Contributed by: C.M. Wright
Email: [email protected]

"Last Mile" Remains In Antioch Campaign
By Henley CAMPBELL

(Date unknown but ca 1967 based on comment about Leak Wilson)

This is the story of Antioch Cemetery, one of the larger cemeteries in South Fulton, and its purpose is to challenge families and friends of those buried there to go that "last mile" in raising the remaining $1,000.00 needed in the memorial fund to set up a permanent care program for the cemetery.

Some $4,000.00 has already been contributed through the untiring efforts of 'Miss Lee BISHOP', who three years ago started reaching
relatives of those buried in the cemetery. However, good business men have advised that this meet the needs, should be at least
$5,000.00.

Antioch Cemetery is closely associated with the early history of Old Campbell County, in that many of its early settlers rest there.

We invite you to take a "sentimental journey" with us out Rivertown Road from Fairburn, to this cemetery. It was a privilege to make this trip recently with "Miss Lee', who knows so much history of Antioch Church and community, and has spent her time and talents so untiringly to preserve the cemetery.

Our approach to the cemetery was through what was once the "Antioch hitching ground." Trees stood in this area half a century ago, and the members had their special tree to which they hitched their horse or mule. Sometimes the mules would get restless and bray impatiently if the preacher should preach to long.

The first interrment in any cemetery is always of interest, and in many instances is an infant, This was true at Antioch. In an accompanying photograph is the grave of little Mary KIDD, infant daughter of "Uncle Oliver" KIDD, whose burial in 1836 was
Antioch's first.

In this old section of the cemetery, graves are marked with field stones, with no identification, as marble monuments were not in
common use nor, easily available in those days. All we know about these graves is that some of them are KIDDS, PATTERSONS, JOHNSONS, BISHOPS, PARKERS, SCARBOROUGHS, STIPES, HOPKINS, and others. The most unusual markers are heavy slabs of stones, unmarked, and apparently cut from what might have later become a quarry.

Only the memory of one living person helped to identify these as the graves of John KIDD, Sr. and his wife Sarah (WALLACE) KIDD. It was this John KIDD, Sr. who gave land for the church, cemetery and community school. Two of his sons, O.C. and L.L. KIDD, followed in their father's footsteps of service and gave additional ground to enlarge the cemetery.

Few cemeteries in this area have buried in them veterans of the Revolutionary War, so it is with interest we pause to note the second resting place of G.W. NORWOOD, 1st Sgt. North Carolina Militia. He was first buried in a family plot in the field of Hilliard MCLARIN, and later disinterred and brought to Antioch Cemetery for reinterrment some 50 years ago. NORWOOD was a Great-
Grandfather of our long line of MCLARINS.

The tall, majestic center monument in the MCLARIN plot is to the Memory of Harrison B. MCLARIN, an officer in the Civil War,
{Confederate- 25th Battalion, GA INF- Provost guard} and a wealthy land owner-four square miles of land, 2,560 acres. At the time of his death in 1863 there were few roads and almost no bridges.

Mr. MCLARIN'S death occurred during the rainy season. Creeks were swollen, and when the funeral procession, coming from his home arrived at Bear Creek they found it flooded so they could not ford it. The processional turned back homeward and waited until the
weather cleared and the waters receded before attempting another trip to Antioch.

Another monument found at Antioch is that of Dr. Charles E. STIPE.  It stands like a tree cut before it reaches its full height, symbolic of the sudden death of Dr. STIPE by a bolt of lightning in 1908, when he was only 32 years old. Henry STIPE, the Great-Grandfather of the Stipe generation, came to America from Germany in 1787 and was buried at Antioch in 1850. (The name was spelled STEIBE in Germany).

The recent grave of Leak WILSON reminds us of many things pertaining to this life. Uncle Leak, through his deeds of devotion
was living proof that true love never dies. He was engaged to Lilla LANGSTON who died in 1907, at the age of 19. He never ceased
to cherish her memory, and carried flowers to her grave for 60 years, and was known to have dug wild violets from the woods and
transplanted them beside her grave this year, shortly before his death at the age of 83, in keeping with his wishes, he was buried beside his sweetheart.

As we stand beside the grave of Captain John STEED, an officer of a Georgia Regiment, {35th GA Regiment Co. "C"} in the Civil War, Miss Lee recalls the time he held the children spellbound as he talked before the Antioch Sunday School.

The BISHOP family lot contains the grave of Brother Ed, the faithful, hardworking chairman of the Antioch Building Committee
which erected the present church building. His pride in keeping up the cemetery partially explains why his daughter, 'Miss Lee', is
so devoted to the task of establishing during her lifetime, a sufficent fund for perpetual care. Possibly no name in South Fulton in recent years is more cherished in fond memory than that of H. Brewster BISHOP.

We would not be forgetful of the many branches of the SMITH family, that date far back, and for their faithfulness to the church and community. We recall the story of John Fletcher SMITH, guarding the Civil War prisoners at Andersonville, and his wife, "Aunt Betty," with their 10 year old son driving in a wagon to see him. When they arrived, they found he had just died of typhoid fever, so with her dead husband's body in the wagon, they started the long trip back home. The Yankees not only let her through but furnished her a guard all the way back to Antioch.

The SWANN family are other early settlers of Old Campbell County. Mrs. Ann SWANN'S grave reminds us that she was faithful and a liberal supporter of her church, and gave generously toward the construction of the present sanctuary in 1904.

The grave of Uncle Neal STONE reminds us that his Grandson, Dan STONE, is now serving his ninth year as pastor of a Methodist
Church in Maryland.

Lastly, we pause at the grave of W.H. MCLARIN-faithful to his church and a teacher in the Antioch Public School.

We could go on indefinitely calling names and recalling worthy deeds and interesting stories of the many people who played an
important part in the early history of Campbell County and Antioch Church if space permitted.

Let it be said; No one has ever been denied grave space in Antioch Cemetery, nor has any space ever been sold. Maintainance is made
possible by contributions and by the faithful members of the small church who keep their own family plots and on work days clean the
entire cemetery.

Send your contributions to Miss Lee BISHOP, Fairburn, GA 30213, and be assured of our grateful appreciation.

{Please note that some additions were made by me. specifically the Regiments of some of the men buried at Antioch Cemetery. There
are 11 John F. Smith's on the roll and many more so named John Smith, so I did not look farther. Maybe Smith descendants can
write and tell.}

I am sorry to say also that I received this article without any identifying information. I am guessing that this was a Fulton Co. paper but may have been a Campbell Co. paper as Fulton took Campbell in 1932 but not sure just when this article was written.

Thanks, C.M. Wright- [email protected] Kidd descendant.