Walker Grove Restoration by Newington Heritage Society

During the restoration of Walker Grove, we discovered different types of bricks in the foundation. The closest brick yard in the early 1900’s was in Rocky Ford. The Rocky Ford Brickyard was the largest brickyard in the southeast and shipped 2.5 million bricks a year. Rocky Ford is about 30 miles from Newington. The bricks used to build the foundation of Walker Grove were most likely brought in by wagon, rail, or barges on the Ogeechee River. The railroad stopped in Oliv...er about 4 miles from Newington. At any rate, the bricks made their way to Newington in a wagon for sure. The first brick appeared to be handmade from surface clay found near the foundry. This brick held up very well for a long period of time. But eventually is became soft and crumbled. The second brick were made of clay mined at a deeper level to obtain a rich clay. This brick was stronger and held up to the rain and humid conditions found in this area. The third brick contained qualities that surpassed the other bricks. This manufacturing process, like today’s bricks are strong and will last for many years. The bricks remind me of Paul letter wrote to the church at Corinth. In Corinthians 13, Paul talks about the greatest spiritual gifts; faith, hope and love. The first brick laid in the foundation of Walker Grove had to be one for laid in faith. The church was built in the early 1900’s when life was hard even in the best of circumstances. The Pilgrim Missionary Baptist association saw a need to have a worship center in Newington for the African American people of Newington. Their faith sustained them through the years ahead. The second brick laid was for the hope of the people. Hope is confident expectations of what God has promised and its strength in His faithfulness. The members of Walker Grove knew their hope and faithfulness would be rewarded someday, here on earth and beyond. Each time the church was open it gave sanctuary to all who passed through the doors. The third brick is one of love, the greatest of the three spiritual gifts. Love is the strongest of the bricks for a firm lasting foundation. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. The love of Walker Grove is evident in the lives and deeds of the members. Even in restoration, Walker Grove has given us faith, hope and love down through the ages. See more

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The Newington Heritage Society is continuing to restore Walker Grove Church. This church and school have been a constant reminder of the tenacity of the human spirit. The church association began in 1868 when African Americans decided that they needed a place of worship where they could become fully involved in the services in their community. The Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Association was formed and began organizing and forming black churches. The next step was to form sc...hools for the youth. The Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Association built a high school in Effingham County. The name of this school was Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Normal and Industrial Institute. The high school offered vocational classes from 1880-1936. Sunday School rooms were added to the back of Walker Grove sanctuary probably in the late 70s. The room is the width of the church. On the walls of the rooms were pictures of prominent black leaders, actors and role models for the black community. The members of Walker Grove wanted their child to have a different life. A life where their children were able to take advantage of opportunities that were never afforded. The school on the grounds of Walker Grove probably was built somewhere in the 1930s or 40s. The school is a wooden structure with two classrooms. The rooms contain black boards and desks for the students. There is a small house up the street from the church. The headmaster and teacher lived in this small residence. The residents and the school have fallen in disrepair and we are unable to save these structures. Please donate to Walker Grove. The Newington Heritage Society would like to preserve the church to its original structure to glorify the community if serves. We would like to preserve the hopes and dreams for the future for all of God's children. See more

On Sunday mornings were always special in Newington. Bertha dressed in a short dress with a matching jacket. She and her mother would walk down a dusty dirt road to church. Bertha was a small child and she had to walk extremely fast to keep up with her mother. They would stop occasionally to pick flowers from Mrs. Smart’s yard and perhaps pin the flowers to her dress. Before they could reach the first steps of the church, they could hear singing and praises to the Lord. O...nce inside they made their way to the front, sitting on the first pew on the left side. Bertha would sit in the corner of the straight back pew swinging her legs. The strong black straight back pews of Walker Grove required one to pay attention to the service while wiggling to stay comfortable. The pews of a church represent a timeless history of society. In the early churches, families would purchase a pew so they could sit together. The pews were highly crafted by people of another era. When we removed the pews during restoration, I was startled. As we loaded them on a trailer, I was thinking that these pews have not moved in 100 years. On the other side of Newington, there was another family walking to church. My father, my brothers and I would make our way down a paved road to church on Sunday mornings. We were all dressed in our Sunday School clothes. On special occasions, like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, we would stop at my aunt’s house and pick flowers. Daddy pinned the flowers to our outfit and off we went to church. Once in church, our family sat on the last pew on the right-hand side of the church where I too, dangled my legs. Unbeknown to myself and Bertha, we were having the same experience on Sundays. Bertha and I became friends about 1971 when the schools were fully integrated. We and our classmates were breaking new ground and seeing the world through different eyes each day. Today, we cherish our childhood memories of school and most of all, being children of God. This information comes from an interview with Bertha Wilson, my classmate. She and her mother live in Screven County. If you are interested in being a part of Walker Grove Restoration, please see our facebook page or call 912-690-1223. See more

Walker Grove Missionary Baptist Church Baptismal This is the modern baptismal at Walker Grove Baptist Church built in 1949. Before 1949, on Baptismal Sunday, the whole church would march through the Town of Newington down to the Ogeechee Creek to baptize their members. One fine Sunday morning the deacons of the church prepared the baptismal to receive a newly converted member into the church. That day held a promise for 10-year-old Margaret Butler Scott. As she and her... family members approached the church, the deacons were filling the newly constructed basin with water using a hand pump connected to a shallow well. The congregation gathered around the baptismal singing praises to the Lord. The time for the baptism had finally arrived. The pastor of the church, Rev. William Lawton along with several deacons surrounded the basin. Margaret dressed in a white gown was escorted by her father, Henry Maynor, and mother, Lillie May Butler Maynor. The deacons reached for her hand as they guided her up the steps, Margaret climbed into the cold water. The pastor asked questions that all new converts are asked and must answer. Margaret said yes and was lowered into the cold water to arise as a forgiven soul with her name etched into the Book of Life. What a joyous occasion for all in attendance. This information comes from and interview with Margaret Butler Scott herself. She and her husband are still alive and live in Sylvania. See more