A Resolution Concerning Our Founding Date

WHEREAS, William R. Gignilliat, Jr., a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church, and Howard Stranathan, a former member of Grace Episcopal Church, have devoted time and energy over the past ten years researching the early history of Episcopalians in Gainesville and Grace Episcopal Church, Gainesville, and

WHEREAS, there are conflicting dates between the cornerstone of the "old church" on Washington Street, which gives the founding date as 1828, and the cornerstone of the "new church" on Boulevard, which gives the founding date as 1848, and

WHEREAS, the tornado of April 1936 completely destroyed Grace Episcopal Church on Washington Street, necessitating the construction of a new church, and

WHEREAS, Leslie and Edith Quinlan, Mr. E. N. Howard, Dr. Clarence Butler - Sr. Warden, and Dr. John Woodock - Jr. Warden, and other persons in 1937, who were some 50 years closer to events leading to the establishment of Grace Episcopal Church, rebuilt Grace Episcopal Church on Washington Street and provided a cornerstone that gives the founding date as 1828, and

WHEREAS, William Henry Hosch, author of a history of Hall County, begins his history of Grace Episcopal Church by noting that an Episcopalian named Warren Jourdain came to Gainesville in the 1820's and purchased land on which the first church for Episcopalians would eventually be built, and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hosch refers to Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians beginning their denominations in the early 1820's in private homes of members, and

WHEREAS, a history of the Episcopal Church in Georgia notes that in 1838 a priest from New York, the Rev. E.B. Kellogg, was employed by the Diocese of Georgia to found a church in Clarksville, and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kellogg in his written reports to the diocese records the presence of Episcopalians in Gainesville,

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church, Gainesville, having duly considered all of the above and in agreement with the cornerstone of the "old church," declares A.D. 1828 as the year of founding of Grace Episcopal Church, Gainesville, Georgia.

Adopted by the Vestry of Grace Episcopal Church
Gainesville, Georgia
March 27, 2006

Response by the Archivist, Registrar & Historiographer
of the Diocese of Atlanta:

12 April 2006

Dear Doug:
As Registrar of the Diocese I accept the Vestry's resolution that the date of the beginning of the work of the Episcopal Church in Gainesville was 1828. I will write an official letter as such to the Chancellor and Bishop that I'm changing your founding date in our official records to 1828. I appreciate the tremendous amount of historical research that went into this effort and believe it best characterizes the initiation of what we now celebrate as Grace Church, Gainesville. You take your place among the very earliest congregations in the Diocese, congratulations. I will copy the letter to you.

Faithfully,
Bill McLemore

Dear Bishop:
I have been in correspondence with the Rev. Doug Dailey, Rector of Grace Church, Gainesville, for over a year with regard to the founding date of their parish. William R. Gignilliat, Jr. of that parish, and Howard Strananthan, a former member, have completed ten years of research and established that the work of the Church in their community began in 1828. To this regard, the Vestry passed a resolution on March 27, 2006, accepting "A.D. 1828 as the year of founding of Grace Episcopal Church, Gainesville, Georgia."

As Registrar of the Diocese, with your concurrence, I accept this date and will make the necessary changes in the Archives. I hope your office will do the same when future reports of the origins of Grace Church are made. Happily, this honors those who labored so early to bring the work of our church to fruit in Gainesville.

Faithfully yours,
Bill

The Reverend William P. McLemore
Archivist, Registrar, & Historiographer
Diocese of Atlanta