The Belcross Academy was located beside Sawyer's Creek Baptist Church, which was founded around 1790. The students of Belcross Academy pictured in 1897 are, from left to right, (first row) Walter Tarkington, Henry Evans, Willie Evans, Melissa Williams, Florence Sawyer, Mary Gilbert, Mary Brown, and Tommie Sawyer; (second row) Sam Tarkington, Sam Sawyer, Charlie Tarkington, Frank Sawyer, Claude Berry, and Talmon Berry; (third row) Grover Gilbert, Milton Sanderlin, Jakie Garrett, Lula Sanderlin, and Lula Sawyer; (fourth row) Edwin Sawyer, Curtis Tarkington, Hortense Sanderlin, Beulah Trafton, Annie Gilbert, Bettie Sanderlin, Lizzie Brown, and Carrie Brown; (fifth row) Emma Gilbert, Iredel Kight, and Melissa Sanderlin, along with teacher Ella Gilbert. Photo courtesy of Alex Leary.