Page 91 - a-history-of-columbia-county-florida-(1996)-edward-f-keuchel

A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 80/340

An Expanding County in a Neio State

meeting on January 11, 1860, the completion of rail service to the
east coast meant that no longer would the cotton of the Suwannee
River area be forced to move down the river to Cedar Key and from
there by boat on the long voyage around the peninsula to the east
coast of Florida. Instead it would go to Lake City on the Pensacola
and Georgia, and from there on to Jacksonville on the Florida
Atlantic and Gulf Central. If the shipper preferred, cotton out of
Lake City could be shifted to the Florida Railroad where the lines
intersected just forty-seven miles from Fernandina/and go on to
that port which had excellent facilities offering service to the
British Isles and New England.14
Another reflection of the area’s growth can be measured by
the development of its churches in the period before 1861. During
the territorial period Baptists and Methodists were the first
organized religious groups to enter the greater area of Columbia
County. The first established Baptist church in Florida was the
Pigeon Creek Baptist Church organized on January 7, 1821, in
present Nassau County near Callahan. It consisted of twelve
members and was organized by Isom Peacock and Fleming Bates.
Although official records are sparse family records of the Douglass
family indicate that Elizabeth Hagan and Elizabeth Johns were
received into the church on February 16, 1822, while William Van
Zant was buried on the same day. On April 17, 1830, Thomas B.
Prevatt presented a petition to the church on behalf of thirteen
members living at or near Alligator. In addition to Thomas the list
included Ezilla, Sarah and John Prevatt, Levi and Elizabeth
Pellum, William T. and Jemima Douglass, Sarah Osteen, Kissiah
Jones, and Theophilus Weeks. The petition bore fruit, and in 1832
the Providence Baptist Church was organized in Columbia County
under the leadership of John Tucker, John Prevatt, and Elias
Knight. Tucker served as pastor. “Old Providence,” as the church
is now known was the sixth Baptist church established in Florida

44 Floridian and Journal, February 25, 1860.

77

www.LakeCityHistory.com LCH-UUID: 02905885-C4E0-4A35-9DAE-804ED8349EC9