Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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1 i Ebenezer Methodist Church Started At Watson f s Campground The Methodist and Baptist denominations are the two major churches that had their start in America. Since not many events in the backwoods of the early colonies were re corded, very little is known of the beginning of Methodism in our area. Names of hallowed men; Bis hops Asbury, Wesley, Coke, and Whatcoat have come down, but of the struggles and tribula tions they faced in bringing their faith to the frontier, little is known. Apparently first ser vices were held in private homes. There being no formal places of worship and the flock being scattered over awide area of the up-country, the minister travelled on horseback to serve the worshippers. This custom became a tradition and is now uniquely incorporated into the fabric of the United Methodist Chruch. Near the present city of New berry, close to the year 1784, worshippers regularly began to meet at a spot called Watson’s Campground. The reason for the name is unclear, but from a meeting place for local people only, the site in the late 18- 20’s and again in the 1850’s began to attract worshippers from as far away as 60 miles. Revivals would continue for two weeks in the late summer and brush arbors would be built to shelter the crowes. Why the spot was chosen is not hard to understand. In dian huntingpaths crossed here. Their eroded trailways are still visible in the forests. In the cemetery near the strong run ning spring, walled up with flat stones at some unknown time, many evidences of the Indian inhabitants have been uncov ered. Morrow Mountain and Kirk projectile points dating back 6,000 and 8,000 years have been recovered, and most interesting of all, during ex cation for the basement addit ion to the present church in 1963, a steatite artifact, neatly round, with a small hole bored through the center, was uncov- m / Md* I & * Whitmire Seventh Grade Class,1924 Students Of Early Whitmire School Sf.Monica’$ Episcopal Church Established In 1894 In Center Of Dutch Fork Pomaria lies in the center of the Dutch Fork section,locat ed about eighteen miles South east of the Newberry Court House near Crim’s Creek. The highway crosses the railroad at the town and follows an old stage coach road. It was known in earlier times as Folk Hill. William Summer operated a large nursery which was known throughout this and other States. He named the place“Pomaria” from the Latin word “Pomus” or ‘ Pomaria” meaning plants or trees. In 1850 when the Columbia and Greenville railroad was completed as far as Pomaria, a station was built and the Post Office was moved so as to be near the railroad. This area felt the effects of Sherman’s march in 1865. Good churches, good schools and good people are to be found in the Pomaria area. This com munity was settled by many early Germans, Swiss, Welch Established in 1894, this mission was admitted to Con vention in 1955 as an “organ ized mission* under the name St. Monica (St. Augustine’s mo ther). It was under charge of the Rev. Rt. G.E. Howell when first opened in 1894. The peo ple themselves bought a lot and built a schoolhouse where, for a time, a day school was held. The Rev. Rt. T.T. Pol lard was priest-in-charge at the time of the division of the diocese in 1922. When the Rev. Rt. Edwin B. Clippard took the charge of St. Luke’s Church, Newberry, in 1952, he became interested in this mission of the black people then without regular services of a priest, and instituted services twice a month. The church which had fallen into serious disrepair was greatly improved and re furnished with the assistance of $987.50 contributed by the nat ional church. Since 1952 many priests have come and gone but the mission still survives with a faithful few: The Rev. Rt. Joe Green, the Rev. Gor don Mann. The Rev. Cannon Me Creary, The Rev. Turner Mor ris, The Rev. Russell Wilson, The Rev. Robert Long, The Rev. Rod Hobart. Presently , the mission is served by Sen ior Warden, Mr. Eugene Schum- pert; Junior Warden, Mr. Ru dolph Caldwell; and priest-in charge, The Rev. Frederick C. Byrd. ered three feet down in the uneroded red clay, no doubt a funeral offering to some brave for use in the “Happy Hunting Ground*. In 1814 Jacob Gantt sold the 3/4 acre lot on which the first Ebenezer church was built to Edward Finch, Stephen Shell, and David Owens, trustees. Construction of this first church probably was begun in that year. It stood on the little rise be tween the spring and cemetery and was made of logs. Early in 1803, a most valu able addition to the church was acquired when Dr. James Kil gore moved into the community from Stoney Battery. He had just been converted to Metho dism at Harmon’s Church. In 1837, largely through his efforts, the church property was enlarged and a frame building was erected to serve the ex panding membership. The se cond building continued in use until 1880 when the sanctuary of the present church was built higher up the hill. Like most country churches Ebenezer doubled as a school house and many of the older members can recall the initials carved in the pew backs by some bored students. Major alteration to the 1880 structure was done in 1963 and the present beautiful church building everged. Classic Geor gian detail was added to the in terior, along with oil heat and| air conditioning. Owen Holmes, chairman, served with Edward Hawkins, Bobby Ray Nichols, Carol Hipp, Everette Summer, Lonnie Foy, Gilder Cromer, and W.C. Carter in carrying out the remodeling program. Besides Dr. Kilgore mention ed earlier, Ebenezer received a most valuable acquisition in 1851 when Jacob Sligh moved into the community. Thus the name Kilgore has been associa ted with this church for 140 years while that of Sligh for 120. Dr. Kilgore died in 1856 Jacob Sligh in 1885 and his son, G. McDuffie Sligh was a lead ing member until his death. Other dedicated people have contributed their talent and wealth to Ebenezer: Henry Boo zer served as Sunday School Superintendent for many years, Miss Lillie Sligh as organist and teacher, Mrs.W.P. Lathrop as teacher, Mrs. Elisabeth Sw indler and Mrs. Mary Swindler Hawkins, grandmother and mo ther of Mr. J.F. Hawkins, both served faithfully as teachers and Mrs. Hawkins acted as “tune raiser* in the days be fore the pump organ. Senator Hawkins by his loyalty and gen erosity still serves as an in spiration to Ebenezer. The roster of Ebenezer is long. She has served her mem bers well. Many names on the rolls are no longer found in Newberry County. From the days when the Newberry Cir cuit encompassed all the Meth odist churches in Newberry County except Mt. Tabor and Ebenezer - Maybinton, plus Lexington Fork, Hopewell,Sa lem and Sardis in Laurens Co unty, she has remained a vis ible influence in Newberry. Now three churches remain on the historic old circuit: New Cha pel, Labanon, and Ebenezer. Served by many dedicated men like the Rev. Coleman Carlisle in 1820 to the Rev. H. J. Harmon Jr. today, Ebene zer continues as a house of worship and refuge for her congregation. and English; the most of them having come from Pennsylvania in the colony of Adam Summer about 1750. COATESWOOD Described in Leiding’s Hist oric Houses of South Carolina as “the most historic house in Boundary Street School Group NEWS-SUN-CITIZEN TRICENTENNIAL EDITION Newberry County, S. C., November 12, 1970 Newberry,* “Coateswood* was begun in the 1830’s, completed in 1841, byChancellor Job John stone. The original tract of 200 acres lay partly within and partly beyond the present city limits of Newberry. The house was once four stories. The first floor exterior is of brick, fin ished with stucco ; the upper part is frame. The walls of the first floor are quite thick. The interior woodwork... mold ings, mantels, etc... was the handwork of Phillip Schoppert. Brass hardware, panelled doors Mayer Memorial Lutheran Church Named For Dr« O.B. Mayer Mayer Memorial Lutheran Church was organized October 15, 1899 by Rev. W.K. Sligh, Rev. M.G.G. Scherer, and Dr. O.B. Mayer, Jr. The first build- Rock House Over 200 Years Old The Rock House is located on land granted to one Jacob Hoffman in 1758. Though no accurate date has been es tablished, the house has most certainly been standing for 200 years. It is constructed of field stone, with 18-inch thick walls. The house is two-story. Each floor had -two rooms. The second floor was reached by a narrow winding stair set in the chimney wall. In the garret are two small ironbarred windows. The house stands in an open field, several hundred yards east of the old Bush River- Charleston road. It is the pro perty of Mr. and Mrs. Furman Long. The site is not open for tour. ing was erected in the summer prior to the congregation’s or ganization by Dr. O.B. Mayer, Jr. in memory of his father, Dr. O.B. Mayer, Sr., and it stood on the site of the present building. Rev. Charles H. Armstrong, Ph.D., of Greenford, Ohio be came the first pastor on Feb ruary 1,1900. At that time Rev. Armstrong also served as pas tor of Beth-Eden and Colony Lutheran Churches. The first building was des troyed by fire on Sunday after noon, January 12,1919, while service was being held. Records of the first church were des troyed in this fire, but older members of the congregation list the following people as the church’s charter members:Mr. and Mrs. G.L.Bobb, Mr. Minnie Reagin, Mrs. Lizzie B. Tolbert, Mrs. LauraReeves, Mrs. Laura Boozer, Mrs. Lillia Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. John Paysinger, Mr. and Mrs. Gilliam Fulmer, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. F.S. Bedenbaugh,Mrs. Buford Waits, Miss Mattie Waits, Mrs. Louisa Cromer, Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Wicker, Mr. and Mrs. Felker, and Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Mabry. The second building was er ected duringthe summer of 1919 and, with improvements from time to time, served the con gregation until the summer of 1956 when it was torn down to make room for the present building. The first services were held in the new church building on Sunday, April 14, 1957. For a number of years May er Memorial was in a parish arrangement with Silverstreet and Summer Memorial Lu theran Churches. Then Mayer Memorial and Summer Mem orial were together until the congregation formed a parish of its own in 1930. Mayer Memorial has steadily grown through the years, At the end of 1969, the Parish Register showed 423 Baptised Members, 300 Confirmed Members, and 271 Communing Members. The total budget for the year 1970 is $33,960.00. All of the church property is debt free. Mayer Memorial has given three of her sons to the Gos pel Ministry. They are the late Rev. Louis E. Bouknight, Rev. D. Murray Shull, Jr., who ser ved several years as a miss ionary to Liberia and presently preaches in Sumter, and Rev. George T. Willis who pastors a church in Charleston at the pre sent time. Also, the congregat ion is helping to support Rev. and Mrs. Donald Poole, mis sionaries in Ipoh, Malaysia. In addition to the regular Worship Services, Mayer Me morial serves its members through Sunday Church School, Weekday Church School, and Vacation Church School. Both the Lutheran Church Women and Lutheran Church Men Groups are very active in st- rengthing the work of the church. Mayer Memorial is very proud of the fact that the Synodical (State) Presidents of these organizations are mem bers of our congregation. Mrs. John H. Koch, Jr., serves as the president of the Synodical LCW and Mr. J. Howard Cook, Jr., serves as president of the Sy nodical LCM. Mayer Memorial has a fine group of helpful young people who make up its Youth Group. Both the young and old par ticipate in the inter-church sports activities in Newberry County and through the years, many trophies have been won by our teams. A monthly church paper. The Mayer Memorial Messenger , is prepared by a volunteer staff. Rev. John H. Koch, Jr., is the present pastor of Mayer Me morial . He came to Mayer on September 1,1967. Officers of the congregation include the fol lowing: Mr. Harold O. Cook, Vice-Chairman of the Church Council; Mr. Robert Coats, Sec retary: Mrs. A.O. Livingston, Jr., Financial Secretary; Mr. Charles W. Morris, Church Treasurer; Mr. O.L. Cook, Jr., Long Range Improvement Fund Treasurer; and Mrs. Lin Slat on, Parish Register. Dr. Milton W. Moore o f Newberry College serves as director of both the Youth and Cancel Choirs and Mrs. Hubert Kinard is Organist. Mr. A.O. Livingston, Jr., is Sunday Church School Supt., Mrs. Gary Rister serves as President of Lutheran Church Men, and Miss Arlene Living ston is President of the Youth Group. A former pastor of the congregation , Rev. J.S. Wess- inger, is a member of the con gregation. Thank You . . . To Our Customers We Extend Thanks For Our Growth And Progress In NEWBERRY COUNTY :mw ■ t w rtf’ft? * I- •‘iPf* ■■ ' and much of the furniture is par ticularly worthy of note. At the rear of the main house is the “Longhouse*... whether slave quarters or temporary living quarters for the Johnston fam ily is not definitely known, but cooking was most certainly done in the old fireplace in the build ing... and it is likely thatChan- cellor Johnston maintained an office in the building. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Pope, Jr., present owners of “Coates wood,” removed a large pine bookcase from the “ Longhouse” and it is now to be seen on the rear sunporch of the main house. * * * We Add Our Best Wishes To Newberry County i And South Carolina On Their Tricentennial Celebration - - WHITAKER FLOOR COVERINGS 2625 Winnsboro Road Newberry, S. C.