Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Whitmire First Baptist Name Was Changed In 1903 Lower Duncan’s Creek Baptist Church, the mother church of the First Baptist Church of Whit mire, was constituted in 1787 by Elders Micajah Bennett, William Wood and Ruben Rollins and a constitution was adopted that same year. It was the third old est Baptist Church founded in the county. Soon after the first church was organized certain "Rules of De corum" were adopted by the con gregation; also, a resolution was passed to give each member cop ies of the “Rules of Life,” which were adopted. A wooden building was erected around 1804; three or four miles from Newberry on what is now the Joanna highway - not too far from Duncan’s Creek. No minutes were corded of the old church until 1830 so there is no roll of the charter mem bers of the church. The graves of some of the earliest settlers are to be found in the old Dun can Creek's Cemetery, near the original church site. Notes taken from the first minute book give some informa tion on the early church. "Church was repaired and painted in 1856. In 1864 the pulpit was moved to the other side of the church to give more room for the Negro mem bers.” In 1865 , in conference, the church called Brother Mayfield to preach one Sabbath each mon th. They agreedtopayhim$50for the year. “This to be paid in provisions at the following rate, corn - $1 per bushel,, flour - S'? per pound, bacon 15£ per pound.” “In 1872, on motion, agreed to pay Brother F. Camillis Jeter (brother of Thomas Bothwell Je ter, once Governor of South Caro lina and a grandfather of Whit mire resident, C. B. Jeter) $150 a year for his services. Other ministers who supplied the early church included: Mi cajah Bennett, Jacob King, Hen ry Rollins, Thomas H. Pope, H. F. Spoles, G. H. Carter and Har rison Fowler. "Very often the pastors failed to meet their appointments be cause of high water as there wen no bridges across the streams.” Early Clerks and Deacons in cluded: Nathan Whitmire, J. W. Duckett, Thomas Duckett, John W. Scott, J. B. Whitmire, Ba ruch Duncan, Wm. L. Duckett and Frederick Whitmire. Lewis Boyd, a freed man, was ordained to the ministry by the church in 1870 and helped found many of the Negro Baptist churches in this vicinity. The first figures found were of 1803. At that time the total membership of the church was 76, one-halfofwhom were slaves. At various times committees were appointed to confer with Brethern about swearing and be ing intoxicated. Women members were conferred with about danc ing. After making satisfactory acknowledgement they were pardoned. For some bad offenses the member was not given a chance to repent; he, or she, ^ the case might be, was turned out of the church. After the railroad was con structed in our vicinity and the town of Whitmire was born the population gravitated toward the new town to such an extent that the old church was abandoned. The building was sold and wreck ed and we are told that some of the lumber stiH exists in build ings in or near Whitmire. For a brief time following this removal the congregation wor shipped in the school house. When this was destroyed by fire the members “betook themselves to the railroad depot and later to a store building.” In 1893 a building lot was given to the congregation by “L” Briggs and a wooden worship house was built. This was located on the corner lot where the Bap tist Pastorium is found today. Here for 23 years the church continued its historic develop ment. Much of the time it was a ‘‘half-time" church, served by non-resident pastors, and at times partly supported by state mission funds. In 1903 the old name was dropped and it has since been known as The First Baptist Church of Whitmire. In 1916-1917 the church build ing was razed and a brick struc ture was erected where the church is located today. Rev. W. M. Whiteside was serving as the pastor at that time. The building committee was com posed of: J. W. Hipp, W. F. Ho ward, John W. Scott, J. C. Hum phries and W. M. Rasor. The church was built at a cost of $6,000. The heating system and pews were purchased for another $3,000. Whitmire Presbyterian Church Was Established In 1905 BY MR. JOE SIMPSON SR. The Whitmire Presbyterian Church is not one of the older churches of the Presbyterian faith, as it was established in 1905. A small group of local citizens petitioned the South Carolina Presbytery to or ganize a church in Whitmire and on Nov. 27, 1905 this commit tee composed of Rev. R. G. Mc- Lees, H. D. Boozer and F. H. Wardlaw met with the local group in the Methodist Church. The sermon was preached by Rev. R. G. McLees, after which the following persons conven- anted together to form the Whit mire Presbyterian Church: R. H. Burton, Miss Sallie Metts, James E. Yarborough, Mrs. J. E. Yarborough, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Osborne, Mrs. William Coleman and Mrs.' J. C. Wil liams. Mr. R. H. Burton, Mr. L. R. Brannon, and Mr. J. E. Yarborough were ordained and installed as the first elders. Mr. Burton was the father of one of our present elders, Mr. Ross Burton. First sermon was preached on Dec. 24, 1905 by the Rev. R. S. Latimer and elder Yarborough was elected as Clerk of the Session. Mr. C. L Abrams and Mr. W. L. Osborne were elected as dea cons. The church was first re presented at Presbytery at a congregation at Synod and Mr. W. L. Osborne was instructed to obtain prices on lot for erec tion of a building. At a meet ing on August 26, 1906, the fol lowing were elected as a build ing committee: R. H. Burton, C. L Abrams, J. P. Herring and J. E. Yarborough. During the year 1908 the building was completed and Mr. William Coleman offered to have the building painted, which offer was gratefully accepted by the congregation. In 1909Mr. Henry M. Miller and Mr. C. I. Abrams were ordained and installed as elders and Mr. J. L. Miller, Mr. J. C. Williams, and Mr. B. H. Herron were elected as deacons. In 1915 Mr. H. C. Lea- man was made an elder and Dr. T. B. Woods made a deacon. In 1921 Messrs. J. B. Pitts, G.R.C. Gary and J. L. Miller were elected elders and Messrs. J. L. Cook, R. M. Duckett and W. H. Miller were elected deacons. In 1925 Mr. A. T. Quantz was made an elder and Mr. L. E. Beard a deacon. The following pastors have served the church: Rev. S. L. Latimer Feb. 1906 - March 1908; Rev. S. L. Wilson June 1908- Oct. 1908; Dr. D. J. BrimmMay 1909 - Jan. 1911; Rev. Jno. Ros- boro Jan. 1911-Jan 1913; Rev. T. A. Beckett, Jr. Sept. 1913- Sept. 1917; After Rev. Beckett An addition was built in 1937 while Rev. J. R. McKittrick was pastor. Rev. McKittrick served as the church’s pastor for 16 years. This was longer than any preacher other than Rev. B. E. Linsey who served the early church for at least 24 years. In 1952, while Rev. Paul H. Bullington was serving as pas tor, the church underwent exten sive enlargeent and remod eling. The new building has a spacious sanctuary, with a seat ing capacity of 400, five assemb ly rooms, a pastor’s study, church secretary’s office, record room, organ room and choir room. The sanctuary is equipped with new pews, carpets and five new stained glass windows. The congregation worshipped at the high school building while construction was in progress. Open house was held on Sunday, April 19, 1953 and the corner stone was laid. Placed in the cornerstone were the original items from the old church built in 1916. These were: a testament, church roll, copy of the Baptist Courier, short his tory of the church and two cents. New items placed beside these were: a revised history of the church, a copy of the minutes of‘'the Reedy River association for 1952, a church roll ofpresent members and a testament Honored this day were the church members who were mem bers of the church in 1916 when the first church was built on this location. These were: W. C. Scott, T. P. Scott, J. B. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Scott, Mrs. J. G. Setzler, Miss Willie Duckett, Mrs. J. A. Cheatham, Mrs. Han nah James, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hipp Sr. The Building Committee that served at this time was com posed of F. M. Setzler, chair man, Hugh B. Riser, Clerk, Ray mond T. Abrams and Paul H. Bullington. On Sunday, July 22nd, 1956, memory of Clarence V. Reed, by friends and loved ones 1919- 1955. ■ In 1968 a modern brick pas torium was erected beside the old frame parsonage. When it was completed the old one was razed. , The First Baptist Church of the members of the church and Whitmire has played an active their guests gathered for a Home- p^t in support of missions and coming and Mortgage Burning ^ cooperation with large Baptist Ceremony. As the debt for the groups. It was a member of Be- new church was retired. Rev. the! Association (cow extinct) and Ray R. Linville served as pas- from 1825 a member of the Reedy tor of the church at this time. River Association. Rev. Bullington was an invited x , r^ guest at the Homecoming and The present pastor is Dr. Da- assisted in the mortgage burning, vid Thomas. He, his wife and their Since 1953 the Sanctuary and three children have resided m our Educational Building have been community for three years. Min- air-conditioned and a new organ ister of Music for the church has been purchased. A beautiful is Mrs. Ken Wham. Baby-Grand piano also graces 1935 - Mrs. Annie C. Jeter the Sanctuary. The silver plaque revised 1970 -EloiseP. Ram is inscribed “Given in loving, sey meeting in Newberry on April 17, i^ft^ we were served by semi- 1906. Sessional meeting held nary students and others until on Sept 23, 1906 elected Mr. Rev, A. R. Batchelor came with R. H. Burton to represent the us in Nov. 1923. In 1924 a debt NEWS-SUN-CITIZEN TRICENTENNIAL EDITION Newberry County, S. C., November 12, 1070 on the Manse was paid and this left the church free of debt. In 1925 a new Sunday School building was added. Our faith ful membership paid for this in a few years, and recently we built a new manse, bought the house and lot adjoining our church, installed a new furnace in the church and also install ed a modern air conditioning plant in both manse and church, all of which is paid for. Our growth in membership has never been of the sensational type, but we have grown from the original nine to a present mem bership of 138. Rev. Campbell Wallace was a member of our church at one time, but not a native son, so we could not claim to having furnished a na tive son to the ministry, until now. Our own Tommy Malone becomes the Rev. ThomasMa- lone this year, and we are of course proud of him. Also Miss Dottie DuBose, one of our own is entering the Christian Edu cation work. We can truthfully say that we have furnished many fine Christian Elders, Dea cons and laymen to some 12 or more states and to four for eign countries. Since Rev. A. R. Batchelor left us, we have been served by Rev. T. C. Bryan, Rev. John McEachem, Rev. J. A. Flanagan, Rev. H. G. Wardlaw, Rev. C. C. Gamble, Rev. W. H. Dendy, Rev. David Bridgman, and our present pastor the Rev. Vernon West. -P*c r 1670-1970 as The Management And Empbyees Of The Kendall Company Are Proud Of The Part Our Company Has Played In The Rich Heritage And Progress In Newberry County And South Carolina ...And Look Forward To Continued Progress In The Future — We Are Proud Of Our State And It's People And Send Best Wishes To South Carolina On Her 300th Anniversary ■■ Kendall Company Mollohon Plant 401 GLENN ST. NEWBERRY. S. C. Cotton Dept FAIR AVENUE NEWBERRY. S. C