In 1867, at Harts' Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, Greene County, a
motion was made by Elder Henry Dixon and Elder R.K. Hearn that "...the
colored members of this connection unite and form churches to
themselves." Elder Hearn, William May, and T.N. Manning were
appointed to organized the Colored Free Will Baptist Church of Gum
Swamp, in the county of Pitt, NC (church now known as Holly Hill
Original Free Will Baptist Church, Belvoir, NC). They were also to
organize the Colored Free Will Baptist General Conference.
On August 23, 1869, Jessie Stancil (white), R.K. Hearn (white), and
Arnold Spain (Black) purchased land from Louiza Bell. This land was
to be used for a church building and burial ground for the Original Free
Will Baptist Colored Church of Gum Swamp.
The Holly Hill Original Free Will Baptist Church was founded and first
pastored by Elder Austin Atkinson and Elder William (Bill) Randolph.
Funds to build the church were give to the Black parishioners by the
Bethel Conference (White).
In 1993 Holly Hill moved into its present day sactuary.