Historical Briefing
. . .The years were 1821, July 16th, and 1823, (month unknown). Marking the birth of "our" existence, two mulatto boys were born to an African slave – girl, Sophie; conceived by her owner, Billy Alexander, in Ft. Gaines, Georgia. The boys were named King Dock and King Solomon, respectively. Soon after birth, the Alexander boys were sold to another owner, SCONYERS. . .
. . .The SCONIERS BROTHERS evidently remaining together throughout adolescence were brought to lower Alabama (via Clayhatchee Village). After the abolition, Dock I, along with his wife, Mariah; and Solomon I, along with his second wife, Minta and youngest son James (Jimmy), "squatted" their homesteads on the lower Coffee County section, circa 1866 - 68. Today, "that" section is divided by the Coffee/Geneva County lines - Sconiersville and Chancellor/Bellwood and Sconiers Community. . .
...During the settlement, a church was formulated out of the Providence Baptist Church of Clayhatchee, Alabama, circa 1868-73. (Prior to the Civil War era, African Americans and whites attended the same churches). Ironically, the Sconierses were inspired by the doctrine and philosophy of African Methodism. The Sconierses built a church on a parcel of land donated by Solomon’s eldest son Luke and his wife, Nancy Ellen Engram Sconiers. Their church was named in honor of King Dock's wife Mariah Bryant Sconiers; hence, the Mount Mariah African Methodist Episcopal Church .
About Our Logo
Consisting of 10 "spokes" to represent each of the 10 grandchildren of Sophie Simmons and William "Billy" Alexander, the seven children of King Dock Alexander and Mariah Bryant Sconiers, and three children of King Solomon Alexander and Minta Sconiers.
