Autumn Colors at Hopewell

An old tree by the roadside in front of Hopewell Baptist Church, west of the Tombigbee River, shows vivid autumn colors. Hopewell was organized during the early 1840's and is located in the old Woodlawn community. Laster a post office was created near the church called Abney. Two of my direct ancestors attended this historic church - Richard Leake Gillentine (born January 29, 1806 in Sparta, Tennessee, died August 17, 1877 in Itawamba County) and Adam Sheffield (born 1811 in Moore County, North Carolina, died 1899 in Itawamba County). The small adjacent graveyard has a memorial tablet honoring my ancestor, Jacob Rhyne (born 1786 in Dallas County, North Carolina, died 1843 in Itawamba County). Most members of the church during the 1800's were buried in historic Keyes Cemetery to the south of the church.