The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, November 12, 1970, Image 21
I
Pomaria Lutheran Founded In 1910
Lewis Memorial Methodist
Church Named In Honor
Former Pastor
In 1906, a Community Sun
day School was organized at
historic Bethel Academy by
Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Long.
“Mrs. Emmy”, (so named and
affectionately known because of
contraction of her two initials,
M.E.), was a native of Simp-
sonville whocame to Pomaria
to live with her daughters, Mrs.
James P. Setzler and John C.
Aull, following the death of her
husband. Motivated by Christian
concern for her grandchildren
as well as keen interest in child
ren of all ages, this school was
held that all might receive
formal Bible training.
From this beginning grew the
need for a church at Pomaria,
and on June 27, 1910 the Rev.
John J. Long, pastor of Beth
lehem Parish, completed the
organization of Pomaria Lu
theran Church with 24 charter
members. The new church was
In 1912, following several
years of Sunday School classes
in a local tenant house, the
Rev. D. Pet Boyd organized
the Oakland Methodist Church in
a store building on Fair Ave
nue. The church was organized
with thirty members and met
in the store building for sev-
seral years, the Pastors being
supplied by nearby Methodist
charges. In those days Method
ist ministers seldom remained
at a charge for more than one
year, and the Oakland church
was served by the Reverends
A.M. Gardner, Gobe Smith, B.L.
Knight, andW.R. Bouknight dur
ing the first four years of or
ganization.
In 1916, under the leadership
of the Rev. Mr. Bouknight, a
church buildingwas constructed
by the Oakland Mill Company
to be used by both Baptists
Homes On Tour
This house was first locat
ed at the top of College Street,
erected there about 1825 by
John Caldwell. The property and
house were deeded to.Robert
Wright in November 1866; the
house has been moved* twice.
Entering the yard, the visitor
will note large magnolia trees
on each side of the walk. The
one on the right is said to be
on record at Clemson Univer
sity as the largest magnolia tree
in the State of South Carolina.
The front of the house with
its double porches and large-
boxwoods, looks very much
as it did when it was built,
%mm$
except for the wings on each
side. These were late additions
to the basic house which was
four rooms- two downstairs and
two upstairs, on each side of
a narrow central hallway. In
teresting architectural features
include horizontal panelling,
panelled wainscoting, large
doors with L and H hinges, wood
en ceilings, carved trim on the
stair steps, and in the upstairs
rooms, the old windows with
three panes over two. All of
the furnishings, including a
number of heirloom pieces, are
the property of the present oc
cupants: Mr. and Mrs. W.J.
Roddev,
! 1
This home of Mr. and Mrs.
Marvin Abrams, located just
outside the town of Whitmire
in upper Newberry County, was
built in 1790-1800, byCol. Ben
jamin Herndon. Col. Herndon
moved from his native Virginia
to North Carolina about 1775.
F or his military service in the
Revolution, he was given a land
grant of 1000 acres in Ninety
Six District, Newberry County,
and shortly after 1790 he moved
to the area and built “Mollohon*
The exterior is typical of many
plantation houses of its era and
it is almost identical in style
to an early photograph of Gippy
Plantation house near Charles
ton. “Mollohon* presents a
stately appearance from its
hilltop site. The house is built
of cypress and oak with peg
construction. The Abrams have
altered the interior, parti
cularly a narrow cramped
stairway .leading to the second
floor. There is original panell
ing in parts of the house, and
the transoms over the front
doors are the original glass.
An old family burial plot is
still in existence some distance
behind the house.
1970
XM7
SOUTH CAROLINA
TRICENTENNIAL
and Methodists of the commun
ity, and these groups divided
the use of the building half
and half. This building was
located on Second Street in the
Oakland village and a portion
of it served the Methodist con
gregation until 1967, the Bap
tist group having built their own
place of worship in the late
thirties.
As textile villages began to
spring up throughout the Pied
mont region the Methodist
church was quick to move into
each community, establishing
churches and assigning min
isters. Most of the churches
were small, so several textile
churches were often combined
to make a “charge”, as Meth
odists refer to Pastoral ap
pointments. In 1917 the Oakland
church and the Mollohon church
became such a “charge”, with
the Rev. S.C. Dunlap becoming
the Pastor.
In the following years the
two churches were served by
the Reverends A.E. Smith,Paul
Kinnett, J.T. Lawrence, B.H.
Harvey, B.B. Black,S.B. White,
and W.H. Lewis, men whose
influence upon the two textile
communities stirs warm mem
ories among countless older
Newberrians.
The Rev. W.H. Lewis was
particularly effective at the
Oakland church, and in 1938,
while he was Pastor, the Meth
odists bought the “half-claim”
which the Baptists held on the
building. With remodeling and
additions, the Oakland Meth
odist Church building was re
named Lewis in honor of the
beloved Pastor, who had been
so faithful and generous in his
gifts to the church and un
der whose ministry the enlarg
ed and remodeled building was
dedicated.
During the forties the church
was served by the Reverend W.
Glenn Smith, who is now re
tired in Newberry, and by the
Reverends Roy Wilkes, O.H.
Hatchett, B.H. Harvey(serving
his second appointment to the
charge), and C.W. Brockwell.
The group continued to grow in
numbers and financial strength,
and as the church entered the
next decade it appeared strong
enough to become what Method
ists call a “station” church,
having a Pastor and parsonage
of its’ own.
The late Rev. C.O. Dorn led
the church into this big step
in it’s development, and in 1953
Lewis Methodist Church be
came a “station”, with the
Rev. R. A. Hughes
as Minister. Mr. Hughes
mained at Lewis for four years
and led the church to establish
a building fund for a complete
ly new structure. He was fol
lowed by the Rev. E.W. Gottcnd
the Rev. James A. Grisby, under
whose leadership the old Oak
land school property was pur
chased as a site for a new church
building.
The Rev. George Couch, Jr.
served at Lewis during the plan
ning stages for the new build
ing, and in 1966, when the pre
sent Pastor, the Reverend Joe
Alley, came to Lewis, plans
were formulated to construct
the present building at the cor
ner of First and Nance Streets.
Leading the building committee
was Mr. Ray Gilliam, whose
committee members included
Mrs. S.G. McCullough, Mrs.
W.E. Taylor, Jr., Mrs. Dewey
Floyd,Pearle King,EzellKyzer,
Ed C. Adams, Dewey Floyd,
A.B. Stribble, and Alfred Brad
ley, Chairman of the Official
Board and long-time leader of
the church.
The relocation of the Lewis
church was designated a Church
Extension project b; f the South
Carolina United MethodistCon-
ference, and funds were made
available to help the small
church in the enormous task of
constructing a building suitable
to serve the entire northeast
ern area of Newberry. The new
building is thus representative
of the concern of all United
Methodists rather than the peo
ple of Oakland only. Gifts on
the building were received from
throughout South Carolina, from
almost all of the fifty states, and
appointed
Hughes re-
from over twenty foreign coun
tries. Such gifts were used to
pay for the large “Window of
Mission” at the front of the
building, and the window, with
it’s brillant red and amber
colors, has become a land mark
for those who travel on First
and Nance Streets during the
evening hours.
The beautiful new building of
the Lewis congregation (now
officially known as The Lew
is Memorial United Methodist
Church) is symbolic of the
growth, dedication and stew
ardship of the mission-minded
congregation. In the last four
years the congregation has in
creased its annual giving from
$12,000 to over $30,000 reach
ing a peak of $40,000 in the
year of construction. Attend
ance at worship services has
jumped from an average of 85
in 1965-66 to 170 per service
during the past months. Sev
enty-five members of the ch
urch have pledged one-tenth
of their annual income to the
woek of the church during the
coming year, and another 50
are approaching the “Tithe”
which is considered by United
Methodists as the standard of
giving to the church.
The church has become known
throughout the county for it’s
beautiful and moving outdoor
Christmas drama, “In the
World’s Back Yard,” and it has
greatly expanded it’s program
in recent years by a year round
recreation program, a week -
day kindergarten, and a Lay
Witness program which has
taught most all the members to
lead prayer groups, share a
Christian witness, become a
steward of both talents and
money, and become more
involved in concern for the
pressing social issues of the
day. While the new members
axe added to the congregation
regularly, no attempt is made
to press visitors into mem
bership. “We feel that those
desiring to join a church should
be fully aware of the commit
ment they’re making,” states
Mr. Alley,” so I have now adopt
ed the policy of receiving no
new members without first tak
ing them through an extensive
training class; I’m afraid our
churches are filled with those
who have no deep sense of
committment, and no desire
to become involved in God’s
work. At Lewis we are striv
ing to learn what it means to
be God’s church. W e have
a long way to go, but at least
we’re on our way.”
The present membership at
Lewis is 311, the membership
being drawn almost completely
from nearby industrial work
ers. 263 of the members are
residents of Newberry, and 220
are considered “active”. The
Minister of Lewis is 32 year old
Joe Alley, who is serving his
second United Methodist ap
pointment and is completing his
fourth year at Lewis Memorial.
Mr. Alley is married to the
former Barbara Gowan of fp-
artanburg, and they have two
children, nine year old Lynne
and a son, Jay,who is four.
They live at 2702 Clyde Ave
nue in Newberry.
Newly elected officials will
take office at Lewis on June
I. W.D. “Bill”Knox wiU serve
as Lay Leader during the com
ing year, while S. Eugene Gil
liam will serve as Chairman
of the Administrative Board.
Other officials include L.A. Co
ward, D.A. Floyd,Bobby Ham
by, Mrs. Rosa Watson, Mrs.
Thomas Shealy, Mrs. D.B. Go
ings, Mrs. John Drummond,
Mrs. Gerald Hester and Miss
Marcia Ruff.
Also Mr. and Mrs. Virgil
Gilliam, W. E. Taylor, A.D.
Bradley, Albert Gresham, Mrs.
J. E. Abney, Wilson Sanders,
George Force# RaymondKyzer,
Miss Cindi Hamby, Howard
Coats, Olin Glymph, Jon Dickert
James Kinard and Mrs. Ray
Gilliam.
Elected to honorary member
ship on the Administrative
Board for their many years
of service to the church are
Mr. Roy Bouknight, Mr. A.B.
Stribble, and Mr. P.E. King.
received into the Bethlehem
Parish - ^ composed of St Mat
thews and Bethlehem, with a
pledge of ” our undivided moral
support in their noble effort
to build a Lutheran church in
Pomaria.”
The 24 Charter members were:
Mrs. Mattie H. Graham, Will
iam D. Hatton, Miss Annie Hat
ton, John J. Hentz, Mrs. John
J. Hentz, Thomas E. Hentz, R.
H. Hipp, Mrs. R.H. Hipp, Miss
Eloise Hipp, Mrs. Maude J.
Pinner, T.A. Setzler, Mrs.
T.A. Setzler, Miss Ida Mae
Setzler, Miss Narvis Setzler,
B.M. Setzler, Mrs. B.M. Setz
ler, George W. Setzler, Mrs.
George W. Setzler, J.P. Setz
ler, Mrs. J.P. Setzler, G.
Breaker Setzler, W.S. Seybt,
Mrs. W.S. Seybt, and Miss Eth
el Seybt. W.S. Seybt was the first
Sunday School Superintendent
serving until his death, and Mrs.
Maude J. Pinner was the first
organist
Land on which the first church
was constructed in 1911 was
purchased from setzler Bro
thers , pioneer residents of this
area. This frame structure
served the growing congregat
ion for 43 years. During the
pastorate and under the lead
ership of the Rev. E.K. Counts
new Sunday School rooms were
added, the church was refinish
ed, the choir was vested, and
altar furnishings were added.
Then in 1954 under the
leadership of the Rev. M.T. Cul-
lum, a movement was started
to remodel the old church,cul
minating in the building of a new
church on the same site. The
present edifice is of brick ven
eer construction, Gothic archi
tecture, with Pastor’s study,
educational facilities and the
kitchen i n the basement
The cornerstone laying took
place on June 26, 1955 and the
first service in the new church
was held on Sunday, Nov. 13,
1955. Dedicatory services of the
new Lutheran Church to the
glory of God and for beauty
of worship were held on April
29,1956, debt free..
The building committee was
composed of H.W. Lominick,
chairman, T.C. Koon, B.E. Wig-
gers, Mrs. H.H. Huggins, and
Mrs. Albert J. Wilson, Sr.
Dedicated , consecrated, and
God-fearing pastors have
served this congregation as
follows
Re. John J. Long - 1910;
Rev. LE. Long 1910
1911; Rev. J.A. Linn 1911-1914;
Rev. S.C. Ballentine 1915-1917;
Rev. Enoch Hite 1918-1920;Rev.
H.A. KisUer 1920-1922; Rev.
J.B. Haigler 1922-1925; Rev.
H.A. Jackson 1927-1931; Rev.
J.M. Senter 1931-1934; Rev.
E.K. Counts 1934- 1943; Rev.
C.W. Carpenter 1943-1944; and
Rev. M.T. Cullum 1944-1959;
Rev. W.C. Wood 1960- 1963;
Rev. Elford B. Roof 1964-1970.
One of the greatest and most
challenging events in the his
tory of Pomaria Lutheran
Church occurred on March 24,
1968 when the congregation vot
ed in favor of becoming self-
supporting. This involved with
drawal from the three-church
parish to a self-supporting con
gregation, effective Jan 1,
1969. Another memorable day
was Aug. 18, 1968, when the
Rev. Elford B. Roof accepted
the call to serve the church
on a full time basis, thus be
coming the first full time pas
tor in the history of the church
For 21 months the church pro
fited by the ministrations of
Pastor Roof, leaving with her
members the inspiration to
march onward, meeting the cha
llenges that lie ahead.
Throughout the 60 years of
ministry, the church has ser
ved her members, the commun
ity, the Lutheran Church in
America, and Christ, the Lord
of the Church Universal. Pom
aria Lutheran Church seeks to
afford its communicants an opp
ortunity for meaningful worship
on Sunday, and to inspire them
to serve their God and their
fellowmen at all times. The
church schools are well-or
ganized to reach and to teach
all ages. The Lutheran Church
Women and Lutheran Church
Men through the years have
made significant contributions
to the success of the total fun
ctions of the church.
Currently, the congregation
is without a pastor. The pre
sent council, however, com
posed of B.E. Wiggers, Chr.,
Robert L. Hentz, T. C. Koon,
W.C. Koon, J. R. Sheeley, W.
Alvin Hentz, C. Eric Long, R.
Paul Richardson, William J.
Bohan, C. Samuel Glymph,
Larry O. Koon, and C. Gurnie
Stuck are dedicated to a faith
ful continuance of the heritage
provided by all who have wor
shiped and served in Our
Church.
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