Sardis Baptist Church

On Sept. 28, 1803, a group of men living in Burke County near Beech Branch Meeting House, "found to be in the true Baptist faith" by a presbytery of Rev. Henry Hand and Rev. John Ross, were constituted into one Body as a Baptist Church. A church covenant was adopted. William Thompson, Sr., and Stephen Murray, Sr., were made deacons. Original members were Stephen Murray, Sr., William Thompson, Sr., Thomas Tipton, William L. Mobley, Nicholas Thomas, Jeremiah Kimbal, Jacob Taylor, Jr., Jacob Hollingsworth, Ephriam Davis, Jessey Pollock, Mary Murray, Elizabeth Tillis and Ama Tipton. A new church was built on land given by William and G. W. Sapp and, in 1810, the name of the church became Sardis.