The Story
This burial ground is tied to Holsey Memorial C.M.E. Church in Sparta, the congregation formerly known as Ebenezer C.M.E., where Bishop Lucius Henry Holsey served after the Civil War. Born into slavery near Columbus in 1842, Holsey rose to become the third elected bishop of the Colored (later Christian) Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873 and helped found Paine Institute, now Paine College, in Augusta. The site reflects the postwar growth of independent African American Methodism in Hancock County, a community central to Holsey's ministry.
About this site
Holsey Memorial Cemetery Number 1 is a cemetery in Sparta, Hancock County. It is one of 140 cemeteries documented in Hancock County, among 163 historic sites cataloged across the county on Georgia Roam.
The site sits at 33.2849, -82.9651 near Sparta. The nearest cataloged historic site is Holsey Memorial Cemetery Number 2 (cemetery), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Dixon - Ingram Family Cemetery, Holsey Memorial Cemetery Number 3, and Sparta Cemetery.
This record is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
History
This burial ground is tied to Holsey Memorial C.M.E. Church in Sparta, the congregation formerly known as Ebenezer C.M.E., where Bishop Lucius Henry Holsey served after the Civil War. Born into slavery near Columbus in 1842, Holsey rose to become the third elected bishop of the Colored (later Christian) Methodist Episcopal Church in 1873 and helped found Paine Institute, now Paine College, in Augusta. The site reflects the postwar growth of independent African American Methodism in Hancock County, a community central to Holsey's ministry.
Sources: georgiaencyclopedia.orgtheoldchurchproject.wordpress.com
Georgia