Meredith,

I visited the Hardman Cemetery on the Emory Campus. Could not find John Johnson's marker, however, there are so many unmarked and markers that are not inscribed. I did find a 1984 newspaper clipping that says your ancestor is interred. Franklin Garrett did a survey in 1930 but John Johnson wasn't listed.

Tony

[Tony Sills]

Hi Larry,

I have added a cemetery site for the "Old Hardman Cemetery", I have added photos of the cemetery along with some marker photos, some photos of people, and bio info as much as I could. The link is: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2289372 you may have to paste to your browser.

Tony Sills

[Tony Sills]

Meredith,

Hopefully you have checked back on Larry's site. I did find some additional info on your John Johnson (1783-1850). We know that John came to Dekalb Co. and North Decatur around 1825 and was a charter member of Christ Church of Hardman later to be known as Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church.

John left Clarke County in 1822 and eventually to the Cross Keys District. He raised a huge family, his first wife Permelia Mayne had 4 children. His second wife was Mourning Britain and they had 12 children. John and Mourning's son John Gerdine Johnson (1817-1883)owned much of the land that later became Druid Hills. (The History of Dekalb Co. Ga. 1822-1900, Vivian Price)