The Taylors Creek Cemetery Association is searching for descendants of residents of the displaced Taylors Creek community which was located along Georgia Highway 119 inside what is now Fort Stewart Military Reservation. Descendants will be granted access on Sunday, Oct. 21, to tour the cemetery and pay tribute to their ancestors. If you would like to be added to a mailing list for more information, contact Carol at 229-325-3130 or jim-carol06@hotmail.com.
Until 1941 Taylors Creek was a small village that stood at the junction of the Canoochee and Taylors creeks. The community which was surrounded by farms functioned as a local trading center from the early nineteenth century until the establishment of Camp Stewart (later Fort Stewart) in 1940-1941. In 1940, Congress created military bases across the country, and Taylors Creek was one of the communities included in a 5,000-acre lot of land north of Hinesville that was chosen as an artillery and basic training post for Camp Stewart.
Families at Taylors Creek and surrounding communities accepted their relocation as an act for the good of the country, but also experienced a sense of loss for abandoning their beloved homes and neighbors. These displaced families, depending on financial stability, opportunity to farm, and government assistance, were scattered across Georgia.
The Taylors Creek Cemetery Association was created to make sure the sacrifices of our forefathers are not forgotten. The third Sunday in October is the only day descendants of the community are granted access to Taylors Creek. Although very few who were born at Taylors Creek are alive today, many people come and enjoy a covered dish lunch, a short program, tour the cemetery, and learn more about their heritage.
Surnames of community members buried in the cemetery include: Alexander, Beasley, Bird, Bradley, Butler, Caswell, Clark, Cox, Daniel, Darsey, Davis, Delettre, Floyd, Fudge, Geiger, Girardeau, Grice, Harnage, Hendry, Jones, Laing, Maddox, Martin, May, McCall, McFail, McGillis, McGowen, Miller, Mims, Mooney, Newham, Norris, Olmstead, Porter, Rambo, Richardson, Riviere, Rustin, Ryon, Shaw, Sheppard, Shumat, Shuptrine, Smith, Stacy, Staley, Stephens, Strickland, Suggs, Whitten, Williams, Williamson and Wilson.