Hide Article Text (OCR)
EARLY CHURCHES of PICKENS DISTRICTTin. foil win* highly interest?.'A paper by Mrs. Frank Me Fa 11 was read at the recent joiiu meeting of tbe Pickens D. A. It. and U. D. C.Not only did our forefathers leave a goodly heritage of. courage and leadership, but the many Shurches which they organized stand as a monument to their religion.That they were a God-fearing people, keeping the faith of their fathers, we know by the distances they traveled to church, usually on foot.Major J. M. Stewart of Pickens, who is now over eighty, speaking of his boyhood days, remembers a Baptist Covenlion in North Carolina when Ih del agates from Pickens District vent in mi eh crowds that they looked like an army marching. To hear him tell about it reminded us of Onward Christian Soldiers,” and we wondered how many of our people of today ci aid bo pursmulod to go on a journey like that.lie says that the year 18:12 was marked by such a spreading of the gospel as has never been known, in chi's.• parts, before nor since. And it was about ibis time that many of our country churches were organized.The elder Baptist churches are Oden y, Si conn, old Liberty church,Six Mile, Enon and Cross Roads. ,Tlu older Methodist churches are Antioch, Bethlehem, Zion and Ml. Olivet, where the Easley Methodist* vinueii now stands.Mis. I.uvonzu Durham, cue of the mi inkers who was horn find reared near Rethlolv. m. givts us the following sketch of that place.In November 1800, B'diop Anbury . and Bishop Wlmtc.onv were ei os,sine tin* mountains on horseback from North Carolina to Pendklon, S. C. They asked for lodging at tile home r.f a Mr. James near where Georges Creek Hun eh now stands, but were it fused. Upon being told that a daughter, Polly, had died in the home that day they made themselves known, offering any assistance they cculd give. Tin y were Hum asked t,, spend the night. While the neighbors and friends were together they organized a Bible Class whose outgrowth was our early Methodist churches. Hi tlilehcm, or Totem church, as it v.as tin n called, being one of the (irst. It wa.- named for Miss Patty To tom, a maiden lady of splendid Christian charm ter, who lived nv«r end was probably Ycr.poimibie for its being there.For a year or two leligious soviets: were held hi a kind of arbor until Mr. Charles Durham, grandfather of ihc loti Lorenzo Durham, deeded two acres of ground for church pui pores, and the men of the community put up a rough leg church and called it Bethlehem. The present church is the fourth one that lias been built m that same spot.The Air. Durham who gave the land was himself a preacher, although he was unable to read. His wife read the Bible and the hymns to him, and Ih* preached from memory. Once or I twice a year punchers wen sent up iIn* country by what was known.as ihc Blue Ridge Mission to preach heso far-a-wny churehi s, and I he si mi n ovgiiiimed other churches tl-.cy eanic and went, along Units present location, nearer its con gi eg at ion. Several years later Pickens Chapel was built at the old Carmel graveyard.in 1700 Hopewell or what we know as the Old Stone church was built.It is also Presbyteriaih The first building was of logs and stood a mill cr two from the present location. Tradition says it was burned, catching from a forest Are. And in 17i)7 the present stone church was built, by subscription front the members.John Rusk, a Revolutionary soldier, was the builder. And the stone was luiulcd by a Mr. Robinson, also a Revolutionary soldier.Gen. Amin \v Pick tis gave the seats and pulj.il individually, and tie and Gen. Robert Amb i-snn were two of the first elilei s. Duly thru Revolutionary soldiers hi-, buried liicn ■ Gen. Andrew I ii-i;■ us. .loro Rusk, and a Mr. Garvin.However, ninny jllustrious sons of fin!It Ctiulin.'. have hi -r laid to rest in the old church :■ ml an I in I Still the Old Stone church end .vnicteiy as-si.cinii .u was tcrr.ud for the purpos-f taking cere ef tin buildings and grounds. A stone wall, that exactly matches the elmr.-h was built around tbr big gravyvard, and they art attempting to preserve the hallowed spot.IN MEMORY OF AIRS. EMMA GltAV LEY.iceiriburMr.On Saturday night August ftth. ihc death angel -visited the hi me of All-P. Gravley and claimed as its victim his loving wife. The news of her death will bring sadness to her many friends. Rbe was a member, of Holly Springs church having joined tie* church some eight years ago. Bin was a teacher ill the Sunday school when taken ill. Mrs. Giuvk-y lur-kion in dtelinimi heulth for m years. For tin Weeks she suffered with typhoid fever. Two doc tars treated lnr but all rlial they and !v*i oveil ones could do was ef no avail Mrs. Gravity, at the Date of h i death was 82 years of age.Airs, Griivley hofoc her marriage was Miss Emma Cantrell dunghter :;f Mr. anil Mrs. Amos Cnntri 11. She cumc the wife of Mr. Perry Grav-iey, World War veteran, These wo with little fibidys have cons! i-tilled a happy hlt;ant. Why is ii that tlod luetiks up homes mid k-avi little ones 111otill*tiers we eairnot under-stsind but the Lnrd km.ws lie-1. lie works in a mysteriius way his won tiers to perform,Hi sides a ho. t i f fretids she le:iv. s ■t liusht'iu), it little daughter two yutiv old, Iter mother, two brothels au.i one sister to lhnurii her death. 11m father preceded her to the grave indy a few years.The funeral services win e cdmHii t-ed by Iiev. Clyde of Greenville the lay following her death.Tin heart broken husband lias the sympathy' of tile entire community m his bereavi-mi nt.A Ei tend.2783fromLib-illion.. 50 .Oft . 0.0(1 - (1,01 - (1.02 _ 0.0(1 . n.no-751.00waterfrimiH,(. D.A fiw years biter ,tin Himche, woro $ oj. jilii.it by I hen it ride is who were pa ill mostly in produce, ouch member being itsscssid only 12 Id cents a year, in rash, for preacher’-salaiy. This rarely averaged more than V a yiiir from each church.Accoiding to Mr. It. W. Pickens of Andersen ci.umy, who is a descendant of Gen. Andrew Pickens and has a great deal of data eonwrning ioca history, old farm el, n Presbyterian church, was built in 1787 and the lirst church of any kind m Pick ciis district. If was huiil by first settlers who came here from Abbeville.He says that Hu original site -favmel was where Pickens Ghape Alethodist chmelt, now stands and gives a list of [tevohuioiiary soldiers who were buried there, nnmily J allies AV a trim, .lob Smith, .John Wi skm, Benjaman Smhh. Alexander Oliver, AIcfr.'Mi Hughes, Mleh.a I Smith. Laban Mr i.' Dm Lm .HaulMRS. DURHAM DEADAirs.ired 7!Line Durlmin,, died nt her hoin, flt; u: mik * , [ 1'i -L.• 11~ .August II I'.V-L m lt;1 buried the ~ dn.v following a! Sceona, Her hushnmi. Mr, lh m'f Durham survivi.-- lnr with the f i lowing children: Mrs. Fannie Hunt 1 oi PiekellS, Mrs. Florence IK lid-on - f Charlotte, N. l ,. Miss Minni Durham and Airs. J. L. Durham lt;Pickens. All except Mrs. llendcrso with her during her hist iltnv It will be remembered that Miss Mar Durham preceded her to the grnv five weeks before.From early life Airs. Durham wa a devoted member of the elntreh an her greatest, joy was in thi- seivii-of her Master. Throughout a Ion active life Airs. Durham earned at uninternplcdly enjoyed the high re peel and nfTeetionate e-lci-m of hlt; neighbors and friend-One AVho, I,*-.-, d Tier.fit.dm, Capt. Pol Die' -. ii and Alt When Zir.n H■iekel-sMi.-..; : ,HOEK; it- -Swans r.-n i i.litdr biti pieti ire- ‘ will be Fa ley. 'IHuThiLnration. Anl -past utdnr. 1j riel-- Tintlolpli A’ia ;!„d Inst, Par |!..Ylt;1\D TM - , vn a1 the. i v 1 ■ day and 1* .'■ah \dmis.-i . f the vc i e;i ■ n’s feati In and pew, t He. pen r.T Elii
Newspaper Details
Pickens Sentinel
Pickens, South Carolina, US
Wed, Aug 23, 1922
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Laura L.
NA, 11 Apr 2024
Other Publications Near Pickens, South Carolina
Keowee Courier
Pickens Sentinel
Pickens Sentinel Journal
