This share of stork, valued at the time at $100,
was issued on Oct. 26, 1910 to R. H. Shaw by J.
M. Coleman, president of the Bank of Macon.
On April 20, 1928, the share was bought by
Charlie A. Harris for the sum of $25.
Reynolds Price, nationally recognized novel
ist, was born in this Macon home built by his
grandparents, John and Lizzie Rodwell, in the
1880s. Price was born in what is know as the
RodweU-Drake House on Feb. 1, 1933 to
Elizabeth and Will Price.
Writer Proud Of Macon Roots
Macon native Reynolds
Price has written eighteen
books of fiction, poetry,
drama and essays. He is a
James B. Duke professor of
English at Duke University.
By REYNOLDS PRICE
My grandparents, John and Lizzie Rodwell, moved to Macon
in 1884 at the time of their marriage and soon built a pleasant
home that still stands. John worked at the railway depot and,
for many years before his death in 1919, was station master (he
died in fact at the depot, working the telegraph key). Lizzie bore
them eight children, only one of whom died young. The youngest
was Elizabeth, who was born in 1905. On Feb. 1, 1938? a hard
Depression winter? with my nervous father Will Price standing
by, she bore me in that same rambling Rodwell-Drake house.
I lived in Macon with my parents, Will and Elizabeth Price,
for my first three years (WUl was from Warrenton). For part
of that time, we were lucky enough to live with Clarence and
Anna Thompson. And though my father at last got a job and we
moved away, Macon was always home, both in our minds and
for frequent visits. From the age of five onward, I returned each
summer for long visits to my dear aunt Ida and cousin Macon
Thornton, his sister Emma Nowell, Joyce and Edwin Russell,
Grant Terry, Mary Green and many more welcoming white and
black friends.
Those memories of a peaceful working village are as happy
as any I keep. And to be a part now of this centennial of Macon's
incorporation is a chance to renew much happiness and to hope
for more.
This sign in the heart
of Macon tells it all.
We have been serving the needs of Macon
residents for many years and look forward to
continuing this happy relationship.
This frame church was built by Macon Baptists
on acreage given the town by early benefactor
Benjamin Iredell Egerton. Egerton made pro
visions for the well-being of members of two races.
The seldom-used church stands today on the
western edge of Macon.
Early Baptist Membership Notes
Come From Greensboro Woman
Benjamin Iredell Egerton,
benefactor of land for early
Macon's schools and churches for
the white community, made pro
visions as well for the black
citizenry of the town.
On Jan. 30, 1886, Egerton made
a gift deed of a one-half-acre tract
to the First Baptist Church of
Macon. Trustees for the new
church were Grunnage Plum
mer, Judge Brown, Haywood
Dowtin, Walter Thrower and
Henry Pennington.
Pennington, a resident of the
Churchill community, and his
family attended the early church.
His daughter, Elvira C. Watson
became the wife of Henry Lewis
Watson in 1902 and the couple re
mained life members. Their
daughter, Mrs. Mary Watson
Wynn resides in Greensboro, and
it is from her notes that much of
the information concerning the
early membership has come.
The churches of Mt. Zion and
Pine Grove shared their mem
bers to organize the First Baptist
Church of Macon. Other early
members were: Mrs. Fannie
Boyd Nicholson, the mother of
Andrew Thomas Nicholson, who
served as a deacon; Mrs. Jane
Suggs Washington and her sister,
Harriet Boyd; Perry Faulkner
and his daughter, Sallie; Robert
Warwick and his wife, Cornelia;
John Boyd and his wife, Eliza;
Wayde Robinson and his son,
Wyatt; George Plummer and his
son, Alvin; and Mrs. Mary Milam
and her family.
Many of the members of the
First Baptist Church of Macon
are now deceased and their
descendants have moved away
from the area. Mrs. Nancy Bur
well Boyd, a granddaughter of
Mrs. Mary Milam, is a surviving
member who has remained in
Macon. She was married to the
late James Boyd, whose parents,
John and Eliza Boyd, were
original members.
Mrs. Boyd was brought to
Macon by her grandmother at the
age of four years and joined First
Baptist Church at the age of 12.
She recalls an active and in
volved congregation there who
regularly attended services each
first Sunday. Among the ongoing
activities were a choir, a Baptist
Young People's Union, Sunday
School and fundraising anniver
sary and homecoming services.
Mrs. Boyd remained a faithful
member, serving as fiscal secre
tary and treasurer.
The last minister for the First
Baptist Church of Macon congre
gation was the Rev. Willie Lee
Taylor, who died in September of
1983. Prior to his arrival two or
three years earlier, the church
was renovated. Homecoming ser
vices were held for three more
years, with the final service
being held in 1987.
Prior to the discontinuation of
services the church, a portion of
the membership had left the con
gregation to affiliate themselves
with the Second Baptist Church of
Macon, which is located outside
of the town limits. The schism
had developed after debates con
cerning the site on which the new
sanctuary for the First Baptist
Church should be constructed. A
portion of the membership had
wanted the new church to be
situated closer to the railroad
tracks, while others wished to in
sulate themselves from the noise
of the trains and retain the
original location, which is in a
wooded area. The new, enlarged
structure was constructed on the
original, wooded site.
Today services are no longer
held at the First Baptist Church
of Macon, but the building still
stands. Inside remain the pews,
pulpit, piano and organ? along
with the "ghosts" of a rich Bap
tist heritage. Although the elec
trical service at the church was
disconnected in 1988, the mem
ories of love and tradition, and of
service to God, still remain fresh
in the minds of the descendants
of its founders.