Settlers mostly from the Lower South (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia) settled this part of Grimes County near John's Creek. By the late 19th century, Blackberry became a largely African-American settlement. Most families raised livestock and such crops as cotton and corn. At its peak, the community also boasted a cotton gin, grist mill and stores. Macedonia Baptist Church dates from 1870; in 1899, William and Martha Burrell sold land to trustees A. W. Ruckett, J. L. Nickerson and Starling Baker. The church site was also an African-American school. Blackberry's population has declined since the Great Depression, and the school closed in the 1960s. Many descendants return during Macedonia Baptist Church's annual homecoming. 175 Years of Texas Independence * 1836-2011