Roswell Presbyterian Church

In 1839, 15 Presbyterian men and women, "members of the colony" of Roswell, invited the Rev. Nathaniel A. Pratt, D.D., of Darien, to organize the first Presbyterian church of Roswell. These charter members included the Bulloch, Dunwody, Hand, King, Smith, Pratt families, and Misses Elizabeth and Helen Magill, Susan Elliott and Sarah Gould. John Dunwody, Sr., Barrington King, and Archibald Smith were elected elders. Dr. Pratt, the first pastor, served until his death, 40 years later. The Rev. Henry Barrington Pratt, whose Spanish translation of the Bible is used today, went from this church as a missionary to Colombia in 1856; Dr. George Butler to Brazil in 1883. The early membership included several Negro slaves. Of these, Charles Pratt and John Hall became missionaries to Africa. In July, 1864, the advance guard of Gen. Garrard's Cavalry Corps commandeered this church for a hospital, removing the furnishings. Except the pipe organ, these were returned intact after the war. The silver communion service in use today was hidden by Miss Fannie Whitmire in a barrel at her home until the end of the war.